15th of August
Hi Folks, last weekend Susie and I took a trip to see some Pictish stones with friends Alena and Bruce visiting from Georgia. Alena’s family have hosted me umpteen times near Dahlonega, each time taking me bass fishing on their lovely property so it was great to return at least a small part of their hospitality. The stones are around Aberlemno, a hamlet near Forfar and in the heart of fertile Strathmore – that was the epicentre of the Pictish kingdom and culture. The stones were carved around 800 AD, a turbulent period when the vikings were beginning to ravage the coastline of Scotland and the Scots (from Ireland) were establishing a kingdom in the west that would eventually overpower and replace the Pictish hierarchy. The stones are virtually all we know about the people who were named by the Romans due to their body paintings or tattoos – Pictus. We also visited a small museum in Meigle that has a collection of stones that have been moved indoors to protect them from the weather. It’s amazing how well preserved the outdoor ones are considering…
Susie and I are doing a concert in Inchture (between Perth and Dundee) on Thursday evening (16th of Aug) check my website concerts page for details.