SEPTEMBER 22

As I admired the preserved and dried oak leaves, the florist suggested to me this gorgeous hortensia bloom in stunning, autumn colors. Let it dry in the arrangement, she demonstrated, creating a striking ensemble before my eyes.

I realized I had the perfect 1900 vase for this, snatched up in that antique shop in Tourcoing 40 years ago. I must have been singing ‘Le roi Théodore à Venise’ by Paisiello. Or was it my first Seneca, which came the year after…?

This bouquet may actually help me get through another day, perhaps even through the next weeks.

Sharing it with you, with cautious optimism, for the same reason.