Newburgh Walking the Marches 2013

The throng gathers at what was the George Hotel corner of Tay Street  for 1-00 pm start. The walking of the marches is now a tri-annual event asserting rights of way and marking the boundary of the Burgh of Newburgh. White paint is reapplied on marker posts along the way, typical of Newburgh the person assigned the task was called Picasso. The walk is about 8 miles, up and down, across fields,undergrowth, twice under the railway and this year because of the state of the tide, for the piper and Picasso a gurgle and swim in the River Tay.

Away down Tay Street at just past 1-00pm.

 

Onwards down Coach Road to the river and turning East passing the Yacht Club then inland emerging at Parkhill Steadings skirting Lindores Abbey Ruins.

Approaching the A913 at 1-29 pm.

Skittish Jacobs Sheep unused to such intrusion.

 

What's going on?

 Emerging onto the A913 at 1-34pm

Rounding Cemetery corner....

Another gate to climb.

All over it by 13-41pm

This was 1-43pm and for me it was out of site until 5-13 pm when the more spread out walkers began to arrive for the welcome foods and beverages.in a barn off Woodriffe Road. Only another mile to the end.

After all those fences, gates, ups and downs, the assortment of pies, filled rolls, drinks beckoned.

 

The last being piped in for a wee bevy.

 

In line for that welcome replenishment.

Of the walkers were these three year youngsters, Lewis Roper 3 & 10 months and Blair Hain with Sam Green.

Traditionally the youngest and oldest receive a reward,

 

Jim Davidson aged 79 with the wee ones. A half bottle for Jim and a large box of sweeties for the boys.

 

Refreshed and off again.

 It was all down hill to the railway tunnel and onto the A913.... thence the top park skirting Mugdrum Estate.

A steady line.

A slow descent to the river Tay.

It's amazing how overgrowth can develop in 3 years. The majority bypassed this obstacle.

At this stage of marking of the boundary the wall is marked and a white stick is thrown into the River Tay as far as possible. The tide happened to be high and the piper readied himself for the plunge. Up to his neck he piped away. I did video it in HD, all is needed is the right software for me to publish when done. It has the makings of being  classic. lol.

In the middle "Picasso" shakes the water off.

It's 6-27pm and a stroll back to Coach Road completing the circuit.

The River Tay 18th Sept 2013

Another dramatic and glorious sunset over the River Tay yesterday.

The River Tay September 15th 2013

The River Tay September 15th, 6pm. at BlackEarnside by Newburgh North Fife with a powerful silvery glint. Photographing into the light, a condition that digital cameras are lacking compared to film.

Moving away from direct sunlight the image has less contrast and records the sunlit rainfall to better atmospheric effect. Both of these pics were within a few seconds.

Newburgh Orchard Fruit Sale

I arrived late at the sale, earlier queues had formed in anticipation and excitement and why not, although the harvest is late and plentiful it could be a vintage year. On sale too are apple tree saplings.

Apart from fresh fruit, jams and preserves are on sale.

 

Sweet succulent  instantly edible plums, mmmmm yes, very delicious. Cooking plums also on sale for jams and preserves.

Newburgh Orchard Group have sales over the next few Saturdays. Apples and other fruits will be available.

Mugdrum Island River Tay.

Mugdrum Island and sandbanks today at Newburgh North Fife. Calm cooler weather as the Summer seems to be at an end. Within a few days one of the bottom fields has been harvested of its grain, ploughed and ready for sowing.

Later, the same day.

Sunset Tayside 9th Sept 2013

This wonderful Tayside Summer goes on and on from dawn till dusk.

Wheat North Fife 2013

In spite of the odd shower this years grain harvest is about 3 quarters complete, plenty of drying sun and wind. My gut feeling is the quality and yield will be excellent on the better side of 4 tons per acre, I've no idea of the price which can vary depending on when it is sold. For certain it will better last year.

Gagging Law North Fife

 Where ever one lives in the UK this pernicious law is being sought by the present Government. It could be the thin end of a wedge that further divides the proletariat and majority of peoples from the greedy and arrogant rulers who dismantle our state for the benefit of a few.
In my lifetime the erosion of liberty and freedom has been vast. It's time to call a halt, for me it's a a red line moment and if you bother to think about it would be wise to make it yours too. Do you really want to be governed by totalitarianism?

What is the gagging law

September 9th, 2013 by Robin Priestley

The gagging law explained in 5 minutes
A short film with 38 Degrees, Friends of the Earth, Guido Fawkes, Baston Legal and HOPE not hate.
The government’s rushing through a new law which, if it passes, would have a chilling effect on British democracy and our right to speak up on issues that matter to us.
From May 2014, draconian new rules would prevent non-politicians from speaking up on the big issues of the day. A huge range of campaign groups and charities – everyone from The Royal British Legion, to Oxfam, to the RSPB – are warning about the threat this poses.
To find out more about the law and what you can do see our gagging law mini-site

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Tags: baston legal, elections, Friends of the Earth, gagging, gagging law, guido fawkes, HOPE not hate, law, lobbying bill

Gagging Law: Posters

September 4th, 2013 by Robin Priestley

Tell the government why the gagging law is important to you.
If you’re going to meet your MP about the gagging law, then why not print out a poster beforehand and fill it in with the issue most important to you?  Take a picture of yourself with it before the meeting, then hand it in to your MP.
Why not print out a few more posters to pop in your window or share with friends and other people who are coming to meet your MP?
Share your picture on social media:

• Download and print out your own gagging law poster by clicking on the image below.
• Fill it out with the issue most important to you
• Take a photo and tweet it or share it on facebook
• Remember to use the hashtag #gagginglaw
• Email the 38 Degrees office a copy of your photo to emailtheteam@38degrees.org.uk

You can download your poster by clicking on the image below

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Tags: gagging law, lobbying, mp meeting, posters

Gagging Law – Visit your MP

September 4th, 2013 by Robin Priestley

The government’s rushing through a new law which, if it passes, would have a chilling effect on British democracy and our right to speak up on issues that matter to us.
From May 2014, draconian new rules would prevent non-politicians from speaking up on the big issues of the day. A huge range of campaign groups and charities – everyone from The Royal British Legion, to Oxfam, to the RSPB – are warning about the threat this poses.
It’s very important that MPs not only hear from us via email, but also face to face, about why this gagging law needs urgent changes.
If you’re interested in setting up a meeting with your MP, please register your interest here.  The 38 Degrees office team will then give you a call back.
The 38 Degrees office team are here to help you set up a meeting with your MP, to talk through any questions you might have and to invite other members along to the meeting so that you are not facing them alone.
The first thing to remember when you go to visit your MP is that you don’t have to be an expert in every aspect of the law.  Your MPs job is to represent you in parliament, so your opinion should be very important to them.
That said it’s worth taking a little bit of time to familiarise yourself with the bill so that you are clear what you want to say in advance.
Visit our gagging law website to see:

• Information on contacting your MP.
• Briefings on the law and tips on what to talk to them about.
• Documents from experts to read and give to your MP.

 You can see a map of events that are organised here.

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Tags: gagging, gagging bill, gagging law, lobbying bill, meet your mp

UK gagging law

August 30th, 2013 by David

I’ve just got back from my summer holiday. I read last week’s email, “38 Degrees under threat“, whilst I was away camping.  Not exactly what you want to see when you’re trying to relax!
I must admit I hoped I’d get back in the office and find my colleagues had been guilty of some exaggeration. I’ve spent the last couple of days speaking to lawyers and other experts, to get to the bottom of what’s going on.
I’m afraid it’s really bad. The proposed gagging law would have a chilling effect on British democracy and our right to speak up on issues that matter to us.
The draft law could effectively stop organisations like 38 Degrees from speaking out for the whole year before a general election. From May 2014, we would be banned from holding politicians and political parties to account in ways we do all the time at present.
Community groups, charities and campaigning organisations would all be hit. On the big issues of the day – whether or not to go to war, the future of our NHS, the environment, welfare, immigration, etc – we’d all be gagged.
Why are they proposing this? It’s hard to say for sure. Maybe it’s an unintended consequence of a badly written draft law. Or maybe it’s a deliberate attempt by politicians to silence their critics.
Either way, they’re trying to rush it through. MPs have their first chance to debate it this coming Tuesday, with crunch votes lined up for soon after that.
Please can you help stand up for democracy and send an urgent email to your MP now?
It’s clear that 38 Degrees members have a key role to play in stopping this gagging law. We know how to move fast, and we know that when enough of us act together we can make politicians sit up and take notice. Already, by sending thousands of emails to the minister in charge, Chloe Smith, last week, we’ve started to force the issue into the open. See Tom Brake MP’s rather rude response to us here, and comprehensive rebuttals of his position by a campaigner and a lawyer.
MPs have spent the last few weeks on their summer break, and the last few days focused on Syria. A huge flood of emails right now is critical if we’re going to get this worrying law onto MPs’ radars in time to persuade them to vote against it.
I realise that the idea of the government trying to gag campaigning groups might seem a bit implausible. You might feel like it’s the kind of thing you’re more used to hearing about in far away dictatorships. So don’t just take my word for how bad it is – here’s what some others are saying:
“This legislation is the most pernicious assault on campaigners in living memory”
Greenpeace
“Organisations’ ability to react to important public policy developments…will be severely undermined”
National Council for Voluntary Organisations
“This will have a chilling effect on civic society and its freedom of expression” 
Rosamund McCarthy, Senior lawyer at BWB solicitors, a charity law firm
So let’s come together and stand up for democracy and our right to be heard. Please email your MP urgently and ask them to oppose this terrible new law.
Thank you – together we can stop this.
David
Executive Director, 38 Degrees

PS: Please could you meet your MP to talk about the gagging bill next Friday? The staff team can help you arrange a meeting and think about what to say. We’ll also invite other 38 Degrees members from your area. If you’re up for it, please click here.
PPS: Thanks for sharing all your thoughts on Syria. It’s a brilliant discussion. Please continue to share your thoughts on what should happen and look at what other members have said. For now at least we’re still allowed to campaign about issues like this!


MORE INFORMATION AND FURTHER READING:
News Coverage:
BBC – Lobbying bill could silence us, say charities
Charity lawyer warns new lobbying bill poses ‘existential threat to charity campaigning
The Independent View: Concerns about lobbying bill are not alarmist
Reports from experts:
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has made a statement on the bill:
Transparency of Lobbying Bill – unintended consequences or Trojan horse?
And here is a full briefing on the bill from the NCVO
The Electoral Commission has said it has “significant concerns” about the bill and that it “may be unenforceable”.

Small Copper Butterfly

A very bedraggled small copper butterfly today sunning itself on a log at Flisk north Fife. An earlier example.

Studio 222 the High Street Newburgh

 Studio 222 the High Street Newburgh

Studio 222 celebrates a second birthday. How time flies. The studio grows in popularity selling a wide range of quality original art & craft-works.

The job done to the dulcet singing of happy birthday. It tasted very good too. mmmm

Free raffle tickets being drawn by Joe for a stained glass piece by Sarah Honeyman and Glass art by Catriona Wallbutton.

 

Studio 222 offers a huge array of original arts & crafts items, gift-ware, well worth a visit.

Either artist can be be contacted, details.