Sunday 22 May 2016

Devon County Show 2016

Warning – long post, picture rich.

On Thursday it was my hubby’s birthday and we went to the County Show. We missed it last year because I was ill and I really did miss it! I love going, and it was great to go again this year and get my “fix.” This year was the first time we’d taken my small buggy, which goes in the car – this made life a lot easier for both of us because even with power assist on my wheelchair, it is still pretty tiring propelling myself all day, and on previous occasions when we’ve gone, the battery has run out before the end and my poor hubby had to push me all the way back up the hill to the car park! This year I just sat there and moved around in comfort and there was still battery power to spare at the end. It was great.

Even though I was able to get around with very little effort, yesterday I suffered severe payback and had to crash out and rest – there was a great deal of mental stimulation. However, it was worth every minute and today (Saturday) I have been feeling better again and have been able to catch up with a few things at home.

As usual I took tons of photos at the show, so fasten your seatbelts and prepare for the ride!!

As usual there were lots of stands run by companies and individuals, displaying and selling their products and services, including this one, supplying bespoke wooden furniture and joinery. Gorgeous four-poster bed, and I do like that spiral staircase!

01 Bespoke Joinery

The man with the Russian dolls was there again. He said his wife is Russian, and they import the genuine article – not just the beautiful matryoshka nesting dolls, but also painted boxes and other artefacts. Aren’t the colours just gorgeous!

02 Russian Dolls

As usual, the blacksmiths were there in force, and you could hear their hammers from some distance away! Alongside the forges was a tent with the ironwork display. Here are some of my favourite pieces in the collection this year.

03 Decorative Iron Latch

04 Dragon Door Knocker

05 The Couple Candlestick

06 Chess Board Coffee Table

I thought something along the lines of this design could be cut in paper. I love the different colours of the metals, and the fact that the trees overlap one another.

07 Tree Panel

08 Iron Flowers

09 Fire Grate

Outside this display tent was this incredible life-sized bull made entirely from wire!

10 Wire Bull

A collection of garden pavilions, all very pretty.

11 The Far Pavilions

A participant in the equestrian events.

12 Dressage

Magnificent bulls.

13 Bulls

The angora goats, which produce mohair.

14 Angora Goats

15 Angora Goat with Kids

What magnificent horns!

16 Angpora Goat with Magnificent Horns

The Corrymoor Socks stand. Corrymoor are there every year with their prize-winning flock of angora goats, and they make socks from the mohair. I have been wearing these socks for years, and have a whole drawer-full of them in different colours. I think they are the best socks in the world – warm in winter, cool in summer – they wash extremely well and I haven’t worn a pair out yet. I showed the lady on the stand my green Corrymoors that I had on, and sang their praises, and another visitor to the stand said that once you’ve worn Corrymoors, you never want to wear anything else!!

17 Corrymore Socks

Jan Tillett on her stand with her textile arts.

18 Jan Tillett

19 Jan Tillett Embroidered Panel

At the show, I always love to see the very serious farmers in their spotless white coats, showing their cattle and other animals.

20 Judging the Cattle

In the large tent with the angora goats, we also found these Gotland sheep.

21 Gotland Sheep

The Gotland stand had beautiful fleeces which were incredibly soft to the touch.

22 Gotland Sheep Display

A display of beautiful lacy knitting which looked as if it had been made from hand-spun wool.

23 Knitting

Jazz band.

24 Jazz Band

The fish finger stand where we got our lunch. These were very posh fish fingers in a bread roll – with mine I had green peas mashed with fresh coriander and lime juice, with some tartare sauce on top – a winning combination!

25 Finbars Fish Fingers

Wood-burning pizza oven.

26 Wood Burning Pizza Oven

We met this lady on her funky buggy and I suffered from buggy envy! An all-terrain heavy duty job in army khaki – it turned a lot of heads!

27 Buggy Envy

Spa baths. I’ve always fancied one of these…

28 Spa Bath

…especially if one could have one looking like this.

29 Half a Spa Bath

The entrance to the Young Farmers’ tent. Note the wooden cut-out sheep.

30 Young Farmers' Tent

Samples of silage being judged! I think I’ve seen everything now…

31 Judging the Silage

Around the walls was a series of cube-shaped boxes containing displays by the young farmers.

“Home Sweet Home.”

32 Young Farmers' Display - Home Sweet Home

Dartmoor. Note the clapper bridge. These are very ancient stone bridges on the moor, many of which are still intact.

33 Young Farmers' Display - Dartmoor

Another clapper bridge, this time with real water flowing underneath it!

34 Young Farmers' Display - Clapper Bridge with Running Water

“Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.” A favourite theme of mine.

35 Young Farmers' Display - Seaside

“On the Farm.”

36 Young Farmers' Display - On the Farm

Another seaside-themed display.

37 Young Farmers' Display - Another Seaside

Outside again – the stand for South West Seeds, which included the display in the foreground, of wild flowers.

38 South West Seeds

Denis the Dustcart, a regular feature of the show.

39 Denis the Dustcart

A display of cars.

40 Sports Car

41 Vintage Cars

A stand showing high-quality chicken coops and other animal houses. I particularly liked the hen house with the proper roof and window box!

42 Fancy Hen House

The egg lady! I was delighted to find her again, in the craft tent. I always love looking at these exquisite decorated eggs.

43 The Egg Lady

44 Egg with Butterfly Wing Opening

This was a very unusual one. It is beautiful on its tall slender stand.

45 3-Stage Opening Egg Closed

It contains a surprise! Not only does it open, but it opens in two stages.

46 3-Stage Opening Egg Open

More eggs.

47 Collection of Eggs

48 Collection of Eggs

49 Horizontal Eggs

This pink rose egg was particularly lovely.

50 Pink Rose Egg

On to the felting stand. I loved these soft pastel-coloured felt pebbles.

51 Felt Pebbles

52 Needle Felting

Lace making.

53 Lace Making

Two years ago I was intrigued and delighted by the Bonsire display. These are miniature bonsai trees made entirely from wire. I took a lot of photos last time but the camera was playing up and nearly every one was out of focus, so I was hoping for better results this time.

54 Bonsire

55 Bonsire

56 Bonsire

57 Bonsire

58 Bonsire

He said he got his rocks from tropical fish suppliers.

A display of fitted kitchens. I love this blue one.

59 Beautiful Kitchen

In the large craft tent, there were crafts at one end, and a large tea area in the middle, where we decided my hubby needed a break – sauntering around can get very tiring – it was fine for me as I was sitting down all the time! We sat and had a nice cup of tea and at this point the rain started, but by the time we went out again it had more or less stopped so we hardly got wet at all. We were very fortunate with the weather, and the two days following our visit did not have such good weather.

At the other end of the tent was the floral display. Many nurseries and garden centres had set up beautiful displays, and there was also a flower arranging competition. Although I am what my hubby calls a “plonker” – yes, I know, how rude!! – what he means is, when it comes to flower arranging, I just “plonk” them in the vase and that’s it! – I’ve no patience with it – but I always greatly admire the work of others, especially when it is to as high a standard as this.

60 Garden Display

Lovely cactus display, with many of the plants in flower. I love the lettering on their sign!

61 Cactus Display

62 Garden Display

A white flower arrangement.

63 White Flower Arrangement

Another beautiful white one.

64 White Flower Arrangement

White roses.

65 White Rose Flower Arrangement

A spiral arrangement. As you can see, some of these arrangements are quite large.

66 Spiral Flower Arrangement

One of my favourites – inspired by an artist’s palette.

67 Artist's Palette Flower Arrangement

68 Globes Flower Arrangement

A tiny garden with a water feature.

69 Flower Arrangement with Water

70 Tree Flower Arrangement

71 Flower Arrangemnet with Textured Panels

72 Palm Tree Flower Arrangement

Bird of paradise display.

73 Bird of Paradise Flower Arrangement

A garden layout with winding paths.

74 Winding Garden Path

Beautiful dahlias.

75 Dahlia Display

A display on the theme of “The Hungry Caterpillar,” a popular children’s book.

76 The Hairy Caterpillar 1

What the hungry caterpillar eventually turned into!

77 Thr Hairy Caterillar 2

A display of Japanese maples.

78 Japanese Garden Display

Baskets of mini-roses.

79 Baskets of Roses

More roses.

80 Roses

Coming out again, we found these unusual sculptural spoon-shaped seats which intrigued me.

81 Metal Spoon Seats

A miniature pony with her even more miniature foal.

82 Miniature Pony and Foal

A display of funky industrial lighting. This style is very popular at the moment.

83 Funky Industrial Lighting

Heavy horses pulling agricultural machinery.

84 Heavy Horses

Carriage driving. I didn’t sit and watch this this year as it was a bit wet. Lovely to see it, though – like many things at the show, this is the only time one gets to see them!

85 Carriage Driving

86 Carriage Driving

I liked the way they created an arched entrance into this area full of agricultural machinery.

87 Farm Equipment

Battle re-enactment buffs.

88 Battle Re-enactment

That just about wraps it up for our visit to the County Show this year. Here are some of my purchases. I decided to invest in a new set of kitchen knives, and these Swiss ones come complete with their own individual knife-sheaths. In the foreground are three kitchen gadgets I bought on the same stand – extremely well designed and I am sure I will find them easier to use than my current ones.

89 Knives and Kitchen Gadgets

I hope you have enjoyed your virtual tour around the Devon County Show. There were lots of things we missed but there’s just too much to do in a single day!

4 comments:

  1. Wow, amazing display! Thanks for all these photos, Shoshi - I feel like I've actually visited the place! My favourites must be the bonsai trees, but I also really liked the felt covered pebbles and the decorated eggs. I can totally understand your buggy envy - that's one cool sexy buggy there, LOL! I can just about imagine you driving one, but instead of the military theme, you would probably spice it up with some funky designs!

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  2. I did enjoy the Devon show very much. Thank you for sharing. I loved everything. I can not pick a favorite. Everything was so beautiful. I really did love the animals.

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    Replies
    1. So glad you enjoyed it, Aiyana! It's always a marvellous day out, and I love to share it with everyone. It was a great way to celebrate my hubby's birthday, too.

      Shoshi

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  3. Thank you for taking us along! What a lovely day and definitely inspiration overload. I so miss County Fairs as we call them in the US. I used to compete in county fairs but the ones near where we moved to just aren't on the same scale as the ones in the mid-west. Yours is a mix of our County Fairs we have during the summer to early months and the Home Shows we have in January/ February. So happy to hear you were able to enjoy the trip this year. Happy Belated Birthday Blessings to hubby! Hugs. Kel

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