The wine story

As the heat radiated from the stones beneath his furry white paws, the rabbit made long graceful leaps to a giant silver thermos sitting precariously next to an old olive tree. Looking both right, then left, the rabbit smiled a toothy grin before wedging his nose under a ripe grape, balancing it precariously, and then quickly darting under a pile of vine leaves.

A dragonfly hovered over the leaves for a brief second before landing on bright red leaf, its wings resting slightly down and forward from its body as if balancing on a single piece of string. Tipping to the right, the dragonfly would flutter his wings in rapid movements, eyes wide, before coming back to a zen like trance, his blue shimmering body reflecting the sunlight.

The unusually warm winds picked up from the west sending a current of butterflies soaring up the steep terraces in a dreamlike fashion. Like small pieces of colorful tissue paper caught in a gust, the butterflies eventually landed on a patch of bright yellow mustard plants hidden among the grapevines.

The rabbit dashed behind a rusty wheel that laid precariously under an ancient olive tree. Taking great caution to avoid the attention of a lone hawk in the distance, he sat momentarily to lick his front paw. Below, the warm schist stone gave the rabbit a respite from morning chill as his padded feet rested on its burnt orange surface. Taking a few moments to enjoy his morning ritual, he eventually made way to a thick root where he sat to drink the sunrise.

The day was absolutely beautiful and clear with a light dew that blanketed the valley reflecting vibrant colors in every direction. The glistening dew acted as a sponge that absorbed any stray particles that might obscure the rabbit’s vision. Feeling the warmth of the sun gently heat his fur and brighten the vine covered valley, the rabbit sat in perfect contentment. Despite a few nose twitches, he remained as silent as a statue with only the sound of the rustling leaves behind him.

A bright green lizard scampered past the rabbit, down the trunk and into a stray bucket located at the far end of the orchard. The delicious aroma of autumn enveloped the rabbit’s senses and invoked a deep long inhalation as he rubbed his front paws together. The day had just begun and he stood ready to greet it.