After a dry long winter and rainless spring come the welcome
midsummer rains. The parched earth kissed by the first shower of rain proclaims
the start of the monsoon celebration, releasing burst after burst of fresh wet
earth scents. Thirsty trees and plants sing silently in rapture, and soon deck
themselves with new attire of brilliant shades of green. As I walk around the
garden, a pepper vine (piper nigrum) catches my eye and puts a stop to my
promenade.
Fresh and beautiful with new lush green leaves, she puts forth spike
after pendulous spike of piper blooms – flowers which are pollinated neither by
bees, nor by the ants, but by the graceful droplets of rain which wash the
pollen down the long white spikes to produce scores of drupes all along their
lengths. The drupes mature in mid-winter and are handpicked, threshed and dried
to bless the world with black pepper corns; spicy, pungent, warm and medicinal;
a must for every kitchen and dining table. I pause to admire the heartwarming sight
and click a picture to share with you all.
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