Local apples and pears, and a quince

I’ve been unwell for nearly a week with a general lurgy that others have also had. I think I picked it up at the market last weekend as the next door stall holders were  recovering from similar symptoms. 

When I visited the farm shop last week I stocked up on apples and pears. Ashley always buys them from a friend’s farm near Newent, which is on the far side of the River Severn to the north of Gloucester. Each autumn he has cardboard boxes full of many local varieties. They are all priced the same so I just dived in and selected ones that looked good to me.

I wanted to eat them up but not before I’ve blipped some of them. When I got up from my bed to prepare some lunch I quickly put them together on the table as there was reasonably bright light shining in as the cloud cover cleared for a few minutes.

I’d also spotted the lovely birthday card that my good friend Patrick H. had sent to me back in August. It was of a still life painted by his sister Merrily H., called ‘Apple and green knife’ (you can see the original painting on her website here). I love the way she has recorded her knife and fork which are part of her collection of fine things. She loves beautiful silverware and glassware, particularly from the early Georgian era which she buys from auctions. She once kindly explained to me what to look out for when buying such antiques, but I’m afraid I’ve forgotten all of her advice. But I do remember using these green handled knives and forks when eating meals with her, at her home in Dorset some years ago.

In my still life I’ve shown two pears and two apples from the farm shop’s supply, all from Gloucestershire, as well as a quince that I bought from a road side stall near Longney, close to the River Severn. (It isn't rotten, but just has a very dark section close to the stem). That area of Gloucestershire was famed for its fruit orchards close to the river, most of which have been uprooted. The owner of the stall always sells produce from their garden, which I try to buy when I am passing by, and they ask for donations to a medical charity.