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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

INSIDEClubs & Societies p4Pastoral Letter p6Parliament Blog p8Useful Numbers p10Travel USA p12What’s On p15-18Property Pointers p20Chef’s Confidential p26

Moving to a new area is a challenging process for your family, your pet will be stressed by the process as well. At Moray Coast Vet Group we want you to know that we are here to help you and your pets settle into the area.

Why would you use us? Well it’s simple really, we have been vets in this area for a very long time and can offer your pet the following 3 critical benefits:

Access to a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Accredited Practice,meaning your pet will be treated to the highest standards.

Four convenient surgery locations making it easy to get to us day and night.

Modern and well equipped surgeries meaning we can treat all routineconditions without the need to refer your pet.

So all you need to do now, for peace of mind for you and your pet, is call us to say ‘hello’ and we will do all that is necessary to register your pet with our practice. Oh, and we will call your old vet to request your pet’s existing notes, so we can be familiar with everything we need to know.Now that is peace of mind for your pet.

Call us now on:Forres Surgery (main branch) 01309 672243

Nairn Surgery 01667 453161Lossiemouth Surgery 01343 815335

Balloch Surgery 01463 79422424 HOUR EMERGENCY NUMBER 01309 672243

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Gold fever has hit Great Britain re-cently as we have witnessed the won-derful drama of the Olympic Games.

At the Olympics, athletes from allover the world gathered to compete inevery kind of sport you can imagine,swimming, shooting, archery, bad-minton, athletics, rowing, gymnastics,cycling, diving to name just a few!

The men and women who competehave trained very hard in the hope thatthey will win a medal; to win they willneed to never give up even whenthings don’t work out. Only one personcan win the top prize – GOLD! Forthose who won gold for Great Britain,their face was on a stamp and a postbox in their home town was paintedgold.

The Olympic Games was a signifi-cant competitive sporting event in thelife and times of Jesus, carrying righton through the life of the early churchand the ministry of the apostles. It’s nosurprise then that the writers in the

New Testament make so many athleticreferences to “running races”, “train-ing”, “prizes”, “crowns”, all of whichwere part of the tradition of the Games.

In the Bible a man called Paul talksa lot about running the race, winningthe race, and keeping on no matterwhat we face (perseverance). He is nottalking about the Olympics but ratherabout becoming and living as a Chris-tian.

He uses the image of a race to en-courage people to put their faith inJesus Christ and begin the race. To runthe race with perseverance is seekingto encourage Christians to live forChrist and to persevere.

In his letters to Christians aroundhim he builds them up by telling themto look at the prize that we will gain atthe end of our lives.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:25,“everyone who competes in the gamesgoes into strict training. They do it for acrown that will not last; but we do it to

get a crown that will last forever”.Some people live their lives working

hard to get a good job or be famous orhave lots of money. They don’t knowanything about heaven and God’spromises and what Jesus did for themon the cross.

You see money or fame will not lastforever but the prize the bible talksabout does. God promises all thosewho love him that they will be giveneternal life with Him in heaven. Thereis not just one winner here and theprize lasts forever and is for anyone. Inthe Olympic Games, there can be onlyone winner, but in the game of life wecan all be winners if we live for Jesus.

Rae MackenzieLossiemouth Baptist Church

Pastoral Letter ““Hopeman Harbour At Spring” Brian J Smith. Copyright.

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October Issue Deadlines

Contents

Editorial: Friday 31st AugustAdvertising: Wednesday 5th September

Clubs & Societies 4Pastoral Letter .....4Parliament Blog ...8Tide Times ...........8Useful Nos .........10

Local Holidays ...10School TermDates .................10What’s On.....15-18

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Parliament Blog& Tides

page 8 - September 2012 tel: 01309 690063 SpotLight on Elgin and district

01309 676807

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Parliament Blog“ ”I had the great pleasure of being ableto attend the London Olympics andmeeting some of the athletes. With aLossie quine taking gold in rowingMoray has a fantastic new icon to

inspire our young people in their sporting pursuits.

A huge congratulations - not just to the athletes andthe team but also to the people from Moray whomade the long trip to London to take part in theOlympic Games in the vital volunteer and supportroles that make the games tick!

While I suspect I may be repeating sen-timents of previous columns I am dedi-cating this month’s comments to themany volunteer organisers and support-ers of the phenomenal range of com-munity events that are successful in

communities right across Moray.While there are events all year round, the summer is ar-guably the busiest time with multiple highland games, vin-tage vehicle events, charity car boot sales and the manygala weeks that take place. There is a veritable army of volunteers that make theseevents the successes that they are. I regularly attend com-munity events right across the region and those involveddeserve a huge vote of thanks.

Richard Lochhead MSP Angus Robertson MP

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Local Holidays

School Term Dates

Useful Telephone Numbers

Autumn Term Ends Fri 12th Oct 2012Winter Term Starts Mon 29th Oct 2012In-service Closure Mon 19th Nov 2012In-service Closure Tues 20th Nov 2012Winter Term Ends Fri 21st Dec 2012

Spring Term Starts Mon 7th Jan 2013Elgin Academy & Feeders Thurs 14th Feb 2013Elgin High & Feeders Thurs 14th Feb 2013Mid-term Holiday Fri 15th Feb 2013Mid-term Holiday Mon 18th Feb 2013

Elgin Holiday § Mon 3rd Sept 2012Lossiemouth Holiday ‡ Mon 17th Sept 2012Elgin Holiday § Mon 15th Oct 2012British Summertime Ends Sun 28th Oct 2012St. Andrews Day Fri 30th Nov 2012Christmas Day Tues 25th Dec 2012Boxing Day Wed 26th Dec 2012New Year’s Day Tues 1st Jan 2013

Scottish Bank Holiday Wed 2nd Jan 2013Burns Night Fri 25th Jan 2013Shrove Tuesday Tues 12th Feb 2013Mother’s Day Sun 10th Mar 2013

‡ includes Hopeman & Burghead§ includes Lhanbryde, Fochabers, Garmouth,Kingston, Mosstodloch, Spey Bay and Urquhart

page 10 - September 2012 tel: 01309 690063 SpotLight on Elgin and District

Local Holidays, School Term Dates& Useful Numbers

SCHOOLSAlves Primary School ..................................(01343) 850247Bishopmill Primary School ..........................(01343) 547841Burghead Primary School ..........................(01343) 835529East End Primary School ............................(01343) 542381Greenwards Primary School ......................(01343) 541661Hopeman Primary School ..........................(01343) 830281Lhanbryde Primary School..........................(01343) 842649Mosstowie Primary School..........................(01343) 547119New Elgin Primary School ..........................(01343) 547587Seafield Primary School ..............................(01343) 547792St Sylvesters R.C. Primary School ..............(01343) 541453West End Primary School............................(01343) 543161Elgin Academy ............................................(01343) 543485Elgin High School........................................(01343) 545181Hythehill Primary School ............................(01343) 812014St Gerardine Primary School ......................(01343) 812251Lossiemouth High School ..........................(01343) 812047Police Station ................................................0845 600 5700Bus Station, Elgin .......................................(01343) 544222Citizens Advice Bureau ...............................(01343) 550088Dalcross Airport ...........................................(01667) 464000Dallas Village Hall .......................................(01343) 890243Elgin Town Hall ................(01343) 547767/562600-To BookLossie Town Hall ............................(01343) 813327/815309Moray Council .............................................(01343) 543451National Rail Enquiries ..................................08457 484950Elgin Library ................................................(01343) 562600Lossie Library ..............................................(01343) 813334Elgin Community Council ............................(01343)540615Moray Leisure Centre .................................(01343) 550033Lossie Swimming Pool ................................(01343) 815299

DOCTORSDr Gray's Hospital, Elgin ...............................0845 456 6000Moray Coast Medical Practice - Hopeman (01343) 830269Moray Coast Medical Practice - Burghead (01343) 835780Moray Coast Medical Practice - Lossie ........0845 337 1190Elgin Community Surgery ..........................(01343) 542234Linkwood Medical Centre ............................0845 337 6350Maryhill Health Centre ..................................0845 337 0610

DENTISTSSouth Street Dental Practice ......................(01343) 542729Trinity Dental Practice..................................(01343) 542697Apex Dental Studio......................................(01343) 556606Pure Spa Dental ..........................................(01343) 541164Laich Dental Practice ..................................(01343) 816316

PHARMACIESAlliance Pharmacy ......................................(01343) 542186Bishopmill Pharmacy ..................(01343) 547374 / 547393Boots The Chemist ......................................(01343) 543311G.F Duthie Phramacy, Burghead ................(01343) 835370G.F Duthie Phramacy, Hopeman ................(01343) 830249 Lhanbryde Pharmacy ..................................(01343) 842531Lloyds Pharmacy, 48 High St ......................(01343) 547065Lloyds Pharmacy, 176 High St ....................(01343) 542571Lloyds Pharmacy, Lossie ............................(01343) 812818Lossiemouth Pharmacy ..............................(01343) 813095

VETSAllen and Matthews ....................................(01343) 544811Miller and Swann ........................................(01343) 542255Moray Coast Vets, Lossie ............................(01343) 815335

If you have any suggestions for additional useful numbers, please contact us and we may include them in the magazine.

“Spynie Loch” Karen Barclay. Copyright.

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The United States has never been at the top of my ‘wish list’ but after my 3 week trip to the West coast I can’t wait to return! I split my time between San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, with a journey through Yosemite National Park and Death Valley. San Francisco was my favourite, I pre-booked most of my excursions before I travelled to make the most of my 4 nights in the city. A highlight was Alcatraz, located on an island off San Francisco. It was used as a federal prison between 1933 and 1963 and housed such in-mates as Al Capone. Instead of the usual flight between San Francisco and Vegas I decided to take a 1 night, 2 day trip through Yosemite National Park and Death Valley. Seeing the vast comparison between the green, lush National Park with Yosemite falls, the fourth tallest waterfall in the world in full flow (May is the best time to see this) and the barren emptiness of Death Valley was amazing. Vegas is like nothing I have ever seen before! The Strip really comes to life at night with the fountain show at the Bellagio Hotel and an erupting volcano at the Mirage Hotel. A trip to one of the Wonders on the world, the Grand Canyon is a must. Excursion options are endless, we chose the ‘sunset helicopter tour’ landing in the canyon for a glass of champagne to view the sunset before flying home over The Strip. My last stop was Los Angeles, ‘The City of Angels’, where we split our time between Beverly Hills for shopping and celeb spotting and Santa Monica for the beach and surf. A tour of Los Angeles is recommended to see all parts of the city – from Venice Beach, or Muscle Beach as it is perhaps better known Hollywood Walk of Fame and Sunset Strip. A day spent at Universal Studios for the launch of the new attraction ‘Transformers 3D’ was well worth the hour trip from Beverly Hills. Santa Monica was the perfect way to finish off what was a busy 3 weeks.

Editorial by Aimee (Elgin branch member)

Information kindly supplied by

2-6 South Street, Elgin 01343 548844 Street, F

travel

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For further details enquire at Beaver Travel, 2-6 South Street, Elgin78 High Street, Forres

Inverness departuresJersey - 15th and 22nd Sept - B&B from ........................................£409Sorrento & Bay of Naples6th & 13th Oct - B&B from ...£449Lake Garda 7th & 14th Oct - B&B from ...£389French Riviera6th & 13th July, '13 - from ....£639Majestic Fjordland Cruise from and back to Leith12th June, '13 from .............£599 Amsterdam - weekend return flights from ............................£168 Aberdeen departures:

USALas Vegas - from ......................£871San Francisco - from ...............£784Los Angeles - from ...................£763Above flights are from Glasgow,for travel Jan-June, 2013, bookedby 31st Oct, '12. Las Vegas - from ......................£854San Francisco - from ...............£872Los Angeles - from ...................£853Above flights are from Inverness,for travel December - March, '13, booked by 31st October, '12. Golden Triangle Fare, based on visiting all 3 cities ...................£755Above fare is for travelDecember -June, 2013, booked by 31st Oct, '12, All fares above are subject to availability at the time of booking.

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City of Elgin Food & Drink Festival 2012events

15th September

Help Elgin to celebrate the �nest of Scottish Foods and Crafts with over 60 exhibitors from Elgin, Moray and Scotland. Exhibitors will be located across Commerce Street, South Street, Batchen Street as well as the Plainstones.

City of Elgin Food & Drink Festival 15th September 2012

Let’s all EMBRACE ELGIN and put the VIBRANCY back into the CITY CENTREElgin Rotory Club

For on going developments please go to www.facebook.com/elginbid or www.elginbid.co.uk

Experience ‘Medieval Elgin’ with jousting, sword �ghting and archery (Muckle Cross) ..plus much much more..

‘Cook o� Challenge’ between Angus Robertson and Richard Lochhead plus a number of cookery demonstrations and tastings throughout the day.

Children’s Entertainment with Bubbles the Clown and Zig Zag Circus.

Prize Winning competitions, live music from Elgin and District Pipe Band, Nae Reel (plus more to be con�rmed)… An experience not to be missed!

Elgin BID is delighted to be hosting the City of Elgin Food & Drink Festival on Saturday the 15th September 2012. The Festival will be the largest of the BID events in 2012 with more than 60 exhibitors confirmed so far, ensuring that there will be something for the whole family to do and see.The event will open at 11.00am with a “Cook Off Challenge” between Richard Lochhead & Angus Robertson. The Cook Off will be held in the AEG cookery trailer courtesy of the Oakwood Cookery School. For this event exhibitors and activities can be found all over the City Centre area including Commerce Street, Batchen Street, South Street and the Plainstones. As well as a vast array of foods and crafts there will also be a Giant Tea Party, courtesy of Moray College, which is being held in support of the STV appeal and in the East End of the City (Cul De Sac opposite the Muckle Cross) we will be hosting “Medieval Elgin” with jousting, sword fighting and archery – lots of fun and specially arranged for the children. In the West End of the City we are hoping to hold a pancake making competition.

Throughout the day we will have live cookery demonstra-tions with chefs demonstrating delicious ways to cook locally grown and sold food. We are delighted to welcome back Wendy Barrie who has appeared on the BBC Good Food Show, Royal Highland Show and the London Restaurant Show, Olympia. To top the day off we will have live music and dance throughout the town centre from local performers such as Nae Reel, Elgin and District Pipe Band to name a few. We are also running a special “Broons Treasure Hunt” with goody bags of Broons items for the lucky winners.So come on down and join us for a fantastic, fun and fabulous day out. With free samples and tastings from the market stalls and lots to do and see, we are sure you will have a great day out at the City of Elgin Food and Drink Festival 2012.For full programme listings and details of the exhibitors visit www.elginbid.co.uk or follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/elginbid

events

events

SpotLight on Elgin and District tel: 01309 690063 September 2012 - page 15

Rolling Eventsaugust - septemberthreads of history - falconer museum, forres. exhibi-tion of fantastic textile work created by members ofneedleart north and inspired by the falconer mu-seum collections. call 01309 673701 for details.

28 tuesday august - 21 friday september‘scottish contrasts’ art exhibition by angus donald-son 7pm. £1 entrance fee or in included in the £4museum entrance fee

AUGUST30 thursdayironworks summer showcase #8 7pm. 14+. feat.roadway, jake bolt & toby michaels rolling damned.for tickets or information call 0871 7894173 or visitwww.ironworksvenue.com

SEPTEMBER 1 saturday wrvs coffee morning 10am - 12noon. elgin highchurch hall. carve carrbridge 10:30am - 5pm, on the villagesports field. top chainsaw carvers from the uk &around the world will compete for the magnificentclaymore trophy & prize money. live music, activi-ties, games, stalls and food & drink.concert with julie keen and friends 3pm. at st john’sepiscopal church arpafeelie. garden party with re-freshements. in aid of church funds. entrance fee £5.contact linda: 01463 811629

2 sunday

mundole equestrian one day event closing date 24thaugust. contact 07901 602042 or visitwww.mundoleequestrian.comallotment 4pm. universal hall, findhorn. outdoorshow. edinburgh fringe winner. £7/£6 concs/£4u16s.

4 tuesday - 9 sundaynairn book & arts festival for further details, tele-phone: 01667 453476 or email: info@nairncc.co.uk.visit: www.nairncommunitycentre.co.uk or

http://www.nairnfestival.co.uk

6 thursday‘habits of the abbots’ presented by emma malone. 2- 4pm. daily life in kinloss abbey. part of the moraysociety lecture series. lecture is £3. £2 for societymembers. contact elgin museum: 01343 543675.email: curator@elginmuseum.orgculbin singers’ annual general meeting followed byfirst rehearsal 7.30pm. at st laurence church, forres.if you would like to join the choir, come along to thefirst rehearsal. new members are asked to undertakeshort informal voice test during their first term withthe choir. regular thursday evening practice sessionstake place over following weeks in st laurencechurch, forres. email:alasdair@manachie.eclipse.co.uk

What’s On

Please send us details of Your eventslog on to www.spotlighton.co.uk

email michelle@spotlighton.co.uk or call 01309 690063What’s on listings deadline for the october issue is

friday 31/08/12

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page 16 - September 2012 tel: 01309 690063 SpotLight on Elgin and District

7 fridaybrodie castle (as part of nairn book festival)11.30am. the archives of the national trust for scot-land..... or what we have found in the cupboardsand basements! ian riches, the national trust forscotland’s archivist, will speak about the impor-tance, care and preservation of the trust’s collection.illustrated by source material, including some fromst kilda and brodie castle. adult £5. lunch availablein the tearoom.“from fact to fiction” 2.00pm.17th century banff andaberdeen are brought to life by the compelling de-tails gleaned from research. adult £7. tel: 0844 4932156 or visit www.nts.org.uk.fairy tales by firelight 7pm - 9pm, as summer comesto an end, celebrate nature with us as we share talltales & adventures around the campfire. ages 8 andover. children must be accompanied by an adult.please feel free to bring a story to tell. call 01343 820339 or email dolphincentre@wdcs.org simon hopper 8pm. at the loft, east grange farm, for-res. tel: 01343 850111 or visit http://www.eastgrange.co.uk/

7 friday - 15 saturdayblas festival celebration of gaelic & highland music.highlights include al fresco entertainment on the wa-

ters of loch ness with a floating performance by tra-ditional musicians allan macdonald & friends, musicon the mountain at cairngorm’s ptarmigan restau-rant & an exciting array of events at eden court the-atre, inverness. visit www.blas-festival.com

8 saturdaymoray steiner school coffee morning 10am -12noon. drumduan house. to promote new cook-book “moray coast cooks”.doors open days: cullen auld kirk 10am - 4pm.guided tour of churchyard and thirteenth centurychurch telling a fascinating history covering almost800 years. tel: 01542 841590. free entry.visit www.doorsopendays.org.ukdoors open days: dufftown railway station 10.30am -4pm. victorian railway station and scenic railway(purchase tickets). tel: 01466 730327. free entry.visit www.doorsopendays.org.ukdoors open days: elgin museum 10.30am - 5pm. theearliest purpose built museum in scotland. talks at11am, 1pm, and 3pm. tel: 01343 543675. free entry.visit www.doorsopendays.org.uk and www.elginmuseum.org.ukdoors open days: falconer museum in forres. toursof the building and its past by the friends of the fal-coners. tel: 01309 696261. free entry. visit www.doorsopendays.org.ukdoors open days: greyfriars convent church in elgin.11am - 3pm. fifteenth century friary. restored andopened as a convent in 1898 and lived in by the sis-ters of mercy until 2011. tel: 01343 543675. freeentry. visit www.doorsopendays.org.uk andwww.elginmuseum.org.ukdoors open days: kinloss abbey 10am - 4pm. extensive ruin of a thirteenth century cistercianabbey. free entry. visit www.doorsopendays.org.ukdoors open days: logie house in logie. 10am -12pm. tel: 01309 611278. free entry. visit www.door-sopendays.org.ukdoors open days: the michael kirk in duffus.10.30am - 3pm. tours by moray burial ground re-search group. free entry. tel: 01343 546620. visitwww.doorsopendays.org.ukdoors open days: st peter’s church in duffus. 11am -3pm. tours by moray burial ground research group.tel: 01343 546620. free entry. visit www.doorsopendays.org.ukdoors open days: tugnet icehouse in spey bay. toursby scottish dolphin centre staff at 12.15pm and3.15pm. tel: 01343 820339. free entry. visitwww.doorsopendays.org.ukduffus village gala 1 - 4pm. great family day: ponyrides, raffle, pottery painting, children’s races, bottlestall, refreshments, and much more. mr mcfall’s chamber - four corners 8pm. universalhall, findhorn. witty relaxed music from four cornersof scotland. £10/£8 concs.

9 sunday

Nairn Community& Arts Centre

For further details, telephone 01667 453476,e-mail info@nairncc.co.uk or check out our website

at www.nairncommunitycentre.co.uk

Your local venue for films, shows,concerts, and parties.

Wide range of activities for all ages.

SEPTEMBER EVENTS

NAIRN

Tues 4th - Sun 9th ..................................Nairn Book & Arts FestivalTues 11th ...... Blas Festival Concert featuring “Margaret Stewart”Sat 15th ....................................................Michael Card in Concert Sat 22nd ................................................. Glen Cunningham ConcertSat 29th ...................................Music Nairn - Leon McCawley Piano

ide range of activities for all ages.Wconcerts, and parties.

our local venue YYour local venue for films, shows,Arts Centre&

Nairn Community

SEPTEMBER EVENTS

NAIRN

ide range of activities for all ages.concerts, and parties.

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Nairn Community

SEPTEMBER EVENTS

.nairncommunitycentre.co.ukat wwwe-mail info@nairncc.co.uk or check out our website

For further details, telephone 01667 453476,

Music Nairn - Leon McCawley Piano...................................Sat 29th.................................................Sat 22nd.................................................Sat 15th

Blas Festival Concert featuring “Margaret Stewart”......1th ues 1T.................................ues 4th - Sun 9th T

.nairncommunitycentre.co.uke-mail info@nairncc.co.uk or check out our website

For further details, telephone 01667 453476,

Music Nairn - Leon McCawley PianoGlen Cunningham Concert.................................................

Michael Card in Concert ....................................................Blas Festival Concert featuring “Margaret Stewart”

Arts FestivalNairn Book & ..................................

SpotLight on Elgin and District tel: 01309 690063 page 17 - September 2012

kingston community litter pick 10am - 11am. call theranger for more info on 01343 820339.doors open days: findhorn icehouses 2-5pm. tel:01309 690659. free entry. visit www.doorsopen-days.org.ukdoors open days: kinloss abbey 10am - 4pm. free entry. visit www.doorsopendays.org.ukdoors open days: milnes primary school infochabers. tel: 01343 821204. free entry. visitwww.doorsopendays.org.ukdoors open days: tugnet icehouse in spey bay. toursby scottish dolphin centre staff at 12.15pm and3.15pm. tel: 01343 820339. free entry. visitwww.doorsopendays.org.uk

11 tuesdayblas festival concert featuring margaret stewart forfurther details, telephone: 01667 453476 or email:info@nairncc.co.uk. visit: www.nairncommunitycentre.co.uk

11 tuesday - 12 wednesdayfirst highland wheelchair curling triples hosted bythe highland wheelchair curling club. inverness icecentre. come along and watch all scotland’s topwheelchair curlers in action, including several locals.

12 wednesdaynadfas (national association of decorative and finearts societies: moray banff and badenoch branch)fine art lecture on “creating a splash - the st ives society of artists 1927 - 1952” 11am. delivered bydavid tovey. at the sherwood suite, eight acres hotel,elgin. visitors welcome.

14 friday concert with bel canto 7pm. “bel canto” (literally“sweet singing” in italian) is a small north-east groupof youngsters aged 8 to 18 (approx) who enjoybeautiful singing for its own sake. students of annmunro of lossiemouth - a noted teacher - these individuals are soloists with huge talent who combine insmall groups to sing as bel canto mainly for charitiesand deserving causes. we suggest early booking, £8and £6 concessions. 0844 493 2156 orwww.nts.org.uk.

15 saturdaymichael card in concert for further details, tele-phone: 01667 453476 or email: info@nairncc.co.uk.visit: www.nairncommunitycentre.co.uk nairn’s breakfast club 9.45am for 10am. at windsor hotel, nairn. meet other christian and non-christianmen to share food and fellowship and hear whatgod has done in people’s lives. speaker: stewartwatt. contact campbell 01667 455149 by friday 14thseptember to book a place. food and drink extravaganza 10am - 4pm. the plain-stones, elgin. the western front association meeting 2:30pm, ’thegallery’ elgin library. ‘the cameron highlanders in

postcards’. there will be a collection for branchfunds. call derek bird 01343 870562 or visitwww.wfascotlandnorth.org.ukcoast to coast race staging through cawdor castlegrounds. call 01667 404401 for more info or visitwww.cawdorcastle.comfolk night in the ice house 7:30pm - 9pm. join us inthe atmospheric tugnet ice house for an evening offolk music. refreshments & food served. tickets £6adults £3 children, booking essential. call 01343 820339 or email dolphincentre@wdcs.org dance ihayami - seeing differently 8pm. universalhall, findhorn. magic mix of indian classical dance,music, and film. £10/£8 concs/£6 u16s.

16 sundaylhanbryde community centre car boot sale 9am - 12noon. indoor and outdoor. call 01343 843025 for in-formation and bookings. proceeds to lhanbrydecommunity challenge (SC029433)

19 wednesday masayuki kino & fumiko fujimoto 7.30pm. universalhall, findhorn. highly-acclaimed classical duo.£10/£8 concs/£6 u16s.

21 friday lofty pots 7.30pm - 10.30pm. east grange farm, kin-loss, forres, iv36 2ud. lofty pots launches their first“wine & pot night” with pottery painting, wine, andcocktails. booking advised as places limited. tel:01343 850111. the rotted @ flanagans bar, elgin 8pm. old school d-beat death metal. supported by aberdeen deathmetallers bonesaw and crusty punks filthpact. visitwww.facebook.com/thesyndicate2008

22 saturdayglen cunningham concert for further details, tele-

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phone: 01667 453476 or email: info@nairncc.co.uk.visit: www.nairncommunitycentre.co.ukjubilee community fair 10am - 4pm. territorial armydrill hall, edgar road, elgin. stalls and entertainment.fun for all the family. special end of season children’s activity session11am - 1pm. elgin museum. accompanying adultsgo free and a visit to the museum is included. bar-gain price of £2 per child. contact the museum:01343 543675. email: curator@elginmuseum.org.ukstanley odd + team kapowski @ ironworks 7.30pm.14+. £6. call 0871 7894173 or visit www.ironworksv-enue.com7894173 or visit www.ironworksvenue.comdodgy 8pm. the loft, east grange farm, forres. tel:01343 850111 or visit http://www.eastgrange.co.uk/

23 sunday laigh o’ moray vintage charity rally & fun day @inchkeil steading in aid of friends of moray archieappeal. adults £6, oaps £4, children £2, and under5s free. located on elgin/burghead road 4 miles westof elgin. contact morag davidson 01309 676815 orgordon mckenzie 01343 541665

24 monday'the mummy's return' presented by professor caro-line wilkinson. 2-4pm. lecture is £3. £2 for societymembers. contact elgin museum: 01343 543675.email: curator@elginmuseum.org.uk

26 wednesday beyond presents: karima francis @ ironworks7.30pm. 14+. £7. call 0871 7894173 or visitwww.ironworksvenue.com

27 thursday - 1 monday octoberthe whisky shop dufftown autumn festival focusingon the best of whisky with tastings, music, and foodpairings daily. programme and tickets onwww.whiskyshopdufftown.co.uk or phone 01340821097.

28 friday‘the boys are back in town’ pro night @ ironworks7pm. 14+. professional boxing night. tickets or infocall 0871 7894173 or visit www.ironworksvenue.com

italy to grant lodge: the making of robert adam' presented by dr lester borley. 7.30-9.30pm. part ofthe moray society lecture series. lecture is £3. £2 forsociety members. contact elgin museum: 01343543675. email: curator@elginmuseum.org.uk

29 saturdaymusic nairn: pianist leon mccawley for further de-tails, telephone: 01667 453476 or email: info@nairncc.co.uk. visit: www.nairncommunitycen-tre.co.ukbi-centennial celebration and restoration of the mainstained glass window of st john’s scottish episcopalchurch 11am. a service of blessing and celebrationled by bishop mark strange will start at 3.30pm. ex-tensive flower arrangements can be viewed at 11am.all welcome. refreshments available. celebrationswill continue with a service on sunday at 11am.dame emma kirkby & jakob lindberg in concert 7pm- 8:30pm, old high church, church street, inverness.fundraising for moray steiner school & a new upperschool project. suggested donations for tickets startat £25, available at www.moraysteinerschool.org,from leakey’s bookshop, church street, inverness &phoenix, the park, findhorn.for those about to rock with livewire acdc & the zztops @ ironworks 7.30pm. £17.50. call 08717894173 or visit www.ironworksvenue.comfilth & pulse presents: green velvet @ ironworks11pm. 18+. £15. call 0871 7894173 or visitwww.ironworksvenue.com

30 sunday last day of opening for castle & gardens for the year.enquiries & ticket info call 01667 404401 or visitwww.cawdorcastle.com

LOFTY ARTS@ East Grange Farm, Kinloss tel: 01343 850111

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Apart from a couple of weeks fine weather early in the season, this spring and early summer will go down as one of the most disappointing on record, and this was after a washout last summer too. The full horror of a shift in the Jet Stream and the resultant persistent cold, wet north-easterly airflow, has been all too evident in our gardens. We have been hearing a lot about crop failures and blight and other wet related disorders. Apart from impossible mowing conditions, three problems are widespread this year.

The first is weeds. With all the wet weather early on, the weeds have just kept coming, in the beds and in the lawns. My proud boast that “GreenThumb lawns don’t have any weeds” has been severely tested this year, and we have been making numerous repeat weedkill visits to customers’ lawns where heavy rain has washed off weedkill as fast as we put it on.

The second worry is Red Thread fungal disease, evident by July across the UK including up here. 80% of our lawns have been affected. The signs to look for are blotchy patches of brownish/red grass which looks like it’s dying. In some cases a mouldy top growth also appears. We have an effective fungicide which clears this unsightly condition, but in nearly all outbreaks, the grass isn’t dying, and the first frosts will tend to kill-off the “mould spores” for this year. You will see photos on the GreenThumb website, or if you Google “Red Thread”, you will see a ton of information. At least you now know it’s not terminal, if you think your grass has been affected !

The main worry of course, is moss, a pestilence in these parts anyway. Moss thrives and blooms in cool, damp conditions (usually peaking over the

winter months) but already evident and in good health in the lawns now. Even more important than usual therefore will be to get some drainage and ventilation benefit into the ground now by aerating the lawn, however you can manage it. Some use a garden fork, GreenThumb (and the golf clubs) prefer to use a big heavy hollow-core tining machine which removes thousands of cores from the lawn. Now is an excellent time to aerate the lawn in preparation for the predictably damp, cold months. Let’s hope we now see an “Indian Summer”, I think we deserve a break!

For more information about seasonal lawn improvements from just £15 per qtr, plus useful downloads and photos, go to www.greenthumb.co.uk. Although GreenThumb is a national franchise with over 200 branches across the UK, we are locally based in Cawdor and cover the whole Moray Firth area. Contact Alastair or Fiona for a FREE LAWN ANALYSIS on 01667 404774, or email us at: inverness@greenthumb.co.uk

28

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recipe

Chef’sConfidential

Kris McKie, The Royal Hotel, Elgin

King Prawns ‘Pil-Pil’

This is a popular and typically Andalucían Tapas dish or

starter. I have tried to find out the origin of the words ‘Pil-Pil’,

some say it comes from an Arabic word ‘Felfel’, I assume it

has something to do with spice or chilli, others say it comes

from the sound of the prawns sizzling in hot oil!

I like both stories, almost as much as I enjoy making them at

The Royal Hotel on our new lunch menu.

Serves 4 as light lunch or starter

400g King Prawns

2 x Red Chillies, de-seeded and chopped

2 tbsp Fresh Coriander, chopped

2 x Cloves Garlic, peeled and sliced

Good pinch of Sea Salt

100g Butter

6 tbsp Good quality Olive Oil

Method

1) Heat the oil, garlic and chilli in a large pan. As the garlic

starts to brown around the edges, add prawns.

2) Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, moving prawns around the pan,

add butter, cook for another 1 to 2 mins

3) Add salt and coriander, take off heat.

4) Serve in small dishes with chunks of fresh bread or rice.

Enjoy!

30

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