Yesterdays helicopters were circling above the city to observe a once in a lifetime event.
I doubt even Minerva (top left) who has been looking down on Stonegate for the past couple of hundred years has seen anything like this before. Corporate sponsor logos were everywhere, carried on colourful buses and floats that were almost as wide as some of the streets. A cheerful relaxed atmosphere prevailed despite the security, and thousands of locals and tourists alike all turned out to see................ what I will show you tomorrow.
Look closely! Not one but two helicopters over the ruins of St Leonard's hospital. Something is afoot in the city that requires an eye in the sky. Come back tomorrow to find out more.............................
Around 20 years ago work started to make a Physic garden in a portion of York cemetery. A beech hedge was planted around 30 graves, the turfs that had overgrown the graves were lifted, and herb beds were created by putting kerbs around individual graves. The beds were planted with a mix of culinary and medicinal herbs, and each grave given a carved stone marker showing the name of the herb planted.
Some of the names such as Alecost or Elecampane are unfamiliar but rather charming. I wouldn't mind sharing my final resting place with them, or others such as Yarrow, St John's Wort or Angelica. I would be less keen on Wormwood or Rhubarb, plants sowed on two of the graves above!
The herb garden was intended to be a commercial venture that directly benefited the cemetery but this never materialised. I think I can spot the fatal flaw in this plan, many people I suspect would not choose to buy rhubarb or herbs grown on a grave. Would you?
Taking part in Tapophile Tragics
There has been a Blue Bridge on this site since 1738, the present bridge dates from 1895. York has two rivers running through the city centre, the Foss and the Ouse. The Blue Bridge is the last (or first) bridge to cross the Foss just before the confluence with the Ouse, which you can see above in the blog header
In somewhere that is so closely associated with the past it can be difficult to draw attention to the 21st century city. There are 60 colourful and informative pictures around York at present. They are part of York Science & Innovation Grand Tour celebrating the City's achievements in this area.
Nanotechnology emerged in the 1980s and the University of York has a state of the art facility to explore this fascinating area. This picture of a single atom is on a wall opposite the Minster, and in a clever link to the Minster itself notes that silver and gold nanoparticles have been found in the Minster's mediaeval stained glass windows.
The National Railway Museum is situated in York. You can take a 15 minute walk from the city centre to the museum or you can travel by train. Just one carriage today but it can have three or four depending on the demand. Irresistible to children, and not a few adults too.
A typical York sky at the moment, lots of cloud, a hint of blue, and a big fat rain cloud just waiting to drop its load. Much more of the wet stuff and we all all be needing one of those boats moored next to the Mansion House just to get out and about.
See more and perhaps sunnier skies here at Skywatch Friday
