impressed

nothing seasonal lasts forever of course, but we grow so accustomed to a painfully short and frenetic growing season in minnesota that the leisureliness of the seasons in the mediterranean still takes some getting used to. tomato season lasted several months, instead of a good few weeks in september. these california poppies grow from june to october, and in fact just popped up recently for the second time this year, as far as i can tell. the mallow flowers (called mauve in French for obvious reasons) were in full bloom during the grape harvest in august, and they are still around now. the lemon verbena on our terrace has flowered, and our next door neighbor says it is time to cut them back, so that they can fulfill their second annual growth cycle. from what i can see of our neighbors, many of them in their 80s and still walking to the store every day or even riding bikes, there is a second lifetime growth cycle for humans here as well.

pressed california poppies and mallow flowers