Monthly Meeting – Scavenger Hunt & Tattie Competition
Tuesday 14 September 2021
Anne Artis warmly welcomed our members and friends to the first meeting of the new syllabus. There were a number of apologies as members are getting busier as lockdown eases which is reassuring … and members are also able to get together, appropriately distanced, in our homes as we begin to get ready to meet as a single group from January. The following post is quite a long read, but we had to much to talk about!
Helen Little, our Treasurer, thanked everyone who had paid their subs so far and welcomed our new member Lottie McKie. She also acknowledged the donations we have received including from Wild Fox Events for stewarding and that a new electric meter has been installed in the hall which should result in more accurate readings.
Anne reminded the group that over the summer we got together as Ruskie Rural for our trip to Mull which included lots of food and mostly good weather! Congratulations to those who went cold water swimming on what was a great trip overall! The financial donations we have received so far will go towards the maintenance of the hall and some adventures that we can dream up! The federation meeting at the end of November includes competitions for a childs double knitting mitts, a Christmas card in Calligraphy (only the calligraphy judged) or a needle felted animal which can also be submitted the triennial show which is a great opportunity to get together with members from across the Federation area. On Saturday 25 September we will visit the Japanese Garden for a tour ... and a coffee/lunch at Muircot (bring sensible shoes and an umbrella!) – there are a few of tickets left.
The results of the Tattie Competition were announced – for both Members and Guests … congratulations to all our winners! Your prizes will be distributed soon!
Members
Highest Total Number - Sharon McRobert (39)
Heaviest Total Weight - Christine Bauer (4989g)
Heaviest Single Potato - Christine Bauer (453g)
Longest Single Potato - Mary Muirhead (15cm)
Non Member Special Mention
Heaviest and longest single potato - Jean Deans (539g / 17cm)
Anne then invited the group to share their Scavenger Hunt items. The shares for something with our names on it ranged from Rural Membership cards to unique embroideries … to a 21st birthday present which was worn for the first time tonight or an engraved wedding ring which still shows Liz Black's name after 44 years … or a Chinese character name or a driving license complete with ‘points’. We also saw a celebration of teaching (given by a pupil who is now our treasurer) a silver wedding sampler and one of Catriona Burnett's beautiful paintings (which is Andrew’s only special one as it is of a cow!)
For the second round Liz kicked off sharing the minute book of the Rural from 1926 which discussed setting up our institute – where 40-50 ladies agreed to establish Ruskie Rural. Other ‘Rural’ items included a mother-in-laws well polished rural spoon, a Rural Teddy, a silver engraved platter from an original rural show and the Mrs Parlane Trophy which needs to be returned for future competitions (thank you Janice Oman!) which also generated memories of handmade chocolates from Mrs Parlane. Other trophies were also unearthed which will be returned and Sheenagh Beaton has paperwork which captures the history of these and can be shared. Anne shared the history of Ruskie Rural School from its planning to becoming a county school and then a Rural hall! Members also shared some rural items including a cockerel picture, bunch of pheasant feathers (presented in a wine bottle(!), a giant courgette and a catalogue of the flora of Balquidder which was published in 1866 documenting the names of local flowers and the name of the farm on which they were found. Rural memories included ‘Warnings to Wives’ the 1926 publication marked with grannies wool for the key pages (a difficult read nowadays but fascinating nonetheless)s; plus an invitation to Buckingham Palace for a garden party.
For the final round of “things which no-one else has”, Sharon Sharon McRobert kicked off with her gin bottle full of Iona sand from the Rural Mull trip (reminding Anne of a shell gifted by Sharon which was not quite dried out and a bit smelly!) and Elizabeth Farr who owned up to having the Schedule trophy at home which is one of a kind!! Other items are a financier baking tin which Janice is looking forward to using. Sheenagh (Ewen Beaton) shared an Australian aboriginal painting created by an optimistic grandchild who intended to make her fortune from painting ironwood … ten years ago … despite living ten miles from a main road! Other items include a very expensive scarf chewed to bits by the dog (disappointing!) or a more exciting set of Mah Jong or a CD of primary school music (only for a mum!). Catriona shared a photograph of a fond memory with Sean Connery; and Alison a hand made harp and tuning key which is held together by the tension of the strings. We also saw a warthog and baby from a recent trip to South Africa and a dolls tea set from 1930 inherited when the owner died of diphtheria before we all received the vaccinations which eradicated the disease (which has strong parallels to the vaccination story of today). Further shares included a fireside sheep and a certificate for climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge (well done Mary!). Isobel also shared replicas of Chinese shoes worn after binding of womens feet. Original watercolours from Ralston Gudgeon which paid for the milk deliveries … which reminded other members of barter arrangements with Ralston – including mending his kilts! Memories of nursing, with a Worcester China model of a ward sister … combined with photographs of a Rural member in the same uniform. Or Libby McGregor's unique contribution of …. … her husband – the one and only!
Anne closed the meeting thanking everyone for sharing their items and memories and invited everyone to the October meeting and talk ... hoping we can still get together in each other’s homes to share chat and cakes!
