Jacarandas & the glimpse of summer…
When the jacarandas start to bloom you know summer is on its way. The heat starts to roll in, dry and thick and as a kid, that always meant summer holidays and Christmas were just around the corner.
Through end of September and October the jacaranda trees with there purple flowers line the streets and the wilting blooms litter the sidewalks, parks & streets. While the jacaranda trees are native to South America, Mexico & the Carribbean most of Brisbane seems to have adopted them as their own. In fact, I only learnt this just now, but the jacarandas are so famous in Brisbane that in the 1930s & 1940s new mothers were given a jacaranda sapling as they left the hospital with their newborns.
Where has this year gone? It is almost November yet it seems like just yesterday that 2008 rolled around.
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Thank you to everyone who commented on my last post. I really appreciate all the support I recieve from my friends whom I know both in real life and in the blogsphere. Yesterday we were hit with another blow but I need time to process before I write about it here.
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Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Jacarandah tree. (I swear sometimes Brisbane feels like a different country to Melbourne!) They’re beautiful.
And if you keep going on about summer and sun and warmth and all that good stuff I’m just going to have to say goodbye until at least March. I *hate* hearing about sunburn when I’m holding out on going to the loo because I can’t be bothered trying to get through all my layers of clothes to wee- never mind that it’s too cold to expose that much flesh anyway. ;P
Oh, I love Jacaranda trees!!! Especially because my favourite colour is purple, I just love summer in Brisbane! Just as its starting to get hot in Brissie, it is just starting to get cold here in Kakegawa… This week has made me find my tracksuit pants and long sleeved shirts for work!! I hope you enjoy your last Aussie summer, seeing as you will be in Japan before next year’s summer!!
That was really good writing, Lulu! . I enjoyed the bits of trivia that i’d never heard before. I’ve been admiring the Jacaranda blossoms too. I’m wondering if they are better this year because there has been more rain. Does Shun like them too? I’m sorry to hear you’ve had more bad news
that’s beautiful! i would love to visit australia someday!
Hope you’re holding up ok.
Hmm I wonder if we have Jacaranda in New Zealand? I cant remember if I’ve seen one before or not. I love when Spring starts and there’s that great spring smell in the air That was always my cue to start getting excited/ready for Christmas!!
How is the sewing going? I finished the bag I was making and now I’m deciding what to do. I’ve found a few cool tutorials for softies that I thought I might try!
I woke up to a thick crust of snow this morning. Hearing you describe the thick dry heat and wilting blooms makes me feel very homesick!! I too have no idea where this year has gone. Bring on 2009 I say. xx
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a jacaranda tree either. But they look absolutely gorgeous! Ahh, you are inspiring me to go for a visit to Australia one day!!! : )
I love Jacaranda trees, the are beautiful, I remember being South of the Border on a family vacation (Gone with the Wind)? we were near there I think…I remember seeing white too (I could be SO wrong) as I have a brown thumb, so anything about planting etc… I’ll need an encyclopedia. Can you believe that Halloween is Friday and Gosh Nov 1st is Saturday.. it sure goes by SOOOOO quick. I hope you are feeling better = )
I love the Jacarandas! But it always reminds me of when I was in high school and people used to say “if you haven’t started studying for final exams by the time the Jacarandas come out then you are going to fail” , even 10 years later, I still get a quiver of nerves and slightly panic every time I see them.