This might seem like stating the obvious but every year is different.
That truth seems more obvious to me since moving to France and having a decent sized garden. Well, that and the availability of seasonal foods in the local markets.
Here’s two examples. Look at these olives on one of our two olive trees. There have never before been even remotely as many olives on these trees in the previous four years. And, it’s not just our olive trees. Throughout France the olive harvest is a bumper one. Meanwhile, in the local markets the apples are tiny! A phenomenon described as just how apples are this year after the intense heat and lack of rain all summer.
Some years there’s a bumper crop of figs, other years it’s pears. In our potager, and in the neighbours’ potagers, courgettes are usually so abundant you can’t give away your surplus. This year there are much fewer.
There are other obvious changes too, year by year. Some years the Redstarts are singing all day long. Other years they seem must less present. Some years there are several Hoopoes in the garden. Other years, just one or two.
It’s when you stand back and see the seasons over a number of years that it becomes clear – every year is different. And you learn to accept, to be patient, and to look forward without expectation, knowing that next year will be full of just as many surprises as this year!
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