Diary: the Bishop's Palace in spring

We visited the Bishop's Palace, Wells yesterday. There was an art exhibition.

Among the tulips. It reminded me of a Joni song

The underground river flows down from the Mendips, then bubbles up in here

Artwork in the Palace

The Glastonbury Owl

Obvious kitsch - but it made people laugh

There was one room we were not permitted to enter. They appeared to be filming an interview with a parliamentary candidate.

The Bishop's Palace in early spring

Wells Cathedral with the Bishop's Palace moat foreground

Clare fronting the Bishop's Palace 

Houses abutting Wells Recreation Ground

Sunny but a cold wind from the north-east. People on the streets seemed bewildered by the sunshine: many were wearing not much more than shorts and tee-shirts. I was in full arctic dress .. 'no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing' .. and quite comfortable.

Croquet at the Bishop's Palace, Wells

What a busy day today! I hoovered the house then walked across to the gym for my weight room induction session: bench-press machines and dumbbells; Clare got to mop the floor during this.

Back home Clare cut my hair to something appropriate to iron-pumping and then we strolled to the Bishop's Palace for a late picnic lunch.

Croquet in front of Wells Cathedral

We're fed and watching the croquet intently

I'm told that croquet only looks genteel; in reality it's hyper-confrontational and aggressive.

What would I know? I thought they played it with flamingos.

The Bishop's Palace, Wells

A picnic lunch today at The Bishop's Palace, Wells.

The Pilgrim statue - inscription below

Here's a close-up of The Pilgrim's face .. it rather reminds me of ..

China Mieville

Wells Cathedral from The Bishop's Palace garden

If you know what this flower is, could you tell me in the comments?

Update: thanks guys, it's an Allium.

Your author and his wife

"The Last Days of New Paris" has an Amazon page, but no-one seems to know when it will be available. August?

"June 1940 following Paris’ fall to the Germans, the villa of Air-Bel in Marsailles, is filled with Trotskyists, anti-fascists, exiled artists, and surrealists.

"One Air-Bel dissident decides the best way to fight the Nazis is to construct a surrealist bomb.

"When the bomb is accidentally detonated, surrealist Cataclysm sweeps Paris and transforms it according to a violent, weaponized dream logic."

You had me at 'surrealist bomb'.