Voyeur Visibility

A wall of bougainvillea surrounds our terrace. The flowers are lovely in the spring and provide wrap around color as well as privacy. But in July, the flowers lose their color and easily fall. So the bougainvillea gets pruned. The fallen petals migrate to the streets upsetting the need for cleanliness and order shared by so many neighborhood ladies. Therefore, as a sign of respect, I cut and cut and cut away. I lose some privacy but so do my neighbors as now I can easily see the street and have a better view of the surrounding houses. I spy. I am a part-time voyeur.

My neighbor’s trumpet vine is of particular interest to me as it’s orange flowers keep calling my name. For what good is it to be beautiful if no one notices, they say to me.

Then there’s the apricot tree that provides shade for neighborhood cats. But when the tree’s fruit is ripe, it falls and becomes instant marmalade when it hits the ground. Some ladies complain that fallen fruit makes it difficult to sweep the streets. I often pick up the mushy fruit just to collect their kernals. Apparently, apricot kernals offer many health benefits but I collect them to make amaretto cookies.

I even have a potted apricot that’s the child of my neighbor’s tree. No fruit but just the pleasure that my little tree has a view of its momma that just across the street. We like keeping the family together.

Then there’s Katina’s corner. She’s created her own little outdoor salottino where she reigns and visits with passers-by. That’s when I become an eavesdropper, too, and listen to neighborhood chit chat as there’s so much to learn from it.

This is the bougainvillea that creates a shared boundary with my next door neighbors. It’s waiting to be pruned, too

Because of the thorns, pruning bougainvillea is not entertaining. And bagging up the cut branches even less so. I must wear long sleeves to protect my arms and sunglasses to avoid a thorn in my eye.

It’s not easy to cut flowers only to throw them away.

My French neighbor gave me clippings from his pomegranate bush. Now I have two potted pomegranates growing on my terrace. They are adorned by miniature fruits.

This hibiscus is scraggly but produces many flowers that quickly fall. I’ve had it for about 20 years now, a real survivor. Another neighbor has a red hibiscus tree and when its flowers fall, I collect them and dry them in the sun for tea.