The Pie Eaters Daffodil Show, Standish 6th May

   Being a late show, the Pie Eaters, run by the inimitable Ian Tyler, can be something of a mixed feast but this year's was a good one. 11 exhibitors and 239 blooms in 152 exhibits is a good total. It is fair to say that the Three Musketeers were outgunned, or should it be foiled, at this event. However, it needs saying that we had been to many other shows and thus had little left, whilst some of those there only do one or two shows and arrived with bucketfuls. To add to my own lack of decent flowers, I had a bad  dose of some sort of bug and thus managed to leave everything behind except the flowers and my oasis. As I didn't go last year, I'd forgotten that one needed to bring vases but I managed: Tom lent me one and Ian had plenty of small vases in a fetching peachy shade so all was not lost. Aramis lent me his staging gear so I was at least able to put something on the bench. A far cry, however, from Harrogate where I took over a hundred blooms. 

The six class was won by Keith Capper with the very nice entry pictured below which was best exhibit in the show. Keith had another entry in this class which was as good. He also had best bloom with a 'Chanson'.

The show  has just the one class for three blooms and there were very many entries including some lovely division 6s. The eventual winner of this class was Eddie Critchley from Derby who had some very classy flowers in the show and whose three 'Dailmanach' below were outstanding.

The shot below shows the entries in the sixes and threes with a very high standard.

I liked the Y-Y below 'The Baltic'.

Aramis got his picture taken with the judge in front of his winning 11a 'Pink Holly'.

This lovely Division 6 in pink and yellow was shown by Tom Tinker.

The ageing Porthos  came out second in a lengthy tussle with the noble show organiser whose sneakily imported American something beat my 'Stratosphere.'

The single Div 4 was a fair class and my big, old, blousy 'Serena Beach' wasn't worth a card but I was surprised that 'Dorchester' won it for Keith as there was some decent opposition.

Young D'Artagnan got two firsts for his three and one 'Sun Disc' in the miniatures, so the Musketeers all managed some cards between them. 

Thanks to Ian and the judge, to Margaret Capper for the pastries, and to my fellow exhibitors and Musketeers for their tolerance and bonhomie. 

As that is the end of the daffodil showing season, it remains now to feed the plants for a few weeks until they are lifted and replanted and then it all starts again with plans and preparations for next Spring.