Tags
begonias, Monkton Elm Garden Centre, River Tone, Sherford Stream, Taunton Flower Show, Tone FM, Vivary Park, Youth band of Barnstaple, Youth band of Bideford
A few weeks ago I had never even heard of the Taunton Flower Show, held annually in Vivary Park – thank you Sam. I went to its opening day yesterday with a friend.
While it was interesting to see all the many commercial stalls, selling all sorts of things, most of them nothing to do with flowers (and indeed I bought a handbag), the highlights were the marquees. And perhaps another time, on reflection, I would wish to spend more time watching what was going on in the arena. But as neither of us had a sunhat with her – having believed the BBC’s local weather forecast that it would be overcast for much of the day – that was not really on. Anyway, there was a lot else to occupy our time.
The first ‘flowery’ exhibits were in the growers’ marquee. Here is a tiny selection of what we saw there.
We moved on to the competition marquee. I have not been able to be so rigorous in my photo selection.
We walked around the arena, and stopped to watch for a short while the Combined Youth Bands of Barnstaple and Bideford, though this video is just of the Bideford lot. (And I really must remember that the camera stops the sound two seconds before I press the button.)
A bar in your garden?
We decided to look for a spot of lunch. On the way, I moved sideways to take a picture of a whole load of seagulls and ducks to our right in the Sherford Stream, a tributary of the River Tone which runs through Vivary Park. I made for the railing, and … Wham!
I hadn’t noticed there was a step down before the railing, and fell sideways. Desperate to protect the camera slung round my neck, I fell flat on my front along said step, and ended up neatly ranged full-length between the upper step and the railing. People rushed to my aid, wanting to haul me up, though I asked to lie there for a little while before they did so. When I eventually stood up, someone from the Tone FM (Taunton’s local internet radio) stand opposite had already placed a chair for me, and someone else had gone to get first aid. St John’s Ambulance volunteers, Eloise and Mel, soon arrived.
They spent a very long time ensuring that every last bit of grit had been washed out with saline, and patching me up.
The only seriously broken skin was along my left forearm, and I had/have swelling on my right knee, pulled muscles in my left shoulder, a small bump to the side of my right temple, and a few other tiny scrapes and bruises. Nothing broken. Well done St John’s Ambulance for a very good job! Apparently I was their fifth call that day, and the two women were due to return for the second (and final) day of the show today.
We had some lunch, one of the thinnest and nicest pizzas I have ever tasted, entertained first by a local ladies’ choir, and then by this jazz band.
We meandered a little more, I bought my handbag, and I decided to take those pesky seagulls and ducks, though from a completely different angle. (Even from the original one, it wouldn’t have been all that much of a picture anyway, and wouldn’t normally have survived the thinning for this post.)
As we made our way to the exit, we enjoyed the sight of this little girl dancing to the fairground organ.
A very pleasant day, lovely weather, nice atmosphere, and not too many crowds.
Olive Simpson said:
Yikes! That’s rather a dramatic climax to the day. Hope you are feeling thoroughly mended, although I’m sure the shock was considerable. Very bad luck but easily done. Until I came to that bit I was reflecting on the Agricultural Shows which were so much a part of my farm holidays when I was about twelve. I always wondered how anybody could possibye judge sponge cakes or loaves of bread. And I’m permanently in awe of people who can make flowers stand in any kind of orderly fashion in a vase.
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Musiewild said:
Thanks. It’s going to be a very long time before I can lean my left arm on anything. I didn’t sleep very well last night as I kept putting some weight on it. But I didn’t break anything, or hurt my head seriously, the main things.
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susanpoozan said:
Poor, poor you, that left arm looks very sore. Glad you didn’t break anything or bash your head too hard. What a wealth of beautiful and interesting things you photographed before your accident though.
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Musiewild said:
I think I was pretty lucky! Yes, the arm is still pretty sore.
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susanpoozan said:
Lots of sympathy. I scraped my right arm on a wall sometime ago and remember how sore that was.
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Musiewild said:
Thank you Susan.
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Lavinia Ross said:
I love flower shows, but I am sorry to hear you fell and were injured, Musiewild.
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Musiewild said:
Thsnk you, Lavinia.
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Pamela Mansfield said:
This is such a lovely post — reminds me a bit of county fairs in the U.S. — except for the fall, of course, and I wish you a speedy recovery! The photo with the woman in the flowered dress is excellent.
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Musiewild said:
From the back, it definitely looks as if she trying to puzzle out how the lovely arrangement describes Nostalgia!
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tootlepedal said:
You were very brave about your fall but I can quite see why you needed to buy a handbag to help you recover. I liked your selection of floral art pictures and I would certainly say that that looked liked stumpwork on the lid of the box.
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Musiewild said:
Cheeky! I had been toying with the idea of replacing my ‘everyday’ handbag for some time!
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maryh said:
So sorry to hear about your nasty accident. I can quite imagine that your scraped arm must have been very painful, plus the other bumps and bangs. Good that first aid help was at hand. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
A splendid record of your day with so many colourful displays. I enjoyed the video of the yourth bands.
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Musiewild said:
Thanks Mary. The day was indeed colourful. I was pleased to find that the bagpipe band was from Devon!
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Maria said:
Oh bless Venetia! Hope you’re not too sore now…..great photo’s though.love doing flower arranging myself…
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Musiewild said:
It’s less sore but more spectacular (bruising) now!
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Tangly Cottage said:
Sorry you got hurt at the show. Sounds and looks very painful. I enjoyed watching the two hour BBC Special (two one hour episodes) about the show here, across the pond, on BritBox tv.
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Musiewild said:
Goodness! I didn’t know it had made it to TV. Glad you enjoyed it.
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Hazel Priestley-Hobbs said:
I’ve only just found your ‘report’ in my mail box, Venetia. I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures, especially admiring the creativity of the floral arrangements. But oh dear ! What a sad occurrence tripping up. I’m glad to know you were well looked after on site and hope by now you are much more mobile and comfortable.
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Musiewild said:
Thank you Hazel. My arm is still very spectacular, but much less sore, and my shoulder is gradually returning to working order. I seem still to be finding new, smaller, bruises!
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Christine said:
Ouch ! Quelle chute. Dommage que cela ait gâché une si belle journée, bien que tu aies eu de la chance. J’espère qu’à la date où je te lis, ton bras et tes autres blessures ne sont plus qu’un mauvais souvenir ?
Incroyable, tous ces concours divers et variés ! Certains bouquets me laissent un peu perplexe, mais la plupart sont magnifiques. Bravo pour ton “selfie” au noeud judicieusement placé. Tu ressembles à une Alsacienne en costume folklorique ! 😉
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Musiewild said:
Thank you. Despite my age, the wounds have all healed, though I think I’ll have one scar for life, and my left shoulder still aches a bit. As for the Alsacienne foklorique, that hadn’t occurred to me!
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Christine said:
Glad you’re as good as new… almost 😉 Be careful!
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Musiewild said:
I’m trying!
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Christine said:
Glad you’re now as good as new, or almost 😉 Be careful!
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Christine said:
Oups, le message avait l’air de ne pas être parti, mais si!
Du coup, tu l’as avec une variante!!
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