Yesterday's blog was a lazy collection of photographs .
Today's will be a relaxed collection of words. It's a post about people rather than flowers.
The people who run the Flower Show.
I'll start with the oldest member of the Show committee and as everyone knows that's Auntie Gladys.
She is responsible for the judges tea table ( the judges are all served " tea and scones" before they are expected to go around the exhibits), the bric-a-brac stall and her own raffle. Wisely she delegates the work to a collection of ladies brought in especially for the event and although the stall tables always resemble a car crash in a junk shop, she always raises a considerable amount for show funds.
This year , Gladys looked more frail than I care to remember, and despite her failing eyesight she still ambled around the laden display tables clapping her hands gently and whispering " beautiful and well..that's lovely" to herself. I noticed that Derek, another committee member had gallantly taken Gladys under his wing and had stationed himself alongside her as the Show became busier.
She had him move her raffle table to nearer the entrance as I knew she would
" to catch people when they had money in their hands" she said, with a smile
Our National vegetable judge , the Elvis loving teddy boy, Mr Butler was ticked pink with being asked to judge the blog entries of novelty vegetable. It is now a tradition that Carole , one of our younger committee members accompany him at judging time. He loves a bit of gentle flirting and wanted to show Carole his new Elvis tattoo.
Mr Butler & Carol
Mrs Roberts , the cookery Judge usually takes the longest time with her judging and was accompanied by her daughter and committee member Julie, who is a trained cook and pastry chef herself. In her eighties Mrs Roberts remains cuttingly sharp when faced with any cake not up to standard.
The other two men on the committee are affable characters Terry and John. Terry stewarded the new arts and crafts judge and John supervised the quiet and serious flower judge. Our youngest associate member Cameron, who is just fifteen acted as runner , collecting the winners' names and giving them Derek at the secretary's table so that he and I could write up the certificates which were placed on the tables in readiness for opening
Terry and I always have a good natured spar when it comes to our entries. And this year my quiche , aubergine penguins and boiled fruit cake beat his entries hands down.
" there'll be not living with him" wife Anne commented after I had bellowed out the results
Derek John, Irene, Cameron, Terry, Carol and Annd
The vicar ready to present the cups
It all generally runs like clockwork.
Our matriarch on the committee is Irene, another member of the old guard. She not only is lead when setting up the show he day before opening but like a good west end stage manager, she knows everything that needs doing and when it needs doing.
Nothing is ever missed.
On Show day itself, committee members Pat, Carole and Anne run the kitchen. ( Anne never stops laughing ) and they coped very well with the fact that the water board had been working on the village pipes causing the drinking water in the Hall to turn a rusty brown
" just offer the punters coffee" Anne quipped " they'll never notice.
Hannah, always goes around the tables, and takes the most wonderful of photos , only Heulwen, a lady of calm sweetness , was the only other committee member not able to attend the day.
She was missed too.
The vicar opened the show with a nice nostalgic speech and seemed pleased with a bottle of Bombay sapphire ( non of your rubbish) for doing so. It is tradition that the show opener always gets a small gift
So there you have the committee, they are an eclectic and good natured bunch Through their hard
work and the support of the few hundred competitors, volunteers and interested spectators who made
an effort to give up their time, the show proved to be a success .
In the great scheme of things, it's only a tiny show in a tiny village ....
But it's important to many
And.....it's important to me.
