Fair Isle

Subject: Fair Isle
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 12:31 PM

G'day UKatters,

Have any of you performed on Fair Isle? I've yapped for years with webmaster Dave Wheeler. For a patch with a population of 75-80 folk, they have a very alive music scene. I'll leave you to find the music connections yourselves.

Methinks UKatters should organise a visit - I'll join you in spirits!

Slainte - Sam (NZ)

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: Dead Horse
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 12:35 PM

I thought all they did was knit !!!

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: MMario
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 12:41 PM

I just added a site to my "wish list" for whenever I get 'cross the pond

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 12:50 PM

Wonderful folk MMario - have you ever seen such creativity from such a small population?

Unfortunately the pond from here to there is mote than I can afford.

Cheers - Sam

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: The Shambles
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 07:14 PM

I remember well a boozy musical night on Fair Isle, knocking back the 'red cans'. Playing playing guitar for Bobby Tulloch and singing Incredible String Band songs until breakfast.

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 02:25 AM

Your night can't have been too boozy, if you remember it well, Shambles. .... ;)

Please expand - like what breed were the 'red cans'? How long were you there? Why did you go there? etc... Bet it was a great experience!

Cheers - Sam

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: The Shambles
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 05:45 AM

Quite right - the Shetland definition of a boozy night is a night (or a week) that you can't rememmber anything about.

'Red cans' were/are McEwan's Export. They were also know as 'Shetland Roses' as they 'grew' alongside every road, where folk threw the empty ones out of the car window and looked from a distance like red roses. Well they did if you had enough of their contents inside you...

I lived in Shetland for 12 years but only managed this one visit to Fair Isle in about 1976 or 1977. It was a combined social and birdy visit, as friends of ours from here on Portland had moved into the bird observatory. The music was a very nice bonus.

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 06:16 AM

Have you no shame Shambles? I found this on the Net.
_________________________________

An opinion on McEwan's Export Ale by Aspen (26.12.2001)

Advantages: Can dispel midgies at fifty paces.
Disadvantages: Can dispel prospective partners at much closer quarters.
_________________________________

Aaaarrrgghhhh.... Howsomever, havinf now seen the labels, I now understand the 'Shetland Roses'.

Since you mention being 'on Portland', I assume the Bill?

Cheers - Sam

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: The Shambles
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 08:44 AM

I will certainly send you the bill, as you so kindly offer *Smiles*

Interesting about the midges. One of the customs when cutting one peats in the summer for the next winter's fuel, was to place 'red cans' at regular intervals along your bank.

I am not sure if they kept the midges away but they did act as an incentive. This was needed as it was back-breaking work and the thought of getting nearer to a long cool drink certainly helped.

It was customary to supply these if you arranged for someone else to cut your peats. It was also custonary to supply these for just about every other occasion.........

Just out of interest - see what an internet search on the word TUSHKAR turns up?

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 08:53 AM

You an expert on nits then DH?? I believe you drop one, slip one, and knit two together, but not as often as you used to!!
Giok *BG* (It's a good job Kent's so far away from here!!)

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 09:12 AM

Giok - get yer knittin' terms straigt - 'Knit one, purl one, knit two together' was the mantra me dear old dad recited when writing kniting recipes for Mum when he was recuperating after the war.

Ooooohhhh... "K1, P1, K2 together" was the way Dad chanted it. What a chorus for a Fair Isle song - to do with jumpers

Cheers 0 Sam!

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: MMario
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 09:19 AM

and the chorus would end with "yarn over!" ?

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: Snuffy
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 09:29 AM

In our house it was "knit 1, purl 1, K2 tog"

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 09:33 AM

G'day Shambles,

Have checked out "tushkar". Having got past an Indian tourism site, I found a few Sheltie ones, which included peat cutting and "Da Farder Ben Da Welcomer" - tell me more about the Inksters - some descendants lived here.

Anyway... I'm having fun cutting peat! Thanks mate!

Cheers - Sam

Subject: RE: Fair Isle
From: The Shambles
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 06:36 PM

"Da Farder Ben Da Welcomer" by Fiddler's Bid is a great CD and contains an original tune called The Rusty Tuskar.

You are very welcome to your fun cutting peat.... I have a tushkar in my shed here that I am watching getting rustier and rustier with real pleasure.