The Language of Flowers
🌸 “I don’t know what I find more beautiful, the flowers or the two of them…”
In The Attic’s convent, sometimes not many words were needed. The flowers already knew how to express what the heart was still learning to say.
“Sister Potato’s laughter had a very curious effect.
It always started with her…
…and ended up spreading through half the convent.”
“Oh, dear… I tried that myself forty years ago…”
“I probably shouldn’t say this… but it’s absolutely delicious.”
No zucchini will be left behind.
Every worthy zucchini shall be harvested.
If an especially large zucchini appears, the presence of two nuns and a reinforced apron shall be required.
In the event of an excess harvest, the extraordinary preparation of zucchini cream soup shall be authorized for the entire county.
It is strictly forbidden to leave a zucchini alone in the garden bed, because it will then “look sad,” according to a report submitted by Sister Potato.
During the current year’s vegetable harvest campaign, it was observed that some zucchinis were temporarily left without human supervision. This situation was deemed unacceptable.
Any zucchini showing clear signs of wishing to be harvested shall be treated with the dignity befitting an honorable member of the garden.
After observing that certain bows between sisters extend far beyond what common sense would consider reasonable, the Council considers it appropriate to remind everyone of some basic rules of monastic coexistence.
No bow may be answered with an even deeper bow, as this could initiate a chain of greetings of indefinite duration.
If both sisters insist on yielding the way to each other simultaneously more than five consecutive times, any witness may intervene by saying:
“Just go through, both of you.”
Fraternal hugs are fully permitted, provided that they do not block access to the pantry, the kitchen, or the garden.
Should neither of the two sisters remember who began the bow, the act shall be considered officially concluded, and both may continue walking without any feelings of guilt.
The Council reminds everyone that excessive kindness remains preferable to poor manners, even if, on occasion, it causes minor traffic jams in the convent hallways.
📜 Aurelius’s handwritten note in the margin:
“This regulation was drafted after Sister Potato and Sister Piety spent twenty-three minutes trying to decide who should greet the other first. During that time, three nuns, a cart of cabbages, and a cat became trapped in the hallway.”
