The road from Bagni di Lucca known as the Brennero and proceeding south towards Lucca has been closed in the stretch between Chifenti and Borgo a Mozzano for some months now because of a landslide. Work is proceeding to repair this important route but it’s doubtful whether it will reopen before the end of April. The current way to Lucca is via the bridge at Calavorno which has been banned to hgvs (otherwise it would have been near to collapse!) These have now to detour even further north up the Serchio valley via the bridge at Pian di Coreglia.

I avoid both bridges and stick to my favourite route which takes me though the mountain village of Corsagna. I love this road with its expansive views over the surrounding snow-covered appenines.

Heading towards Bagni di Lucca from Corsagna yesterday I came across this delightful patch of crocuses near an old paper mill.

These flowers, harbingers of Spring, go back a long way. They are mentioned in the Bible’s Song of Songs and in ancient Greece they were scattered in wedding beds. In ancient Rome it was customary to decorate the tombs with this flower as a wish for a peaceful afterlife.

There are various legends surrounding the crocus. In one of these Croco was a young man in love with the shepherdess Smilliace who was transformed into a crocus by Venus. In another legend the crocus flower sprouted when Paris gave his judgment on the most beautiful of the goddesses.

The crocus is famous for producing the world’s most expensive spice, saffron. It must be an incredibly labour intensive work to produce just an ounce of the spice. A couple from a village near us, Guzzano, set out to grow crocuses for saffron but someone the project never materialized.

A warning. Don’t eat a freshly picked crocus since it is very poisonous! There are so many beautiful flowers and plants in nature that, like enticing dryads, bring one closer to that easeful end which all must face one day. In the meanwhile let us enjoy these wonderful spectacles the Earth presents to us…