The written loom

Spring in Greece never arrives quietly, yet it shows up like someone ringing the doorbell and saying:

“Good morning. Time to get up. You’ve got work to do.”

Suddenly everything turns green. Trees begin to blossom. The sun starts warming the air again. And that’s usually the moment you realize that your garden has spent the entire winter.. planning a small rebellion.

The grass has decided to expand its territory.. Wild weeds appear in places you don’t even remember having soil.. And that’s when the great spring mission begins: cleaning!

In Greece, this is not only about aesthetics. It’s also about safety. As summer approaches, we are required to clear dry grass and branches to reduce fire risks.. And that is where the first real challenge appears: finding someone to do the work.

Finding a garden-cleaning crew in spring is a little like winning a small lottery prize. Not the big jackpot, just enough to say, “Well… something came my way.”

That’s exactly the feeling when someone finally says: “Yes, I can come by next week.”

This week, however, I was lucky.. I managed to call the man who ploughs my small field so he could pass through the olive trees. The soil was soft from the rain, which made his work easier, and probably more effective too..

And every year, during that small ritual, the same hopeful thought returns: maybe this will finally be a good year for olives.

We’re not asking for miracles.. A modest harvest would already feel like a victory.. But olives are only part of the story.. There are also the little gardening experiments.. Three of my plants have just begun to push out their first shy leaves.. I’m not entirely sure whether it’s coincidence or whether the lye solution I used actually helped them… but I’ve decided to count it as success.. In gardening, after all, confidence is half the science..

Then there is the other chapter of spring.. The swallows.. Swallows are wonderful creatures. They are one of the most beautiful signs that spring has arrived. They are elegant, fast, and astonishingly determined when it comes to building their nests.. Which leads to a small, ongoing negotiation between me… and the swallows.. Because they have decided that the ideal place to build their nests is the garage.. Meanwhile, the place for the family cars is also the garage..

Spring, therefore, is not just flowers and sunlight.. It also involves a bit of quiet diplomacy with the local wildlife..

And of course, along with all of this come the small expectations of the season.. Every year I begin thinking about what I should plant.. There were times when I took this very seriously. I planted so many vegetables that for a moment I felt like a small-scale farmer.. Until the water bill arrived.. And suddenly I found myself wondering if I had accidentally started irrigating half of the Mediterranean!

So this year I’ve decided to keep things simple.. A few cucumbers,  because they’re stubborn and usually survive.. A few tomato plants and a few zucchini.. A little of everything..

Mostly in controlled quantities, so I don’t end up needing a second job just to pay for watering the garden.. Because spring, in the end, is not just a season of enjoyment.. It’s a season of preparation.

You organize the garden..
You organize the house..
You take care of the things winter quietly postponed..

It’s a reminder that life moves in cycles..

You clear..
You care..
You plant..
You wait..

And somewhere between a shovel, an olive tree beginning to bloom, and a swallow watching you suspiciously from the garage, you realize something simple:

Spring is not just a season.

It is an annual reminder that life, no matter how messy it becomes, always finds a way to begin again..

Tatiana,