Wednesday, 28 March 2012

Poetry Slam @ the Salmon Bothy




This has been a glorious week for being outdoors.  The shrubs are flowering and the leaves are coming into bud.  Dr Anne has been in the garden when possible and has done some weeding and feeding.  Much has yet to be tackled.

 Dr Anne has been immersed in the Slam Poetry Project at the Salmon Bothy for a number of weeks.  An award was made by the Clore Foundation to the Salmon Bothy, its only award in Scotland with an aim of bringing new and younger people to the Salmon Bothy.  Poets, Elspeth Murray and Tawona Sitole did workshops in eight schools.  The pupils brought artefacts and wrote 62 word poems about them.  They were submitted to the poets for selection and twenty seven pupils from the eight schools arrived at the Salmon Bothy yesterday morning at 0930 to practise performance skills.  The weather was amazing and be it March the youngsters were able to work outdoors part of the time.  At 1900 the young poets and their guests were in a packed Bothy for the performance of a lifetime.  Stuart Campbell, our local poet read a message from Liz Lockhead, the Scotland's Poet Laureate.  Dressed in specially designed t shirts most youngsters performed their poem from memory using their artefact as a prop.  They received an amazing reception from their guests.

Friday, 23 March 2012

The Bolter

Osborne, F. (2008). The Bolter. London: Virago Press.

This book was recommended in the Book Show a couple of weeks ago.  Dr Anne decided to have it as one of her Spring reads.  It has to be said that 'Out of Africa' is one of Dr Anne's all time favourite books and film so the book had a head start.

This was a real page turner, totally enthralling from page one to the afterword.  The use of the diary entries gave a touch or reality to the story.  The personal journey of the author added to the emotional identity of the story.  Thank you.  Dr Anne awards 9/10.

Tuesday, 20 March 2012

Project 2012


Today the temperature rose to 15c.  Dr Anne headed outdoors and soon found she had to take the coat off.  The tasks are numerous.  However, one day at a time...

Tuesday, 13 March 2012

Mild March

Dr Anne's attention has been totally focused in dancing in schools over the first 10 weeks of 2012.  She has not wavered her attention.  However the weather has been so settled and mild.  It makes one's mind turn to one's next project - the garden 2012.  Today Cluny were at the festival when she arrived to dance so a free afternoon...

 Before and after at the top of the garden.

 Before and after at the bottom of the garden

 The daffodils near the house are in full bloom while those at the top of the garden are in bud. 
The grass has been untidy for weeks now so out came the mower.  It was a high cut 5 on the bottom green and 4 at the top of the garden.  It was an amazing afternoon.

Friday, 2 March 2012

Late February

There has been this amazing couple of weeks of mild weather.  The garden is wet and heavy but the spring flowers are up and in flower.  Dr Anne knows that the garden should now be forefront in her mind.