a fennel morning

I love summer.Today is a beautiful California summer day.I breathe in the soft air, sweetened by the fennels flowers all around.
I indulge in the caress of the sun on my bare arms as I pedal down the street.I remember the indolence of long summers past, and I want to lie again on those scratchy blankets on the grass, nose in the insect world, green, green all around,lost in a sensation of blissfull happiness.
I have always loved the taste of anis.in anything.licorice of course, but also in the little white sugar candies with the fennel seed in the center, and tarragon which is a quintessential French herb, used discretly but sublimely with cucumber, in a refreshing salad,or in a creamy sauce adorning a baked chicken.And then there is fennel.also part of the French repertoire, used mostly as a bed for baked fish, but also in a crunchy sweet salad, where it can be mixed with cherry tomatoes,chickpeas,garlic,cucumber ,red onion and a cube of feta..Such a good summer day lunch at my house.....