Last summer we were in temporary housing, but it didn’t stop the Bohemian from planting in the garden. At the time, he was particularly enthusiastic about eggplant. Months later, and the crop has become legendary in the neighborhood, as it continues to provide a seemingly endless yield. We’re all running out of recipes.

Yesterday we went to visit the old garden site, lush and abundant, and back in the hands of its original caretaker. We are gifted with one of our garden friend’s huge heads of cauliflower. A specimen of fractals in food-form, cream-colored, with purple highlights.

After presenting the cauliflower masterpiece, she stands waist-high in the eggplant patch, their heavy fruit dangling like tree ornaments. Keeping the running joke alive, she smiles holding clippers poised, mid-air.

“Eggplant?”

We laugh and say yes to the precious harvest, all in violet hues.