Scottish Blethers

As Scotland basks in warm sunshine this week we look at  some of the signs that winter is on the way out and summer is just around the corner. Wildflowers, new birth and seasonal visitors  - not to mention good old fashioned country smells!

In this episode we explore the difference between a tapestry and an embroidery and consider why tapestries were such prized posessions of the rich and Royals as evidenced by collections around Scotland. Eventually they were usurped by paintings but there has been a resurgence in interest in great tapestries over recent years - or should that be embroideries?

The Reformation may have simplified rituals associated with death and burial but across Scotland many superstitions and practices persist. In this episode we discuss everything from the efforts people employed to protect their recently departed from the “body snatchers” to the burials and cremations of today.

This week, in the first of two episodes discussing Scottish traditions and superstitions, we take a look at births and marriages. The howdie or “handy woman” wasn’t just there to help with the delivery - she knew all the rituals to help keep the mother and child safe from the fairy folk!

Longlisted in the final shortlist of eight for this prestigious title, Stirling is bidding to show the judging panel just what it can offer when it comes to arts and creativity. The theme of Stirling’s bid is the passion for culture that flows through the people of the region. In this week’s episode we examine Stirling’s credentials for the title and what success would mean for this small city that is so close to the heart of our “daughter of the rock”!

A wee bonus episode as we celebrate the success of Team GB’s curling teams at the weekend. Team Muirhead brought home GB’s only gold medal in the last few hours of the games. We chat about the game and how it has developed as new technologies are introduced. Often referred to as “ chess on ice” the girls displayed both technical skill and strategy to win 10-3 in Saturday’s final. Gaun yersels!

A sad state of affairs when your Valentine’s Day date is your podcasting buddy! In this episode we get together to take a look at a few Scottish heart-throbs who have attracted more than their fair share of S.W.A.L.Ks over the years!

 Another walk down memory lane as we reflect on the changes that our main shopping thoroughfares have experienced over recent decades. The last two years of the pandemic may have had an “apocalyptic “ impact but the writing was on the wall long before that as shopping habits changed. Can the High Street rise like a phoenix out of the ashes that they have deteriorated into - faceless ghost towns at the heart of what was once a vibrant social hub.

Today the city of Glasgow celebrates CRM as the genius of architecture, design and watercolour that he undoubtedly was. Visitors flock to see his creations - be they landmark buildings, icons of furniture design or renowned interiors created in partnership with his artist wife Margaret. In the week that the report was published into the fire that devastated his masterpiece the Glasgow School of Art, we reflect on how this acclaim wasn’t always forthcoming during his own lifetime. His “modernist ideas” were not everyone’s cup of tea - no matter how elegant that cup might be!!

This week we reflect with affection on our grandmothers and the influence they had on our lives. Their warmth. Their wisdom. In particular, their remedies. Poultices, tinctures and salves ……. all administered with a dose of love.