Saturday morning, 11:30. The church bell just tolled. Birds in the courtyard. A lovely, fresh breeze through the open windows. Sunny and warm. And someone in the neighboring building has been playing scales on a synthesizer keyboard creating the kind of repetitious, monotonous sound that makes me “fuori di testa” – out of my head. But it can’t be changed, and that acceptance allows me to ignore it.

I just got word that they will start today to completely tear out and rebuild my little courtyard. They will leave 5 of the large plants and all else will be removed: the Day Lilies, the delicate, purple “Mouth of the Lion” that I had just photographed, the hidden yellow flower I found, the wild strawberries. Granted, the courtyard is jungle-like, but it’s given me little pleasures. It will also be torn up as my place to enjoy my coffee in the morning, and it will no longer have the privacy afforded by foliage. But I am transient here and will always find my joys. I hope they create a new treasure.

Moments before the gardener returned this afternoon to cut, I made one last bouquet (set with a bowl of fresh figs from this morning’s market).