JUNE 2016

I am writing this on the evening of 28th April. Note the date as you will be reading this at the beginning of June, enjoying beautiful hot sunny weather. When I looked up from my crossword I was astonished to see the heaviest snowfall I have seen since I don't know when. Already the scene is very much a "Winter Wonderland" and darkness has fallen.

It seems unbelievable that earlier today I was having lunch among the ruins of an old dwelling just below the other Castlelaw, i.e. the one above Glenearn, sitting in the sunshine! However in saying that by the time we reached our cars in Forgandenny it had started to rain. All weathers in one day as I believe there was a peel of thunder as well.

You'll notice in the last paragraph I have mentioned "the other Castlelaw". Despite having lived in the area for approaching 50 years I did not know that the high point which can be accessed either from Forgandenny or Bridge of Earn is also called Castlelaw. It seems strange that both points, having been Pictish forts should share the same name To those of you who walk it is a very good hike, rewarded with a wonderful view when you reach the top. There is a saying that one learns something new every day. That is what I learned that day CASTLELAW 2!

Last March I became involved in one of a series of events organised by a group of pupils from Perth Academy. The project "Flowers of the Forest" is research into those former pupils of the Academy who were killed in WW1 and on the centenary of the death a short sevice of Remembrance is held.

Contact was made to the Museum that on 17th March 1916 George Clow, Second Lieutenant 9th Black Watch was killed in action and on that day 2016 this ceremony would be held in his memory to which any interested parties were invited. George Clow was an uncle of my late husband and so I attended the commemoration. I was very impressed with the amount of interest and work which is going into the the project including visits to the War Graves in France and Belgium. In May the group is coming to the museum to see the display devoted to George Clow.

I am rambling on a bit about what I have been doing so time to change the subject.

I would like to see a Diary in The Crier. It is important for us all to know what is going on and when so that events don't clash. I realise that The Crier is issued only quarterly but most events are organised at least 3 months ahead.

It would also be helpful if a list of office-bearers for each organisation was published. This would be especially helpful for new people coming into the village. Every house in the Parish of Abernethy and Dron receives a copy of The Crier so everyone gets the information.

Have a great summer everyone and enjoy the Great Outdoors in glorious sunshine (I hope).

Hilda Clow

EDITOR’S VIEW

There seems to be a recurring trend within some of the dog owning community of Abernethy. Unfortunately we seem to cover this topic again and again in the Crier but it annoys so many people I feel there is a need to bring it up time and time again, but this time it is slightly different.

At Hatton Road, The Powrie Park and the Quarry road up past the Williamson Hall, they seem to be the hot spots for this strange behaviour.

That strange practice is putting dog poo into a plastic bag and placing it at the side of the road, throwing it into the bushes or even hanging it on a tree like a Christmas decoration. I am not the cleverest person in the world but I find it very difficult to understand the logic behind this.

I think I have invited those dog owners in previous Criers to write in and explain the reason behind this strange behaviour, so far they have declined my invitation, I wonder why!

There are many responsible dog owners in the villages who remove their dogs droppings and we are all grateful to them for doing so.

Come on, the rest of us deserve an explanation why you do this.

In a thousand years when the Time Team unearth a green plastic bag with a brown thing in it, what will they think?

The Ed