Just to let everyone know that I'm doing my best to dip into Blogland when I can.
It's been an interesting week or two and I'm now in and out of hospitals for the next week. It's all routine with no need for any concern but it is very time consuming.
In the meantime here's a photo for Jill. I'm sorry it's not a magnolia but the jacaranda trees gave me extraordinary joy when I lived in New Zealand and we had them in the drive as well as in many of the roads in and around Napier.
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Oh my! That is beautiful Graham and thank you for posting. When I lived in Florida, I had a jacaranda tree in the front yard and while it was very nice it wasn't as splendid as this magnificent specimen.
ReplyDeleteJill, this was a specimen I passed frequently and photographed a few times over the years. The drive up to The House in New Zealand was lined by agapanthus plants and jacaranda trees.
DeleteThey don't grow here (as far as I think), but I have two beautiful magnolia trees in my street, and when we walked past them yesterday afternoon, they were coming along nicely. It will be a few more weeks before they'll be in all their splendour, but it's near!
ReplyDeleteGood to know your hospital visits are routine and nothing for us to worry about.
Meike, I don't think they grow outside in the UK either but I'm open to correction from anyone living in the South of England who may see them. We get magnolias though.
DeleteWelcome back. Sometimes real life gets in the way (chuckle), don't feel you have to apologise for it!
ReplyDeleteHope all goes well for your medical stuff. xx
Thanks, Jayne.
DeleteIt is reassuring to hear that all is well, Graham.
ReplyDeleteThat is indeed a beautiful Jacaranda. We don't have any here, they wouldn't survive our weather, but there were some lovely specimens near to our house in Tenerife back in the 1980s.
Yes, JayCee, they need the warmth.
DeleteIn and out of hospital doesn't sound like much fun, even if for the most routine of reasons. My recently retired doctor used to tell me to stay out of hospitals as much as possible because that's where I would get sick! As for the jacaranda tree, I doubt that it gets much better than that. Best wishes for a speedy return to normalcy.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I certainly always used to tell people to stay out of hospitals because they were full of ill people and I've discovered that it was very good advice (that, unfortunately, I am unable to take).
DeleteAll the best to you in this round of hospital visits.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Red.
DeleteHi Graham.
ReplyDeleteHi Tasker!
DeleteThe flowers are all gone now but we saw them all over Kerikeri and Whangarei over December.
ReplyDeleteEnvy, Amy, envy!
DeleteI love jacaranda trees in flower! We used to see a lot of them around Tauranga when we lived there, I think Hamilton is generally too cold for them.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for your hospital ins-and-outs. Stay happy and be cheerful :) xx
Thanks, Margaret.
DeleteWhat a lovely tree. Very dull weather here at the moment, windy and rainy, and as always very colourless here this time of year.
ReplyDeleteMonica, I think we are having similar weather on the whole. I hope you don't get the current two storms just about to hit the UK
DeleteSpending time in and out of hospital sounds draining. As always, I admire your ability to handle it with such good humour. I grew up in an area where jacarandas flourished, when they flowered we knew it was time to start studying seriously, exams were 4 weeks away. And by the time the poinciana bloomed it was too late, exam were over. My sister's last words to her family were, "The jacarands will be out soon". And she was right, a week after her funeral Brisbane was awash with Persian blue.
ReplyDeletePauline, I'm very fortunate in that I tend to see the same people time and time again - both consultants and nurses included and I feel quite at home in the ones I regularly attend. I've been trying to think up something memorable for when I pass on. I's like to be naff and say "Beam me up Scottie" but some people might think I was being frivolous or irreverent.
DeleteGraham, I think the problem is often we don't know our last words are to be our last words. My sister didn't, she would have been looking forward to seeing the jacarandas again. And if you do have a clue the time has come, "Beam me up, Scottie" sounds as good as anything else I've ever heard.
DeleteYes, Pauline, to utter one's most profound and memorable words only to find they weren't one's last after all would be frustrating. Especially if one then said "Oh bugger." and promptly popped one's clogs.
DeleteThat's for checking in, Graham. I pop over each day to see if you have posted and I am glad to know you are well. Take care!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, Ellen, if I can think of anything to say I'll be posting again in a week or two.
DeleteI hope it all goes well. Sending you my very best wishes. X
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jules, much appreciated.
DeleteI've always loved Jacarandas...Gympie the old home town had them in abundance...and here, where I now live, also has many jacarandas. I love the season when the lilac blooms are blooming.
ReplyDeleteTake good care, Graham...best thoughts go your way...all the way from here Down Under! :)
Lee, trees of any sort when in bloom give pleasure. Thank you for your thoughts.
DeleteI hope it goes well and then I hope you can get back to your normal routine and enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteThe house I grew up in (my parents still live there) had a jacaranda next to the drive and there was an orange flowering gum next to it. The contrast was stunning. Both the trees are long gone but I still love flowering gums and jacarandas
Thanks, Kylie. That sounds like a beautiful combination of flowers.
DeleteNice to know that you are still zoetic. May we assume that the pictured jacaranda tree is not on The Isle of Lewis?
ReplyDeleteWell, YP, I now have a new word in my vocabulary. I don't think you will find many outside Jacaranda trees in the UK never mind on Lewis. They are officially classed in the UK as conservatory/glass house plants.
ReplyDelete