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CONTENTS
Electric Scotland News
Electric Canadian
British Columbia's West Coast Trail
Trailwood Films - Canada's National Parks
Wheat Growing in Canada
Canadian Household Survey 2011
Potato Growing in PEI
The Flag in the Wind
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
Christina's Column
Tasmina's Column
Scottish Stories for Young Readers
Thomas Dykes
History of West Calder
Hound and Horn in Jedforrest
Murrayshall
Clan MacPherson Association honoured by National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA
Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs
and finally
Electric Scotland News
Our Electric Scotland Community is back up at long last and we're very sorry it was down for so long. It ended up being our mistake and the Facebook errors that displayed ended up being a red herring. It ended up being a full temp directory that caused all the problems and once we ran a cleaner to delete the files all magically worked again.
So we've learned our lesson and have purchased the professional version of the cleaner so we can run it each week on an automated schedule and so this problem should not happen again.
We still have a few things to sort out which I hope will be done by this weekend... we need to get our logo back up, redirect the current index page to our forums index page, remove the Blogs and add in our Gallery and that will be us fully up to date.
-----
Last week I simply posted a link to the newsletter as a pdf file so hopefully you were able to read it.
-----
This week we've started archiving "The Enigma Machine" which I hope you'll enjoy. Hugh Sutherland has started to add one of these puzzles each week in our forums and then gives us a week to argue back and forward as to the answers. At the end of the week he posts up the answers and then posts up a new one.
On the web site I've now added the first 20 of these puzzles along with the answers and will now sync with Hugh and post up one a week until we've completed the set.
I should tell you that these puzzles were created by Doug Ross, a Scots Canadian, and they now appear in old folks homes, doctors surgeries and other places and by all accounts are a great hit.
You can get to the page at http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/enigma/
-----
I note that the new bridge across the Forth is to be called "Queensferry Crossing".
Electric Canadian
British Columbia's West Coast Trail
Put up a 23 minute video of a documentary of the famous West Coast Trail. You can view this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/videos/bc.htm
Trailwood Films - Canada's National Parks
This is a 1 hour video on some of Canada's National Parks and you can view this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/life...eos/canada.htm
Wheat Growing in Canada
Have made available a 1904 report on wheat growing in Canada along with three videos of the industry as it is today. You can get to this at http://www.electriccanadian.com/tran...ture/wheat.htm
Canadian Household Survey 2011
Stats Canada launched the results of this survey and I've posted up the major results and a link to the survey at:http://www.electriccanadian.com/life...survey2011.htm
Potato Growing in PEI
I came across a video of potato growing in PEI so added that to our page at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/transport/agriculture/potato.htm
The Flag in the Wind
This weeks edition was compiled by Alison Thewliss in which her main article is "Finding Reasons to Vote".
You can read this issue at http://www.scotsindependent.org
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
We have now started on Volume 8 and added this week the July 1911 issue along with the 1911 index.
You can get to this at::http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...w/volume08.htm
You can read the previous issues at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/review/
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
This book is by Robert Chambers who is famous for collecting old Scottish Songs.
Added this week are...
Fient A Crum Of Thee She Faws
Hey, Now The Day Dawns!
The Banks of Helicon
You can get to this book at the foot of the page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ers_robert.htm
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Have now added Volume 15 1906 issue.
You can get to this at http://www.electricscotland.com/natu...al_history.htm
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
Have added additional articles from this magazine...
On Wi' The Tartan
The Ploughman
You can get to these at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pers/caledonia
Christina's Column
Got in her column for 27th June 2013 (Young People) which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...vie/130627.htm
Her other columns can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...lvie/index.htm
Tasmina's column
Got in her column for 25th June 2013, Developing the High Education Agenda across the EU.
You can read this weeks issue at http://www.electricscotland.com/life...ina/130625.htm
The rest of her columns can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/lifestyle/tasmina
Scottish Stories for Young Readers
Now made a start on the book "Scottish Stories from the Treasure Chest" in which the fifth story is about "Andrew McGregor" which can be read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/poet...w_mcgregor.htm
You can get to the other stories in this section at http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/stories/
Thomas Dykes
(1850, Dundonald, Ayrshire - 1916, London, England) Journalist and Author
This week we added to his book "All Round Sport with Fish, Fur and Feather"...
The Wynds of Windermere
Lady Mina Millingtower, M.F.H.
The Old Coach’s Last Journey
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...kes_thomas.htm
History of West Calder
Compiled from various sources of information by a Native (1885)
Now up to chapter 25 of this book. In Chapter 19 we learn ...
The previous chapter was devoted to the shale oil trade and its influence in the parish. After the statements and statistics given therein one would hardly believe that so lately as the year 1848, or only 16 years before Acldiewell Works were started, West Calder was literally in darkness at night, save for the dim glimmer of the old fashioned lamps and candles—dips— for ‘Paddy’s Lantern’ never shone there on a dark night.
Yet true it is and of verity that the Thistle Lodge of Free Masons West Calder took a step in the right direction, seeking a brighter light than they had hitherto been accustomed to, for in the year 1848 with all the deliberation and seriousness of a constituted and constitutional body, they actually resolved “That a deputation of their number proceed to Whitburn to see a Naptha Lamp burning: with power to purchase”. Oh ye gods! this is always the way with you, leading your children through darkness. How many million tons of a purer and brighter illuminating power did this deputation tramp over on their way? No wonder Spunky frightened them that night with his wild-fore as they passed the moors and mosses to Whitburn! endeavouring to show them where light glorious light lay buried. Since then gas has even been introduced to the village. But I must hurry, on to the Fair which occurs this month, and give it a passing notice from a historical point of view.
You can read this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter19.htm
You can read the other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...lder/index.htm
Hound and Horn in Jedforrest
Being some experiences of a Scottish M.F.H. by T. Scott Anderson
In chapter 3 we read...
THE grey mare was turning out fairly well, but she had much to learn. She was being schooled to stand the whip, and was also being regularly ridden on the moor to train her to avoid putting her feet in sheep drains, of which she knew nothing when she first came. She had one very bad fault, which was to run back directly she felt the toe in the stirrup. Billy was very patient with her, and gentled her up to a certain point, and if this failed he adopted a stronger method. His endearing epithets were numerous. He would begin by “Gently then, my little lady;” “Gently now, my bonnie sweetheart;” “Woe ho, my pet beauty, woe ho.” Then, as the mare moved backwards, he would tap her behind the fore-legs and say, “Stand still, will you;” “Stand still, you wild wench;” “Stand still, you lanky jade;” “Stand still, you long-legged besom.” Being a man of resource, he tied up a forefoot, and used to spend hours swinging his own long leg up and down, and practising mounting from the off side, at which he soon became an adept. Lastly, he formed a sort of crush—a narrow pen of two palings ended by a stiff prickly holly bush—inside of which enclosure he pushed her, and swung confidently into the saddle. This first experiment was more than successful, for the mare backed against the bush and then shot forward so suddenly and with such force, that she jerked her rider behind the saddle, and then getting a slight chuck in the mouth she got up on end and slid the astonished horseman not ungracefully over her tail, to the unconcealed delight of the few privileged onlookers. The “jade” got clear, and after cutting up the tennis lawn, was only captured at the stable door. The gentling method was taken up again, and proved successful, for she was soon pronounced “whip quiet,” and “steady to mount.”
You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter03.htm
You can read the other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/hound/
Murrayshall
An article from John Henderson in which he's backing the preservation of Murrayshall and he has added his own song to the campaign.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerel496.htm
Clan MacPherson Association honoured by National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA
Clan MacPherson is the first Clan to become ambassadors for the National Trust for Scotland. We have the press release which can be read at: http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...erson_nts.html
Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs
Got in a copy of their June 2013 newsletter which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...ng_council.htm
And finally...
Guilty?
A bus-load of American tourists was emptying in the centre of Edinburgh, and one of them stared at the craters in the road caused by the work on the new tram-line.
"Was this terrorism?" he asked a local.
"Ay," he was told, "but roon here we caa them toon cooncillors."
-----
Dangling The Carrot
A grandmother's explanation of the benefits of eating vegetables to her grandson included the old claim that eating carrots was good for your eyesight.
The puzzled youngster challenged her on this, and asked how carrots could help him see.
Not to be beaten, she merely replied: "Have you ever seen a rabbit with glasses?"
And that's it for now and hope you all have a great weekend
Alastair
Electric Scotland News
Electric Canadian
British Columbia's West Coast Trail
Trailwood Films - Canada's National Parks
Wheat Growing in Canada
Canadian Household Survey 2011
Potato Growing in PEI
The Flag in the Wind
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
Christina's Column
Tasmina's Column
Scottish Stories for Young Readers
Thomas Dykes
History of West Calder
Hound and Horn in Jedforrest
Murrayshall
Clan MacPherson Association honoured by National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA
Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs
and finally
Electric Scotland News
Our Electric Scotland Community is back up at long last and we're very sorry it was down for so long. It ended up being our mistake and the Facebook errors that displayed ended up being a red herring. It ended up being a full temp directory that caused all the problems and once we ran a cleaner to delete the files all magically worked again.
So we've learned our lesson and have purchased the professional version of the cleaner so we can run it each week on an automated schedule and so this problem should not happen again.
We still have a few things to sort out which I hope will be done by this weekend... we need to get our logo back up, redirect the current index page to our forums index page, remove the Blogs and add in our Gallery and that will be us fully up to date.
-----
Last week I simply posted a link to the newsletter as a pdf file so hopefully you were able to read it.
-----
This week we've started archiving "The Enigma Machine" which I hope you'll enjoy. Hugh Sutherland has started to add one of these puzzles each week in our forums and then gives us a week to argue back and forward as to the answers. At the end of the week he posts up the answers and then posts up a new one.
On the web site I've now added the first 20 of these puzzles along with the answers and will now sync with Hugh and post up one a week until we've completed the set.
I should tell you that these puzzles were created by Doug Ross, a Scots Canadian, and they now appear in old folks homes, doctors surgeries and other places and by all accounts are a great hit.
You can get to the page at http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/enigma/
-----
I note that the new bridge across the Forth is to be called "Queensferry Crossing".
Electric Canadian
British Columbia's West Coast Trail
Put up a 23 minute video of a documentary of the famous West Coast Trail. You can view this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/videos/bc.htm
Trailwood Films - Canada's National Parks
This is a 1 hour video on some of Canada's National Parks and you can view this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/life...eos/canada.htm
Wheat Growing in Canada
Have made available a 1904 report on wheat growing in Canada along with three videos of the industry as it is today. You can get to this at http://www.electriccanadian.com/tran...ture/wheat.htm
Canadian Household Survey 2011
Stats Canada launched the results of this survey and I've posted up the major results and a link to the survey at:http://www.electriccanadian.com/life...survey2011.htm
Potato Growing in PEI
I came across a video of potato growing in PEI so added that to our page at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/transport/agriculture/potato.htm
The Flag in the Wind
This weeks edition was compiled by Alison Thewliss in which her main article is "Finding Reasons to Vote".
You can read this issue at http://www.scotsindependent.org
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
We have now started on Volume 8 and added this week the July 1911 issue along with the 1911 index.
You can get to this at::http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...w/volume08.htm
You can read the previous issues at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/review/
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
This book is by Robert Chambers who is famous for collecting old Scottish Songs.
Added this week are...
Fient A Crum Of Thee She Faws
Hey, Now The Day Dawns!
The Banks of Helicon
You can get to this book at the foot of the page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ers_robert.htm
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Have now added Volume 15 1906 issue.
You can get to this at http://www.electricscotland.com/natu...al_history.htm
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
Have added additional articles from this magazine...
On Wi' The Tartan
The Ploughman
You can get to these at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pers/caledonia
Christina's Column
Got in her column for 27th June 2013 (Young People) which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...vie/130627.htm
Her other columns can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...lvie/index.htm
Tasmina's column
Got in her column for 25th June 2013, Developing the High Education Agenda across the EU.
You can read this weeks issue at http://www.electricscotland.com/life...ina/130625.htm
The rest of her columns can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/lifestyle/tasmina
Scottish Stories for Young Readers
Now made a start on the book "Scottish Stories from the Treasure Chest" in which the fifth story is about "Andrew McGregor" which can be read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/poet...w_mcgregor.htm
You can get to the other stories in this section at http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/stories/
Thomas Dykes
(1850, Dundonald, Ayrshire - 1916, London, England) Journalist and Author
This week we added to his book "All Round Sport with Fish, Fur and Feather"...
The Wynds of Windermere
Lady Mina Millingtower, M.F.H.
The Old Coach’s Last Journey
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...kes_thomas.htm
History of West Calder
Compiled from various sources of information by a Native (1885)
Now up to chapter 25 of this book. In Chapter 19 we learn ...
The previous chapter was devoted to the shale oil trade and its influence in the parish. After the statements and statistics given therein one would hardly believe that so lately as the year 1848, or only 16 years before Acldiewell Works were started, West Calder was literally in darkness at night, save for the dim glimmer of the old fashioned lamps and candles—dips— for ‘Paddy’s Lantern’ never shone there on a dark night.
Yet true it is and of verity that the Thistle Lodge of Free Masons West Calder took a step in the right direction, seeking a brighter light than they had hitherto been accustomed to, for in the year 1848 with all the deliberation and seriousness of a constituted and constitutional body, they actually resolved “That a deputation of their number proceed to Whitburn to see a Naptha Lamp burning: with power to purchase”. Oh ye gods! this is always the way with you, leading your children through darkness. How many million tons of a purer and brighter illuminating power did this deputation tramp over on their way? No wonder Spunky frightened them that night with his wild-fore as they passed the moors and mosses to Whitburn! endeavouring to show them where light glorious light lay buried. Since then gas has even been introduced to the village. But I must hurry, on to the Fair which occurs this month, and give it a passing notice from a historical point of view.
You can read this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter19.htm
You can read the other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...lder/index.htm
Hound and Horn in Jedforrest
Being some experiences of a Scottish M.F.H. by T. Scott Anderson
In chapter 3 we read...
THE grey mare was turning out fairly well, but she had much to learn. She was being schooled to stand the whip, and was also being regularly ridden on the moor to train her to avoid putting her feet in sheep drains, of which she knew nothing when she first came. She had one very bad fault, which was to run back directly she felt the toe in the stirrup. Billy was very patient with her, and gentled her up to a certain point, and if this failed he adopted a stronger method. His endearing epithets were numerous. He would begin by “Gently then, my little lady;” “Gently now, my bonnie sweetheart;” “Woe ho, my pet beauty, woe ho.” Then, as the mare moved backwards, he would tap her behind the fore-legs and say, “Stand still, will you;” “Stand still, you wild wench;” “Stand still, you lanky jade;” “Stand still, you long-legged besom.” Being a man of resource, he tied up a forefoot, and used to spend hours swinging his own long leg up and down, and practising mounting from the off side, at which he soon became an adept. Lastly, he formed a sort of crush—a narrow pen of two palings ended by a stiff prickly holly bush—inside of which enclosure he pushed her, and swung confidently into the saddle. This first experiment was more than successful, for the mare backed against the bush and then shot forward so suddenly and with such force, that she jerked her rider behind the saddle, and then getting a slight chuck in the mouth she got up on end and slid the astonished horseman not ungracefully over her tail, to the unconcealed delight of the few privileged onlookers. The “jade” got clear, and after cutting up the tennis lawn, was only captured at the stable door. The gentling method was taken up again, and proved successful, for she was soon pronounced “whip quiet,” and “steady to mount.”
You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter03.htm
You can read the other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/hound/
Murrayshall
An article from John Henderson in which he's backing the preservation of Murrayshall and he has added his own song to the campaign.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerel496.htm
Clan MacPherson Association honoured by National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA
Clan MacPherson is the first Clan to become ambassadors for the National Trust for Scotland. We have the press release which can be read at: http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...erson_nts.html
Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs
Got in a copy of their June 2013 newsletter which you can read at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...ng_council.htm
And finally...
Guilty?
A bus-load of American tourists was emptying in the centre of Edinburgh, and one of them stared at the craters in the road caused by the work on the new tram-line.
"Was this terrorism?" he asked a local.
"Ay," he was told, "but roon here we caa them toon cooncillors."
-----
Dangling The Carrot
A grandmother's explanation of the benefits of eating vegetables to her grandson included the old claim that eating carrots was good for your eyesight.
The puzzled youngster challenged her on this, and asked how carrots could help him see.
Not to be beaten, she merely replied: "Have you ever seen a rabbit with glasses?"
And that's it for now and hope you all have a great weekend
Alastair
!)
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