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John's Musings, Ramblings and Observations A Multipart Article

Frae John MacRae

It all started back in August 1973, when I received an invitation to attend a gathering of MacRae's. Maybe you could say it was more like a summons, as the Chief of the MacRae Clan was planning a visit to California from Scotland. I had always had a mild interest in my heritage and ancestry, but never took the time to ever check into it. I decided that I would except the invitation and learn what I could about this MacRae Clan of mine. Well folks, that was the beginning of what would be a very long, and a most rewarding journey for me. That first gathering was sponsored and hosted by the Fraser Clan of Southern California. I quickly embraced my Scottish Culture, and both the MacRae and Fraser Clans. From that beginning, I found a new purpose in my life, and delved into many aspects of what I like to call "Things Scottish", from History to Music. I have experienced the pleasure of traveling to Scotland many times, and have even had the opportunity to also live there for a year, and be very much a part of the Scottish culture. Through it all, I have been richly rewarded with some great experiences and, gained lots of knowledge about a lot of "Things Scottish".
So, now that I am in the Golden years of my life, and reflect back, and ponder over all these past years. I have concluded I know a wee bit about a lot of things, and have become an expert on ABSOLUTELY NOTHING Scottish! So, has it all been for not? Was it all a waste? And, what shall I now do with all this worthless knowledge tucked away in the folds of my gray matter? Well the answer my friends, is; to share all my little bits of "Things Scottish" with you, by way of writing articles and stories for the Fiery Cross.
In keeping true to my own personality, the way you all have known John MacRae to be all these years, I shall try to keep my writings in a lite and mostly humorous vain, giving you those John-isms I have become famous for. I might even (someday) share the secret recipe for my famous Scottish meat pies! I shall attempt to write an on-going column of some of my experiences, and some separate articles about things Scottish, that I hope you will find to be of interest.
But before I conclude this introduction into this new adventure of writing for you, I first want to say a few things about what all these past years have meant for me. Yes it is true I've learned and experienced much about "Things Scottish", but the most rewarding thing of all, has been all the truly great people I've met and, all the really true friends I've made during this great adventure of mine. All the Fraser's and MacRae's, both here and in Scotland. And also, the many people in the entire Scottish community all over the world. It has been all these people who have made my life so rich. And I owe all of them, and all of you, so much.
I do hope you all enjoy my small contributions, as the journey continues!
 

-John
 

Musings, Observations, & Ramblings --- Frae, John MacRae - Part Two

When I first announced to all my friends that I was going to move to Scotland, it was Alex MacGillivray who suggested that I wouldn't last a year, well he was almost right! I did last a year, but just! However, in my own defense, I'd still be there if the Stock Market had not crashed in 2002, and with it taken away much of what I needed to live on, thus not allowing me to maintain both a place in Scotland, and a place in Oregon. I loved living in Scotland and relished each and every day there. Let me now tell you about how I lived and, where I lived during my year in Scotland.
Taking into consideration my personality, and what I thought I could handle. It would be Edinburgh for me! The wee villages in the Hielands of Scotland are great, and would be a great place to live if one wanted peace and quiet, or solitude. But I've been a city boy all my life, and I needed things to do. I needed Cafe's, Restaurants, Art gallery's, Museums, Book stores and, Pubs! Edinburgh had all that, and more!
My dear friend Grant Frazer helped me secure a really neat two bedroom flat (that's what they call an apartment in the U.K), in a council tenement building. Councils flats as they are known, are city government housing schemes, but in recent years have been offered for sale to tenants. So it is a mixture of government sponsored flats and what we call condo's in this country, thus you get a mixture of different classes of people from very poor to working class. My flat was about 5 miles west from town center, and a good walk through some very historic areas of the city.
Here's a wee story about how I got my new adventure of living in Edinburgh off to a very shaky beginning.
On a visit to my doctor, I asked him if he could prescribe for me some sleeping pills to take on the airplane trips over, as I always had a terrible time sleeping on planes, and could thus be awake for more than 24 hours. He gave me some, and told me to take them an hour before I boarded the plane. So after I changed planes for the last time in Boston before flying over the Atlantic, I got my sleeping pills out, but decided to wait until after they served the first meal. I then took my first pill, and sat in the seat “wide awake” for at least an hour, so I decided to take another pill, but still I sat in the seat for another hour and still couldn't sleep, and decided to take a third pill. Well, I don't remember to much after that! I do remember buying two books in the book shop in the Dublin airport. I don't remember getting off any planes, I sure don't remember getting on any planes, and I don't remember getting off at the Edinburgh airport. But I do remember Grant picking me up at the Edinburgh airport. He had a Van full of people, I do not remember any of them. He took me to my new flat, I do remember walkin' up the three flights of stairs. He then took me to get my rental car, I do remember that, but don't remember driving back to my flat. The next thing that I do remember was when Grant came back a few hours later and took me to dinner, I do not remember where we ate. Grant later told me that he thought I was pretty spaced out, but thought it was just jet lag. Little did he know, I was just plain ASLEEP!
For those who have never had the pleasure of a visit to Edinburgh, let me say, it is indeed a magical place! But there is absolutely no place to park a car in that city. So if you live there and want to go into town center, it's take the bus or walk. I chose to walk most days. Just a few blocks to the south of me was a modern shopping center with a really big grocery store called “Sainsbury's”. It was my daily habit to leave my flat early in the morning and walk over there, no matter what the weather, where inside they had a cafeteria style cafe. I could get a good Scottish style breakfast, and very cheap. They had a rack with free newspapers to read while having your coffee. Some good friends whom I met in the council flats would tease me in the morning as I walked by, saying, “Are ya goin' fer yer free read, John?”. I always needed to know what was going on with the Stock market back home, and the only way to find that info was in certain papers, the TV news never reported American stock market news.
After my coffee, and my free read, I would then head out from there, and walk all day. Some days I'd go into town center, and some days I'd decide to go off in another direction, exploring other areas and new neighborhoods. Often times deciding with a flip of a coin (pence) which way to go.
If you're into walking, Edinburgh offers some really neat walking adventures around the city. Unknown to tourist and non-residents are the “Railway Walks”. In earlier times, when very few people had autos, there were many trains that came in and out of the city from all directions. In time these trains were not needed and the rails were removed. Someone had the brilliant idea to turn them into walkways and pave them with asphalt. As you might guess these are very level, and very hidden away from sight, no one would ever guess they were there. They are easy to walk and one can get to almost anywhere in the city without having to cross streets, or wait on traffic. I have walked all the railway walks and it tallies to loads and loads of miles!
Another great Edinburgh walking adventure is along the “Water of Lieth”. Unbeknownst to many people, a small river flows right through Edinburgh. It's a lovely wee river with a few small waterfalls. In many places they've put in some very nice walks along it's banks for easy strolling, and in some place's they've put stairs up to the main streets of Edinburgh. It's an easy way to get from one part of the city to another while enjoying the scenery with ducks and swans! One can walk it all the way to the port of Lieth and the Firth of Forth. (more of Lieth, and the Firth of Forth in another chapter)
One more wee story about my walking days in Edinburgh before I close off this chapter. I love Edinburgh's town center, it's where all the major stores and the main attractions are located. Also, that's where you'll find the Internet cafes. I had an almost daily need to get on a computer and check my emails and communicate with friends and check my investments. So, I'd head for town center most days, and like I said, it's about a 5 mile walk. I'd walk into town center and then continue walking ALL day long, walking through museums and shops, before heading back to my flat about 5 or 6 in the evening. During the first month that I was there, and after walking all day, about halfway home my feet started to just kill me, they hurt like HELL, and I could hardly walk at all! To end my suffering, I decided to catch the bus the rest of the way back to my flat. That night after soaking my feet, I concluded that the reason for my sore feet must be the CHEAP boots that I purchased at K-Mart for only $18 bucks back home! After-all, if I was going to be so cheap as to buy such cheap boots, what did I expect? Well I let my feet rest up for a couple of days, then ventured out on the same all day walk. Only this time I decided that I sure couldn't wear those cheap boots, so this time I wore my expensive dress shoes (it's all I had) that cost me $70 bucks at a high class shoe store somewhere in California. I walked into town center, then walked all day, then started home about 6 in the evening, and sure enough just about at the same place, my feet again started to kill me, and I once again took the bus the rest of the way back. Is wasn't hard to figure out that it was the shoes, they just weren't designed for walking, so what did I expect?
When I got back to Oregon I went and purchased some shoes designed just for walking. But after day long walks my feet could still really hurt. I finally had to accept that it was my feet (could this be a sign of gettin' old?), and not any of those shoes. But I now can happily report to you, that about a year ago I started taking Fish Oil capsules and guess what? The hurt has gone away, and my feet not longer bother me on long walks. I'm Cured!
Even though I had a terrible time with my feet when I lived in Edinburgh, I didn't let it stop me, I kept walking, and I can proudly say, I have indeed walked all over that city, and now know it like the back of me hand. In fact, even my good friend Grant, who grew up in Edinburgh, says he thinks I may have seen more of Edinburgh on foot than he has! One very good thing about all that walking I did, it got me in very good shape and even got me back to breathing better. Who Knows, Edinburgh might just have put a few more years on my life!
To be continued-------------------John

The Scots and their Oats
by, John MacRae

I absolutely loved my breakfast oatmeal when I was growing up. A bowl of hot Quaker oats with a couple of slices of toast was for me the perfect breakfast, which I thrived on. That thick creamy flavor could warm up your belly on cold winter mornings, and keep you going until you could get to that peanut butter sandwich you had tucked away in your school lunch box. I suspect many of you share the same fond memories of oatmeal, which may have also been, like me, the first thing that your mom ever let you try cooking. Hey, all you had to do was boil water, and stir, right?
As a child I never would have suspected that oatmeal was part of my heritage, I just plain loved it, that was enough! So can you imagine how delightfully surprised I was, when on my first trip to Scotland in 1980, I was served oatmeal and found it to be even better than what I had always been used to. How could this be? This new found discovery was very baffling and I was going to get to the bottom of this oatmeal mystery. So friends, it's 25 years later, and I can now report to you some of my findings.
To start with, in Scotland it's called “Porridge” and it's made from oatmeal. There are many different grades or cuts of oatmeal in Scotland, while here in the states you will mostly only find “Quaker Oats” cereal, a brand name, of rolled oats. Rolled oats are flaked then flattened. In Scotland the most popular is “Pinhead” or “Blade cut', which is cut but not flattened or flaked. Pinhead takes much longer to cook. In our stores you'll only find oatmeal in a small section along with all the popular cold cereals, while in Scotland you'll find a whole aisle devoted to just oats for cooking your porridge, with dozens of brands and many different cuts, even the whole uncut oat kernel. Most oats are first roasted before they are cut, to add flavor, thus different brands will have more, or less nutty flavors. Also, because Porridge oats are so popular with the Scots, the price of their oats is very reasonable. If you were to pay a price of say $3 for a box of Quaker oats here, the same amount in Scotland would cost about .80 cents.
On one of my trips to Scotland I learned how very different the Scots cook their porridge from the way we cook ours. I was a guest at the home of Grant and Jo Frazer, other house guests included Charlie and Isabelle McFarland. Jo whispered to me one evening, that should we be very good to Charlie, maybe we could get him to cook us up some real Scots porridge in the morning. Charlie McFarland is a legend in the Highlands. He is the owner of the “Glenfinnan Hotel”, and wears the kilt as his everyday garb. He plays the bagpipes outside in his hotel courtyard every morning for his guests, and is still considered one of Scotland's best fiddlers. And now I learn that he is also an expert with the porridge oats. He agreed to our request, and in the morning I was right there in the kitchen to watch and learn. To start with, the oats go right in the pot, then cold water is added, then the fire turned on and the stirring starts. Charlie tells me one must always stir clockwise, and never change directions, it's bad luck to change directions. A wooden spurtle must be used, never a metal spoon in the cooking. Salt can be added, but most Scots don't add the salt until they serve it. And would you believe it, Charlie even had a special way of eating his porridge. A pinch or two of salt would be sprinkled on to suit one's own taste. Then a cup of milk or cream is set NEXT to your bowl, you dip your spoon (metal is now okay) into your porridge, filling it with a small amount, then dipping the spoon into the cup of milk. This process allows the porridge to stay hotter longer. The cup of milk(now oatmeal flavored) is then used to flavor your tea. Putting sugar on porridge is an American thing, most Scots just want it plain. Read the cooking instructions on your hot cereal box and you'll see that they tell you to bring the water to a boil, then slowly add in the oats while stirring. If you try the Scottish way, you'll find your porridge much creamier. (Yes, you can even improve your Quaker Oats!)

Here in the United States we don't do very much with oatmeal, maybe bake a few cookies, or use as a filler in meatloaf, but that's about all. Where as, the Scots use their oats in a multitude of recipes. Ever heard of Gruel? Well, that's just a very watered down porridge, like a soup! No wonder young Oliver Twist wanted more! Brose is: Hot boiling water poured over whole oat kernels. Sowens is: also a porridge like meal but including the husk of the oat. Oatcakes are a major staple in the Scottish diet, and are baked or griddled in a number of styles. Oatcakes are just: oats, butter, baking soda and salt. Bannocks are another form of oatcake but adding wheat flour to the recipe, making them more sweet, and cookie like. Maybe the most famous of oatmeal foods would be Haggis. Served at every Burns night dinner the world over. Haggis is heavy with oats, and any haggis would be a total disgrace without roasted oatmeal to enhance it's flavor. Next we have Athole Brose, another staple at any decent Burns night dinner. Athole Brose is a sweet alcoholic drink made with: Oats, Honey and, Whisky. Sometimes Cream is added to give it a smooth texture. Last we have Cream-Crowdie, or Crannachan, simply put is: Oats and Sugar mixed into Cottage-Cheese, sometimes fresh berry's are added. I've never had this dish (pudding), but I'm told it was very popular at parties and sometimes little trinkets, or even coins would be mixed in as a surprise for youngsters.

Seldom has a crop been so associated with a people and their way of life. In England the oat was feed for horses, but a major food staple to the Scots. Oats grow best in a cool climate with summer rain, which describes Scotland. The major part of Scotland's culture revolved around the the Oat. It provided work on the the farms, where most of the young men and women were employed during the nineteenth century. Scottish soldiers carried a supply of oats in their sporran, and thus, didn't need to worry about spoilage. Many poems and songs were themed on oats that came from these farm workers and soldiers.

Are ye no gaun to wauken the-day, ye rogue?
Your parritch is ready, and cool in the cog;
Auld bauldrons sae gaucy, and Tam o' that ilk,
Would fain hae a drap o' the wee laddies's milk.
So, up to your parritch, and on wi' your claes! -
There's a fire that might warm ye cauld Norlan' braes;
For a coggie weel fill'd and a clean fire-en
Should mak' ye jump up and gae skelping ben!

The sleep, Sleep laddie. William miller. 1810-1872
Wauken --- wake up
Cog ---- Wooden bowl
bauldrons----affectionate name for a cat
gaucy ------ plump
claes -----Clothes
cauld --- cold
Norlan' --- Northland
skelping ------- to be vigorously busy


So there you have some idea on how important oats were, and are to the Scots. Yes I love my porridge, I guess it's just my Heritage. Whenever I'm over in Scotland I always buy two or three bags of oats.

“We're all Oatmeal Brother's”

Johns latest Scotland Trip Tidbits

 The famous Cat picture
This picture was taken by Karen one day as we were walking down Comely Bank road on our way to Edinburgh City center. I spied this cat keeping an eye on us, so I had Karen take a quick snap of it. A month later, and after Karen had Gone home, I was walking home after a very delightful evening with some new friends in Stockbridge, a little neighborhood just a wee ways from Edinburgh City center. It was about 11:00pm and a very nice evening, and still very light out. I looked up and noticed Edinburgh Castle, and right next to it was the biggest and brightest moon I had ever seen. I quickly took a picture, and bragged to myself that I had just then taken maybe the greatest picture ever snapped. I figured that this picture would hang in Galleries and Museums all over the world, and would make me famous. I even called Karen In Alaska to brag about my great photographic skills. Well, the picture never came out, and I was indeed very disappointed. So I now think the picture that Karen took of the Cat will be the one to hang in all those Galleries. I am very Jealous of Karen's picture. And I must admit, It is my very favorite picture taken in Scotland.

 Karen and me in a close. There are Close's everywhere in Scotland, as any native will tell you. When walking down the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, you will discover dozens. During my time in Edinburgh, I explored most of them. Most are just alley's, but some can prove to be very delightful. I don't remember the name of this one, buts it's a good example of what you might find should you become a little adventurous.

This is what an entrance to a Close might look like. This is the famous "World's End Close" Right next door if the "World's End Pub". It has become famous in the history of Edinburgh, because it was in this Pub where two young women in the 1950's, were last seen before they were found murdered. The murder has gone unsolved all these years, but it is now hoped that with DNA evidence the crime may finally be solved.

This is my bench in Inverleith Park. This was about halfway from City Center to my Flat, and I would stop and rest there, and take in the great view of the Edinburgh City Skyline. Below, but out of view is a wee lake filled with Swans and Ducks. I could sit there for hours!

Inverleith Park
There are Parks everywhere in the City of Edinburgh, it's part of the charm of this magical city.

John hitchhiking the Shian Road.(see story below)

John and the famous Vital Spark

Karen at the Edinburgh City Botanical Gardens
I think this is Karen's favorite Picture

My Pal, Grant Frazer and me on Carlton Hill in Edinburgh. Grant Frazer and me on Carlton Hill. Arthur's Seat in the background. Eilean Donan Castle, Picture by Karen. it's my very favorite Castle, gee! I wonder why? At the "Festival of the Tall Ships" in Edinburgh. Two guys made up to look like, "Rusty old Sailors". The wee boy can't figure it all out! Me on the Crinan Canal. Edinburgh castle from roof of museum

8-5-2002

I overheard David saying he thought John was on his way over to Scotland for a bit. Send him and email and maybe he'll bring you back some Shortbread!

3-2002

John is now playing regularly up in Oregon! That's right, he and a bunch of "old timers" as he calls them are giving Coos Bay a bit of Scotification! He says that he isn't allowed to leave a show without first playing "Waltzes with Bears". There was also a mention about Webbed Feet but he assures me it's because it rains so much out there. 

John an Author? That's right! John has begun the first chapter of a book about his life experiences. He promises to send down a sample every now again for us to read but nothing too revealing ... after all, he doesn't just want to give everything away! We're waiting anxiously John!

article by John MacRae

        It has always been difficult in the United States to find a good variety of Scottish Music.  At your local neighborhood record store about the best you'll find is bagpipe music and not much else.  Even the Scottish Import shops have no clue, as most of the Import shops are owned by people who just want to sell Tartan Ties and Coat of Arms plaques.  When it came to music groups like us, who love the old, and sometimes new folk songs, the only answer has been to go to Scotland and do our own search.  So, for the past 20 some years that I have been going to Scotland, I have been on a mission to find new music that we can't find here in the States.  Each trip over I come back with a suitcase full of tapes, and now CD's.  I can brag of a collection of records, tapes and CD's in the thousands, a collection that not many other people can equal.

        I'm not sure when I first purchased my first McCalmans tape, maybe as early as 1986.  But since that first tape purchase, the McCalmans have been one of our favorite Scottish folk music groups and have been a major influence on us.  They sing the kind of songs that we favor and they sing a style that utilized great harmonies, tight phasing and clever parts.  If you don't already know about them, I suggest you check them out.  You can check out their website and learn more about them (www.mccalmans.com).  You won't be disappointed.  But this story is about one special song that the McCalmans do entitled "The Shian Road." In 1990 I brought back a tape of their, "Flames on the Water," included on the tape was a song called "The Shian Road," written by Ian McCalman.  We fell in love with the song, but were unable to understand all the words or their meanings.  There was one word we just could not figure out.  The word was: Ardselma.  Without an understanding of this word we just didn't feel comfortable singing the song, so we never learned the song.  On a trip over to Scotland in 1996, I was in a music store in Edinburgh, just off the Royal Mile, that specializes in folk music.  I was telling the clerk that I was a great fan of the McCalmans, and he said that a brother of Ian McCalman owned a camera shop just next door.  So, I went and introduced myself.  I am sorry to say that I do not remember the brother's name, but he was most kind and when I mentioned the song, The Shian Road, he said, "Wait a minute," and disappeared to a back room.  He was gone for what seemed a very long time, other customers came in and were wanting some help, finally he came back bringing with him a big road atlas book.  Holding it up and pointing, he said, "There's the Shian Road."  We talked some more and he explained that when he and his brothers were young, their parents would take them for a holiday in the Scottish highlands.  They would always stay in a wee cottage on the Shian Road that was named "Ardselma."  So now it all made sense.

        When I got back and told the guys what I had learned we learned the song right away, and have been singing it ever since.  It has become one of our best songs.  Frank sings the lead on it, while David and I join in on the chorus and David also plays the fiddle.  Not long ago while singing at the Camelot Inn, I suggested that we sing the Shian Road, and Frank asked why I wanted to sing it.  I said, "Because when I get to Scotland on my next trip, I'm going to find the Shian Road and walk it."

        Well folks!  I found the Shian Road and I found the wee cottage, Ardslema.  I was staying with my friends in Newtonmore, Grant and Jo Frazer.  On a beautiful sunny day this past April, JO and her daughter, Amanda, and I decided to go in search of the Shian Road.  Jo's dog, Callum, a favored pet of many, many years was not doing too well.  In fact, JO was convinced that Callum was nearing the end.  So JO said that she would drive her van, as she could not leave the dog home alone.  Off we went, in search of this special road.  We knew the area, but the country roads in the highlands do not have signs, so we asked a guy along side of the road and he told us that the very next road we would come across would be the Shian Road.  We turned onto the Shian Roan and the very first house we came to had a sign at the driveway that said "Ardselma." Fantastic!  We jumped out and Jo took my picture.  There was a guy standing up the driveway, I yelled to him and asked if I could come talk.  He motioned me to come up.  I asked if he lived there and he said, "No." He and his wife were just renting the cottage for a week.  They were from York, down in England.  They invited us for tea and cookies and I sang a couple of songs for them.  We left them, as we needed to allow Callum to do a little walking.  So we drove down the road until we could find a place to pull over.  We all walked down the Shian Road and Jo took my picture, so I could show the folks back home.  It was a great day and we had a good time.  We all saw a little bit of Scotland that not too many people get to see.  The only sad part of my story is that Callum only lived for a couple of days after that venture, and his last really good walk was down the Shian Road.  Now it's your turn.  See if you can find the Shian Road on a map.  The only clues I will give your are these: It's on the west coast, a bit south of Fort William and northwest of Glencoe.  Good luck
  -- John