one of the best things about being in a remote village in southern france in December is that the arrival of the christmas shopping season was recently heralded by the berries of the alexandrian laurel, which quietly turned red, in contrast to the green of their leaves. i’m feeling that shopping fever coming on. i think i’ll go for a walk, and, inflamed with irrational acquisitiveness, buy a baguette for lunch.

laurier d’alexandrie (danae racemosa)

autignac, france