My world is blue

When I'm feeling down I can hop into my car and drive a few minutes out of town to where nature can give me a pick-me-up. Unlike NZ, the countryside in France changes frequently because the crops change and I am often surprised at what I see.

This week I stopped by fields of blue flowers between Epernon and Gallardon. In these photos you can just make out the church spire and the remains of a tower from the hundred-years war. I've never seen this field in blue before and I've never yet seen the magnificent lavender fields of southern France. I have no idea what these flowers are. Can anyone enlighten me? Clearly they must be a crop.

I stood on one of the farm tracks and breathed in the sunshine, warmth, breeze and beauty. It helped give me some tranquility and reminded me of one of the reasons I like living in this country. After having fun with photographing my little French car beside the French fields I took off to check on what had last year been a field of beautiful red poppies.

Oh no! Not a one to be found. The farmer had sprayed herbicide, destroying everything that was natural and not wheat, for miles to the horizon. There was just...wheat.

Yes, I know we have to feed people but this destructive monoculture is so bad for the French environment. Biodiversity is being eradicated, along with the insects and animals that once had those habitats within that biodiversity.

Last year I'd had such pleasure from those 'impressionist' poppy fields. This year there were only the blue fields. What'll be left for next year? Only the vivid yellow of commercial colza? It felt sad as I remembered the two hares crossing the road beside the poppies to have a deep conversation together. Last year that was possible. Would it ever be again?

I'm hoping my daughter and I might catch a glimpse of fading lavender fields when we visit Provence in a little over two months. It'll be a bit late in the season but maybe some will remain.

I'll leave you with these blue moments. Beautiful, precious. So much is temporary, I just want to catch it and keep it in photographs, because these days will never come again.

Final photo is bluebells in a French wood.