Photo of a modern cabanon with its carpet of white mustard flowers. Don't you just want to lose yourself in it?
la veuve de la vendange (lah vuv deuh lah von danzh)
: crush widoww
A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse
I learned a new term last fall, while guiding yet another enthusiastic and brave bénévole out to the vine fields to help my husband, Chief Grape, with the work load.
"Yeah," said Eugenia, sympathetically, as she sped-walked (we wouldn't want to keep the Wine Chief waiting!) beside me in well-worn jeans and a grape-stained tee. "There is even a term for it!"
"The harvest just keeps on going… and going… and going… At first it was two weeks, then four, then six. We began this harvest eight weeks ago!" I explained to our latest helper, as we dashed out to the field, buckets and scissors in hand. (I would leave Eugenia with Jean-Marc and our other volunteer, Jeffrey, in time to run back to the kitchen and stare into the fridge, wondering just what to throw together for an impromptu guest lunch. I didn't dare serve last night's noodles: a collection of scraped-from-the-kids'-plates pasta… fit for a close-knit family, but nowhere near appropriate for our volunteers!
Crush Widows! It was one of those "Aha! moments". So I was not alone in this very lonely state: the grape harvest: when vintners disappear from their wives and from the home and can be found somewhere out in the field or in the "cave" for the remains of the day.
But what Eugenia didn't tell me was that Crush Widows don't suddenly lose their status—and regain their lost Love—after the grape crush. No! They wear their vine veils on into winter…. when their husbands are busy juggling the sales of their wine, the accounting, the bottling, the PR, and the pruning of their vines!
.
.
.
.
.
He loves me. He loves those grapes. He loves me. He loves those grapes!
French Vocabulary
bénévole = volunteer
le vigneron = wine maker
Audio file: Listen to Jean-Marc pronounce these French words: (Click here to download MP3 file). Tip: can't hear the audio file? Try changing browsers (from Chrome to Firefox or…) or updating your audio software.
On les appelle "Les Veuves de la Vendange", ces femmes qui "perdent" leur mari chaque année en septembre, pendant le ramassage des raisins. We call them "Crush Widows", these women who "lose" their husbands each year, in September, during the grape harvest.
Name This Photo (That's Smokey, taken one year ago… when there was snow).
,,, The Widow Clicquot. Highly recommended! Both Jean-Marc and I loved this book, and took turned yanking it out of each other's hands during summer vacation. Click to see the reviews.
A cozy kissing bench for the garden. I'm looking for one of these in France, meantime, for US readers, you can get one at Amazon!
Discover more from French Word-A-Day
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Vendange vocab! I love it! How do you translate “crush widow”? (Is it “veuve de la vendange?)
P.S. It makes me happy, too, to see my husband happy because he loves his job.
I would like to point out that September in French is spelt “septembre” with the ‘s’ in lower case.
Thank you, Edred. Very helpful. Off to fix that now.
Just a little error once again. The ‘leur’ in ….leur maris…. should be ‘leurs’ since ‘maris’ is plural.
Merci encore! I had wondered about that leur / leurs.
Cute picture of you and J-m, Kristin. My title for Mr. Smokey’s picture is: “I’m sure I buried my bone right here last Fall.”
Hi Kristin,
Perhaps ‘true love’ is when we can encourage an accept with a good heart what our partner is (legitimately) occupied with whatever time it takes, and as you have found it works both ways. Family businesses always take over ones life but a holiday can be a new beginning. You both seem very busy and passionate about what you are doing and provide mutual support which I have found is a recipe for a good relationship.
Two super photos. I think you have Smokey figured out correctly Bill.
Mike.
From Smokey: Ollie., Ollie, in come free! (sp?)
Love the story Kristin and the term “crush widow” and “Chief Grape”! haha
I happened upon a wine shop last night while waiting for my husband’s suit to be tailored. I was so happy to find Domaine Rouge-Bleu’s Mistral 2008. Can’t wait to try it!
Salut Kristin,
A possible title for Smokey’s photo might be:
“Pavlov’s New Experiment Results in a Classic Ostrich Pose”
A “thought bubble” in the upper right hand corner with Bill’s comment would complete the scene!
À bientôt
That picture is so beautifully composed, and the colors are lovely. Yes, I do want to sink down into those soft-looking flowers.
I think the photo of you and Jean-Marc says it all … you allow each other to follow your dream(s). And you make the most of your time together pursuing your shared dream.
I like both Herm’s and Bill’s captions. Here’s another, “I know if I dig deep enough, I’ll find le printemps!”
To your list of books situated in France: Judith Rock’s superb mystery dealing with a Jesuit school, Baroque dance, and 17th century Paris.
The Rhetoric of Death
Judith Rock (Author)
› Visit Amazon’s Judith Rock Page
› See all 13 customer reviews…
Merci, Kristin. I love the photo and the field of flowers looks very inviting! The picture of Smokey digging in the snow is precious. A dog’s sense of smell never ceases to amaze me! What can he be sniffing in a few feet of snow?!
Merci,
Julie
By the way, “une petite illustration”. It is a feminine noun.
I’ve been peeking in on your blog for quite some time – always enjoy something here. I’m prompted to write after reading your saga of the little cat, Lily, that I happened upon a few days ago. Those two Liily pieces prompted me to subscribe to the blog – I don’t want to miss any of your masterpieces. Very wonderful prose, Madam. Sometimes you hit us like thunder. Thank you.
Salut Kristin,
ca va? again words cannot thank you enough for your great blog posts that grace each morning that they arrive to me in Colorado. j’adore your philosophical mind and depth of character. again, you are a treasure of a human “bean.” never cease being you.
Oh how I Love this story. I am an artist and have two websites on which I spend a great deal of time. My husband greatly resents that time spent away from him. He is retired and we have only been married for two years (having spent the last 17 years together). I keep reminding him that the computer is my book. He reads incessantly so I feel that he should give me the time to do my computer work. I can’t wait to share your “he loves me, he loves those grapes” story. Thank you for your wonderful website. I love France and hope to go back there again some day.
As a professor I see many, many students who have no passions. If they have a passion for learning, I can teach them anything (or really teach me how to learn it on their own), but I have never been able to create passion. Having seen so many passionless students, my greatest fear in raising my daughter was that she would have no passions. That fear was groundless as I can barely keep up with her. I am so glad that you and Jean-Marc have passions and that you celebrate them. and better yet, I get to benefit from both our passions! Tonight I will open a bottle of Mistral and read from your most recent book!
I suggest “Recherche dans la neige” for the Smokey photo, although I like the other ideas, too.
In the USA, there is a term, “football widow.” My cousin’s wife is one of those. During football season, the wives can go shopping or do lots of things, but their hubbies are glued to the couch, watching the games. I’ve been glad not to have been a football widow.
Is the “veuve de la vendange” a real French expression, or is it a French version of the English “crush widow”?
Couples can have their activities (work-related or other), and they say it’s good for husbands and wives to have some time apart, to explore interests the other may not have. So while I’ve been in choirs and swum laps, my husbands have done other things that interested them, such as riding antique trains, browsing in military museums, etc. As long as you also have time together, to forge bonds and keep them strong, the relationship should go well.
Veuve de la vendange – I’d never heard the expression but it certainly falls into place. My husband has been a cross-country (long distance running) and track&field coach for 48 years, and I’ve been une veuve des sports for 37 of them 🙂 Our three children and I learned very early on, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” and it has made for a very rich life. I lean more toward the arts so I consider myself well-rounded.
I like your last reflection best, “I could be patient … I could learn, as he eventually had to, to allow another’s dream, and to do so encouragingly. And for what benefit? As Ani says, for the joy it brings.”
As I look back, I realize my husband has given me the same encouragement and leeway, sometimes in an off-handed manner, but the freedom to grow has been there. Very appreciative of your words and how they reflect my own feelings.
.