Today is Earth Day and we're talking about a humble old arbre also known as The True Service Tree. (Don't mind this artichoke, today's subject is still "tree", but the artichoke's red and dotted passenger seemed a good fit with Earth Day!)
espèce en voie de disparition
: endangered species
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Quels sont les arbres en voie de disparition? What trees are endangered?
A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse
Two Stories in One
Etiquette
Last night we sat out on the front patio for a goodbye dinner. It was time to thank Tanguy and Thomas (who returned last week, with a friend) for their hard work pruning the centuries-old olive trees. Nearly 100 oliviers, some close to 500 years old, were given a new lease on life.
As we sat chatting about a couple of exciting discoveries (endangered trees…), Max and his friend Paul appeared, in time to say goodbye.
(Photo: Max and Paul, on their way to town.)
(Extra photo, nothing to do with the story… everything to do with a proud mom. Max turns 18–French driving age!–in a few weeks. Oh gosh, there go the tears again.)
The boys–make that the young men–had helped the men with the débroussaillement (the clearing of the thorny bushes and weeds) at the feet of the olive trees. Max and Paul were exhausted by the work and were left with a new respect for Tanguy and his crew (aka the pirates of the olive plantation).
I watched as the hip and cool (and whatever the current word is) teenagers reached down to kiss the pirates who were seated around the dinner table. Even after two decades in France, I still experience the occasional "cultural awareness moment", never mind I've seen the kiss-on-both-cheeks ritual a thousand times by now.
For an instant, I imagined the cultural snafu that would be committed, were the boys exchange students in America. What if they suddenly forgot the etiquette? (How many times had I reached out to shake someone's hand, in France, when protocol required la bise or cheek kisses? Such an etiquette slip is not a big deal in France, but the same easy-to-make mistake in the States–with kisses in place of a handshake–could be dangerous…. if you were male. Such a deep, culturally ingrained habit of respect could get you beaten up elsewhere in the world.
This got me thinking: could it be that some cultural blunders are further compounded by sexism? i.e. okay for girls to make the gaffe (just a little awkard, after all), but the same etiquette error could amount to ridicule–or even a black eye–for boys!
(Sorry for the digression, but it seemed a good chance to bring up etiquette and an "unequality error"! Your thoughts welcome here. Meantime, on to the next story now…)
* * *
Endangered
Now, back to the trees discovery. It was Tanguy who identified them as cormiers. The tree's fruit, affectionately known as a poirillon (for its resemblance to a small poire, or pear) is seemingly unedible (super sour!), but, Tanguy explains, if you wait until the little cormes or sorbes fall off the tree, you can eat them. The secret is to let them blet or over-ripen.
Tanguy says he uses the fruit to make a special kind of beer or cidre called piquette de cormes. (Jean-Marc would enjoy that! As for me, I can't wait to get on my hands and knees and harvest the overripe fruit. But when? I forgot to ask Tanguy. Jean-Marc guessed October…)
Last fall, while looking for a place to hitch her make-believe roulotte, or gypsy trailer, Mom noticed one of the trees, its ornamental leaves bright beneath the blue sky of autumn. Something seemed special about the arbre, which towered over a carpet of rosemary and thyme.
It turns out the tree, called a sorbus domestica, or "Sorb Tree" or Whitty Pear, was once highly prized for its wood–harder than oak. The bois was used for the fabrication de manches d'outils or tool handles. No wonder it is endangered, Jean-Marc commented, as we looked at the information online.
Some say the trees are of cultivated origin, probably from a mediaeval monastery orchard planting according to Wikipedia….
Another thing to love about this endangered tree is its humble name. Known unceremoniously as the service tree or even the true service tree, one imagines etiquette is the last thing in this tree's heart. Chances are you could wrap your arms around its trunk and safely plant a big kiss on his bark cheek–and no one would look twice. If only the world and its at-odds customs could be as easygoing and down to earth. Au fait…
Happy Earth Day! Bonne fête la terre!
French Vocabulary
un olivier = olive tree
un arbre = tree
un débroussaillage = a clearing of the undergrowth
la bise = a kiss on both cheeks greeting
au fait = by the way
Watch out Mr Sacks… You've got competition! If you think Jean-Marc is sentimental about his sacoche, you ought to see his heart leap, every spring, when he unpacks his trusty sandals. After "Mr Sacks, what could we name these guys? Share a name, here. (Re the photo, I tried to outsmart my shadow, keeping her out of the picture… what a dummy!)
Bill Facker took this photo of Jean-Marc and Braise and me and posted it along with a touching tribute at his Kauai to Paris blog. Thank you, Bill!
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Nancy, great example about the arm linking. So true!
Good news for those reading here today. Monday, April 22, is A FREE DAY TO DOWNLOAD A TOUR OF THE HEART AS AN EBOOK; just go to http://amzn.to/PtkC1J
This is Maribeth Clements latest book set in Paris. enjoy!
Nancy, great example about the arm linking. So true!
Good news for those reading here today. Monday, April 22, is A FREE DAY TO DOWNLOAD A TOUR OF THE HEART AS AN EBOOK; just go to http://amzn.to/PtkC1J
This is Maribeth Clements latest book set in Paris. enjoy!
Thank you. Just downloaded the book.
Thank you. Just downloaded the book.
Max “James Dean” Espinasse and Nature all rolled into one posting. A Mother’s creation and Mother Nature’s glory .. is that symbiotic or what! A great celebration of life Kristin .. Thank You.
Happy Earth Day Everyone!
Max “James Dean” Espinasse and Nature all rolled into one posting. A Mother’s creation and Mother Nature’s glory .. is that symbiotic or what! A great celebration of life Kristin .. Thank You.
Happy Earth Day Everyone!
JULES .. Thank you for those very kind words.
Aloha,
Bill Facker
JULES .. Thank you for those very kind words.
Aloha,
Bill Facker
Hey Bill – You are spot-on about the “James Dean” look, Max definately has that spark about him. He is going to drive the girls crazy with his French Accent when he travels to the U.S. to hang out in Sun Valley and Palm Springs with his dear old Grandpa. What a great life Max has had and the future is wide open.
xoxo – Jules
Hey Bill – You are spot-on about the “James Dean” look, Max definately has that spark about him. He is going to drive the girls crazy with his French Accent when he travels to the U.S. to hang out in Sun Valley and Palm Springs with his dear old Grandpa. What a great life Max has had and the future is wide open.
xoxo – Jules
definitely – working on my spelling – xoxo
definitely – working on my spelling – xoxo
KRISTI – could you please download Maribeth’s book for me to read when I arrive…xoxo – Mom
KRISTI – could you please download Maribeth’s book for me to read when I arrive…xoxo – Mom
Linking arms came to my mind right away! I studied in Grenoble with friend from my US university. We would frequently walk arm in arm when we were in France. One day after we got home, we ran into each other on campus and immediately went to the arm in arm walk—right past the student union with a whole group of guys hanging out on the front steps. It didn’t take us long to realize our cultural mis-step!
And Max is looking so grown up and handsome! He does look a lot like you! My sons are 33 and 28 and I love this grown up relationship, too!
Linking arms came to my mind right away! I studied in Grenoble with friend from my US university. We would frequently walk arm in arm when we were in France. One day after we got home, we ran into each other on campus and immediately went to the arm in arm walk—right past the student union with a whole group of guys hanging out on the front steps. It didn’t take us long to realize our cultural mis-step!
And Max is looking so grown up and handsome! He does look a lot like you! My sons are 33 and 28 and I love this grown up relationship, too!
Bill Facker’s commentary on his blog was the real “cultural snafu.” Manic and long-winded, it plays into the glib American stereotype.
Bill Facker’s commentary on his blog was the real “cultural snafu.” Manic and long-winded, it plays into the glib American stereotype.
What a marvelous post with beautiful/handsome photos of the Espinasse family! I enjoy so much seeing them and thank you for sharing with all of us.
Years ago (I’m 76) in the deep South, we would walk arm in arm with girlfriends and even fairly recently I was walking arm in arm with my mother-in-law when we both lost our balance and fell together into some azalea bushes. I immediately thought what an easy fall it was until I realized that I was on top of my mother-in-law!
The photo of the artichoke is beautiful,too. Mark Bittman had an article and video last week in the New York Times where he demonstrated how to prepare artichokes. One person who grew up in Sicily wrote in her comments following the article/video how to stuff an artichoke. Sounded wonderful. (I tried to leave the website but couldn’t–désolée)
What a marvelous post with beautiful/handsome photos of the Espinasse family! I enjoy so much seeing them and thank you for sharing with all of us.
Years ago (I’m 76) in the deep South, we would walk arm in arm with girlfriends and even fairly recently I was walking arm in arm with my mother-in-law when we both lost our balance and fell together into some azalea bushes. I immediately thought what an easy fall it was until I realized that I was on top of my mother-in-law!
The photo of the artichoke is beautiful,too. Mark Bittman had an article and video last week in the New York Times where he demonstrated how to prepare artichokes. One person who grew up in Sicily wrote in her comments following the article/video how to stuff an artichoke. Sounded wonderful. (I tried to leave the website but couldn’t–désolée)
What a great post and beautiful photos.
Thanks for book download. Can’t wait to read it.
xoxo
What a great post and beautiful photos.
Thanks for book download. Can’t wait to read it.
xoxo
Loved this one Kristi ! Hoping you can tell us all the correct procedure re the bisses (who goes first and what side etc…)It’s all very confusing …much like the language !! (But I will keep trying !) Re. children growing into adults : the end product is like growing a garden and seeing how beautiful they have turned out after all those yrs of nurturing…we feel so PROUD !!!
Loved this one Kristi ! Hoping you can tell us all the correct procedure re the bisses (who goes first and what side etc…)It’s all very confusing …much like the language !! (But I will keep trying !) Re. children growing into adults : the end product is like growing a garden and seeing how beautiful they have turned out after all those yrs of nurturing…we feel so PROUD !!!
Pondering an olive tree that might be 500 years old. That is amazing! And still producing olives, I suppose. Yes, photos of the trees would be a joy to see.
Earth Day well celebrated with this post.
You are right to be proud of your son, growing up so fine.
Thanks for the link to Bill’s post, it was a pleasure to read.
Pondering an olive tree that might be 500 years old. That is amazing! And still producing olives, I suppose. Yes, photos of the trees would be a joy to see.
Earth Day well celebrated with this post.
You are right to be proud of your son, growing up so fine.
Thanks for the link to Bill’s post, it was a pleasure to read.
SARGAM – sargam – can you hear me yelling your name. I think you should never come back to this blog.
Jules
SARGAM – sargam – can you hear me yelling your name. I think you should never come back to this blog.
Jules
Earth Day! I appreciate it more at 81 than I ever did! With live oaks surrounding me, I clean my double driveway sometimes twice a day. What a mess. We bought in this beautiful Florida development because of the trees that grew so long to bring beauty. Then, came “the others” who couldn’t stand the mess (for about one month a year) , cut down their trees and within a few years, moved away. Happy Earth Day to them, wherever these treeless people have gone and thanks for the memory.
Earth Day! I appreciate it more at 81 than I ever did! With live oaks surrounding me, I clean my double driveway sometimes twice a day. What a mess. We bought in this beautiful Florida development because of the trees that grew so long to bring beauty. Then, came “the others” who couldn’t stand the mess (for about one month a year) , cut down their trees and within a few years, moved away. Happy Earth Day to them, wherever these treeless people have gone and thanks for the memory.
Sargam, I certainly respect your opinion and hope to grow from your critique. All criticism is good critcism. Thank you.
Sargam, I certainly respect your opinion and hope to grow from your critique. All criticism is good critcism. Thank you.
messrs. Sacks et Sans-Sox
messrs. Sacks et Sans-Sox
Oh Bill – You are such a gentleman, thank you for teaching me with your kind reply to Sargam. .. I do have a little temper when I feel my daughter or my dear friends have been harmed in any way. Maybe Kristi could please delete my comment – hopefully he will never see my ‘naughty reply.’ xo J.
Oh Bill – You are such a gentleman, thank you for teaching me with your kind reply to Sargam. .. I do have a little temper when I feel my daughter or my dear friends have been harmed in any way. Maybe Kristi could please delete my comment – hopefully he will never see my ‘naughty reply.’ xo J.
Then there’s switching from “vous” to “tu.” I recall French students addressing me as tu and the realizing it was “une americaine” and backing up to vous. When visiting a French family, the mom told me I as the more-or-less adult)needed to start the tutoyer-ing with the grade-schooler.
Bill Facker, you are doing well at the patience part of your list. Sargam could use work on his tact. Most of us need work on both at varying times!
Then there’s switching from “vous” to “tu.” I recall French students addressing me as tu and the realizing it was “une americaine” and backing up to vous. When visiting a French family, the mom told me I as the more-or-less adult)needed to start the tutoyer-ing with the grade-schooler.
Bill Facker, you are doing well at the patience part of your list. Sargam could use work on his tact. Most of us need work on both at varying times!
Max will be a heart breaker. How handsome!
I use the cheek kiss all of the time here in th USA and my husband hugs all of the guys. We have not problem showing our affection for other people. We also do this in church, around town, wherever.
Americans need to get OVER IT!
Max will be a heart breaker. How handsome!
I use the cheek kiss all of the time here in th USA and my husband hugs all of the guys. We have not problem showing our affection for other people. We also do this in church, around town, wherever.
Americans need to get OVER IT!
What a delightful tale of endangered tree species, Kristin! And how wonderful to have such knowledgeable and hard-working helpers for what must be a daunting project, resurrecting so many ancient olive trees. A very thought-provoking piece on Earth Day!
Reading about the tradition of la bise shook loose a long-forgotten memory of my first trip outside the US in 1981. In Germany visiting my then-boyfriend’s aunt and uncle, the aunt held out her hand to shake, but I–being the naive young Californian–went in for a friendly hug. She stiffened. I realized my gaffe but it was too late. It was one of many lessons in cultural differences I learned on that trip.
Regarding la bise, I also marvel at grown men greeting each other with such a tender gesture. In the US, it is rare to see men warmly hug each other, but it is more common now than it used to be. I think that’s a good thing.
What a delightful tale of endangered tree species, Kristin! And how wonderful to have such knowledgeable and hard-working helpers for what must be a daunting project, resurrecting so many ancient olive trees. A very thought-provoking piece on Earth Day!
Reading about the tradition of la bise shook loose a long-forgotten memory of my first trip outside the US in 1981. In Germany visiting my then-boyfriend’s aunt and uncle, the aunt held out her hand to shake, but I–being the naive young Californian–went in for a friendly hug. She stiffened. I realized my gaffe but it was too late. It was one of many lessons in cultural differences I learned on that trip.
Regarding la bise, I also marvel at grown men greeting each other with such a tender gesture. In the US, it is rare to see men warmly hug each other, but it is more common now than it used to be. I think that’s a good thing.
Hi Kristin,
Thank you for your blog. It’s so enjoyable to read and escape to. Please keep writing. You have a wonderful gift.
Best regards,
Lesley in Sydney, AUS
Hi Kristin,
Thank you for your blog. It’s so enjoyable to read and escape to. Please keep writing. You have a wonderful gift.
Best regards,
Lesley in Sydney, AUS
Jules,
You are my hero. Bill can be gracious, but there is also a need for someone who calls ’em like she sees ’em. On more than one occasion you have played the blog bouncer and you were born for the role. It’s a gift! Sargam’s comment stands out for its vicious, venomous, slithering attack. I have enjoyed Bill’s many comments here, but didn’t know about his blog. I looked at it just now and it brought tears to my eyes. So sweet and real. As my grandmother once said to an unwelcome intruder, “Beat it,bud!” She was a lady who always wore a hat and gloves, but she didn’t suffer fools.
Jules,
You are my hero. Bill can be gracious, but there is also a need for someone who calls ’em like she sees ’em. On more than one occasion you have played the blog bouncer and you were born for the role. It’s a gift! Sargam’s comment stands out for its vicious, venomous, slithering attack. I have enjoyed Bill’s many comments here, but didn’t know about his blog. I looked at it just now and it brought tears to my eyes. So sweet and real. As my grandmother once said to an unwelcome intruder, “Beat it,bud!” She was a lady who always wore a hat and gloves, but she didn’t suffer fools.
Leslie, I would say: you took the words out of my mouth, but that would be untrue. Having searched, I still cannot find the words to respond to hurtful comments. Love your words about Mom. Were you there, a year ago, when she was attacked in the same way? It was awful. No wonder she is the first to speak up for others. That old saying also speaks to me: If you do not have anything kind to say…
Leslie, I would say: you took the words out of my mouth, but that would be untrue. Having searched, I still cannot find the words to respond to hurtful comments. Love your words about Mom. Were you there, a year ago, when she was attacked in the same way? It was awful. No wonder she is the first to speak up for others. That old saying also speaks to me: If you do not have anything kind to say…
Thank you, Leslie! Just the encouragement every writer needs! No matter how many years I practice writing, the current work day can be as discouraging as the day before… when searching for le mot juste! The more I write, the more respect I have for those writers of all levels: just now beginning or seasoned by decades of work. (This comment dedicated to Bill and to all who write or yearn to write!)
Thank you, Leslie! Just the encouragement every writer needs! No matter how many years I practice writing, the current work day can be as discouraging as the day before… when searching for le mot juste! The more I write, the more respect I have for those writers of all levels: just now beginning or seasoned by decades of work. (This comment dedicated to Bill and to all who write or yearn to write!)