the greens

By Kathy Merchant

Dining at Creation Winery, Hermanus, South Africa

Springtime is green, so many different shades of green. It’s impossible to pick just one shade to express the range of uplifting emotions inspired by springtime green.

Green is a universal signal of growth, hope, joy, and progress as little sprouts and flowering shoots announce the arrival of the vibrant yellows, pinks, roses, and reds that emerge as sunshine and soft rain warms the earth in the snap of a few days.

Going green to plan global travel means you can pick your preferred hemisphere to coincide with a prime season anywhere in the world. If it’s cold, grey skies from November through February in Cincinnati, it’s sunny and green in Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.

Budding vines announce the beginning of the first critical phase of winegrowing, when the timing of new vines and the flowering of new buds presage the possibility of an amazing vintage.

Green peas, asparagus, avocados, broccoli, lettuce, kale, spinach. For food lovers, spring green vegetables launch summer gardens into a satisfying season of healthy eating.

My collection of beloved green photos spans 10 years and eight countries, a small sharing of happiness from global travel and delicious food and wine.

Photos (Opposite page from top): Michelin 1-star Ristorante Arnolfo, Colle Val d'Elsa, Italy; Green turns to yellow, France turns to Germany; Lily pads; (This page, clockwise from top): Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa, Japan; Toscana; Vietri Sul Mare, Amalfi Coast, Italy; Hydrangea Garden, Kamakura, Japan; © Rodney Strong Vineyards