Say "premier mai" and two thoughts will pop into the mind of a Frenchman...
Monday, May 01, 2017
TODAY'S WORD: le porte-bonheur
: lucky charm
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Muguet de mai : le 1er mai 1561, le roi Charles IX de France initie cette tradition : ayant reçu à cette date un brin de muguet en guise de porte-bonheur, il décida d'en offrir chaque année aux dames de la cour ; c'est au début du XXe siècle que cette tradition se confond avec celle de la Fête du Travail, supplantant alors l'églantine rouge, symbole de la Gauche.
Muguet May: On May 1st, 1561, King Charles IX of France initiated this tradition: having received a strand of lily of the valley as a lucky charm, he decided to offer every year to the ladies of the court; It was at the beginning of the 20th century that this tradition coincided with that of the Labor Day, displacing the red rose, a symbol of the Left.
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A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE
by Kristi Espinasse
Say the words "le premier mai" and two thoughts will pop into the mind of a Frenchman: la fête du travail and le muguet. The words evoke as much for me and, lately, just a little bit of irony. While the French are celebrating les réalisations des travailleurs or the achievements of workers, I am reflecting on a few failures....
Sometime last week I began thinking about the endearing French tradition of le muguet de mai--something you give somebody on May 1st. I tried to remember some of the times in which I offered (or was offered) a small bouquet of lily of the valley. I went on to think about one instance in which I planted the gift--the store-bought muguet--in hopes of giving it a second life...and this is when, unexpectedly, I came face to face with my mistake.
These memories were evoked as I walked behind our farmhouse to my jardin. This garden is also an orchard and is made up of three sections. Arriving to the top of the garden stairs (which run alongside of our mas) you reach the first plot made up of a cherry, a nectarine, and several agrume trees. (We only needed to clear back the tall reeds to plant those.)
In section two (formerly a field) Jean-Marc had four raised beds built for me. They have given me endless joy and it is a pleasure to be able to sit on the sides of the beds while harvesting celery, fraises, favas, raspberries, chickpeas and artichokes.
The final section used to be part of a pine forest. I remember, the first year we were here walking to its fragrant edge, kneeling down, and carefully planting the brin de muguet that my neighbor Annie had brought me the week before. I could just picture the little lily multiplying into a floor of convallaria majalis (I only just learned the scientific name while typing this sentence).
Today, scanning that triangular section of former forest I see a jungle made up of cardboard, old bed sheets, straw, and one dead avocado tree (the other is failing). The lumps and cardboard bumps along the former forest floor are no other that my attempts at permaculture. I had only wanted to tame the ground by adding a floor cover (the cardboard, cotton sheets--the straw that covered it would eventually break down, leaving pathways for me to navigate. I envisioned melons, pumpkins and any number of vegetable thriving along along the sides of the paths....
Today there are NO paths. The weeds are waist-high and the melons, if there ever were, were eaten by sangliers (who just last week dug up the Tahiti lime tree I bought in the hopes of offering my sure-to-be proud and impressed father a wedge for one of his favorite drinks (I can't even remember the name of which now).
I should have left the forest alone! Focused on the patches of exposed ground right outside my kitchen door! I could have kept things simple! Worked from the heart of the home outward (I would have never blazed a trail to the forest. There would have been enough to work as is!).
And it all may have begun with that lily! Who was I to think the forest could use a store-bought flower? A commercialized forest lily no less!
* * *
Today I am learning that the forest is forgiving. After kicking out the industrial lily it gave me the boot, too. And I watch with wonder as the forest floor emerges, growing up high enough to engulf all my errors. All sorts of wildflowers are returning, too. I won't need to go to the store to offer someone a flower today--une fleur sauvage will do the job on this--la fête du travail.
Dear Reader, as you celebrate your work (and as I will try to celebrate mine), remember not to add to it. Or, as a colleague told me long ago: Si ce n'est pas brisé, n'essayez pas de le réparer. If it is not broken, don't fix it! With that, I offer you a sprig of blue borage. After all, it's the season.
--
Post note: Today's story may have reminded you of Jean-Marc's Open Letter, regarding his own regrets--and how this led to the decision to sell our vineyard. Update: We are set to move to La Ciotat on July 28th--unless we do not manage to sell our farm (at this point, we are prepared to go either way, as Jean-Marc continues to recover, slowly but surely, from a very bad year).
FRENCH VOCABULARY
Increase your vocabulary with this list. More tools here.
le premier mai = First of May
la fête du travail = labor day
le muguet = lily of the valley
le jardin = garden
le mas = farmhouse
un agrume = citrus fruit
une fraise = strawberry
le brin = blade, sprig, wisp
le sanglier = wild boar
une fleur sauvage = wildflower
La ROCHE-POSAY Anthelios sunscreen - see the reviews reviews here
FRENCH FOOD ITEMS - including herbs, mustard, coffee, tisane, chocolate, cakes
FRENCH KNIT REUSABLESHOPPING BAG - made and knit in France!
PARIS METRO CUFF - Unique bracelet and great gift for those who love Paris. Click here.
THE FRENCH LOVE THESE BEACH TOWELS - quick drying, good-looking
LAGUIOLE STEAK KNIVES are for sale in many of the local French market stands.
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For more online reading: The Lost Gardens: A Story of Two Vineyards and a Sobriety
How I empathise with the difficulties of cultivating one's garden. I love gardens but our large garden overwhelmed me as I got older and suffered more hip and back pain. I cut things savagely and yes, they died. Then at last my daughter who lives with me took over and we found she had green fingers, possibly from my father but mainly because she is much gentler than me. The garden is blooming again and she leaves the wild parts wild. It rewards her by giving her comfort and joy, and is a haven for wild life too. Maybe sometimes we just need to stop what we're doing and let things take their natural course. I do so hope and pray Kristi for a good outcome to your plans to move, whether you go or stay or wait for whatever happens. "Comfort and joy" as the English Christmas carol says.....
Posted by: Margaret | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 12:49 PM
Thank you for the flowers--and all of your amazing posts over the past years!! xoxo Mary
Posted by: mary tindukasiri | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 12:51 PM
Things are really in flux and the future is uncertain...Health is premier and i hope all of your family health problems get resolved. Moving from broken dreams is difficult, but it will work out well. You have your family and your friends to walk along side. Hope you are able to sell and move one with sufficient funds. There will be a time when all of this is in the past and the future will be more certain. Is there a way to set up a fund page so that those who wish to help can do so? You have been very important to many people and I am sure they would like to help. Everyone needs help from time to time!
Posted by: CORINNE WARSAWSKY | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 01:29 PM
Here's the iconic song for le muguet de mai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuSWEWartFs
Posted by: Passante | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 02:26 PM
Ahhh, May 1, International Workers Day. I always tell people don't travel to France on May 1 because everything is closed, trains run minimal schedules, hard to get around! Every other day is perfect!.
Posted by: Norma | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 03:39 PM
Bonne fête du muguet, Kristi! I love this sweet tradition. <3
Posted by: Patricia Sands | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 03:39 PM
Margaret, your words "Leave the wild parts wild" would make a great title to today's story. Hello to your daughter, who I follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/chickwithchainsaw) and your adorable grandson (I am such a fan!).
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 03:52 PM
Thank you, Mary! xoxo
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 03:53 PM
Ah well, we all learn more by our mistakes than our success. It's all part of growing and evolving .... can't tell you the projects I have taken on and afterwards thought - Why did I do that? It seemed a brilliant idea at the time, and I wanted to do it, but things change and things do t always turn out the way we hope.
As the song goes, ' Regrets? I have a few, but then again, too few to mention! '
An exciting new chapter ahead in your new home ..... it looks delightful. I am tempted to come and explore, such a beautiful area.
Jean Marc is very fortunate to have the love and support of his family during his difficult time ...... and I am sure he appreciates it.
Sending love and positive thoughts. Hope the vineyard sale goes through smoothly.
Posted by: Lynda House | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 03:55 PM
Corinne, Thank you for your thoughtful note. We are doing good and, if we sell, will be in good shape. We both continue our day jobs (this blog is my full-time job), and Jean-Marc takes care of the vineyard and works in Marseilles every other week. For those readers who enjoy this word journal and want to support my work, I have put up a donation link in the right-hand column. Thanks very much for your interest.
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 04:00 PM
Jean-Marc, your wine continues to make us smile. I hope your smiles are many in the next yeara. A new life is always an adventure with great surprises, and so many of them are lovely when you are young and beautiful and kind and loving, as you two are.
Posted by: Suzanne Dunaway | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 04:18 PM
I've had the pleasure of touring those raised beds. You focus too much on the failed forest redo and not enough on those raised beds that are lovely in your photo.
Happy to see The Bonne Femme cookbook in your list of books. I highly recommend it to my fellow devotés of your blog.
Posted by: gary | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 04:25 PM
Kristin,
We love the thought of taming the wild, and only sometimes does it work. Nature is persistent and has her own will. Nature includes not own the vegetation but also the wild animals who just love the luscious salads which we plant for them. You have your sanglier and I have my deer, rabbits, moles, voles and chipmunks. But we keep planting with hopes of a beautiful, fruitful garden. Wildflowers are beautiful so let nature take back a bit of her land.
I hope that all is going well with the new house? is it a sure thing or are you still looking? Spring is here and so is warmer weather, therefore, smiles should be on our faces. It takes less muscles to smile than to frown.
Kathleen
Posted by: Kathleen | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 07:46 PM
I thought your house had sold and that you had bought a new one. Does this mean you have bought a new house, but the old one has not yet sold?
Sheila
Posted by: Sheila | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 09:09 PM
I'm watching on TV now, as I read this, a May Day march in Sacramento, the main theme seeming to be in support of immigration reform. I'm also hearing there is a kerfluffle in Paris.
Le Muguet struck me immediately. It's name of the Hotel I often stay in in Paris. I have reservations in September. My daughter and I are signed up for a painting class with Tessa somewhere south (she's a bit vague)and hope we'll be able to visit you, wherever you live by then.
I also wondered about agrume trees. I discover I like a Schwepps Agrume soda and was also told it is citrus. Is it something of its own or a generic term to citrus trees?
Best wishes to you and Jean-Marc
Posted by: Lee Isbell | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 09:11 PM
Hi, Sheila,
We signed the promise to sell (our home and vineyard) last December. But many conditions must be met before the transaction goes through. Meantime, we signed a promise to buy a house in La Ciotat--contingent on whether or not our place sells. We remain in limbo, waiting for the bureaucracy--and timing--to decide our fate!
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 09:14 PM
Lee, I hope to see you again, too-gand your daughter. Chances are we will be here (in France) . Re agrumes, to me it means citrus. Does anyone reading have any other examples? Is it a generic term?
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 09:19 PM
At my community garden we have a rule of thumb for new gardeners: don't dig up anything that already exists for one year. Follow what happens for the first four seasons. Then you can make changes. This both respects what has been doing well long before we show up and let's us see how to save ourselves some unnecessary battles. I think of the olive trees at your house, there for hundreds of years, then moved or lost. And now you all are leaving. What a shame for them, and what a huge effort and expense for you. There must be an easier way in the future!
Posted by: Leslie NYC | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 09:22 PM
Hi Kristi,
Thanks for this lovely post and the pretty photos! I just graduated from the Master Gardener Course but I don't feel like a Master Gardener. The class just showed me how much I don't know and still need to learn about gardening! :-)
Happy May!
Posted by: Eileen deCamp | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 10:25 PM
Bonjour
Well, unlike with most trees or bushes, le système is not so facile avec les agrumes: That is, unlike banane > bananier, cerise > cerisier, pomme > pommier, there is not really in popular use un agrumier for any old citrus fruit tree (there is un citronnier and there is un limonier, un oranger...)...
Agrume:
Résultats de recherche d'images pour « agrumier »
Agrume:
Les agrumes sont les fruits, et par extension les plantes, des genres Citrus, Fortunella, et Poncirus de la famille des Rutaceae, sous famille des Aurantioideae, tribu des Citreae, sous-tribu Citrinae.
Posted by: katherine watson | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 10:47 PM
Our dear Kristi,
Every post-and picture--you share with us is wonderful! You never fail to capture our imaginations with words that also wrap themselves around our hearts.
Today's,though,really impresses me with your gift of honesty,with speaking your feelings of (MANY) successes and yet,acknowledging that life is not always a bowl of cherries.(far from it!)You have made us feel comforted that we are not alone with stuff to worry about, and it's okay because we are walking by faith and not by sight. All is well.
What a gift,dear Kristi.
THANK YOU!
Love
Natalia XO
Posted by: Natalia | Monday, May 01, 2017 at 11:45 PM
Dear Kristi, you offer excellent advice about focusing on what needs to be done close to home, and keeping things simple. Thank you. Like you, I often undertake huge challenges only to learn later than I could have simplified matters without feeling guilty for cutting corners. All flowers are beautiful, and although lily of the valley is one of my favourites, I would be pleased to receive any flower as a gift. I'm very happy for you and Jean-Marc and your impending move to La Ciotat. It's long-awaited and well deserved. We also will be moving at that time into our new home in NZ, and I hope to start my garden there shortly after. I'm sending my kindest regards to you and Jean-Marc.
Posted by: Katia | Tuesday, May 02, 2017 at 01:13 AM
Is the 1er mai also considered la Fête de la Mère? In 1991 I happened to be visiting Chartres (from America) with my family on that date. An older man came up to me, offering a sprig of muguet des bois. "Pour vous, Madame. Aujourd'hui c'est la Fête de la Mère." I was utterly charmed!
Posted by: Chris | Tuesday, May 02, 2017 at 01:21 AM
Dear Kristi,
May Day was one of my favorite days as a teenager in France. I remember buying a bouquet from an elderly gentleman on a street corner to give to my sweetheart...but he does not remember! When we were married I wanted to carry muguet in my bouquet but they were no longer in season in New York.
I tried planting them in our woodland garden but they have not survived.
This garden is between our lush green lawn (until August!) and the wild woods and is difficult to maintain. Same struggles you have described!
Perhaps you and Jean-Marc can revel in what you have created and learned at your mas and now move on. To everything there is a season. Sometimes the hard part is figuring out the timing. I guess life will play into that. Whatever happens, I have faith in the strength of spirit in you both!
Posted by: Chris Allin | Tuesday, May 02, 2017 at 03:42 AM
Thank you for your beautiful, thoughtful and very aware look at nature. I did the same when living in a country town. There are still some domestic flowers blooming among the gum trees! But now I have a small courtyard garden, small enough for me to work happily, grown flowers and vegetables and enjoy - rather than being exhausted with the battle! I understand how massive your move will be, but it will pass. I know you will enjoy La Ciotat and remember your Mas with love.
Posted by: Jan Leishman | Tuesday, May 02, 2017 at 04:13 AM
Don't move.
Posted by: ellen | Tuesday, May 02, 2017 at 04:50 AM
Kristi, my daughter and I were lucky enough to travel to Aix en Provence after a few days of business in Luxembourg. After a few days in Aix, we initiated a private tour to see Marseille, Cassis, La Ciotat, La Flagget, and did a wine tasting in Bandol. What wonderful sights. One of my favorites was the high cliffs overlooking Cassis and the sea! I did bring home a bottle of Rose from the wine tasting. I remembered a recent story you wrote about tough economic times in La Ciotat and the human/pet hair salon. I admit to trying to see it as we rode through! Thank you so much for the wonderful stories and showing us all a bit of your world!
Posted by: Barry | Friday, May 05, 2017 at 03:08 AM