One of my favorite fruits is the lychee. I first discovered them during a study abroad trip in Taiwan.
Like many other things in life, the unattractive outer shell belies a treasure within.

I’ve photographed these with the 100mm macro lens. It’s an underutilized lens, only making the briefest of appearances to greet the rings after a wedding. But I have no better tool with which I can examine small details. I love the layers of texture here. I’m thinking of magnifying it a bit and then converting it into a layer texture for a photograph.

Back to the fruit… I think I actually enjoy peeling the unfriendly shell. There is a little work, but it’s reasonable. Along the way, little drops of temptation ooze out the cracks. It all makes the reward just that much sweeter.

And, oh, what a reward it is. A fragrant, exotic, sweet flesh.

Lychees are only in season for a short time. There are canned varieties, but the limp, mild remnants found within cannot compare to fresh. I think this contributes to my love of the lychee. The scarcity elevates it from pedestrian staple to seasonal treat. I think there are many things we could apply this principle to, if only we were more disciplined.