Autumn Leaves North Fife

Autumn leaves north fife. Today was unseasonally warm and very pleasant. On leaving my local medical clinic after receiving my free seasonal flu vaccine how lovely it was to walk on mainly Cherry tree leaf strewn paths, akin to flower petals or confetti. Brilliant! As the effects of the vaccination merged with my being my drive home was more measured and slow. Worth every lingering moment to enjoy the natural delights as below.





On the road from Rathillet House via Stirton to the Gauldry - Hazelton road one encounters views such as these.





Rich golden beech tree leaves.

Steel Pulse Photographs

David Hinds, Mover and shaker of Steel Pulse. Today at random I trawled through my photographic archive and along with others scanned in this image. Taken in the mid 70s in Staffordshire at a gig where they were supporting group to Bob Marley, quite heady days given the recreational activities. I have fond memories.

Ladyburn House Skinners Steps for sale Cupar North Fife

Ladyburn House Skinners Steps for sale Cupar North Fife



Offers around £280,000

A charming traditional detached villa set within mature walled garden grounds. The property has off street parking and old dairy outbuildings. Ladyburn villa is located a short distance from the centre and train station.

Reception hallway. Lounge. Family room. Dining room. Kitchen. Four bedrooms. Bathroom. Utility room. WC/cloaks. GCH & DG

Property Ref : ladyburn
Property Type : Detached
Public Rooms : 3
Bedrooms : 4
Garage : no
Garden : yes

HOME REPORT AVAILABLE
Pagan Osborne is delighted to offer this attractive Victorian detached villa set within mature garden grounds. The property offers off street parking for numerous cars and has former dairy houses which may be renovated (subject to necessary planning consents). The accommodation is formed over two levels which comprises on the ground level; entrance vestibule, reception hallway, lounge with feature traditional stone fireplace, family room, open plan dining room/kitchen, double bedroom with built in storage, utility room and WC/cloaks. A turreted staircase leads to the first floor accommodation which comprises three double bedrooms and four piece bathroom. A "Ramsay style" ladder leads to a floored attic which has power and light supply. Externally there is a sweeping driveway which leads to the front and side of the property. The established garden to the front is enclosed with traditional stone walls and is laid with lawn. This garden contains various mature trees, plants and shrubbery. The gardens to the rear have two former dairy buildings which may be developed (subject to necessary planning consents). Also to the rear is an enclosed secret garden area which has a summerhouse and various plants/shrubbery. Extra parking is provided for two cars behind one of the traditional outhouses. Cupar town centre and railway station (which provides links to Edinburgh) are positioned within 1 ½ miles. The property is completed by gas central heating. Pagan Osborne highly recommends viewings to appreciate the accommodation on offer and a Home Report is available upon request.
Photographs

Contact
Pagan Osborne Property Services
Solicitors and Estate Agents
1 Crossgate
Cupar
Fife
KY15 4HA

Tel : 01334 656525
Fax : 01334 654119

E-mail : property-cupar@pagan.co.uk
Website : www.paganosborne.com

Alexander McDonald at The Silo Cupar Arts Festival

Cupar Arts Festival North Fife.



Alexander McDonald busy at his adjustments amid an installation by Kathy Watts, showcasing the unique acoustic qualities and resonate harmonics of the giant cylindrical space of the silo itself. A recording has been made in the feedback mixer to include spurious sound additions of people present within the silo merging with the hidden frequencies, to be replayed to the space below containing an installation of sugar barcode videos by Anton Beaver.



Alexander having a twiddle.
For all of those who ventured into this space required exploit, the access was via a steep metal ladder through a "mind your head" concrete floor way into relative darkness, compared to my previous visit it posed no problem, this time there were others, quite different to being alone and without external sound.

North Fife Blog Albatross

I rarely browse but tonight I came upon this.
There is no accounting for taste. This is a clear illustration of how incidental litter impacts on other life forms. Please look and hopefully it will cause you to be more mindful as it has for myself.

Buckthorn North Fife

It's still fruit picking time and today I am delighted to have come across an abundance of Buckthorn fruits on my way to Perth from my home in north fife. My usual site to gather is near the sea at Tentsmuir forest. There the production is less, maybe because the bushes grow in the sand dunes or others get there first, humans or birds. Such are the beneficial qualities
of the fruit, I planted several in my garden 2 years ago, they haven't fruited yet maybe because there are male and female plants and mine are all male. The most assured way is to propagate cuttings from known females.

Latin Name
Hippophae rhamnoides L.

Family
Elaeagnaceae

Common Names

Sea buckthorn, Siberian pineapple, Sea Berry, Sandthorn or Swallowthorn

Habitat

It is native from northwestern Europe, through central Asia to the Altai Mountains to western and northern China and the northern Himalayas.

Historic Uses

Used in ancient Greece as a fodder for horses to promote weight gain and a shiny coat. In fact, the generic Latin name "Hippophae" literally translates to "shiny horse".
Sea buckthorn has been used for centuries in both Europe and Asia as food; and for its pharmaceutical properties.
Anecdotal reports indicate sea buckthorn was used in ancient times to:
Lower fever, reduce inflammation, counteract toxicity and abscesses, and clean the lungs.
Treat colds and coughs.
Treat tumours and growths, especially of the stomach and the oesophagus.

Functional Food

Juice from sea buckthorn berries is a common drink in many parts of Asia and Europe. The juice is very high in protein, vitamins C and E, and organic acids.
The leaves, either fresh or dried, can be steeped to yield a nutritional tea.
The leaves, young branches and fruit pulp can be used as animal fodder.

Medicinal

Topical application of sea buckthorn oil has been reported for skin therapy including sun, heat, chemical and radiation burns, eczema and poorly healing wounds. Russian cosmonauts used sea buckthorn cream for protection from cosmic radiation.
Oil from the sea buckthorn fruit is rich in vitamin E, carotenoids, phytosterols and essential fatty acids, all of which have beneficial medicinal properties for the treatment of internal and topical maladies.

The berries are very profuse as can be seen, the down side are the thorns on older plants causing the picking to be uncomfortable but never the less much worth it.

Luthrie North Fife 2009

Luthrie North Fife, I have always found this stand of Scots Pine trees attractive, running from the right diagonally are Lime Trees taking on autumnal colours so very different from lime green.

Earlier this year a view of Luthrie taken from the Hazelton to Luthrie road with the Hopetoun Monument on the horizon.

Time Capsule Cupar North Fife

Time Capsule Cupar north fife. In doorway along side the Corn Exchange is this notice, I will be long gone but you may want to put it your diary, it will be interesting to see what Cupar Community Council decided what will be relevant to those who follow.

Sharon King and the Nevernevercowboys

Sharon King and the Nevernevercowboys
live at The Steeple, 67 High Street Newburgh North Fife
on Tuesday 27th October 2009 at 7.30pm

launching their new album- Reckless Angels

Tickets £6 from Twist Fibre in advance
or £7 on the door on the night.

There will be a raffle for Steeple funds and refreshments available.



Buy mp3 download Reckless Angels. Reckless Angels
.

The Moonzie Allstars Cupar Arts Festival

The Moonzie Allstars, Afro-Celtic and world fusion music. Take a look and listen.


The Moonzie Allstars giving it at The Corn Exchange Cupar Arts Festival. Brilliant, and in no time at all folk were up dancing.

The Silo Cupar Arts Festival North Fife

Cupar Arts Festival Silo, venue for works by Milton Balgonie & Guests, Ewan Morrison, Kathy Watts and Anton Beaver. On Sunday 25th October Alexander McDonald takes on the silo with a sound performance using the resonate harmonies of the structure and the unique acoustics of the upper space.
Outside, situated on the waste ground that accompanies the silo, Louisa Preston places a large metal structure that happily sits in the space as if drawn onto the skyline.
Louisa’s practice uses architectural forms, with a hint of the domestic, to create sublime forms.
Milton Balgoni hosts the Poetry Slam on the closing evening with a storm of quality poets from all corners of the country and manages to deliver an evening of entertainment
that is not to be missed. Ewan Morrison calls himself recovery addict as he takes care of the audience fatigue at the interval, with a tranquil tinkering upstairs.
Meanwhile the bread is baking outside as Kathy’s performance comes to a conclusion, after the sourdough having cured for a month in the silo.
The fire is built and ready to warm the muscles, with projections and lanterns to finish the event visually.

Donations will be welcomed at the door.

Anton Beaver with his installation on the ground floor level in the giant silo. Magnificent columns which have to support the thousands of tons of sugar or grain once housed in there.


Carousel, an arc of video screens showing a continual barcode motion, a comment on the cyclical nature of food production.

Barcode for Sugar.

Exterior of the sugar silo Cupar North Fife. Formerly part of the sugar beet factory Cupar trading estate.

Kathy Watts North Fife

Kathy Watts, installation artist Cupar Arts Festival sitting outside the giant silo, deep in thought.

Installation "Beyond Social Function" inside this cavernous space.

Now I have to say this is one of the most disturbing and uncomfortable environments I have ever experienced, I have been a caver, explored limestone caverns in similar light conditions but this takes the biscuit.

Blog Action Day North Fife.

The Earth. This is where we live for now. It needs respect and tender loving care.
Blog Action Day North Fife.

Climate change, Global warming yes the times are a changing. As individuals What can we do?
We live in a totally imbalanced world of extremes, riches/poverty, have and have nots, health and disease, no rain/too much rain, Violence/peace, happiness/anger,etc. The human condition.
None of us are separate, we are part of the whole. This is explained well in the Gaia principle.
How is it the now?
Polar ice melting far quicker than previously predicted, Acidification of the oceans with the loss of whole eco systems, Glaciation retreating world wide, copious river flows with flooding now adding to sea levels, what when there is no ice melt left to irrigate? Already massive famines are occurring causing the migration of millions of peoples. What are we actually doing about it? Global procrastination.
A huge shift in focus is needed, away from consumerism, material growth and the rapacious despoliation of our world.
For us to adequately adapt to the changes taking place deep respect for life in all of its forms is urgently needed.
We fiddle as Rome burns possibly leading to the extinction of Homo Sapiens along with the myriad of other creatures.
A total commitment to a sustainable way of life is imperative.
On a local level grass roots developments are forming. Transition Towns for instance. A main object is to reduce the dependence on oil, food miles and power companies. Wiki Page.

Think Globally act locally.

It's quite possible that sheer survival will be the name of the game for most of us. Civilisations come and go, what a crying shame we risk ending this one through exploitation, inattention and lack of care.
It beggars belief that those with vested corporate interests in the continuation of our present lifestyle deny that climate change has anything to do with our behaviour.

Garden Water Pool Newburgh North Fife

Garden water pot in Newburgh today. A myopic look at life forms, how rich it is. After the bigger picture.

The River Tay October 14, 2009

As I leave my home to travel to Newburgh North Fife I am confronted with this view, ever changing, ever fantastic. The River Tay has the greatest volume of fresh water flow in the UK. Here at Flisk the sky is dominant too, it's something I'm happy to share via this media.


A closer view of The River Tay this October 2009. By the waterside, middle left you can see Ballinbreich Castle, in its time a fabulous home.

Mugdrum Island more evident as we approach Newburgh.

Karen Spy North Fife

Artwork by Karen Spy on display next to The Mercat Cross, Crossgate, Cupar North Fife as part of Cupar Arts Festival 10-25 October 09. Hopefully I'll post more over the coming days.

West Lomond Fife

Cloud capped West Lomond viewed from the North over the Howe of Fife yesterday as dusk approaches.

The Lodge Cauldside Farm North Fife for sale

The Lodge, Cauldside Farm, Strathkinness High Road, St Andrews North Fife for sale.

Offers around £550,000

* Property Type : Detached
* Public Rooms : 3
* Bedrooms : 6
* Bathrooms : 5
* Garden : yes
* Garage : no

An extended traditional detached bungalow that has been modernised and is set within 0.5 acres or thereby. There is a modern detached cottage set within the grounds and the property enjoys idyllic landscape views.

The Lodge - Feature Lounge. Kitchen. Dining Area. Sitting Room. 4 bedrooms. 2 ensuite. Family Bathroom. Study. Wet Room. Utility Room

The Cottage - Lounge
Dining Kitchen. 2 Bedrooms. Master En suite. Bathroom

Pictures

Further details

St Andrews Branch

Pagan Osborne Property Services
106 South Street
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9QD

Tel : 01334 475151
Fax : 01334 477219

E-mail : property-standrews@pagan.co.uk

Elderberry Wine North Fife

Elderberries, a most extraordinary fruit that is much overlooked. One can make:- jams, tarts, fillings, wine. The wine can be very very nice and yes, I've made it often.

The country kitchen cookbook.
Written for all cooks who would like to stock their store cupboards with homemade and wholesome food, this book combines the best of the old ways with the advantages of modern methods and gadgets. There are clear, practical instructions on a range of activities, as well as 250 recipes.The Country Kitchen


The Author,
Jocasta Innes was born in China and by the age of 15 had visited nearly every continent in the world. With a background of travel, her approach to cooking and food is catholic and international. Today she is best known for her range of paints and chain interior decorating shops, Paint Magic. She is also the author of a string of books on housekeeping and home decorating.

WESTFIELD FARMHOUSE, BALMULLO for Sale

Westfield Farmhouse Balmullo for sale North Fife.
Offers around £270,000

* Property Ref : westfield
* Property Type : Detached
* Public Rooms : 2
* Bedrooms : 2
* Garage : no
* Garden : yes

* Home Report Available

A traditional farmhouse set within mature grounds of 0.4 acre or thereby offering excellent potential with planning permission to extend. The property has an idyllic setting with views that stretch to the Eden estuary and St Andrews. Lounge. Sitting Room. Dining Kitchen. Two Double Bedrooms. Bathroom. Utility room. Coal bunker. Stone outbuilding. Double Glazing. Ample parking
A traditional farmhouse set within mature grounds of 0.4 acre or thereby offering excellent potential with planning permission for a 4 bedroom 4 bathroom home with sunroom to south and home office. The property has an idyllic setting with views that stretch to the Eden estuary and St Andrews. The property requires extensive works to modernise. The accommodation is formed over two levels and the subjects on the ground level comprise sitting room, lounge/bedroom 3, dining kitchen with traditional hearth, utility room larder and rear porch. The stairs from the main reception hallway lead to a mid level storeroom and the first floor accommodation which comprises two double bedrooms and bathroom. The front aspect of the property to the east, enjoys landscape views beyond the front lawn and mature border. To the south, the large lawned garden and mature borders presents views towards Balmullo. The garden grounds contain several fruit trees and are enclosed by traditional stone walls. The property is accessed from the north side via a private, shared road, and to the west is a rear courtyard, and outbuildings. The property is mostly double-glazed and Pagan Osborne highly recommends an early inspection to appreciate the proportions and potential of this imposing stone farmhouse and grounds. A Home Report is available on request.
Photographs.

Pagan Osborne Property Services
Solicitors and Estate Agents
106 South Street
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9QD

Tel : 01334 475151
Fax : 01334 477219

E-mail : property-standrews@pagan.co.uk
Website : www.paganosborne.com

Harvest Moon North Fife

Harvest Moon at Flisk North Fife. The moon usually prominent in the sky its phases signing the changes. The monthly cycles of wax and wane reminding us of the passage of time. In many world religions the moon marks important dates the meanings largely unknown to the masses.

Bruce Shaw Steeple Arts North Fife

Bruce's Card


Bruce Shaw surrounded by artworks and works in progress, Steeple Arts studios Newburgh High Street, North Fife Scotland as part of WASPS studios open weekend.

Maggie Milne muse and accomplished artist in her own right in Bruce's studio.

40 High Street Newburgh North Fife to let

40 High Street Newburgh North Fife to let.
Flat 4, 40 High Street, Newburgh, KY14 6AQ £395 per month

Property Type : Flat
Bedrooms : 2
Public Rooms : 1
Bathrooms : 1
Garden : yes
Garage : no

Viewing By Appointment Through Auchtermuchty Office 01337 828775

Unfurnished Modernised 2nd Floor 2 Bedroom Flat. Newly Carpeted, Fabulous Views of River Tay, Hall, Lounge/Kitchen. Kitchen area has integrated electric oven, gas hob, cooker hood, and plumbing for a washing machine and space for fridge freezer. Lounge has 3 built-in cupboards. Double bedroom has built-in wardrobe and built-in cupboard. Single bedroom has built-in cupboard. Use of a shared garden. No pets. Non-smokers only. Available immediately.
Further particulars.

Rollo Davidson McFarlane
36 Cupar Road
Auchtermuchty
KY14 7DD

Tel : 01334 477774
Fax : 01337 827102

E-mail : auchtermuchty@rollos.co.uk
Website : www.rollos.co.uk

Studio 7 Steeple Arts Newburgh

Tomorrow 3rd October and the 4th is open days for WASP studios (workshop space for artists)in Scotland. Studio 7 is my little patch. Feel free to drop in, have a gander and enjoy.

Red Stars White Flowers North Fife

Red Stars White Flowers North Fife. An exhibition of 1980s Chinese Propaganda posters in the Steeple Arts Project space, The Steeple Newburgh North Fife.


Red Star White Flowers. The posters are divided into 4 basic groups.
Mao 14
Motherland 15-24
Models 25-30
Morals 31-75

Translations of each poster is provided to inform on the viewing.
The Exhibition is open daily
12 noon to 4 pm, 1st-11th October.
Admission: Adults £1 Children 50p

Eddie McGuire and Ingrid Hass await introduction.

Lifang Lamb being happy. It must be Karma. Both Lifang and Ingrid worked at the same teaching academy in China but only met in Fife Scotland.

Deep inspection.

Exhibition opening.


Display of contemporary children's school books, abacus and wee shoes.


Eddie McGuire playing Chinese Bamboo Flute.