Jacaranda

Taken by Margot K Juby

OK try not laugh. This is the only jacaranda tree I've seen in this country and it's a very straggly pale specimen. Since the jacaranda is really at home in tropical and sub-tropical regions of central America and the Caribbean I don't think it's a wonder it grows at all in the temperate, at times nithering, north of England. (but see here for what these beauties can do when they really get going) It's also been protected during the renovation of the Cleminson Hall site.

View from the boundary

As the snows and frosts of Winter fade to a distant memory it becomes time to dust down the old willow bat, rub in the linseed oil, whiten the pads, don the white flannels and peaked cap and stride out to face the bowling. Hah! as if! Even so many do play up and play the game, there are many local cricket leagues which are fiercely competitive especially in Yorkshire which likes to think itself home to the best (it's God's own county don't you know?). Here's Driffield's neat little ground where the groundsman had just finished preparing for a match, it's great ritual of cutting and rolling the pitch till it's just right, painting the creases and so on. I hope they managed to finish before the evening thunder storm rolled in and rain stopped play.

"He's fallen in da water ..."

Many years ago on the radio the Goon Show had a catch phrase or running joke, I suppose you might call it, where someone (little Jim?) would say (in a strange voice) "he's fallen in da water". This would for some reason have the audience in paroxysms of laughter. Ah those were the days, long ago, when there was probably some water to fall into at this point on the river, nowadays you'll most likely get a concussion from the mud and that's no joke.

Willow pattern

Bright sunshine is all well and good but to my mind a bit of shade is always welcome and Hull could do with more trees like these delightful mature willows on Paragon Street.

A Definite Maybe

The good ship (sorry, boat) Maybe in Hull's marina.

"There is no hurry ...

...We shall get there someday."

After nigh on six months the pier still awaits repair. Perhaps it could become an art installation, one of the hidden surprises of Hull. Just don't fall in, it's a long way down.

On the map

A cartographer's delight parked up by the Minerva.