Lilac

(QBĐT) - "December is the month for planting sweet potatoes. January is for planting beans, February is for planting eggplant." Eggplant is planted in February so that in March, amidst the myriad colors and fragrances of countless wild herbs blooming in the abundant sunshine, there is always the humble color of eggplant blossoming in the country gardens. That simple, beloved color remains purple in the memories of those far away, those who once had a hard childhood under the thatched roof with the image of their father and mother toiling from dawn till dusk...

Whether grown in a garden corner, a ditch, or a riverbank... whether it's the common eggplant, the round eggplant, the goat eggplant, or the wild thorny eggplant, the eggplant flower remains faithfully purple. The purple of the eggplant flower is lighter than the purple of Hue , and certainly not as deep and rich as the morning glory climbing on fences and hedges around the garden. Therefore, people often call it the "heart-purple eggplant flower." It's a gentle, delicate purple, yet it haunts the heart...

The eggplant flower isn't flamboyant or extravagant, nor does it possess a rich, delicate fragrance, so few people pick it to enjoy. It blooms naturally, its beauty simple and understated in the March sun, swaying gently whenever the river breeze caresses the fields and riverbanks. And as if to cherish and protect these tiny, pretty purple blossoms, the plant spreads its large, lush green, sturdy leaves to shelter them day after day. Therefore, to truly admire the eggplant flower, one must approach it, bend down close, as if whispering, as if sharing a quiet, intimate moment...

Illustrative image. Source: Internet

And perhaps, eggplant flowers were born to bear fruit, to provide sustenance for the meals of country folk during the lean months of March and August. Other flowers, when they bloom, turn upwards to show off to the earth and sky. But the meek eggplant flower bows down, sometimes as if shyly hiding itself behind a leaf, only revealing its golden pistil to welcome the warm sun and the companions of butterflies and bees. Therefore, all the flower's care, prudence, and yielding are in anticipation of the harvest. There are many types of eggplant, but the most familiar is the white-fruited eggplant. The clusters of plump, round, smooth white fruit grow larger, from the size of marbles to small cups, hanging from branches pointing towards the ground, evoking the fullness, warmth, and simplicity of country meals...

The eggplant plants were grown from seeds saved from the previous year. My mother would usually choose the roundest and largest eggplants, marking them to use as seeds. At the end of the season, when the eggplants were mature and ripe, their skins thickened and hardened, turning a yellowish-brown color, she would harvest them, tie them into bunches, and hang them in the kitchen loft. Day after day, the smoke from burning straw would dry the eggplant seeds, but inside they held countless plump seeds, anxiously waiting for the day they would sprout.

In December, as spring crept in, my mother would cut down the bunches of eggplant, split them open, and sow the seeds in the small garden, covering them with a thin layer of straw. A few days later, the seedlings confidently sprouted from the moist soil. When the plants had three leaves, she would thin them out and transplant them into rows, about a meter apart. Fertilized with compost and watered daily, the eggplant plants grew quickly, sprouting branches and spreading their green foliage to cover the long rows. Then, from the leaf axils, flower stalks emerged, giving rise to clusters of buds, which then transformed into tiny, shy purple flowers basking in the early morning sun...

The lilac flower has entered proverbs and folk songs, its purple hue touching the hearts of people for generations. Therefore, the color lilac has become the name of a distinct color. It's the lilac-colored round-necked blouse embracing the graceful shoulders, the lilac-colored hat strap fluttering in the dreams of many young men of that era... gently stirring our souls...

Tran Van Loi

Source: https://baoquangbinh.vn/van-hoa/202504/tim-tim-hoa-ca-2225402/