Early flowering

One of my colleagues is on leave. His job includes leading a discussion in the inpatient nit each morning of which patients may be able to be discharged, and what has to be done to do that. This task becomes much more immediately important when the unit is full, because there are always more people in need. I have been attending this meeting in his place and have been impressed by the willingness of staff to work together and cover for gaps of which there were many today due to sickness and night work (the registrars do a week of nights every so often).

On the walk down the hill to the unit, I passed this pohutukawa tree in full bloom. Much earlier than usual. Maori suggest that early blossoming of the pohutukawa predicts a long hot summer. S (in particular) would like that, as the last few summers have been particularly wet. I'm not sure if the prediction works when it is an island pohutukawa, rather than a New Zealand one, as this is.