This was the scene yesterday, my husband directing operations while the other three got stuck in and did the work.
My younger son and his wife, plus my granddaughter. They were planting a quince tree.
Such a misleading photograph.
My husband and my DiL had actually done much of the work, but my granddaughter likes to get stuck in and help, so they stood back for a while.
The quince - the ancient Greeks associated it with fertility, love and marriage.
The fruit should be quite like big golden pears.
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| Image from yummycyprus.com |
They are extremely hard, so you don't eat quinces raw, which means that I need to find some recipes - luckily I have a few recipe books..
When quince is mentioned it always reminds me of the rhyme of the Owl and the Pussycat, who " ... dined upon mince and slices of quince, and danced to the light of the moon ..."
ReplyDeletePerhaps you will be dancing in the moonlight, soon, too?
I sometimes buy Quince Jelly (Wilkin & Son, Tiptree jams) which is lovely on crumpets.
Margaret P
Hello Margaret, I have long dreamed of slices of quince, as to dancing around in the moonlight - would that I could stay awake long enough for that! Quince jelly is definitely on the list, if the trees cooperate, could be a year or two, so in the meantime I'll settle for the one you recommend. thank you.
DeleteGood. Never discourage help, from the children!
ReplyDeleteOh those are beautiful fruit! "Gold" for sure!
I'm very sure, you have *1 or 2* recipes! ,-)
I see we both are using a Spring-like Icon, these days. Mine is violets. Yours is daisies. :-)
Hello Luna, We have our fingers crossed for a small crop in the next couple of years, the blossom is very beautiful and the fruit themselves are said to smell wonderful. Next on my list is a Medlar tree, another old fashioned fruit. My granddaughter loves to help, but it has to be real help, she won't be fobbed off with a toy shovel!!
DeleteThe owl and pussycat ate their "mince and slices of quince" with a runcible spoon. As I understand it, Edward Lear made up the word, "runcible," and used it as an adjective for several things in his poems. Apparently, the spoon in the Owl and the Pussycat was the first of these runcibles.
ReplyDeletePoetic license.
Brett
Hello Brett, It is a wonderful word, great fun. I shall designate one of my spoons 'runcible' forthwith. The mince would be a vegetarian version but, if the tree is willing to provide the quince, then I'll be dining with my runcible spoon in a couple of years time.
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