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Wednesday, 27 May 2015

Playing gooseberry

Gooseberry
A goosegog at my allotment
The gooseberries at my allotment are fattening up, ready for mid-June gooseberry picking for fools, crumbles, tart and sour. Making jams, jellies, pies, chutneys, ice cream and wines. Quite a versatile fruit really.

With plenty of folklore and sayings:
'born under a gooseberry bush' - where your mum told you, you were born
'playing gooseberry',  - being the spare part to a couple
'going gooseberry'  - stealing clothes off a washing line!
'great gooseberry season' - when there not much news to report in the papers

On the Isle of Wight, there is a fairy called the Gooseberry Wife who appears as a woolly caterpillar and guards the fruits.

Also called a goosegog in some parts.

In a quaint Cheshire village, close to me - Goostrey, is the annual gooseberry championships where growers battle it out for the heaviest gooseberry. How they get them so plump is a guarded secret and each grower has his own mysterious concoction that they are fed with.


 The Photo Gallery theme is macro this week. 

Sticky Fingers Photo Gallery
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22 comments:

  1. Helen27 May 2015 at 11:44

    Love a gooseberry crumble, yum!!


    Helen X

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  2. Anca27 May 2015 at 12:28

    Annual gooseberry championships sounds like a fun event :))

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  3. lisa prince27 May 2015 at 12:33

    oh i have to admit ive not tried these but my dad in law loves them

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  4. Sonia27 May 2015 at 13:59

    Love the photo, it reminds me of picking gooseberries as a kid! I used to love eating them raw off the bush x

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  5. Cheryl27 May 2015 at 15:30

    Good choice. Two in one, as well. #AlphabetPhoto

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  6. The 40 Year Old DG27 May 2015 at 16:49

    Great photo, i love Gooseberries although i am the only one in our house that does. You have made me want to go fruit picking now xxxx

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  7. Sara (@mumturnedmom)27 May 2015 at 17:54

    Brilliant :) That's a really interesting choice for T, look forward to the full story x #alphabetphoto

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  8. Cass@TheDiaryofaFrugalFamily27 May 2015 at 19:37

    I'm loving the Macro photos today - It makes me want to get my camera out and have a play

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  9. kidGLloves27 May 2015 at 19:48

    The Mother says - What a fab choice for T - so different. Not sure on their story but have heard of them. Will be looking out for your post :) #alphabetphoto

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  10. Mellissa Williams27 May 2015 at 21:18

    Great photo. I have to admit I'm not a fan of gooseberries after having gooseberry crumble as a child lol

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  11. Michelle Twin Mum27 May 2015 at 22:40

    It looks beautiful but I hate the taste, lol. Mich x

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  12. Bex @ The Mummy Adventure27 May 2015 at 22:59

    I honestly don't think I have ever tried a gooseberry!

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  13. jodiekins2227 May 2015 at 23:04

    We have a couple of gooseberry bushes on the allotment, this year we are going to make wine out of them *determined face*

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  14. Sarah Bailey27 May 2015 at 23:34

    My Gran used to have a goosebury bush in her garden I remember trying them once. I wasn't that impressed.

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  15. Charly Dove27 May 2015 at 23:50

    Oh I love that - the fairy called the Gooseberry Wife on the Isle of Wight! As luck would have it, guess where we're going on Saturday :)

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  16. molly28 May 2015 at 00:50

    I had not heard of the fairy on the IOW, that is a lovely little local myth

    Mollyxxx

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  17. Tara Cain28 May 2015 at 10:15

    Loving your goosegogs! All these macro shots have been just fab - loving that people are just diving in and having a go x

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  18. jodiekins2228 May 2015 at 18:37

    Excellent choice for T, I'll look out for your review We love Alice in Wonderland :)

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  19. Jaime Oliver28 May 2015 at 22:07

    oh wow what an amazing place .. i have never seen any book shop like this! x

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  20. Ness30 May 2015 at 23:02

    Not the best filing system to gain sales! I hope you didn't want the book at the bottom of the pile! I do like the old sign.

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  21. Nikki Fraser | KS&MF2 June 2015 at 10:22

    I love the look of the outside of the shop. How ever the inside filing system would really put me off. I needs organisation when I go books shopping. This would just annoying me and I would have to start sorting it out.

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  22. Ickle Pickle17 June 2015 at 19:54

    Aaaaaah! This is in my home town! It is a fab shop isn't it! My daughter almost knocked them all over once!! Kaz x

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