Tuesday 24 April 2012

A second helping of Ptarmigan pie

Back in May 2011, I featured an article entitled Searching for Ptarmigan Pie by Alastair Glegg. A very good copy of Ptarmigan pie just came into stock so it feels like an opportune moment to re-introduce Alastair’s article.

In the spring of 1939, as the storm clouds of war were gathering over Europe, a young couple celebrated their engagement by taking a climbing holiday on the Isle of Skye. Donal Lindsay Glegg was 28, and just beginning to make a name for himself as a landscape painter and illustrator. Mabel Glenny, a year older, was a medical doctor working at the Bristol Infirmary. Both were experienced mountaineers and loved the challenges set by the dark jagged peaks of the Cuillins, but in those days finding accommodation could be a problem. They had spent previous Highland holidays in tents and caravans, and there were always places which provided board and lodging for climbers, but they had a dream of finding a little place of their own to use as a base for what they hoped would be many years of visits to Scotland Read more

© Alastair Glegg. Not to be reproduced in whole or in part without the author's permission.

Ptarmigan pie is now sold, thank you for your interest.
Barbara

21 comments:

  1. Megan @ Storybook Love Affair24 April 2012 at 14:53

    A wonderful and interesting piece of history. Thanks for sharing Barbara.

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  2. What an enchanting story. I've hiked other islands in the Hebrides, longing for some green Wellingtons, so I truly appreciated the lovely sogginess of the experience. Thanks for the bit of history and this slice of Ptarmigan Pie.

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  3. What a terrific story! Thank goodness you came across another copy of Ptarmigan Pie or I might not have seen this.

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  4. Hi Barbara,

    I am so glad that you stopped by Fiction Books today, so that I visited your blog and caught this amazing post.

    What an emotional and inspirational journey, it was an engrossing article to read, thanks so much for highlighting it again.

    Yvonne

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  5. barbaraannefisher24 April 2012 at 21:07

    I’m glad you enjoyed it. I thought it was fascinating.

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  6. barbaraannefisher24 April 2012 at 21:20

    Lee, you always make me smile! Thanks for calling in and sharing a slice of pie.

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  7. barbaraannefisher24 April 2012 at 21:23

    Hi Angela, It was nice to have the opportunity to dish up another helping of ptarmigan pie. Thank you for calling in and leaving a comment.

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  8. barbaraannefisher24 April 2012 at 21:26

    Hello Yvonne, I’ve read it several times but still find myself caught up in the story. Thanks for paying a return visit.

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  9. You can find the most interesting reads. What a fun series.

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  10. barbaraannefisher25 April 2012 at 07:18

    Hi Donna, It is a super book, and I was thrilled to find it.

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  11. I found this post so fascinating. I really enjoyed the history and story that it told. This book is quite a find- especially because of the background. Thanks for sharing!

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  12. I enjoyed reading your post, what an interesting story.

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  13. barbaraannefisher26 April 2012 at 06:59

    Jess, it was lovely of Alastair to share it.

    Michelle, Glad you enjoyed the post, thanks for calling in.

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  14. This is a lovely story Barbara - the quote you've included from the end of the book is just wonderful. That's just how I feel where I live - it captures the atmosphere of the place beautifully.

    I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling with the new blogger. I changed to the new interface to try it again today and then promptly switched back again. I see the old one is going to be removed completely soon - I don't know how I'm going to cope!

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  15. barbaraannefisher26 April 2012 at 21:23

    Hi Sharon, I really don’t like the new blogger. I don’t understand it and to my mind, it’s far more complicated than the old one. I wish they would just leave well alone.

    I agree the quote is wonderful, but I can’t take any credit for it. Alastair Glegg bought a copy of Ptarmigan Pie from me a few years back and was kind enough to send me the story and allowed me to reproduce it.

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  16. The Desert Rocks27 April 2012 at 01:18

    Truly a lovely story and amazing that in 2006 they made the incredible rain-soaked journey to find out about everything. Very sweet and romantic. Thanks for sharing. Donal and Mabel were up hiking when my husband was born in April, 1940.

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  17. At first, I was curious: what kind of pie could this be ...? It was sad to read about Donal's loss of sight. And that he couldn't paint afterwards. Yet there was a slice of not-too-bad news in that despite the war, the family was able to stay together and the couple even produced this book later on. Thanks for sharing this, Barbara!

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  18. This story touches the heart; you are lured by emotion and curiosity. And yes, history is more precious as one grows older.

    Blessings - Maxi

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  19. barbaraannefisher27 April 2012 at 14:17

    It is a sweet and romantic story and one I very much enjoyed, glad you did too.

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  20. barbaraannefisher27 April 2012 at 14:27

    That’s exactly what I thought! I enjoyed the book and Alastair’s account enormously, glad you did too.

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  21. barbaraannefisher27 April 2012 at 14:31

    Thank you Maxi! I completely agree. History is more precious the older one gets. Have a lovely weekend, thanks for calling in.

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I really appreciate your comment. Thank you!
Barbara xx