(ice turning grey as it melts)

Do you know that all-time famous quote: “Veni vidi vici”? Beginners Latin. Does anyone teach that anymore? Regardless, it means: “I came, I saw, I conquered.” Supposedly those were Caesar’s words on returning to Rome after conquering France.

Now, how many hundreds of years later, I say: ” Veni vidi me vicit.” (I came, I saw, I was conquered). Well, now that does not sound good, does it? Wait, wait, let me explain.

I left snowy cold New Hampshire. I drove two and a half hours to the coast of Maine. And there was green grass. That’s all it took.

Color.

I recall years ago, I spent a fall living with a family in what is now Serbia (then Yugoslavia).They were not considered poor: they did gorgeous embroidery, made their own wine, and the house was impeccably clean. But they slept three to a bed (grandma at the head, the two teen girls at the foot) and the main foods were bread and milk. There was an outhouse and no refrigerator. For the months I was there, edibles were some shade of yellow or brown, except the purple cabbages. On the return trip, the train stopped in Switzerland. To this day, I recall the shock of going into the grocery store there.

Color.

I hadn’t seen bright green in so long. It was startling. And likewise, when I saw it in the grass in Maine after months of outside color as white, more white, white and brown: it was glorious.

I was seduced instantly. Conquered. Veni vidi me vicit.

Color can have that effect.