Nice Pears


Comments

  1. Hermes7 September 2009 at 09:45

    They look lovely. Obviously deserve that first prize.

    ReplyDelete
  2. VP7 September 2009 at 10:25

    Thanks Phillip, I'm most chuffed! Last year the badgers at the allotment ate my pears, so it feels especially good to have some to exhibit this time.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Frances7 September 2009 at 11:42

    A big hug and a pat on the back and a hearty handshake for the prize winning pair, oops, I meant pears. I did get a good chuckle from the title. See, the Americans are not always so serious. :-)
    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  4. VP7 September 2009 at 11:50

    Thanks Frances - I couldn't help myself with that title - I'm so glad it's also 'appreciated' across the pond ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Martyn Cox7 September 2009 at 12:19

    O'er missus.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Gary7 September 2009 at 12:51

    Hi,
    Not a great lover of pears, but they do look good, well done. Gary

    ReplyDelete
  7. Susan Tomlinson7 September 2009 at 14:12

    I adore pears. Just about the only fruit I do like, in fact. Excellent work!

    BTW, my OOTS is up. Is there a Mr. Linky?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Nutty Gnome7 September 2009 at 14:14

    Well done on your first prize! I don't actually like pears, but I can still appreciate them! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Val7 September 2009 at 15:02

    They say grow pears for you heirs so I've never bothered with pear trees. You have done really well! Val

    ReplyDelete
  10. Flighty7 September 2009 at 18:05

    Well done! It was our show on Saturday. I didn't exhibit anything but was a steward. xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Victoria Summerley7 September 2009 at 20:01

    Wow, congratulations! I think you are the first person I know who has won first prize at a show. I am SO impressed.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Compostwoman7 September 2009 at 20:49

    Having just preserved ( froze, chutneyed, wine, jam, dried..) 70 lbs of pears I find it very hard to even look at a plate of the damn things..

    but yours are lovely....well done!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Joanne7 September 2009 at 21:01

    They look edible unlike mine which have to be stewed to be edible.

    ReplyDelete
  14. emmat7 September 2009 at 22:39

    That's so annoying!!! Where did my comment go? I came on the minute you posted it and rambled on about Delia Smith's pickled pears and it just disappeared. Honestly, I am disgusted with Blogger today. But well done! xxx

    ReplyDelete
  15. 3c8 September 2009 at 08:59

    Triplets!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anna8 September 2009 at 10:54

    Well deserved - they look delicious too. A pear tree is on my autumn lottie shopping list.

    ReplyDelete
  17. VP9 September 2009 at 09:12

    Hi everyone - glad you liked my playing around with an old joke :)

    For the non-pear lovers I wonder if its because you've not experienced the juicy melting sweetness that a pear offers when it's just right? It's a difficult one to capture, but there's a good chance with this particular variety, Concorde. It's self-fertile and is a cross between Conference and Comice and has the flavour of Comice with the keeping qualities of Conference. Yum!

    ReplyDelete
  18. HappyMouffetard9 September 2009 at 20:01

    Well done! I love pears - and your comment above has just made my mouth water. Excuse me while I dribble on my keyboard...

    ReplyDelete
  19. VP15 September 2009 at 10:37

    HM - I think dribbling's totally justified :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I love hearing from you and welcome thoughtful conversations :)

Comments aiming to link back and give credence to commercial websites will be composted!

Your essential reads

Coming of age!

Image
I'm celebrating Veg Plotting 's 18th birthday by kicking through the autumn leaves in the sunshine! My blog may have come of age today but I haven't 🤭 It was pouring with rain on that day; I much prefer today's weather and I love the buttery yellow leaves in the woodland next to our house. I hope there's sunshine wherever you are today 🥰
Read more

Unusual Front Gardens #39: The aliens have landed!

Image
Perhaps not quite as unusual as some of the others in this strand owing to the date, but I'm delighted by this recent transformation on my way into town. On Thursday I had to make my way around a lorry parked on the pavement with a delivery of scaffolding. Then look what the owners did to take advantage of the situation ready for Hallowe'en the next day! I spotted the owner as I took this photograph and congratulated her as best I could whilst shouting across the busy traffic between us. She was delighted with my reaction and told me they're having work done on their house's drainpipes. What quick thinking to make something amusing out of much needed building work 👌👏😍
Read more

Down by the river

Image
We've had just a few sunny days this month, so it was great to go for a decent walk recently with W in pretty warm sunshine for November. Our usual meet up spot is on the Town Bridge; it's always an interesting view whilst waiting, further enhanced since late September by the latest mural courtesy of Public Art Chippenham.* This one's by Sophie Mess ( @sophiemess_ on Insta) who's noted for her vibrant botanical art and she doesn't disappoint in this instance. I'm glad to admit I made a small crowdfunder contribution to this one, especially now the mural's been revealed as the subject matter resonates with me and quite a lot of this blog's content. I'm pleased she's included the word Unity in her piece, which is a link to Chippenham's town motto, Unity and Loyalty. It's good to be reminded of it during these strange and relatively turbulent times.  Next up is a competition for the next project: ideas for the decoration of the Open Reach ...
Read more

Adventures with Stick Me

Image
I have a new alter ego in the shape of Stick Me . She was created for British Heart Foundation 's Strong Woman Challenge in April to bring in a bit of fun and help document progress. Seeing my first alter ego was VP , I wonder if any future ones will also have to rhyme? 😉 My drawing skills aren't that great, especially when it comes to people so it was fun to acknowledge that and still have something useful for my intended purpose. The drawing above is Stick Me 's latest incarnation for my review of progress for October's Strong Woman challenge compared to April's achievements. As you can see, I'm very happy! I wasn't in a happy place at the start of April due to the effects of Long Covid plus shoulder problems due to hypermobility; the Challenge showed the start of a return to health again and October's challenge shows real progress. Over £300,000 was raised from October's Challenge and I'm happy to continue with the monthly donation I've b...
Read more

For Apple Day: Eat your way to the river

Image
  It's Apple Day, one of my favourite days of the year and what better way to celebrate than to tell you about my recent trip to Longney, where Gloucestershire Orchard Trust have 18 acres of apple orchard under their tender care. Here you'll find older orchards with some trees well over a century old, plus their newer plantings of around 94 Gloucestershire cultivars which have just acquired national plant collection status at Plant Heritage . The jury's out on the actual number as DNA testing has revealed at least one locally named variety is actually a more well known one: Ribston Pippin in this case. Don't worry, there are dozens there which definitely have their origins rooted firmly in Gloucestershire and their cultivation at Longney is vital to their continued presence and preservation. There were around 200 local varieties at one time and today it's around 100 still in existence. Steve Mason - the Trust's Curator - was our knowledgeable guide who invited ...
Read more

A prince amongst quince

Image
I'm exhibiting my first ever quince for all the world to see 💛 I've had the tree for years and I've monitored it carefully previously for any signs of flowers or fruit; then I threatened its days in my garden as numbered many times when none appeared; so of course the year when I've ignored it completely is the time when it presents me with one solitary fruit. Naturally, it is truly a prince amongst all quince. I made the discovery when harvesting the figs, which have gone bonkers this year and screened off the quince tree from the rest of the garden. Perhaps that's the secret to success? At first I had quite a time deciding whether it was ripe, but that initial lime green I saw has now morphed into a wonderful warm yellow and a fruity fuzziness that tells me it's time. Now what shall I make with it? 🤔 Your ideas are welcome... You may also like: I've just fished out the link to my recipe for poached quince , which in turn links to my recipe for quince tar...
Read more

Weekend Wandering: Public Art Discoveries

Image
  It's been great to find lots more public art around Chippenham this year; enough to make this collage for your delectation. From left to right and top to bottom we have: Mustard Bustards  by @lucas_antics  next to Cousin Norman's and Artel31 on Union Road; Morris Dancer by the ever reliable Chippenham Knatty Knitters  on Chippenham High Street for this year's folk festival; In Unity Beauty Unfolds by Sophie Mess at Rivo Lounge Kingfisher by Nathan Pritchard in the Kingfisher pub car park on Hungerdown Lane; Chippenham collage by 2024's Fringe February contributors; Canal scene by Ed Poster at the bus station Winnie's Barbershop by @hardlytryinganyway  on Sheldon Road; Mystery horse next to St Andrew's church; Rainbow High Street project led by Public Art Chippenham for Chippenham Pride 2025 Sadly the Morris dancer was the last topper for the post box as it's now gone solar as have at least 2 others in Chippenham. Fingers crossed the other locations get th...
Read more

Weekend Wandering: Candlesnuff

Image
My latest find just yards from our house is this intriguing candlesnuff fungus (aka Xylaria hypoxylon ) growing on a pile of logs by Hardenhuish Brook. It looks like little reindeer antlers adding a festive decoration on my walk into town, though the Woodland Trust tells me * it can be found year-round. I'm delighted to see it for the first time. Apparently the greyish white part contains the spores, so I hope the recent high winds have spread them out a bit as we have tons of fallen deciduous wood in need of a little decoration. Although it's the first time I've seen it, this fungus can crop up pretty much anywhere, from woodland through to urban parks. Have you spotted it in your neighbourhood? * = scroll down to item 7 on their list
Read more

Hopes for the New Year

Image
I've walked many miles over the holiday season and seldom does the view match my mood as perfectly as this graffiti did in the footpath tunnel under the local railway this year. It's not the most salubrious of places or views, but it's a sentiment I wish for us all in 2026. Happy New Year everyone, and here's to a peaceful 2026 for you and yours. I also hope we get to do more of what I saw on the opposite wall! 😊
Read more

Weekend Wandering: the festive doors of Lacock

Image
Lacock village is always a good bet for a good door display and Christmas is no exception. Here's a small selection of various wreaths I found on a wet and windy day recently which really helped to dispel the gloom and provide plenty of festive cheer. I hope you like them too. Have a wonderful Christmas and a peaceful New Year. See you all again in 2026!
Read more