I don't think there's a single summer picnic in the Famous Five books (and many others) by Enid Blyton that doesn't feature ripe plums. They are stuffed in pockets, knapsacks, bicycle baskets and paper bags, they are enjoyed by rivers, streams, lakes, pools and campfires, at the tops of hills and at the edges of cliffs, on grass, sand and heather. I think of all these warm, juicy plums eaten by Anne and George, Dick and Julian every time I see plums in markets and greengrocers' shops and most especially when they are weighing down the branches of trees, begging to be picked. I didn't have a bag or a basket with me when my friend said I could have as many as I liked, so I picked a pinnyful of plums to eat immediately.
And the leftovers went in the fridge so that I could eat them while thinking of my other favourite plummy writer, William Carlos Williams: in this poem here that I have loved since I first read it as an imperssionable teenager and in this poem here that tells me I might still be finding solace in plums when I am old (and preferably wearing purple and a red hat).
I love the plums in the fridge poem - I have used it in teaching as a starting-off point in discussions about how poetry and prose differ. It is a great example in thinking about what makes poetry.
And the real plums look delicious as well!
Pomona x
Posted by: Pomona | August 28, 2009 at 22:13
I came home with two huge bagfuls from my Aunt's! I had so many that I had to stew them and put them in the freezer!
My bags weren't as pretty as your pinny though!
Posted by: Gemma | August 28, 2009 at 23:58
Just halve and stone and freeze any leftovers and use in crumbles in winter - bliss.Both photos beautiful but the first is stunning.
Posted by: sweetmarynz | August 29, 2009 at 07:20
This year my Marjorie's Seedling tree has fruited abundantly, for the first time ever. Today I'm off to pick and bottle lots, to use through the winter. Heaven! An allotment is a wonderous place.
Posted by: DeborahS | August 29, 2009 at 08:27
Hi - I have three plum trees, two of which produced this crop (and some) http://projectforty.blogspot.com/2009/08/plum-job.html. I have one more tree to pick but they are yellower. I have no idea what variety they are but they're delicious every year.
Posted by: Janice | August 29, 2009 at 08:51
hmmm....i've been eating plums at work this week- they are lush! xxx
Posted by: The Curious Cat | August 29, 2009 at 09:45
They look delicious. I will always think of The Famous Five now when we next eat plums. Funnily enough my kids have been listening to an audio verison of The Famous Five this morning. They love it!
Posted by: Lisa | August 29, 2009 at 09:52
Hi Jane,
How funny! I've been on holiday for a while so was keen to catch up with your blog. I spent the most lovely afternoon having lunch in the garden with my family (dessert was heart-shaped-pink-iced-sprinkle-topped-split-with-jam-and-cream-fairy-cakes I baked with my daughters yesterday - you would have loved them!), followed by a blissful hour of picking the most perfect plums from our much-loved tree. Our best crop to date. Tomorrow I'll be making lots of crumbles and having a first attempt at jam making. Can't wait! Thanks so much for your recent reply, I was quite starstruck!
Emma x
Posted by: Emma B | August 30, 2009 at 00:02
In the U.S. the prune industry has begun marketing prunes as "dried plums." Had to laugh the other day when our local market displayed a large basket of beautiful "fresh prunes." Tra la, tra la!
Posted by: Anna | August 30, 2009 at 14:59
these pictures are georgeous!
Posted by: b. | August 30, 2009 at 17:40
oh my....i adore plums, they literally don't last 5 minutes in my house though, i usually eat too many and end up with tummy ache, i never learn :)
Posted by: Ms B. Thrift | August 30, 2009 at 20:10
Oh! I didn't realize William Carlos Williams wrote other poems about plums too! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Kirstin | August 31, 2009 at 18:42