Poppies

The beauty of Tuscany beguiles me. Every vista reveals rolling green hills that sprout lines of vines and groves of olive trees, bright now with new growth. Along sidewalks fragrant jasmine, roses and honey scented acacia tumble over wrought iron fences. Geraniums red as Valentine hearts seem to frame every window sill.

Then there are sparks of beauty sprinkled by nature that surprise and delight. Of these, I love the poppies the best. Vibrant orange red petals seem to “pop” out in the most unexpected places. I spotted my first poppies on a bus ride into Greve where the delicate looking blooms had improbbly sprung up in the crevices of a worn gray stone wall along the road. Then I began seeing them everywhere! Poppies in the middle of a field! Poppies peeking out from sidewalk cracks! Poppies in drainage ditches! Poppies, poppies everywhere!