Oregano and sage in the sunshine

The rain on Tuesday brought a delightful clarity to the air and the shadows have a depth that is almost autumnal. The wild thyme casts a mauve tint across the rocky hillsides and their scent combines with that of oregano and sage in the sunshine. The thyme bushes are the last of the wild flowers until the squills assert themselves in the autumn. Even the most barren seeming crag yields, on closer inspection, an extraordinary variety of lifeforms. Darting lizards with iridescent blue tails, svelte snakes and slowly lumbering tortoises all contribute to the summer landscape of this fragrant island.

The moonrises over Pedi bay have been quite spectacular this week and the owls have been very active in our garden. There is one in particular who sits in the almond tree by the gate, waiting for any harvesting rodent to be so imprudent as to saunter out from under cover. It is just as well that the owls are busy as the cats grow more slothful by the day and are certainly not doing their bit to protect our nut crop.

Speaking of cats and matters rural, not to mention a certain pastoral obsession that has possessed other aspects of this website of late, the following two photographs were taken in a garden on Mavrovouni this week. And not a green wellie in sight.

Have a good weekend.

Regards,
Adriana
www.symivisitor.com