Fig & Vine

Spring is slow in coming this year. Warming days tease and entice us to believe we have turned the corner. Alas, close on the heels of a blue sky sunshiny day, we awake to rain, chilly winds, and cloud cover. Yes, April showers bring May flowers (and if you're American, you add here: "And Mayflowers bring pilgrims.") It's true that so much rain, for weeks on end, has already brought forth abundant green beauty. And lots of pollen! View from our olive grove to Saint-Hippolyte-

The startling beauty of a pristine lake nestled against soaring Alps never fails to delight. Whether under a blanket of snow or bursting into the colors of spring, the stunning city of Annecy is truly a breath of fresh air. My husband recently celebrated a milestone birthday, so we headed to Annecy for a few days. We love this region where we first landed in France over thirty-eight years ago to attend language school in nearby Albertville. Our first visit to Annecy occurred

Lightning flashes, thunder booms, the atmosphere trembles, reverberating waves of energy. Rain pours down for days on end. Then, ah! The sunshine breaks through, and villagers emerge from houses, faces turned up like sunflowers soaking in life-giving warmth. Welcome to the wild winter weather of the Cévennes. After the rains... rainbows! These prismatic arches delight those who behold their beauty. We stop and pay attention as if we've never seen such a sight. "Look! A rainbo