Tuesday night was Salon Night at the wonderful thomas tosh (they should be paying me by now) and the poets reading were Doug Curran and Betty Tindall.
However, before the evening kicked off proper there was the socialising interlude, which gave me time for a little shameless product placement...
David, tt proprietor (one of), reading a Peter Goulding
Betty Tindall herself, intrigued...
The lovely Pat, enjoying a Kate Dempsey, I think
Unidentifed male in general shock at the quality
Small child likes the blue bit on the back
And sneaking in amongst the big boys, Hugh McMillan and Tom Pow
So, on with the show! The first half of the evening was Betty reading from her 2009 book, From Source to Solway, a celebration/story/tribute and song to the River Nith. Seventh longest river in Scotland, the Nith rises in Ayrshire but is truly Dumfries and Galloway's river. It passes through, and frequently floods, Dumfries and spills into the Solway Firth just south of the town.
I cross the Nith to get from Penpont to Thornhill, and Penpont itself sits on the Scaur, one of the Nith's tributaries.
Here's poet and musician Doug Curran with one of his Appalachian dulcimers, which he makes himself. Doug composed the music to accompany Betty's reading and it's a set they have performed together a number of times.
From Source to Solway in performance
After the break, involving coffee, cake and a little too much red wine on my part (tastes so nice! head doesn't like it afterwards!) both Betty and Doug gave readings from other works. Two wonderful Scottish voices: memorable, moving and in Doug's case, often funny.
Afterwards, Betty showed me a book she had made during seven days on an island beach. Now this really is an artist's book. One-off, however.
Front/Outside
Back/Inside
Finally, those hand-crafted Appalachian dulcimers and one of the Poems of the Nith from Betty Tindall.
Off to Dundee for three days now (good prompt, NanU!), hope to see you on the Bus.
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