It’s jacaranda time again here in San Miguel de Allende, and I’m swooning. These huge, majestic old trees, regally enrobed in pale-purple, bell-shaped flowers, seem to be everywhere now, dotting the city’s already colorful palette with this added, lavender-like hue. (See my previous post, “Jacaranda Time,” April 2, 2016.)
Yesterday I decided to make my afternoon walk jacaranda-directed. Wearing only beat-up running shoes, well-worn jogging shorts, and an old cotton tank top (fitting for this 86-degree weather) and carrying only my two-pound weights, plus my pocket-size Canon camera, I set out to capture this ephemeral beauty (and get my daily dose of exercise in the bargain).
Because jacarandas are so BIG, and the cobblestone streets of this old colonial city so winding and narrow, I soon realized I had to aim my camera upwards and/or stand at some distance to begin to get the full effect:
And then I had an inspired thought:
Why not look down on them all?
But, I wondered, from where?
Ah! It came to me: From the Rosewood Hotel’s elegant rooftop bar!
Oh, but would such a ritzy place even let me in, the way I looked?
(My mother used to say, “People judge you by your shoes” – in which case, I would surely be judged a bag lady.)
I approached the handsome young attendant at Rosewood’s impressive entryway and asked in my still-hesitant Spanish, “May I take some photos from the Luna bar, please?”
He smiled (Mexicans, I find, are so quick to smile), and answered, “Si, claro” (Yes, sure).
I, of course, was the only woman at this tony bar wearing five-year-old running shoes that would horrify anybody’s mother and showing too much old leg and scrawny arm than any self-respecting older woman would dream of doing. But, hey, I got what I came for. And these photo-trophies made me feel enviably rich:
~ ~ ~
Yes, April is jacaranda time here in San Miguel. April is also National Poetry Month in the U.S. and Canada. (See my previous post, “You Never Know,” March 31, 2018.) You may be happy to know I’ve extended the deadline for submitting a poem. Several friends have e-mailed me to say they were working on this assignment. So to them – and to all – I say: It’s not too late to send them in. Please do!
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Love that you captured the architecture with the Jacarandas. Amazing to click on each picture to see the details. Great water color subject.
Thank you, Arti. There’s so much beauty here — in the art, architecture, foliage, etc. — all packed together, it’s impossible NOT to capture it in each photo. Come and see!
Beautiful
Thank you, Lyn!
Any Morning – William Stafford
Just lying on the couch and being happy.
Only humming a little, the quiet sound in the head.
Trouble is busy elsewhere at the moment, it has
so much to do in the world.
People who might judge are mostly asleep, they can’t
monitor you all the time, and sometimes they forget.
When dawn flows over the hedge you can
get up and act busy.
Little corners like this, pieces of Heaven
left lying around, can be picked up and saved.
People won’t even see that you have them,
they are so light and easy to hide.
Later in the day you can act like the others.
You can shake your head. You can frown.
Thank you for this, Judy dear. So lovely, so worth reading and rereading. — xx
Just sent this great piece to my sister and her good friend who will be visiting next week! Perfect!!!
Hugs again
Kate
Thanks so much for sharing it, Kate. I’m sure your sister and her friend will love seeing these jacarandas in person soon.
OMG, Bonnie. Such an exuberance of jacaranda! I especially loved the third photo—the tree towering over the walls and the balconies spilling over with bougainvillea. So gorgeous!
So now you know for sure that you must plan your trip here next year in April so you can see the jacarandas in person, Barb!
Thanks for the jacaranda. Such an inspiration and motivation to enjoy them first hand.
I hope the jacarandas’ flowers will not have all dropped by the time you arrive, Helaine!
Bonnie, lovely post and images. Thanks for sending.
Thank YOU, Robin. Great to hear from you.
“A Jacaranda tree stands tall, and sways as if to say,
Look! At this magnificence, I’m wearing blue today.
forgive the way I shout aloud, my lack of modesty,
but nowhere in this troubled world is finery like me.”
Ann Beard
WOW, Pamela! This is terrific. It sounds so much like Emily Dickinson — but she never saw a jacaranda tree in Amherst, Mass. — 🙂