FLOWERS & MEMBERS

My post yesterday was well-received, judging from the replies I received. I did, however omit to mention the early flowers appearing at the usual times. The earliest is the plant with small blue flowers forming pale blue carpets between the courts. Called 'speedwell' in English, it is a species of 'véronique', almost certainly Veronica hederifolia. Examine it carefully, & will see that each flower has only 2 stamens. I mention it in my tennis site.

The second flowering plant appearing here was the celandine, already a few colonies are in evidence. I include a recent photo. Both flowers are not easy to photograph, as they tend to glisten in the sunlight. With a digital camera, better results are obtained by using the mode 'manuel', & reducing the exposure.

Next comes the curiously named 'spurge'; various species of Euphorbe. And then this morning I found several colonies of violet, near the river Brague; the stream which runs as an eastern border to the Club. Presenting one such flower to a lady member outside the restaurant, I was astounded to find that her friend sitting next to her, didn't know that the Brague was so near. At the moment, it is fairly full & clear: one day I even saw two ducks swimming along it. They quickly flew away at my approach. Seeing such birds in the air, you see that being fairly plump, they need a wing flap of about a 100 a minute to disappear from the sky so quickly.

If you wish to walk along the chemin des Pélerins, at the south of court 10, up to the ancient Eglise du Brusc, you must wear wellingtons in this season, because the bridge has been down for years, & you will have to paddle carefully across the stream.

After reading this blog, one member replied immediately, asking why I hadn't included his picture once again! I caught him this afternoon on Court 1; so here you see him after a rigorous training session with our retired sea captain, Mike Fiddes. I don't think Mike is telling Pierre what he did wrong; he was probably recounting one of his numerous stories from the bridge: how he grounded the ship on a sandbank near the island of Porus, Greece, for example.

Let's see you all on the courts again soon, & afterwards in earnest conversation with fellow-members. Best wishes.