Adventure Story

You can see what a gorgeous day we're having. What a sky! This is an un-re-touched photo of Auld Eassie Kirk (Old Eassie Church) ruins in the tiny hamlet of Eassie not far from Glamis. What was I doing there? Would you believe looking for asparagus?

Here's the story: I had a routine follow-up doctor's appointment at Ninewell's Hospital in Dundee this morning at 9:10 and got another clean report from the plastic surgeon [Plastic surgeon sounds like an action figure, doesnit it?]. Knowing I'd be near Eassie and knowing it was close to asparagus harvesting season, I thought that after my appointment I'd try to find Eassie Farm run by Sandy Patullo which I've been reading about in Scottish newspapers for the last 15 years. I asked for directions at the post office and shop in village of Glamis where I stopped for a bottle of spring water. The directions from the man at the counter were rather vague but did lead me right to Eassie. Once there, however, I saw nothing that looked like a big farm shop.

I did, however, espy the auld kirk with a signpost that indicated there was a carved Pictish stone on the site. Three men were cutting the grass in the churchyard so I expored the stone and thought I could get directions from someone while I was there. The stone, quite a nice one approximately 6 feet tall and about 3 feet wide, perhaps 6 inches thick and made, as most of them are, of red sandstone, stood behind protective plexiglass. I was able to put the little digital camera through a gap and thus get some good detail shots.

I enjoyed walking around the church grounds, in and among the wonderfully atmospheric tombstones, many carved with skulls and crossbones. Alas when I stopped to ask one of the grass-cutters where Eassie Farm was, he'd never heard of it! (I think he wasn't from around those parts!)

Instead of getting in the car, I decided to just explore on foot. All was quiet in the hamlet and I saw no one out and about except for the grass-cutters. Within about 50 feet of the church I came upon a huge open barnlike structure which was filled with enormous wooden crates, all stamped in letters about a foot high with the name Patullo. About this time, a gangly man walked into the area and picked up a handful of cloth sacks and started back across the road. I said "Pardon me. I'm looking for Eassie Farm." The man said "You've found it." I said "Are you Sandy Patullo then?" He said "Aye, I am" and stuck out a hand for a shake.

I told him I'd been reading for years about how his asparagus is the best in the whole world and thought that while I was "in the area" so to speak, I'd check to see if I could find the farm. I then asked if, with all our sunny, dry, and warm weather, the asparagus harvest might be a wee bit early and I might be able to buy some. He said he normally doesn't pick it until the last week in April but the weather had advanced ripening and he thought he might start picking as early as Wednesday of this week. He said it would be the early stuff, though, and it would be best if I could come back next week. He asked me where I was located. When I told him Comrie, he offered to give me his phone number, saying I could phone ahead to be sure there was asparagus available and if there was, I could tell him how much I'd like and he'd set it aside for me. Wasn't that nice? I told him we'd have a guest from France all next week and so perhaps we'd bring her along weekend after next to see the farm and then feed her the fresh asparagus when we got home. He said "Oh yes, please do so. I'll bet she says it is better than French asparagus!" So I believe we'll have a second Eassie adventure later this month.

When I got back on the road, I was just a little over 10 miles from Perth, so I stopped at Tescos for petrol and to pick up a few groceries. I managed to get home in time to have lunch with Don. Except for about 20 miles of the journey around Dundee when I was on the motorway, I was on back country roads the whole way. The fields of rapeseed are coming into their chartreuse glory and the deep green crops are starting to pop up in the fields too. It all looked so beautiful under blue skies.

Don played golf with Gordon this morning, using his new clubs and said he did really well with them. He is back out there again this afternoon playing a round (not "playing around") with Alex. Time for me to consult the ToDo list and see what I can knock off in the next few hours. I think I'll try to get some weeding done as the forecast is now calling for showers over the next 3 days. Of course, it's said that before and not paid off, but just in case....