This is (or rather, should be) peak wild mushroom season! The ground should be soaked and cool, rich in organic matter and covered in young weeds. The air should be fresh and fragrant and the sky should be cloudy and frequently menacing with frequent drizzle and occasional heavy rain. I am 42 years old and this is how I know Autumn.

Today I go out in our fields and rather than refreshed I feel sad. I see the greyish trees that are weakened by the extended summer, the almond trees that flower in autumn thinking it is spring. The weeds have sprouted but the ground cannot sustain their growth, the wells are mostly empty, the skies are summer blue and the farmers are desperate. The baghli has become desertified and it is so said to see the dying wild thyme and other herbs on our garrigue. The honey bees have nowhere to go to and their reduced numbers are now alarming.

Yet still, we still water our lawns, fill our pools with fresh water and wash our cars using pipes. We still build on pristine countryside and agricultural land.  We still surface our parking, driveways, yards, school grounds and playgrounds with impermeable materials.  Water extraction by hoteliers and concrete suppliers is uncontrolled and local councils still boast rinsing the roads with fresh water.

When are we going to understand that we cannot be without water? Our families and our society depends on it. It is easier to look away and let it be…imbghad naraw!