It’s great to see that our brownie pack has managed to keep meeting whilst staying within the covid19 guidance. Long, long ago, I was, of course, a brownie – which girl wasn’t after all? I was first a sprite “Here we are the sprightly sprite’s ... brave and helpful as the knights” and then transferred, for reason unbeknown to me, to the elves. I can’t remember the Song of the Elves but seem to remember it ended with “dig and delve.” We had three owls in charge - Brown Owl (the leader) Snowy Owl (who worked behind the desk at the police station so was really the leader after all) and Tawny Owl (the lesser owl).
Could you be an Owl and help run our brownie pack? New volunteers are much needed – click here. Mind you - I’m not sure if they have Owls in charge anymore- if not, they should bring back Owl leaders as in my experience young girls have a greater respect for Owls than for adults. This can help with swooping down for a bit of crowd control which judging from the picture on the front cover might be needed from time to time.
I can’t remember if I was still a brownie or had ‘flown up’ to guides by the time we trooped off to a jamboree in a random field somewhere to celebrate the Queens Silver Jubilee. Hundreds of us chimed away in discordant harmony “Guides of the world wish you long life and happiness ... singing with love and loyyyyyyyaltyyyyyy. God Bless Elizabeth, God Bless Elizabeth, God Bless Elizabeth, Elizabeth our Queeeeeeeen.” And now it turns out it will be the platinum jubilee next year – The song must have worked! 70 years on the throne – quite amazing.
As mentioned in previous dispatches, Prince Charles is suggesting we all plant trees to celebrate – I guess we should plant 70 and at least a few of those should be Birnam Oaks don’t you think? Maybe some silver birches? Obviously, some rowan. Please could an arboriculturist put their hand up to offer to guide our tree choice. And then we’ll need to work out where to plant them. Any suggestions? They do, after all, have a habit, of growing pretty tall. One of the great things about this village is, it doesn’t matter if you need the advice of an anaesthetist, a bat specialist, a hydrogen cell engineer or a master chef you can  always find someone within the PH8 postcode to help. This is why I put out my arboriculturist request with confidence.
Finally, to our stick on the fridge. My friends – it is filling up! Life is slowly returning to the ‘New Normal’. Well done to everyone who is managing to safely put on events. A special shout out to Birnam Arts for putting on a programme despite many challenges including managing artists from abroad who one moment are coming … and the next moment are not able to travel due to ever changing covid guidance.
Sadly, there will be no Highland Games or Horticultural Show this year. No chance for me to repeat my brilliant 1st Place certificate won at the Horty in 2010 with my ‘miniature flower arrangement’. I will just have to wait for future glories to gloat over and keep practising! Take care all, enjoy the summer break and I look forward to catching up again in September.

Sally Robertson

“... "you'd better go first or you'd better go last. No one will remember what came in the middle." "So what's the point of the middle than?" I asked. "If everyone only remembers the beginning and the end?" "Without the middle, being first or last means nothing." The middle gave the rest its meaning. Like life, maybe. People were born and then they died. Everyone remembers those events. But without the life in between...”
Lindsey Frydman: The Heartbeat Hypothesis I enjoy the middle of things immensely, possibly because I was born in the middle of the year, probably, though, because I quite like to reflect on what has been, and to look forward in hope at events that might become actualities in the future.
The middles I relish most are; Wednesdays, The summer solstice, the jam in a sponge cake, the middle of a great book, and the psalms. O’ and I had the most wonderful mid-life crisis too! (I shan’t write about that). I wonder if now that the age of humans in the west is increasing, if I may be able to claim another mid-life event because I don’t think 40 is old enough to actually enjoy the experience; moving on!!
The psalms, those dear literary friends of mine that I can turn too in any event or situation, they have the words I might need when I am angry, or sad, or rejoicing. I can find wisdom for me and wisdom for a crowd, all within the middle of my bible; 150 of the most delightful and often fiery, conversations with God.
The middle of a great book is a delight because the protagonist is known, the plot is thick with possible outcomes and there are more pages to turn.
The jam in the cake is the most delicious thing EVER, a sweet treat relished, obviously with a cup of the best tea – in a bone china cup on a saucer, on a summer afternoon.
Summer solstice, that magical, mid summers day. The longest hours – 21 hours of light where I live. The re-reading of mid-summer nights dream, or even watching the play. The cricket matches, tiny sandwiches, silly caps and bold blazers; mid summer for me, even in the north of Scotland rain! is a time I look forward too and reflect back on. Child hood summer days are memories that are for me, always warm and bright, and I do not spoil them with the actual memories of rain coats and wellies, or soggy picnics. They are mine and I shall always have mid summer as warm but not too hot, laughter and butterfly catching. And, as it is mid year, I begin to look forward to the roses, the bees – I have a huge bee friendly garden – and the summer clothes that can be removed from the back of the wardrobe where Narnia begins!!!!
And warn even though I might shiver with cold. Wednesdays, well, who doesn’t like a Wednesday. The week is  mid-way done and mid-way to do.
Enjoy your middles. X

Revd Lesley-ann Craddock

Things are moving on quickly. It seems no time since we heard the sad news of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.
This was someone who as consort to our queen was, as she said herself, her rock and support. She looked so alone while his memorial service was in progress and the mourners followed the rules of that time for holding a funeral.
I was lucky to have met him a few times but the one that is the most memorable was when I was invited to speak at a business lunch. We were told to sit down as lunch was about to be served. Imagine my surprise when the chair next to me was taken by Prince Philip. He was there in an entirely private capacity being an out of town member of the business association. We chatted like old friends and I enjoyed a memorable lunch because of a remarkable man; the Duke of Edinburgh. At the time there were so many eulogies where he was described as a remarkable man as indeed he was. This was a man who gave up so much of his own life and remarkably became a consort to our queen and a true father of our nation.
We have come through a dreadful year, a world-wide pandemic, millions dead from the Coronavirus. Each time we thought  things were improving our hopes were dashed when spikes in infection happened. We were in lockdown, released then back into lockdown. Thousands of our workers had to be furloughed as businesses lost their customers. Schools were closed as were universities and colleges. The way councils worked changed dramatically and they will be delivering services differently in the future. The leisure and tourist industries took the biggest knock of all as mixing with people. travelling and staying away from home were all banned.
Music festivals and other open-air gatherings and sport matches all suffered the same prohibition.
Things got worse till Perth and Kinross as was most of Scotland ended in level 4.
We were virtually prisoners in our own homes.
We have just stepped down to level 2 and the shops are open as are the pubs and restaurants. How far away is it till we get back to normal. It will certainly be different.
With the threat of variations in the virus will we need to wear masks and for how long? Will office workers still work from home? Can we travel there are so many questions that people are anxious to have answered?
We rely on health workers at all levels for our health but we now know about the work of the health scientists who produced the anti-viral vaccines in record time and these have proved effective against Covid 19. With about half the population vaccinated cases have dropped dramatically.
The situation in India is very worrying where Covid seems to be out of control.
Many people from India live in our area as they do all over Scotland. How worried must they be for their families as more variants appear, one of which has reached Scotland as well as other areas of the UK. I for one am very pleased the UK vaccination programme was so successful as the new variant does not cause a virulent Covid illness as happened a year ago. What I cannot understand is why some people are refusing to have the vaccination. That is their choice but why take such a risk?
We need to stay cautious, but it is time to be optimistic and look forward, spring is here and the flowers are blooming; it can only get better.
Keep safe, stay well and follow the advice.

Contact me on 01738 475030 or email annejarvis@pkc.gov.uk
Anne Jarvis
Conservative Councillor
Strathtay Ward