I have just a few purple images to share with you today.
First up are the crocuses in University Parks, which bloom just after the snowdrops and are a sure sign that spring is coming:
(Aren’t they sweet? I’d never seen crocuses in real life before coming to Oxford. They are so delicate and Secret Garden-esque.)
Next we have tulips on Morrell Avenue, near my little house:
And hyacinths at Merton College:
My favourite purple spring flower hides in the curve of Queen’s Lane, which runs around the edge of Hertford College, past the entrance to New College, curves around the corner of All Souls College, then passes behind Queen’s College and beside St Edmund Hall before it empties onto the High Street. At the corner of Queen’s Lane and the High is Queen’s Lane Coffee House, where the scones are always warm and the tea comes in elegant glass mugs. (The hot chocolate is also delicious.)
I often rode my bike down Queen’s Lane to avoid walking it down Cornmarket Street, the main drag which is pedestrians-only, or to shortcut some of the craziness of the High. But once the wisteria started blooming, I rode down Queen’s Lane as often as I could for the sight and smell of this sweet purple:
Mmmm. Wonderful.
And finally, the sunsets in South Parks can be pink or gold, but are sometimes a bit purply:
I love every subtle shade, every cloud, every spire, every light that twinkles out across the valley. I think it may be time to plan another trip.
Happy Thursday to you.
cakes, tea and dreams 