Tuscan Transition
“There had been early sunrises & morning walks before the oppressive heat, impromptu picnics beneath the sparse shade of cypress trees, occasional afternoon siestas, & alfresco feasts that lingered late into the night to the tuneful clinking of glasses & the dancing light of fireflies.”
The first day of autumn began in welcome solitude. A gratifying hush after the tumult of the preceding season. With nowhere to go, no one to see, & nothing to attend to, she quietly absorbed the blissful silence. It was a scarce yet cherished circumstance to simply be alone with her thoughts & she found herself contemplating why she didn’t make time to do this more often. She sighed contentedly.
From behind the delicate drapes, the undulating Tuscan horizon beckoned her attention; a mirage of monochromatic green cloaked in September’s fading haze, soon to become awash with hues of vibrant ochre. The inevitable transition that approached summoned a tender smile as she considered the memories she’d created here this summer. As she stepped out on to the balcony to feel the sweet afternoon light wash over her sun-kissed skin, she felt a tinge of melancholy for the season’s adjournment. It had been busy, but it had been beautiful.
At every opportunity she had basked in the simple pleasures of an Italian summer with her guests. There had been early sunrises & morning walks before the oppressive heat, impromptu picnics beneath the sparse shade of cypress trees, occasional afternoon siestas, & alfresco feasts that lingered late into the night to the tuneful clinking of glasses & the dancing light of fireflies. There had been mouths to feed at every meal, excursions to coordinate almost every day, & friends to entertain from dawn until dusk. She was grateful yet earnestly fatigued from the to & fro of it all.
Now for the first time, as she paused to soak up one last fleeting flourish of summer & the opportunities it had orchestrated, she poured a glass of ice-cold wine for herself & settled timidly on the wooden chair, as though her brief self-indulgence might be disturbed at any moment. Two long minutes of peaceful quiet confirmed it was over & she was indeed quite alone. She raised her glass with a satisfied nod & without a word made a toast to the remaining warmth of the day despite the teasing cusp of autumn.
Image by Catia Lemmi.