Sunflowers in Creuse

Jason and Jeanine

Potatoes in the Cave

Jeanine is an incredible lady- She’s 74 and has lived in Le Vignaud her entire life. When she asked me to help her dig her potatoes, I was more than happy to help. She is always giving me something, whether it’s fresh eggs from the chickens, or a nice warm meal in the evening on my way back from the garden and I’m always looking for an opportunity to reciprocate the generosity. She had about 200 or so ‘pieds’ of potatoes- some fifteen or so rows about three meters long each- all ready to be dug. She also has bad knees. The fact that she even planted them on her own is already amazing. Then, she surprised me once again when she held her own in the digging and dug row after row with no complaint.

This is yet another occasion I am proud to count myself among the ranks of these tough country people. The amount of potatoes we dug from the ground that day was astounding… But the fact that those potatoes will literally help Jeanine get through the Creusois winter is ever more amazing. The mindset is to use every part of the land to it’s best advantage when possible. During the summer, one grows and collects all he can so that in the winter he still needs little else.

Jeneane and Alexi in the Garden

Alexi Collecting the Potatoes

It may seem like such a simple act, but digging potatoes in the middle of France on one hot summer afternoon will long be counted among one of the very special things that this entire experience has brought to me. It is often the simplest of things that remind my why I am here, and what value there is in helping others whenever possible. It is for my own benefit that I help. It is satisfying in so many ways… Physical labor, time to think, working with friends, helping others, discovering culture, opening new doors.

Often I am conflicted with needing a purpose in life: a raison d’etre. But here, the life is simple. There’s a feeling that I get working in the fields or helping someone in even a very small way: It’s a feeling that there is no other place I am supposed to be at that moment. That I am exactly where I am meant to be, doing exactly what I am supposed to be using this short life for. It’s a feeling I have not felt often, or for very long. But in Le Vignaud, I feel it more often than not.

Thank You, Jeanine for giving me a home, a place to be, and a reason to be there.

Wonderful Winter Harvest

Photo Gallery:

Strap yourself
To the tree with roots
You ain’t goin’ nowhere…

Gigi’s gone. She left La Creuse this afternoon bound for the sunny south and Dirty Darren and I were left at the train station in Gueret alone… It has become a strangely familiar feeling being left at that platform and wondering where to turn next. Many have come and gone before and I hope many will come and go yet. Still, parting is the bitter fruit of friendship sometimes. If we become accustomed to one’s companionship it is sure to leave a hole when it’s gone…

On to greener Minnasota grass. Bon voyage. We’ll miss you.

We took one last trip to Le Vignaud to say au revoir to Jeanine. Her grandson Damien was there, and he took over my camera for a while. Everyone had to try on my casquette at least once (I think Jeanine looks best in it) and Damien forced Gigi and I to pose and jump for him. Quite the photographer, he filled the memory card in about a half hour and we were left with a few gems.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Just for kicks (since that’s been the theme of the year so far), a short stop motion film for your enjoyment:

[See post to watch QuickTime movie] ]]> http://www.seekingfocus.com/levignaud/2009/07/you-aint-goin-nowhere/feed/ 3 http://www.seekingfocus.com/levignaud/2009/06/real-french-bread/ http://www.seekingfocus.com/levignaud/2009/06/real-french-bread/#comments Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:06:48 +0000 Julianne http://www.seekingfocus.com/levignaud/?p=78

Jeanine with her Spoils

One of my favorite experiences in France has been the boulangeries. The back wall is lined with baskets of baguettes and other breads, while the display cases are filled with everything from €,80 croissants to €16,00 tartes. My favorite snacks were plain croissants or chausson pommes, an apple filled pastry, but I would love a chance to taste anything in those bakeries.

The boulangeries are wonderful all over France, but the Le Vignaud experience was special. There is no boulangerie in the village, so the bread is delivered several times a week in a bread truck. The driver would blast his horn and park a few houses away, and after running upstairs for my wallet I would trot down the street and stand with the other villagers as we bought our bread for the day. It was a good chance to say hello to the neighbors and let them know I can say more than “Bonjour,” although there’s not much more than that. I was able to practice my numbers in French when the driver told me the total, and I tried to make small talk. But even with the language barrier, it was still an integral part of my stay in France and specifically Le Vignaud.

Every morning I bought one or two baguettes for our meals, and a croissant for however many guests Jason was entertaining that morning. I looked forward to having that connection with rural French life, and buying my bread for the day became a sort of ritual. You could live in Paris all your life, but you will only see a bread truck in the tiny villages that many townies have never heard of. What a luxury to have that delicious bread delivered to your door, fresh every day, but in Le Vignaud it is just a matter of fact!