Quinces

Four years ago, the quince tree fell down. I had the gardener haul it back upright, cut off lots of branches and top growth and strap it vertical with nylon rope. This is the result.

One very healthy quince tree with lots of fruit on it.

Here is a close up of the fruit. They are larger than a large pear and weight around one pound each. The problem is there are too many of them this year. Yesterday I was in a new restaurant in Malvern having lunch and they had a quince tart for dessert. I asked if they were interested in some quinces and they were enthusiastic so I delivered 30 this morning and have been invited to take afternoon tea! I said I would bring them some more in 10 days. 30 is only 25 to 30% of the total! And I will take my sister, Dorothy, to tea there at the same time.

 

 

This morning was totally occupied with installing a printer/scanner machine which is A3. I have wanted an A3 scanner and printer for sometime and the Xerox printer is behaving even worse than usual (never ever buy a Xerox printer. They do not recognise the existence of faults or customers). I am very nervous of installations because they all have their own ideas about connecting to all other machines. Well not this time. You connect it, install the colour cartridges and the cables (you definitely need to read the manual about cable connections), insert a CD, say YES to it occasionally and then it says 'Installed' and it has too!! I could not believe it. It is just possible that I am about to have a pleasant relationship with this device. Mind you, I bought it because Dorothy has had one for some years and says it does what it says on the package and has been no bother. In case I did not say, it is a Brother A3 scanner/printer/copier/FAX machine.

 

I have not been doing too much textile work although I have designed the 'seamless garment'. It appears this might be exhibited somewhere rather grand so I vetoed doing it in cotton and have gone back to linen although that means buying more yarn.  And I have been reading up about Coptic shrouds and looking at the designs of the decorated bands on the shrouds. I have found two designs that are feasible on  an inkle loom. Mostly they have very grand patterns of winged cherubs and urns of fresh fruit!  

 

So off to weave and bookbind for the afternoon.