Memus Spring Fair

Rachel & Iona Leslie cast an appreciative eye over the vintage jewellery heading for the fair

The annual Memus Spring Fair will be held in Memus and the Glens Hall DD8 3TY (next to the Drovers Inn) on Saturday, 27^th April 10 am – 2pm.

As well as a range of stalls including home baking, produce, attic treasures, jewellery and craft materials will be a café serving morning coffees and soup and crusty bread lunches.

Tea, Women and Song

Cortachy's co-operative effort 'Autumn', placed 2nd in the Federation show

President Patsy Paton welcomed members and our guests from Northmuir institute and extended an invitation to the showing of ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ in Memus Hall on Friday 19^th April at 7.30 pm.

The ladies of Northmuir concert party entertained us for the evening with songs from musicals and the pop charts of past years, amusing poetry, a quiz and a selection of taste and try recipes to be sampled.

A bring and buy table provided a range of treats and made a sizeable contribution to institute fund raising efforts.

Marion MacDonald thanked the ladies of Northmuir nstitute for a varied and entertaining programme.

The evening finished with a tempting supper prepared by Caroline Lang, Aileen Pearson and Mary Friedrich.

Thank you to Susan and Pat for help reporting the meeting.

Competitions -
Decorated Hard Boiled Egg – 1, Ella MacKay, 2, Aileen Pearson, 3, Sandra Boath.

Plain Gingerbread – 1, Patsy Paton, 2, Sandra Boath, 3, Caroline Lang.
Flower of the month -1, Patsy Paton, 2, Margaret Mackie, 3, Pat Harrow.

Exotic Night Out

Cortachy SWRI film night with supper is on Friday, April 19th, 7.30 pm. 

The film is ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’

Buffet supper is included in the £5 cover charge

All guests welcome.

Congratulations and Celebrations

 Front (l to r) - Patsy Paton, Sandra Boath, Gloria Mitchell, 

Back - Susan McLaren, Caroline Lang (see album)

'Well done' to everyone in Angus who contributed in any way towards Angus Federation show in the Reid hall, Forfar, Friday - Saturday 23th - 24th March.

Congratulations to those who participated in Cortachy's co-operative effort. We were 2nd in the large institute section. Well done, to Tealing Institute which came 1st. 

Dress rehearsal of our 'Autumn' setting, still lacking any freshly made produce.

 

Cortachy's honours include - winning the Babington trophy with 155 points; most points in the large institutes section; most points in the housewives section and most points in the large institutes group in the bulbs section. Susan McLaren won the best bowl of bulbs in the show - Congratulations to Susan, who joins Patsy as the only other Cortachy name on the salver.

major trophy winners and office bearers - see detailed pic in album above

Well done, too, to our friends at Eassie & Nevay and at Tannadice & Oathlaw who were equal first for the 'most points' (whole show) in the smaller institutes.

Full of Care

President Patsy Paton welcomed Jackie Johnston, fundraising manager for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Jackie talked about the work of the Marie Curie nurses, who care for those nearing the end of their earthly life and seeing out their final days in the familiar surroundings of their own home. She explained that the nurses tend to take on night time care to relieve family members for a night’s rest.

Jackie told the audience that 70% of Marie Curie Cancer Care funding comes from the public, with the greater part of that coming through collection boxes and thrift shops.

Gloria Mitchell thanked Jackie for her enlightening talk and for answering the many questions from the floor.

Tea hostesses were Gloria Mitchell and Valerie McAlister.

Competitions -

Easter cupcakes – 1, Susan McLaren, 2, Patsy Paton, 3, Moira Ronan.
Small bowl of crocus – 1, Caroline Lang, 2, Pat Harrow, 3, Margaret Mackie.
Flower of the month – 1, Patsy Paton, 2, Pat Harrow, 3, Margaret Mackie.

Thanks to Susan, Pat and Ella for their joint effort on reporting and photographing the evening in the unavoidable absence of the Press Secretary.

REMINDER - Co-operative and Committee meetings at Patsy's  Wednesday 13th March 7.30 pm

Chef de Cuisine

President Patsy Paton welcomed members to a tasteful evening of poetry and fine dining and reminded everyone of events in Memus Hall this month - Whist Drive, Tuesday 19^th and ‘Shakespeare in Love, Friday 25^th.

She introduced our guests, Donald Cameron and Fraser McKenzie from Blairgowrie who gave an entertaining, but very professional cookery demonstration accompanied by a uniquely appropriate poetry reading.

Donald produced a succession of tasty dishes in little time, with standard household ingredients, covering fish, meat, vegetarian and sweet courses.

Not to be outdone, Fraser assisted in the culinary background but came to the fore with recitations of Scottish poetry on the theme of nostalgic memories of childhood, featuring the smell and savours of homemade soup and clootie dumpling and the anticipation of the annual Easter egg.

Members were encouraged to learn a new cookery skill, flaming the top of creme brulee and baked Alaska.

Caroline Lang thanked the gents for the accomplished demonstration and the self evident time well spent in the preparatory work that lay behind an evening of such polished showmanship.

(from the top - Baked Avocado in Cream Cheese and Basil sauce, Chicken and Mango with Rice and Tai Green Curry sauce, Baked Haddock in Parsley Crust, Creme Brulee.) 

Special thanks to Emma Smith and Mary Freidrich for this month's photography and  to those who did their best to step into the photographic breach.

Competitions –

Individual Sweet – 1, Patsy Paton, 2, Sandra Boath, 3, Margaret Mackie. 

Knitted Socks – 1, Sandra Boath, 2, Pat Harrow, 3, Ella McKay.
Flower of the month – 1, Margaret Mackie, 2, June Rae, 3, Caroline Lang.

New Year, New Technology

Jack MacDonald with his digitally painted landscape of Glen Prosen

Cortachy institute started the new year by taking a step into the age of digital photography and image manipulation, holding the hand of a friend of long standing.

Well known photographer, Jack MacDonald, generously agreed to talk to members when the scheduled speaker had to cancel the engagement and he demonstrated the process by which he creates his digital paintings. Jack set his use of technology into the context of the great masters who have used aids and developments from mirrors and studio assistants to camera obscura and photographic references. Working from a photograph of his wife Marion, one of our members, Jack used his visual skills and computer experience to produce his unique style of artwork on a screen, without so much as a brush needing to be washed.

Referring to a previously produced landscape, he indicated how he changed the composition and lighting of an original photograph and transformed photographically accurate detail to painterly textured impression in his final digital painting.

Mary Friedrich thanked Jack for the entertaining, enlightening and inspiring demonstration and urged members to consider learning new digital skills.

Competitions –

Thank You card – 1, Ella McKay, 2, Margaret Jack, 3, Sandra Boath. 

Mango Chutney – 1, Ella McKay, 2, Margaret Mackie, 3, Sandra Boath.

Flower of the month – 1, Marion Webster, 2, Caroline Lang, 3, Margaret Mackie.

Anyone interested in helping in the co-operative effort for the Federation show should meet at Patsy's on Wednesday 16th at 7.30pm.

Jack MacDonald presented a painting of Kirriemuir town centre and Peter Pan statue to the 'Gateway to the Glens ' museum. (pic reproduced from Angus Council website)