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Driving between the mainland and our villa in Vinjac, we passed fields planted with young grape vines, where these beautiful and haunting poppies thrived.
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Not for me, a California boy, wild poppies in orange are a reminder of home. They are quick to bloom, die immediately when picked and evidence of the ethereal and momentary beauty than you have to save memory only. Red poppies in Europe are much the same, but also infused with the memory of war. In World War One (the Great War - before there was a WWII) thousands of British died in Flanders Field. And the next year millions of poppies bloomed, red from the blood of those men. So every November 11th in England is Remembrance Day (like the US Veteran's Day) because The Great War Armistice occurred on 11/11 at 11. (November 11th, at 11 AM). And the people of England wear red poppies (made of construction paper) in memory.
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So driving through these fields in Croatia made me think of home, and people (from all nations) that had sacrificed to keep their homes free, particularly resonant in Croatia - which was touched by war in the last 25 years.
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