Chai with the beekeepers from Konya ...

We stopped in the village on our way back from Akbuk for bread and tomatoes  - 

I watched pale cocoons of dough being placed in the wood fired oven - a tin box contained wafer thin kurus - 

In the greengrocers, I found Anne and Jane  drinking chai - I was welcomed inside - Ken joined us a few moments later -

The greengrocer and his wife had just driven back to Karabortlen from Konya -

I recalled how I'd driven there with Ken - we'd crossed a scorched plateau - salt lakes had reflected the April sun - apple trees were beflagged with blossom - we'd gazed at a vast lake, ringed by mountains - 

He says Konya is better for bees, because there are more flowers Jane said - 

The greengrocer looked at me - 

He says he remembers you - you are a good man - 

I sipped my chai - 

He has two hundred bee hives - tomorrow they will drive to Konya with the bee hives - they have not slept yet - 

I relaxed upon the sofa inside the shop - I remembered my sojourn above the village as the hermit of Karabortlen - 

I'd just had my first brush with mortality - time was like a bright ribbon, wrapped around my face -