Wednesday 3 September 2008

ABC Wednesday - Colours: G for green

It's ABC Wednesday again, and G is for green.

September in the village of Fournes is a time of reckoning: did last season's oranges do well? are the olives ready for oil production? It is also a time of renewal: the rusty orange colours give way to fresh green leafy shades; the new orange and olive crops have started to set in. The new fruit looks so fresh, so young, like a newborn baby, maturing slowly with the help of the elements. Valencia oranges only take on their familiar colour after Christmas, and aren't edible until well after Easter.

orange tree fournes hania chania

The greenery is accentuated by the green shutters, doors and windows of the white houses, the shady vine leaves in the front yard, the potted plants in the old aquamarine painted containers that have been given a new lease of life as plant holders. The river gleams of green slime growing on its surface beneath its more stagnant parts, surrounded by lush foliage.

green shutter fournes hania chania house fournes hania chania green gate fournes hania chania
crates fournes hania chania pot plants fournes hania chania vine fournes hania chania
keritis fournes hania chania olive tree fournes hania chania keritis fournes hania chania

Fournes
is an evergreen village; most trees never lose their green colour all year round. Deciduous trees are difficult to glimpse, as they are hidden from view, making one believe that spring turns into summer, and summer turns into spring, while winter makes a rare appearance. As you drive along the main road, a sea of green starts to swallow you into its girth, with a wide range of hues according to the species of tree. The silvery teal of the olive tree contrasts starkly against the emerald green of the orange trees.

sea of green fournes hania chania

Summer can be a long hot period of seemingly little action in the field. In a few weeks from now, the olive production will start, bringing on the sounds of the people and the machines involved in this activity.

(This is the second in a monthly series of colour and texture studies based on the village of Fournes, an orange and olive producing area in Hania. The idea is based on an inspiration from the work by
Calliope in her Spectral Studies series.).

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27 comments:

  1. Such beautiful photos and wonderful commentary. Great posting for ABC Wednesday!

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  2. That orange tree is positively laden with fruit! How hard it must be to wait that long to harvest! : D

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  3. Love all the green. The fruit tree is so lush...

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  4. While the many of use are giving way to other colors from the green, it's more green for you. So interesting.

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  5. Thanks for showing the green oranges. My only visit to Crete was just before and through Easter in 1993; the oranges were ripe, and for sale everywhere. A tree-ripened orange has to be one of God's great gifts; never before have I tasted any as delicious as those were. I think I ate about a kilo of them every day that I was there! It's a wonder I didn't turn orange myself.

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  6. Green oranges! Always an education stopping by. A most unique choice for g.

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  7. lovely captures. looking at your work really transports me in a different place. great job MK.

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  8. So beautiful everything, really nice scenery!

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  9. What a wonderful post and green is my favourite colour. Great choices for G-day! :D

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  10. Lovely set of Gs!

    G is for Ganpati Bappa Morya! To find out what it means click here

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  11. όμορφα πράσινα. πολύ καλές επιλογές. μήπως και κρυφο - Παναθηναϊκός; :)

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  12. A wonderful green environment. A long summer? Now there's a novelty! LOL!
    Thanks so much.
    Dxx

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  13. Green has always been relaxing for me. I like green "carpets" of trees and grapevines. And there are so many in Crete...

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  14. I remember being surprised to discover that oranges are green on the trees at first.

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  15. Thanks for visiting my blog.

    And thanks for commenting about seeing the Alien there.

    I like your post and the photographs you have on display. Your area seems to have retained much of the green so many others have destroyed.

    Nice blog too.

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  16. Incredibly green, that first picture. Good choice.

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  17. Green is what makes us live - very appropriate

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  18. i especially like the pictures of the gate, and potted plants. :)

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  19. Great Green photo! Thanks for sharing.

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  20. I love the green!! What great shots!
    Mine is here.

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  21. What a lovely, evocative post.
    Even the "green slime" on the river, hehe.

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  22. Wonderful G photos for ABC Wednesday.
    Thank you for sharing.

    Bear((( )))

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  23. It is starting to look good, a bit of green about!

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  24. Thta's lovely. Very poetic and beautiful. Even the slime!

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  25. My favorite color. I am wearing it now! It's just so naturally pleasing!
    :-)

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  26. Hi Maria, you and I are doing the green real good this week.
    Thank you for the pictures, I have been to Athens, Patmous, and Rhodes (controversial place). I love it there in the Mediteranean.
    ..

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