I'm taking a brief break from the China tour to note that we are experiencing typical Fall weather hereabouts. It's been much cooler generally and we've had quite a few showers. I'm hoping that we'll have a spell of what we in North America call "Indian Summer," that last gasp of Summer warmth amid the splendor of blazing Autumn colors.
Vintners have officially begun les vendanges (wine harvest) this week, although they have yet to start on "my" vines. Since my return to Switzerland, I've been enjoying seasonal goodies such as muscat grapes, which I can only find in the late August-early October period, as well as the last of the Reine Claude (greengage) plums, which I adore!
Autumn also signals the return of hunting season, which means that grocery stores and most restaurants also feature game entrees that can be very tasty. I am particularly fond of roast sanglier (wild boar).
The most recent hunting season began on 9 September. Even after all the years I've lived here, I didn't realize until today that the Canton of Geneva has actually banned hunting within its borders since 1974. An article in today's Geneva Tribune described that. It also mentioned that because hunting is allowed in nearby France and in my own Canton of Vaud, game animals such as deer and wild boar actually cross into Geneva to take refuge along the Versoix stream, where they cross paths with the occasional hiker and irritate any farmers whose crops they damage in their travels.
Over the past couple years, game wardens have been surveying the animals' movements. As a result, they have concluded that in some cases, deer and boar have crossed into Geneva canton during the daylight and then returned to their regular habitat in Vaud at dusk, taking advantage of the "truce" after 20:30, after which hunting is not allowed.
Apparently those who survived hunts after 1974 have transmitted this experience to their young. Geneva is not simply a refuge for human beings, but also for our animal counterparts.
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