Russian comfrey and letter of sympathy (with misspellings), reads Sir/Mam, I offer all my regrets for the loss of your chickens. I am sincerely and deeply sorry for the pain this has caused you…" (Read on, in today's story column.)
se rabaisser (seuh rah bay say)
: to humble oneself, to show humility or respect
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Je me suis rabaissée devant le potager, en visant mon plant préféré. Et puis, je l'ai arraché!
I lowered myself before the kitchen garden, and targeted my favorite plant. Next, I yanked it out!
At only $8 Exercises in French Phonetics is a great tool for improving your French.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE… by Kristin Espinasse
I left Annie's whimsical garden with a bag of stinging nettles and a mission: to plant the medicinal orties and, secondly, to heal an open wound–celle de ma voisine.
The orties, no matter how menacing their bite, would be easy to manage; I needed only to wear gloves to transplant them. As for the pain we'd caused our other neighbor–I was not sure how to proceed… so I followed–hanging on as my body whisked forth my soul, over to the field just below.
There in my own jardin, I landed. Walking past the flowering consoude, with its ornamental purple bells, I knew instantly it was the one. I had just given a seedling to my friend Cari, keeping the mother comfrey–all decked out now in blossoms–for myself. Even then I knew I should have given the best away, and patiently waited for the seedling to grow into another purple-belled marvel. It wasn't too late this time around….
Se rabaisser (the French translation for "to humble yourself") literally means to bow down, and this I did before the royal purple bells of Symphytum x uplandicum–the noblest subject in my potager.
I knelt not as a worshiper before an idol; I met the ground as a broken heart falling in pieces! If the act was dramatic, it encompassed more than the sorrow for my neighbor's lost chickens, it carried with it the weight of other trespasses–both personal and universal. Isn't that what it feels like to be deeply sorry, or navrée? As though the weight of a world's sins rests on your guilty shoulders.
Kneeling there, the rocks below me drove their jagged edges into my skin. But I felt only the pain of shame as I searched for words.
"Please let there be understanding–and forgiveness. Please heal this pain."
There was nothing I could do to bring back the stolen chickens. And only God knows how hard I try to keep our dogs inside our property lines. The best I could do was to reach out to my neighbor: apologize, ask what I could give or do, and let her see the human face behind the unknown perpetrator.
As I stood there, now, on a foreign doorstep–my heart thumping in my throat, my arms holding out a potted plant its leaves going limp before my very eyes–my new neighbor studied me, her lips a straight line…..
(A suivre/To be continued here in Part 2 of story)
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Note: highlighted links within the story refer back to previous journal entries:
Annie's garden (including part one of today's story)
Kristi's garden (picture)
FRENCH VOCABULARY
celle de ma voisine = that (wound, blessure) of my neighbor
le jardin = garden
la consoude = comfrey
le potager = vegetable patch
navré(e) = deep sorrow, sadness for one's mistake
Plants are the best gift, no matter the occasion! An olive or peach tree, aloe or comfrey! They nourish, improve the air we breathe, and are often healing. A book about plants is the next best gift of all. I am offering one copy of Jane Goodall's latest: Seeds of Hope: Wisdom and Wonder from the World of Plants.
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Leave a comment in today's comments box. You can say anything at all: respond to today's story, or tell us your favorite plant. Click here to comment and enter.
P.S. I can't promise, so don't hold me to it–but if I manage to get a signed book on Monday night–when I go to see Jane Goodall speak in Aix!!–then I will include the signed copy in the giveaway. Otherwise the book will be shipped to you directly via Amazon.com. Good luck!
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I echo Kathryn’s (in San Antonio) and Joie’s comments above– to a T. Can’t really add more to their thoughts, so well-expressed they were. You are a beautiful jewel set upon earth’s glorious crown. And in this dark moment you are shining bright! Bon courage… Alisa
I echo Kathryn’s (in San Antonio) and Joie’s comments above– to a T. Can’t really add more to their thoughts, so well-expressed they were. You are a beautiful jewel set upon earth’s glorious crown. And in this dark moment you are shining bright! Bon courage… Alisa
Every spring and summer I delight in growing herbs on my apartment balcony and bringing them to neighbors and to friends and to neighbors who have become friends! This year I’m trying to add some more scent to the garden with White Moonflowers (to bloom at night) along with the Morning Glorys’ daytime beauty.
Every spring and summer I delight in growing herbs on my apartment balcony and bringing them to neighbors and to friends and to neighbors who have become friends! This year I’m trying to add some more scent to the garden with White Moonflowers (to bloom at night) along with the Morning Glorys’ daytime beauty.
Comfrey! I never thought about planting some of the highly useful – and from your photo, very pretty – herb in my gardens. I will have to see if it will thrive here in Zone 4, Minnesota.
Best wishes to you!
Marjie
Comfrey! I never thought about planting some of the highly useful – and from your photo, very pretty – herb in my gardens. I will have to see if it will thrive here in Zone 4, Minnesota.
Best wishes to you!
Marjie
this dog/chicken affair has caused more comments than I have seen in a long time!..I know that you have provided what should be adequate restraints..I had an incident today, and I had not provided any ..my dog loves to go bark at the neighbors dog, behind the fence to say hello every morning..my dog, Hannah is 12 and this is the most fun she has, so I was content and happy for her to do so. This morning the other neighbor to the side came over outraged that he had to hear this barking every day…and I honestly never thought about him…so the moral is I have to be more aware and considerate. I think you have certainly become more aware and more considerate..perhaps you could offer to build a pen for her chickens..it would protect them from an escape by your dogs and any other predictors in the area..and you all could rest easier.
this dog/chicken affair has caused more comments than I have seen in a long time!..I know that you have provided what should be adequate restraints..I had an incident today, and I had not provided any ..my dog loves to go bark at the neighbors dog, behind the fence to say hello every morning..my dog, Hannah is 12 and this is the most fun she has, so I was content and happy for her to do so. This morning the other neighbor to the side came over outraged that he had to hear this barking every day…and I honestly never thought about him…so the moral is I have to be more aware and considerate. I think you have certainly become more aware and more considerate..perhaps you could offer to build a pen for her chickens..it would protect them from an escape by your dogs and any other predictors in the area..and you all could rest easier.
Hi Kristin,
Looking forward to hearing what happens next … Two of my favorite flowers are lilacs and lily of the valley or muguet des bois. Lily of the valley is a beautiful symbol of Spring — new beginnings, fresh starts. Always remember that no matter the gift, it is always the thought that counts. For it is in giving that WE receive. Your kind gesture of giving your most precious plant will be YOUR gift in return, regardless of the outcome. Here’s to a fresh start with your neighbor. Bonne chance!!!!
Lynne S.
Hi Kristin,
Looking forward to hearing what happens next … Two of my favorite flowers are lilacs and lily of the valley or muguet des bois. Lily of the valley is a beautiful symbol of Spring — new beginnings, fresh starts. Always remember that no matter the gift, it is always the thought that counts. For it is in giving that WE receive. Your kind gesture of giving your most precious plant will be YOUR gift in return, regardless of the outcome. Here’s to a fresh start with your neighbor. Bonne chance!!!!
Lynne S.
I am so glad you went to the neighbor. And I know you will do the right thing. I’ve been reading your posts for awhile and I KNOW you are a kind & loving person. Hang in there —– you are doing the right thing.
I love outdoor plants but I live on the central coast of Oregon – and I find it challenging. I have a sunroom and I have gone 100% old school —-I have collected all of the 70’s & 80’s indoor plants. The spider plant, asp fern, boston fern, African violets, wandering jew (can you still say that?) creeping charlie, etc. I love these plants, and I love to collect cuttings.
Enjoy Ms. Goodall! If you get her to sign the book — keep it!!
Stay well!
I am so glad you went to the neighbor. And I know you will do the right thing. I’ve been reading your posts for awhile and I KNOW you are a kind & loving person. Hang in there —– you are doing the right thing.
I love outdoor plants but I live on the central coast of Oregon – and I find it challenging. I have a sunroom and I have gone 100% old school —-I have collected all of the 70’s & 80’s indoor plants. The spider plant, asp fern, boston fern, African violets, wandering jew (can you still say that?) creeping charlie, etc. I love these plants, and I love to collect cuttings.
Enjoy Ms. Goodall! If you get her to sign the book — keep it!!
Stay well!
I agree with others – bravo for having the guts to face your neighbor and apologize and gifting her with a plant. Work on some kind of pen for the Labs and offer to help build some kind of pen for the chickens. Surely they’re not running loose? There are a lot of animals who would be tempted to attack them and in the country, loose dogs, etc., would be a threat. It’s a complicated situation for sure. Keep the book; you need it.
God bless you for your contrite heart. Time heals all wounds, c’est vrai?
I agree with others – bravo for having the guts to face your neighbor and apologize and gifting her with a plant. Work on some kind of pen for the Labs and offer to help build some kind of pen for the chickens. Surely they’re not running loose? There are a lot of animals who would be tempted to attack them and in the country, loose dogs, etc., would be a threat. It’s a complicated situation for sure. Keep the book; you need it.
God bless you for your contrite heart. Time heals all wounds, c’est vrai?
Reaching out, one person to the next, is the best way to work anything out. Energy of one is “read” by the other, merely when in proximity. Touch unites us as common beings with all our attributes, good and bad. I hope that your encounter helped to heal in you what was not really a wrong you had committed but circumstances – crafty dogs, an opportune moment, and a temptation responded to by the dogs’ nature.
Reaching out, one person to the next, is the best way to work anything out. Energy of one is “read” by the other, merely when in proximity. Touch unites us as common beings with all our attributes, good and bad. I hope that your encounter helped to heal in you what was not really a wrong you had committed but circumstances – crafty dogs, an opportune moment, and a temptation responded to by the dogs’ nature.
I just finished another ex-pat book by Amy
Thomas which focuses on les patisseries in Paris! But I am totally hooked on Kristin’s writing!
I just finished another ex-pat book by Amy
Thomas which focuses on les patisseries in Paris! But I am totally hooked on Kristin’s writing!
Our dearest Kristi,
You have the most beautiful spirit and heart.What a wonderful gesture to your neighbors.And additionally,you are really making an important effort to make certain that these events don’t happen again.(!)
What a fantastic opportunity to hear Jane Goodall speak.It for certain will be something to remember always.(I still regret missing Mother Teresa!)
I so look forward to the privilege of you sharing her words with us.
THANK YOU!!
Love
Natalia XO
Our dearest Kristi,
You have the most beautiful spirit and heart.What a wonderful gesture to your neighbors.And additionally,you are really making an important effort to make certain that these events don’t happen again.(!)
What a fantastic opportunity to hear Jane Goodall speak.It for certain will be something to remember always.(I still regret missing Mother Teresa!)
I so look forward to the privilege of you sharing her words with us.
THANK YOU!!
Love
Natalia XO
T’es vrai, plants do make a great gift. my favourite is the Peace Lily – so beautiful, symbolic and thankfully both resilient and forgiving!
T’es vrai, plants do make a great gift. my favourite is the Peace Lily – so beautiful, symbolic and thankfully both resilient and forgiving!
Your concern and heartache over your dogs misadventures come through very strongly. I respect your guts in facing the aggrieved party: it’s not the easy thing to do, but it is the right thing to do.
Your concern and heartache over your dogs misadventures come through very strongly. I respect your guts in facing the aggrieved party: it’s not the easy thing to do, but it is the right thing to do.
The dogs are just being dogs. But your neighbors chickens need to be replaced and the dogs need to be enclosed – electronic fence with collars is what comes to mind. I hate reminding you of this but you love those dogs and farmers can shot dogs that kill their stock. You would never forgive yourselves if that happened. It is a very big problem but I am sure you and family can figure out a solution.
The dogs are just being dogs. But your neighbors chickens need to be replaced and the dogs need to be enclosed – electronic fence with collars is what comes to mind. I hate reminding you of this but you love those dogs and farmers can shot dogs that kill their stock. You would never forgive yourselves if that happened. It is a very big problem but I am sure you and family can figure out a solution.
Sharing your beautiful Comfrey plant is very generous so I am hoping your neighbor loves it as much as you do. Perhaps you can make several starts of the plant so you will have more than one throughout your garden.
My animaux sauvage that eat everything near me are the deer! I live in a city in Oregon, but in a wooded area with tall Douglas Fir trees with little sunlight. I love to garden, but I haven’t been able to do it here…
Everyone else has many ideas about the dogs/chickens so I won’t add to it! Bonne chance avec ton voisine.
Sharing your beautiful Comfrey plant is very generous so I am hoping your neighbor loves it as much as you do. Perhaps you can make several starts of the plant so you will have more than one throughout your garden.
My animaux sauvage that eat everything near me are the deer! I live in a city in Oregon, but in a wooded area with tall Douglas Fir trees with little sunlight. I love to garden, but I haven’t been able to do it here…
Everyone else has many ideas about the dogs/chickens so I won’t add to it! Bonne chance avec ton voisine.
My favorite tree is a Magnolia tree I have in my yard. Looking forward to reading the rest of your story.
My favorite tree is a Magnolia tree I have in my yard. Looking forward to reading the rest of your story.
What a beautiful heartfelt story today. I know how badly you feel and I am sure your neighbor will forgive. Talking it through she will see how sincere and truly sorry you are for what happened.
I can’t wait to hear about Jane Goodall’s talk and I agree if you get a signed copy you keep it!!!
xoxo
What a beautiful heartfelt story today. I know how badly you feel and I am sure your neighbor will forgive. Talking it through she will see how sincere and truly sorry you are for what happened.
I can’t wait to hear about Jane Goodall’s talk and I agree if you get a signed copy you keep it!!!
xoxo
My plant story involves you, Kristin. After you mentioned sending your friend the Survival Seed Vault, heirloom seeds, for Christmas, I went to their website and ordered both the Survival Seed Vault and the Culinary Herb Garden for my partner, who had been wanting a new project for our country garden. She’s planting them this week, some in wine barrels and others in her garden. Thanks for the wonderful idea.
As for dogs and chickens, our labrador roams freely in our country neighborhood, too, and so far we’ve been lucky not to have had your misfortune. But I can truly empathize with how you must have felt, and the awkward situation with your neighbor. What a good idea to have given her the comfrey plant. I hope its healing qualities soothed her wounded feathers a bit.
My plant story involves you, Kristin. After you mentioned sending your friend the Survival Seed Vault, heirloom seeds, for Christmas, I went to their website and ordered both the Survival Seed Vault and the Culinary Herb Garden for my partner, who had been wanting a new project for our country garden. She’s planting them this week, some in wine barrels and others in her garden. Thanks for the wonderful idea.
As for dogs and chickens, our labrador roams freely in our country neighborhood, too, and so far we’ve been lucky not to have had your misfortune. But I can truly empathize with how you must have felt, and the awkward situation with your neighbor. What a good idea to have given her the comfrey plant. I hope its healing qualities soothed her wounded feathers a bit.
Hi Kristin,
It takes a lot of courage to knock on someone’s door not knowing what they will do or say. I am hoping she looked at you with sympathy and graciously accepted your apology and the beautiful plant from your garden. What else is there to do? That’s all anyone can ask and just the simple gesture of apologizing, will make the hardest hearts melt sometimes. One of my favorite plants is Borage which I planted for the first time last year! The bees love it! I just found out it is edible too!
Hi Kristin,
It takes a lot of courage to knock on someone’s door not knowing what they will do or say. I am hoping she looked at you with sympathy and graciously accepted your apology and the beautiful plant from your garden. What else is there to do? That’s all anyone can ask and just the simple gesture of apologizing, will make the hardest hearts melt sometimes. One of my favorite plants is Borage which I planted for the first time last year! The bees love it! I just found out it is edible too!
Oh Kristin, so many different sorts of advice! I am afraid the dogs would get those chickens again and then a plant would not be enough. I must say the electric fence worked for us but you must keep an eye on them because other dogs or worse can still come in the yard. But, at least you would not have chicken worry!
We just planted impatience ( sp?) as finally Spring comes to cape cod!
Enjoy the Jane talk!
Oh Kristin, so many different sorts of advice! I am afraid the dogs would get those chickens again and then a plant would not be enough. I must say the electric fence worked for us but you must keep an eye on them because other dogs or worse can still come in the yard. But, at least you would not have chicken worry!
We just planted impatience ( sp?) as finally Spring comes to cape cod!
Enjoy the Jane talk!
Your heart would never allow you to purposely harm your neighbor or anything belonging to her. A mistake has been made, but it was just that: a mistake, an accident that if you could have prevented, you would have. May your neighbor’s heart open to your apology and let your words of regret prompt a stronger bond between the two of you. You have done what you can. Now, it is up to your neighbor to extend a hand of understanding.
Your heart would never allow you to purposely harm your neighbor or anything belonging to her. A mistake has been made, but it was just that: a mistake, an accident that if you could have prevented, you would have. May your neighbor’s heart open to your apology and let your words of regret prompt a stronger bond between the two of you. You have done what you can. Now, it is up to your neighbor to extend a hand of understanding.
Chere Kristin,
Que tu es vraiment une personne sincere et brave. J’attends avec impatience la reaction de tes voisins face a l’aveu de ta culpabilite. Et offrant la lettre et ton beau gage de reconciliation, j’espere que tout va bien. Et pour l’avenir aussi, que ce probleme soit résolu.
J’adore mon arbuste, le Brazilian Red Cloak. Il est en fleur et enorme Presque 9 mois de l’an.
Amities, Dee
Chere Kristin,
Que tu es vraiment une personne sincere et brave. J’attends avec impatience la reaction de tes voisins face a l’aveu de ta culpabilite. Et offrant la lettre et ton beau gage de reconciliation, j’espere que tout va bien. Et pour l’avenir aussi, que ce probleme soit résolu.
J’adore mon arbuste, le Brazilian Red Cloak. Il est en fleur et enorme Presque 9 mois de l’an.
Amities, Dee
Kristin:
Certainly there’s something to the healing power of plants. Enjoy Jan Goodall’s talk. I’m sure it will be a wonderful one. She’s always been a heroine of mine.
Edie from Savannah
Kristin:
Certainly there’s something to the healing power of plants. Enjoy Jan Goodall’s talk. I’m sure it will be a wonderful one. She’s always been a heroine of mine.
Edie from Savannah
Kristin,
My heart has been heavy for quite some time but I always find comfort in reading your posts. You are a very sympathetic and empathetic person and you handle each difficult situation you encounter with a special grace and humility. I can’t wait to read the second half of the story and hear about you meeting Jane Goodall. How exciting! My favorite plant are irises because they were my mom’s and her mom’s favorite so I think of them whenever I see them. Good luck with your apology!
Kristin,
My heart has been heavy for quite some time but I always find comfort in reading your posts. You are a very sympathetic and empathetic person and you handle each difficult situation you encounter with a special grace and humility. I can’t wait to read the second half of the story and hear about you meeting Jane Goodall. How exciting! My favorite plant are irises because they were my mom’s and her mom’s favorite so I think of them whenever I see them. Good luck with your apology!
One of my favorite plants is Lemon Verbena. I use it for tea and to flavor buttermilk panna cotta. Mmmmm.
One of my favorite plants is Lemon Verbena. I use it for tea and to flavor buttermilk panna cotta. Mmmmm.
Kristin, don’t beat yourself up. I had a dog I adopted from Humane Society who had been abused. Over course of about 10 years, she had bitten 3 people, one a child. (The child teased the dog, & I told her to stop. But she wouldn’t listen.) Do you know horrible I felt? I tried my best not to allow this, but dogs & people are unpredictable. Each time, no one made me feel worse than I already felt. In fact, they totally understood why an abused dog would react the way she did, the dog only wanted to protect us. So, it was a few chickens! Apologize & let it go.
Kristin, don’t beat yourself up. I had a dog I adopted from Humane Society who had been abused. Over course of about 10 years, she had bitten 3 people, one a child. (The child teased the dog, & I told her to stop. But she wouldn’t listen.) Do you know horrible I felt? I tried my best not to allow this, but dogs & people are unpredictable. Each time, no one made me feel worse than I already felt. In fact, they totally understood why an abused dog would react the way she did, the dog only wanted to protect us. So, it was a few chickens! Apologize & let it go.