And It Begins….
Taking walks around the small villages where I live is something that I really enjoy doing this time of year. The days become longer, the sun shines a bit brighter, the flowers are blooming and the trees begin to have leaves on their branches. There just isn’t anything I can think of during spring to dampen my spirits.
Another thing I look forward to this time of year is watching the farmers and vineyard workers readying their fields for this year’s harvest. During springtime, all the fields and vineyards that have been left unattended and forgotten suddenly seem to have new life in them. The workers are busy tending their vines, cleaning the weeds from the fields and plowing. Everywhere you see tractors suddenly in motion after being hidden away all winter. They not only are working the fields, but also taking over the roads to the point that traffic can sometimes come to a screeching halt while waiting for them to cross the street.
Everyday even just to the point of sunset, the country side becomes a buzz with the various activities of tending to the crops and vineyards. All winter long the weeds have taken over and the vines look sad and lonely, but once spring comes it’s as if a whole new life has sprung into them. With tender loving care they seem to stand tall and proud that once again they are cared for and are happy that they will be able to bear fruit when harvest season comes.
All around me the vineyards and patches of farm land are now trimmed, clean and proper. Life has suddenly come back to Provence.
Posted on April 7, 2012, in French Daily and tagged Agriculture and Forestry, France, Harvest (wine), Provence, tractors, Vineyard, wine. Bookmark the permalink. 10 Comments.
Welcome to my crazy life in the south of France. I love to write and photograph the day to day experiences that I encounter here in Provence. I hope this blog will give readers an inside look at some of the insane, funny, and beautiful experiences that I have had along the way in making a life for myself in France. 
Enjoy it! I loved being in Provence this time last year, nature is in advance there compared to the Isere (where I am now) and like you I adored watching everything come to life.
It’s so wonderful to drive through my area and see everything come to life, Piglet! I just soak it all up!
We couldn’t believe that we saw a few coquelicots in bloom alongside the road as we were driving around our part of the Vaucluse last week; a sure sign that spring is here. A wonderful time of the year.
Hi Michel, Hopefully before you leave, the fields will be full of flowers. That would be a nice mental picture to take back with you
The farmers have been busy preparing the fields here too. I’m guessing they don’t spray “bouse on the fields if you were admiring them up close. It rhymes with the English word ‘booze’ but I wouldn’t want to drink it: it’s cow effluent! The fields stink for a few days after and it tends to waft through town. Eww.
Wow, Wendy, nope we don’t have that here! Thank goodness. I would hate to have a smell like that mess up my beautiful looking vineyards! It sure would make my strolls not very fun at all.
We’re all gearing up for the season, so it would seem. How fortunate that you have the vineyards to walk in and the smell won’t last long. Nice pics.
I really do feel fortunate, Renee, to walk out my door and see this beautiful landscape. I just love it!
I was so looking forward to being out and about these past few days but all that rain and grey skies had to come… Spring is alluding me!
Yup-Sara-I agree, the weather all of a sudden has turned yucky and it seems to be on that trend for the next few days. I want my beautiful sunny skies back and nice warm days to boot! I hope it changes soon!