Just another photo-post, of a Flower Show in a small Scottish village. These things are such a strange phenomenon - a competition certainly, but also a celebration of what people can do; of what people who are more than acquaintance, but not full friends, can do. They are utterly fascinating to me, perhaps because there was not much of a tradition of village shows in my part of Essex. In fact, the only show I have major memories of is Smithfield Show, which always seemed to involve getting up at 3 in the morning to go and collect the champion cattle Dad had bought, so that their rosettes and photographs could be put on display in the butcher's shop. After the champion was no more than a side of beef, of course.
Sorry, digressing there as somewhat hallucinatory after the severe sleep-deprivation of last night. Started the flowers at 10 pm, finished the flowers at 5.30 am. I really enjoy it, the complete peace of the night and then the changing light as dawn comes on. Two hours sleep followed by the onerous task of getting everything to the Show to "mount" it.
Obviously, a flower show is all about flowers and vegetables. This is the serious stuff, where everything you exhibit has to have been grown by you.
Flowers in our village mean Mr Wilson, and Mr Wilson's not-so-secret identity is Mr Dahlia.
I don't particularly like (but am enthralled by) these exact, geometric flowers, so serious in their shape and yet so bonkers in their colours.
My roses were, surprisingly considering the rain yesterday, OK to enter, and I scored first in the Floribunda (one stem) and second in the Vase Rose (one stem). Mine's on the right (all leaves off - flower arranger's habit)
The vegetable section is an annual showdown between Mr Belshaw and Mr Craik. This was Mr Craik's year. I had always presumed these matched, monster vegetables would be tasteless. Having tasted some now (hang around at the end of the show and you sometimes get lucky) I can categorically state they are delicious. I made leek soup every day for a week once, and never got tired of it due to the qualtity of the ingredient. Just the one.
For the ladies, baking is the big one.
Then Preserves, which basically means anything including lots of sugar or alcohol. Ideally both.
Next up is the Work section, which kind of consists of anything you can make with your hands - from knits to stitches to carved shepherd's crooks.
Cross stitch article by a distant relative
I'm a big cardigan fan
Dressed doll. I particularly liked the one that had a horn-hiding hat. So Wickerman.
I finished my felt-bag, but not a winner. Nor the brick-wall (in more than one sense) watercolour. A second to the seagull painting though, and a second and a third in photograph classes. Ooh, and the coral got a second too.
Ended up a bit of a weird shape
The Children's Section is obviously the most fun.
The classes change every year, apart from the stalwart "Miniature garden in a seed-tray".
T1's octopus's(?) garden
T2's snail garden
Be afraid! They want your paperclips, for some reason
And the vegetable scarecrows were just brilliant
Finally, the Decorative Flowers. I was about to witter on about why I like flower arranging so much, but yada yada. Here's the pics.
"Childhood Memory, featuring a toy (to be included)"
I did two "Foliage" exhibits, as I always steal too much from my in-laws' garden.
"Oriental exhibit, featuring three blooms". I did two, because I love classic Shoka, but I've accidentally deleted the gladioli one and can't be bothered to reinsert it., you'll probably be glad to read.
Best of all, I was able to find good homes for all my flower arrangements, so after a double egg and chips tea (yum) I could sit down and relax with just architectural dahlias. Result! And God bless Mr Wilson.
Anyway, off to bed as a bit tired, Hopefully see you on the Bus, though I think I've written mine already.
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