Chasing lemons

and Limoncello

Climbed to the top of the hill listening to the woodlark as it slid down the scales. It missed a note but the Sardinian warbler chattering above didn’t seem to mind. An acquaintance on another tree echoed similar thoughts.

Busy woods today. Busy birds chasing spring.

I dust off my shoes. Time to leave. Case packed. Standing at the bus stop now. Looking forward to our few days in Sicily to celebrate our birthdays. No hurry, flight departs at midday.

Landed in Catania on time. The authenticating machine on the wall nibbles the corner of our tickets. We head for platform two, home of the poppies. Towering eucalyptus trees shade the train track.

‘Buongiorno...three stops to Noto’.

Behind us Etna with its skirts of snow disappears from the waste up into the clouds.

Plenty of seats. The train zips through lemon orchards. Pregnant branches dappled in yellow and green. I reach into the bottom of my bag for a snack finding an old packet of dried mango. At the base it reads Burkino Faso. Hardly kilometre zero. Nuts world.

Guilty. Yes, definitely guilty.

Meadows of flowers flash past, swaying in waves of yellow and pink. Long grasses and top heavy seed husks topple, spin and swoon to the whoosh of the passing train. Tempted to press the red emergency button and dive into the fields, get lost in swirling petals, topsy-turvy twisted stems and photograph the dance but the train races on through olive groves.

Thousands of lemons later, the train slows into the station. I’m beginning to realise how much the world loves lemons and how much Sicilian lemons love volcanic soil.

I didn’t have any luck in the street market looking for sugared dried lemons amongst the sun-dried tomatoes, shiny, juicy olives, bright lemon serviettes, cooking aprons, yellow soaps and of course, Limoncello; when life gives you lemons, make a liquor.

The cacophony of the market stalls is bursting with sellers chasing tourists chasing smiles. People flitting between branches, hungry to taste the island in the hustle and bustle of it all, ….‘Di tutto’, in the morning sun.

from the train window

the light on the stone in Siracusa is exquisite

It’s a busy week as spring speeds up towards summer. Thank you for reading, I am so honoured.