Why cutting back is sometimes the best innovation approach
Every year about this time we move southwards. Like very late swallows. Desperately seeking some of the yellow stuff to help recharge our solar cells and thaw out frozen fingers. Our preferred destination is Cyprus, Aphrodite’s island, a jewel set in the Mediterranean whose long history of invasion by others suggests significant local attractions. In particular it has a track record of sunshine hours which is hard to match, an average of 300 days per year.
(Of course that begs the question of what climatic shape the other 65 days take and it would be greedy to expect the absence of a few drops of rain or the odd cloud or two….)
Unfortunately the changeable element in the weather pattern has a predilection for December and so this year we have enjoyed a meteorological smorgasbord in which the weather has been experimenting with all the things it otherwise never gets a chance to play with. Including hail, thunder, snow (visible in the distance dusting the mountaintops), winds, even waterspouts out at sea.
Plus rain. Quite a lot of it. In fact enough to challenge even my generous view that it’s OK to wash out another day of my sunshine stay because the dams need filling up ready for the dry spring and summer.
Despite this I’m mostly doing fine with my optimism, enjoying the peace and beauty of the island (when we can go outdoors) and compensating for the lack of sunshine by drinking its distilled variety in the form of local wines to accompany local foods, liberally sprinkled with excellent olive oil, again courtesy of the missing sunshine…
However this morning sees me a little end-of-year blue because I’m pressing my nose up against the rainy window pane to see the bougainvillea. Or rather not seeing it. Let me explain......
And a video version on my YouTube channel here
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