Tuesday 4 October 2016

Goodbye, September!

September was mostly a really good month, weather-wise. (Everything else for me has been good, too, but you know that already, and I do not want to bore you further with how much I like my life and all of its aspects.)


Sunrise on the 28th of September, seen from my kitchen window
At the end of the month - last Thursday, to be precise - for the first time in quite a while I went to the palace grounds. My Mum came with me, and we had a look at the pumpkin exhibition and a snack and drink. It was a very nice late afternoon / early evening, made even more precious by the knowledge that this was most likely going to be our last visit to the park for months to come.
 

If you've been reading my blog long enough, maybe you remember that the southernmost part of Ludwigsburg's palace grounds are decorated with pumpkins every year. The theme is a different one each time. This year, it's Circus.



Both my Mum and I love the "Pumpkin Secco", a sort of sparkling wine that is made with pumpkins. We find it tastes as lovely as it looks, but reminds us more of apricots than of pumpkins.

This year, the pumpkin quiche I was looking forward to eating was out by the time we got to the food stalls. I chose a traditional onion pie instead, which was really delicious. (Best eaten warm!)



On our way back into town, we stopped at the orangery to check out the current exhibition. (That has featured on my blog before, too; sometimes I could not help but wonder at the "artwork" presented in the glass house, while at other times, I really like what they do.)

Right now, it's all about apple harvest and processing. These cabinets reminded me of Kay's Dad - look at this post of hers to find out why :-)








It was interesting to see the many devices involved in apple harvest, most of them old, but people still use them nowadays (or their modern versions). Also, the number of apple sorts is amazing - usually at the groceries stores and supermarkets, we are offered only a few of the most popular sorts at the time. Remember the time when everyone was crazy about Granny Smith apples? After that, it was Golden Delicious, and these days, it's all Jonagold and Braeburn, and few others.

Good to stop and think, and have a look at how much work is involved before fruit gets from the tree to our kitchens!

10 comments:

  1. Loved the circus display, how creative.

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    1. They really do put a lot of creativity and effort into it every year.

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  2. You know I love the Pumpkin Festival! Wish my Dad could see that tractor made of pumpkins, he would love it! And thanks for remembering my Dad! He had to be in hospital this weekend, but he is much better now.
    And you are correct, that photo does remind me of my Dad's cabinet with all his canned produce!!
    I for one, will never tire of hearing that you are happy!

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    1. Sorry to hear your Dad had to be in hospital, and I am glad to know that he is much better now.
      The Pumpkin Festival is still going until the 6th of November - so just in case you feel like crossing the Atlantic for another trip, you know you are very welcome here :-)

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  3. I love that circus theme! What fun, and how inventive they were with their displays....The apple harvest display looks fun, too....Goodbye September. But October is being wonderful here at the moment. I hope yours is, too.

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    1. October has been off to a good start for me, too; I'm still out and about quite a lot and will be away again this weekend - the fifth weekend in a row that I have not been home.

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  4. yes October is here to say well come to the fall.
    glad you had wonderful time with you mom .this pumpkin art is most amazing thing i ever saw ,quite unique for me

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    1. People come by the busload to look at the pumpkin art - I wouldn't pay to see it all, as we have season's tickets for the park anyway, but I am glad my town is attractive for so many.

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  5. October is my favorite month - my birthday arrives soon, also others in the family, and the trees turning to their spectacular shades of gold, red and yellow always make it special.
    The circus displays are fantastic - love the elephant!
    Know you and mum must have had a great day together - and the food/drink sounds really fun for the autumnal season. Pumpkins showing up everywhere here too - such a colorful time of year.

    Mary -

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    1. We really do like our seasonal pleasures, my Mum and I! It's rose sparkling wine when we visit the Rose Festival at the park, and pumpkin secco at the Pumpkin Fest. Then, once Christmas Market starts (which isn't all that far off!), there are other delicious foods and drinks we are looking forward to.

      September and October are often very beautiful here, sometimes sunnier than the actual summer months. And last year, we still had such lovely days in November, I was even sunbathing in an orchard with my sister one Sunday afternoon, surrounded by the lovely colours of the leaves and remaining apples on the trees.

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