Its Apple Day back home in the United Kingdom, where according to my iphone, its mostly cloudy and only 12 degrees Centrigrade; but I still hope for a good feeling for Apple Day, the annul festival of Charity, Common Ground, to celebrate and focus on peoples' local surroundings, customs and traditions, using the apple as its symbol. Also celebrating the fruit orchards which so used to be a most intrinsic part of our national id, economy, heritage and tradition; and not only for the apples, pears, medlars, quinces, nuts, honey etc. but for that traditional feel and need for the countryside, the work and lives of countryfolk, and their industry which created that rich culture.
Last year, I attended Brogdale's Apple Day Festival in Kent, home of the National Fruit Collection, which Brogdale houses and maintains, with orchards and research activities, which are nationally and internationally renowned. Here's a few own photos of their historic apple collection on show for the Festival; it was a truly glorious sight to behold.
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| An 11th century Quince |
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This was
just one section of a series of stands, proudly bearing Brogdale's wonderful fruit colletion |
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| Apples from the time of King Henry the V111 |
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| An 16th century apple |
This weekend, we plan to use the home-made soft quince "jam" to make a quince yoghurt semifreddo based on a recipe in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's book - "River Cottage Fruit Everyday". Hugh makes his semifreddo with strawberries, which gives this "simple Italian iced pud" a very delicate pale pink hue. Can't wait!!!
Here today in my part of Australia, its probably 26 degress Centrigrade, warm to quite hot and very pleasant, thank you very much. I've done my hour and a half of gardening this morning and now I've come indoors for a while to write. I think tomorrow's gardening must get going much earlier, on the side patch not quite weeded today, maybe even getting into the back garden before the sun's too hot, turning my attention to the vegetable bed which needs its share of TLC, for there are seeds in the wings, awaiting their turn in the sun and a chance to produce best tomatoes, verbena and gillyflowers. We also have French marigolds i.e.Tagetes, to plant out and a host of other little jobs to be taken care of - phew - don't you just love to garden!!!
Well, I've still to photo the Eastern Freeway for you so, in the meantime, here's a photo or two of a very pleasant residential area we visited at the weekend. I thought it looked absolutely delightful, what do you think ?
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| Shady trees... |
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| and pleasant footpaths...to |
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blossom and picket fencing....
Daisy
p.s. just love picket fencing!
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