August 1, 2007
-
The humble worker rewarded .
L’ humble travailleur récompensé.
The humble worker rewarded .
English version below the picture
Reprenant son souffle ,
l’ humble travailleur de la terre
regarde sa récompense
étalée à ses pieds :
Une belle récolte de pommes de terre !
Dur travail pour avoir cela !
Ne vous semble – t -il pas un peu trop fier de cela ?
Rêve - il du son victorieux du cor ?
Non il n’ est pas vraiment fier ,
Il est heureux
Heureux comme un roi ,
dans une sorte de bonheur ineffable .
mais éphémère ,
ll aura à recommencer ,
année après année .
Leçon de vie !
I take my breath . Je reprends mon souffle .July 27, 2007 Photo Janine Fauquet
Taking his breath
the humble worker of the land
looks at his reward
lying at his feet :
A beautiful crop of potatoes !
Hard work to get this !
Doesn’ t he look a wee bit too proud of this ?
Is he dreaming of the victorious sound of the horn ?
No , he is not really proud ,
he is happy ,
happy like a King
in a inexpressible happiness
but for a short time long.
He will have to begin again ,
year after year ..
Lesson of life !
Comments (113)
My mom had that look when she harvested her vegetables. Her lesson kept repeating every year. After they were out of the ground either on the table, or canned or froze within a few days. Her gifts to us kept giving throughout the year.
Oh I remember doing this very thing...the digging up of the potatoes. Yes, hard work, but very worth it when sitting at the table. Such a wonderful bounty!!
This is wonderful. Great to see the fruits of your hard work...
You look like the proud papa or the proud teacher after a successful student graduates. Growing, nurturing, rejoicing are all involved with parenting, teaching, and gardening. You deserve to be proud of such a nice harvest. Wonderful potatoes...they are worth all the trouble.
Looks like you will be eating lots of vegetables for a while. Awesome.
I sat and read the first part before you translated it. I do love reading
your site it is making me remember my lessons. My sister-in-law teaches french
and every so often gets me going on getting caught up on the old ways.
I do speak bits and pieces of over seven.
How is your daughter-in-law??? Hope she is doing well..........
J'aime la musique, monsieur.
J'aime Handel. C'est mon favorit.
Beaucoup pommes de terre. Magnifique!!!
What a beautiful crop of potatoes! Yes, it is hard work, but isn't it wonderful to know you will be eating these for a long time to come. And all that hard work keeps you young, you know!! Good job, Michel! From the looks of the garden behind you, you will still have a lot of work ahead of you! And even more rewards.
I laughed so hard when this came up. I LOVE the music choice for this. Makes me want to be queen of a potato patch of my very own! : ) I really have wanted to grow potatoes; are they a lot of work? My in-laws used to grow them, and they are SO good, fresh from the garden, just like all other produce is better that way. What will you do with this magnificent yield?
What a bounty the Lord has given you!!! We did have some potatoes come...but not nearly the crop as we had last year. The rains have been so slow in coming...it really makes one ponder about all of the hardships people suffered in days gone by...no market to run to when their crops failed. What a life of faith they lived. Living on a small farm has really made me think and find gratitude for the multitude of blessings the Lord has given me and my family.
I am still praying for Janine...I know the loss of a parent is a hard one to overcome. Tell her I thinking of her. How is Mariana? She is also in my thoughts this day.
Well, off and running. We have started our homeschooling again...the kids are sooo excited.
Lots of love,
Karen
The garden looks wonderful and so does the gardener. You have done wonders with the weather we have had this summer.
how delightful!
i have yet to dig my potatoes!! yours are gorgeous!! many blessings, melinda
a man of the earth with powerful mind and hands. and good taste in food, wine, and music! bravo!
Michel! Look at you!! Only you could look so dapper in garden boots! You certainly make us all feel as if we can do the same with our gardens and give us much hope and encouragement to keep on trying! Looking at the garden that continues behind you in the picture above, it seems you have quite the green thumb and have had much success in other things as well. It is so much fun, gardening that is! I can remember us looking at pictures of you picking out seeds, the planning/dreaming of things to come, the planting and the watching, waiting and hoping to what we see now as a beautiful harvest! Michel...the king of his garden! You have very well!!!
You know...the picture above along with your poem would make a great Christmas Card!!!
We did not plant as many potatoes as you have but we had quite a few potatoes come up and are being stored away for later along with our carrots and onions. How do you store your potatoes for later use? Blaine had gotten some sawdust to keep ours but was curious as to what you have found to work.
We planted a new bean, or new to us anyway, called asparagus bean. The bean is a foot long! They were okay but I did not like the texture or taste as much as the common string beans. I don't think we will be planting them again for next year. Our tomatoes are coming in like en explosion of red color popping up all over. We planted several varities this time around. The cherry tomatoes never quite make it back to the table and when they do...they are gobbled up by the end of the day! We have eaten them like candy! The carrots turned out so sweet and I am looking forward to using some of them in my soups and stocks for later! We are getting ready to start the winter vegetables now and also some more lettuce. We saved the seeds from some of the lettuce plants that we really liked...needless to say....we have really enjoyed gardening and Blaine plans on extending the garden out! :O)
Love to you all!
xoxo Cat
Your face has the look of that feeling of accomplishment, as it should. Gardening is hard work but rewarding to all who partake of the bounty.
Congrats on such a spendid crop of HUGE potatoes. I imagine they will taste wonderful unlike the ones we buy in the shops. The ground they have been grown in will be particularly productive next year too ( I do know a little about crop rotation
) I guess the wet weather has been good for potatoes - and ducks !!!!
Marie
This reminds me of a small poem that my own beautiful Grandmom had as a little plaque beside her garden...
In the Garden
A kiss of the sun for pardon
a song of the birds for mirth
One is nearer God's heart in a Garden
than anywhere else on earth.
Hooray! Michel is back!
Thanks for sharing the music and the pictures. I hope you and your family are having a beautiful summer!
Quelles belles pommes de terre! I probably said that wrong, but the sentiment is the same. You don't look "too proud" at all. This photograph makes me so happy. Peace!
Le travail dans le jardin est tres dur, mais bon pour la sante (cet ordinateur americain n'a pas d'accents). J'aime bien le photo. Il est tres satisfaisant de travailler comme ca, mais je suis normalement trop crasseux. J'espere que les temperatures en France ne sont pas trop elevees. Dans le Caroline du Nord et meme en New York il est tres chaud et tres humide....
Hi Michel: Very nice potatoes. Will be even better when cooked
You are an out door garden man and it shows on your face. It is hard work but well worth it.
Shirley
I love the happy expression on your face! What a harvest. Reminds me so much of my grandfather!
<3,
Aubrey
Such beautiful potatoes. They will taste even better knowing that YOU grew them in your garden. God bless you and Janine and your family.
I how I long to eat those potatoes, boiled with olive oil, parsely, fresh cracked pepper and sea salt! Yummm....we can eat in the garden
You look so proud, the "papa" of all the newborn tots! I can see the light changing already there, it is not the brilliant summer sun, it is a bit darker, as we head towards fall...that always happens in August, even here in Texas!
Ahh, to answer your question, always a bridesmaid, never a bride! Alas, I have never been married, or found "the one"...perhaps not in this lifetime. Still, I am blessed, Michel, for you are my friend. Luv you, Lowie
I'm so jealous of your garden. Potatoes are so inexpensive here, it is not worth it to grow our own. I need more room to grow peas and beans next year. Get out the tiller RH.
Just how are you(or Janine) fixing those wonderfully healthy-looking potatoes? I have a recipe for "Pommes de terre Anna" It's my husband favorite "pomme de terre" recipe...I think it would taste much better even with wonderful potatoes from your garden.
That's a lot of potatoes. How do you store them...or, do you have the family and friends over for a meal?
Love,
votre amie,
Francoise.
I love this! Good job there! And what beautiful greenery in the back.
Your potatoes are beautiful.
I am sorry that I cannot comment on your garden or potatoes, as the picture will not load. I think this is the 4th time that I have been here trying to see the picture, but it just will not work.
My isp is so frustrating sometimes. I have been a couple of hours just leaving about 5 comments, unreal.
Anyway I am sure the potatoes are beautiful. I know how wonderful they taste when you grow them yourself. It is a lot of work and you have every right to be happy.
The only thing that I have gotten out of my garden so far is a lot of zucchini. I love them. There are so ways to fix them, but I have way too many to keep up with. I am just waiting for all the tomatoes to ripen, that is my favorite.
Much love
and happy eating.
Love{v] Edie Rose
<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on">
<TBODY>
<TR height="100%" width="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on">
<TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">
You certainly deserve to be happy about your good harvest of potatoes. Enjoy eating them!
As ever, Carol Suzanne
<TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1">
<TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on">
That is the most wonderful photo, the music, the poem, makes me so proud to know you and read you here. You are a dear and important xanga-friend and neighbor, Michel!
Cassi
Ah, Michel, you are a man after my own heart. Mother Nature must love you as well!
Ahhh! It looks like your time has been well spent! Such a good crop of potatoes. I did not plant many, but they won't be ready for another month at least. You look very well, my friend.
Please give my regards to Janine. I hope she is doing well and the family is recovering - though the memories linger.
I was able to eat my broccoli today! That made me happy. I will have to go out and harvest the rest before it gets too overgrown. I have the onions hanging up and the cucumbers are in the refrigerator. These are God's blessings and I enjoy them - as I know you do as well. Have a wonderful day! - Rachel
What a beautiful bunch of potatoes. Gardening is the most real of all endeavors. I wish I could, in the worst way. Nothing can cure a headache faster than heading out to work in your garden. Lovely.
Boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato cakes, potato salad, baked potatoes, stuffed potatoes....You will not starve. That is a beautiful crop of potatoes!
I miss our garden this year. So far I have only gatheres 2 cucumbers!
welcome back Michel...I missed you!!!!
Your garden looks good enough to eat and you look so proud!
Have a great week and God bless you and Janine(((((HUGS)))))
ahh, j'aime beaucoup les pommes de terre!
Mon père a fait une blague sur le mot français "pomme de terre." Si on le traduit directement (pas correctement) à l'anglais, on arrive à "ground apple" ou "earth apple." Il a donc appellé les pommes "tree potatoes."
Amité à vous tous, et bon courage avec le potager!
What a mouth watering crop of potatoes Michel, well worth the labor I would say. There are so many things one can make from potatoes. Ummm Yummm
Wow, that's a lot of potatoes.
what a great way to spend time. I only wish I could have as good a crop as you. One day....Just one day I will have that wish come true.
Happy Harvesting all your crops. I just love the pics of you and your family and your gardens.
Fabuleux 'patats'. Tres bon peom. Vous etes doue
How satisfying to grow your own fruit and vegetables, Michel.
These potatoes look wonderful and how tasty they will be!! I love this picture of you resting. It would be hard work planting and picking your crop, but so worth while! 
Wow, that is a lot of potatoes. You did a great job with growing these. I have never grown potatoes. This year I am growing, tomatoes, peppers, dill and some parsley, for my very spoiled pet bunny.
Michel, the garden is granting you great rewards!!! You have some huge potatoes there! Loved the post oh "Garden King"
We've been eating a lot of salads and zucchini. We are waiting for the Romano pole beans to come in. Runners are producing. My family hasn't allowed me to process the beets and we are having them at dinners. Broccoli sprouts are abundant.
Happy harvesting.
Michel, the garden is granting you great rewards!!! You have some huge potatoes there! Loved the post oh "Garden King"
We've been eating a lot of salads and zucchini. We are waiting for the Romano pole beans to come in. Runners are producing. My family hasn't allowed me to process the beets and we are having them at dinners. Broccoli sprouts are abundant.
Happy harvesting.
A fine picture of a gentleman farmer ----but you should see my crop of weeds ---unsurpassed Ron
lovely pototes, full of flavour straight from the soil.
Thank you so much for the birthday wishes. It is a beautiful and good summer, though a bit warm from where I stand today. Bouillabaisse is one of my favorite dishes! Anything with fish or seafood makes me smile and drool a little bit. Peace!
WOW! Quelle fabuleuse recolte! Rien ne vaut les patates du jardin! Elles sont bien meilleures que celles du commerce.
Bon travail, Michel!
Ici, dans le nord du Maine ils cultivent beaucoup les pommes de terre. Elles sont moins celebres que celles d'Idaho, mais elle goutent bon aussi!
En ete, dans les festivals de ferme (farm markets) du Maine, il y a des batailles dans la puree de pomme de terre! Specialement, les enfatns adorent ca... On s'amuse comme on peu, huh? LOL
Personnellement, je prefere la "blueberry pie contest" (concours de la meilleure tarte a la myrtille)
Bonne journee. Amities,
Isabelle
oh how wonderful!!! i
potatoes!!! how wonderful to benefit from your hard work!! bravo!!! excellent!!!
ryc, i worried that you couldn't read my blog when i chose that text...i changed it so it's easier to read now!
angela
I'd certainly be proud of those! I'd share some with you too, Michel!
It was a wonderful comment, Michel! I enjoyed it very much! Thank you. I am glad I did not interrupt your writings for Janine. It is just nice to know that you are only a step away. It makes me feel warm and cozy to know that my friends are "right there".
I have to tell you, again, how much I like this music. I have not learned how to get music on my site. I think you are one step ahead of me in this! - Rachel
Hello again! You asked a question of me, I am not sure I understand what you mean. You wrote: I read your name " Paloma - Dove " . Did this name always exist under this form ?
Are you asking if Dove is the meaning of the word Paloma? If so, as I understand, Paloma means either "bird" or "dove" in Spanish. At least this is what my godmother, who is a woman of Yaqui Indian and Spanish heritage told me when she gave me this name. She actually gave me the name Palomita, or Little Dove... but that was when I was much younger and littler!
So this is truly a name I have been given. I have another from Lakota (Sioux) Native American, but that is not one I can share except in ceremony.
Blessings to you and yours ~ Paloma
A lot of people don't know how the potatoes grow. They are humble too, they are hidden in the darkness of the underground.
The humble worker doesn't look to humble.Why should he? he did a great job and he is proud of it.
Bien à toi
Carlo
quelle belle phrase "l’ humble travailleur de la terre"...
The harvest is of course the repayment for all the hard work of the year, but then there is no rest if you want the payment next year as well, the ever turning cycle of life never rests, and the man in the photo deserves to look very proud
I could go for a loaded baked potato right about now.
That certainly is a wonderful crop of potatoes you've harvested, Michel!
It is nice to chat with you again, my friend! Yes, I must apologize for my lengthy absence in Xanga - - I just haven't been in much of a mood to visit sites or to update my own, but I will do so again soon. I just need to inspire myself! And I thank you for remembering me!
Hope to talk to you again soon! Have a great evening!
I would love some potatoes, but they'd be too expensive to ship.
You are very observant, I see
I had indeed added the extra word at the top (dove) because so many others had asked me what Paloma meant! 
Michel! The potatos look beautiful! They are making me hungry. lol
You are an artist too... It takes great time and patience and hard work to grow such great vegitables!
Be safe.
Ang
Regarding your comment: Yes, a "house church" is a group of friends who get together to pray and talk about what God is doing in our lives. There are about 25 people in our house church. We meet at our house twice each month and share a meal together, then we talk and pray. I am so grateful for our house church. We have become a very close-knit group of brothers and sisters.
If you're ever in America, you're welcome to join us! You are such a wonderful brother in Christ.
Superbe ! Félicitations ! On mange avec plus de plaisir et d'appétit les aliments pour lesquels on a donné sa sueur, je comprends votre fierté, elle n'est pas exagérée et digne d'un poème bien tourné comme vous savez en faire (pour mon plaisir). De plus les pommes de terre sont magnifiques et vous avez du beau temps, vous !
Quel joli jardin! Et un tel beau jardinier! Les pommes de terre; comment-vous aller faire avec elles?
uh oh that was terrible. Je suis trés fatiguée. Qu'est-ce que vous aller faire avec elles?
I just noticed something...Are those hollyhocks in the background? I love hollyhocks but they don't grow in Florida.
hello!! I've been away from xanga for a long time too. I went to France for about two weeks ^^ though I didn't go to your province, but I went to lots of places like Tours, Rennes, Nimes, Besancon etc
Good to see that you are doing well =)
Monsieur Michel, Le roi des pommes de terre!
Vive le roi de la patate alors
Bravos Michel ! Mille fois bravos !
Peu d'entre nous ont tes talents de jardinier !
Et que de bons gratins en perspectives
Amitiés
Vive le roi de la patate alors
Bravos Michel ! Mille fois bravos !
Peu d'entre nous ont tes talents de jardinier !
Et que de bons gratins en perspectives
Amitiés
Michel, thank you for the update about Marina that I read in your comment to Rachel. I had been wondering how she was doing, and may have missed reports on your page.
Your garden is certainly bountiful! And I'm sure the vegetables taste much better than store bought ones. Rufus is doing well, though getting finicky about what he eats. he's silly!
i can totally see that look. i am cooking pav bhaji in my kitchen for the first time ...... i am going to feel unecessarily ecstatic about a meal that is the common fare in a part of india. thank you for stopping by and commenting.
What a beautiful harvest of potatoes! Your hard work definitely paid off! Enjoy
You look so proud of your garden!
I LOVE POTATOES!!!!!
Hello Michel! You are very brave to work so hard in the garden. I have so much to do in my garden and it is too hot!
I hope you and Janine are well and comfortable and happy
I see by this photo that you have a very pleased face! I love it!
Ah Michel! Labor well & truly rewarded. Of course you should look proud & happy!
Hi Michel, I just recently managed to catch up with your Xanga posts. I'm osrry to hear about the demise of your father-in-law. Allow me to offer my "belated" condolences. But I see life goes on for you in the entries after that, especially this one. Glad you are enjoying the labour of your hands.
Thanks for your comments on my site. I'm doing fine, with the usual ups and downs of life. I post more actively on Multiply these days. So if you want, you can check out my blog over there.
Look at all those spuds! I'm impressed, takes a lot of hard work, especially with that many potatoes.
What a crop!!!! A blessing like that is cause to be happy!!!
We have a good crop of pototoes alos here is a pic of our red ones...http://photo.xanga.com/seedsower/4378a139269207/photo.html
I love seeing your garden!
Amazing!
I dry my own herbs that I grow. Then I grind them and put them into Capsules. My daughter grows a lot too and mails them to me. I order some online. I do not pick them in the forest. I love doing this. Judi
Oh wonderful potato crop glad it stopped raining so you could harvest them. Judi
You should be proud - what a crop! I know you and your family will enjoy them ! Have a nice weekend, Michel!
Love, Aimee
This is a picture of pure joy. Look at all those potatoes! What are you going to do with so many beautiful potatoes?
Thank you for your kind words. I am currently taking a break from writing in my blog; when I feel a little better, I will restart.
You should be very proud, as I am sure that was a lot of hard work. Bravo Michel! Dad's garden was wonderful this year though we are on the dry side here in Nashville. Your question about the wildlife here. I live on the edge of a very large lake so we have lots of deer and wildlife. There is a three hundred acre camp for kids right across from my subdivision which had land set aside by the Clintons and Al Gore for something so wonderful (instead of more houses and condos) The deer are dangerous at dusk and early morning running out in front of cars. I have had a few near miss experiences myself. My girlfriend and I always stop and help the turtles cross the road and that groundhog experience was real. It was the first time we had met and it was so cute. I live about ten miles out of the downtown Nashville area. At about 25 miles in most directions you are in the country. We are growing fast here. Forbes magazine put Nashville as the 10th best place to live in the USA. But this summer heat is just unbearable. Time to go to Alaska ha.
Love and glad to see you back again.
Brenda
dear sir, you have a garden to be proud of! I've been told never to waste space planting anything which can be purchased cheaply... but after seeing how successful you have been, and knowing that anything homegrown tastes best, cost will never again be an issue. Can one plant potatoes in a container garden, I wonder...?
enjoy!
Very good to grow potatoes, the prices are going up very much the last time. They are thinking to make fuel from potatoes too. What will we eat them?
I grow, dry and cap herbs for a lot of diseases or preventions. Last week the combination I was making was for digestion and stomach problems. It contained artichoke leaf, ginger root and liquorice root. Herbs take longer to heal than antibotics but they are more natural to the body. I loved the picture of the old plow. My Dad had horses and a plow like that. He worked all day in the fields with them. He also had a tractor but would use both. Judi
I liked the Gardner quote as well. Sometimes we might see something as a problem, where it is actually an opportunity for us! After 2 days, I will be in Boston! I love to travel, but usually don't have the funds.
{v{ Laurie
Thank you Michel!!
Laurie
Ah Michel that brings back some memories of working the potato fields in Caribou Maine while husband was stationed there. We wanted our children to experience working in a large field and of course earning some spending money wasn't bad. We made it up to the last day when the ground was frozen and we just couldn't face another day of sore backs and cold.
Our son was so young, he spent a good deal of time chasing down the field mice. lol
I almost missed the beautiful mountain in the previous post. Xanga isn't notifying me of your posts. Or anyone else's for that matter.
I have been resting all weekend must get out and water the garden now. It rained a bit yesterday but still way too dry. Judi
Well done! That is very hard work.
Isn't that the way you water and it rains. But the ground is so dry here that even after you run a lot of water it is still really dry when you dig a little. Judi
I don't know what is more delightful, you or the poetry. I miss my garden. You look so happy there.
Hello Michel!! what a fine crop of potatoes you have!! i think that you'll have enough to last an entire year or more!!! your garden looks magnificent! it has been far too wet here for many things to grow, but at least it has been good for blueberries! what a shame that i do not have any blueberry bushes!
best wishes to you my friend! i hope you are well!
What a wonderful crop!! Ahh! Such "beauty" in the potato and it's so good to eat, too. I agree, Michel, even in the blade of grass, such beauty is realized...if only we took the time to understand how truly beautiful it is. That is attitude of gratitude. Bless you and yours. ~ GraceAnn
beautiful... words & photo
A fine picture of a man doing what God intended for us all to do--and reaping the reward. I am interested how you will keep the potatoes. Grandma used to put them in boxes of sand, but when I tried to do that, they withered up to nothing. Some people keep them covered in straw. I put them in a bin where they can stay dry. They don't last very long when they look this good!
Good work, Michel!
Joy
haha bravo!
Vous habitez ou exactement?
ah! look at you!:)
Non, démuni de I allé en Europe encore. J'ai eu un changement des plans. J'irai en Europe à la fin de cette année.
I know that you enjoy your garden and it always looks marvelous! I would love to have some of those potatoes! Anything fresh from the garden is so good!
Ceux-là sont des pommes de terre dignes de fierté
what a harvest! you are a very good gardener, michel - bravo
Oh my gosh!! Look at all those potatoes! Our (really, my roommate's, although I am tending to it now) garden is wilting under the current heat wave!
Great Harvets Michel!. . how are you? we haven't said hello in a long time.
ren
Lovely crop of potatoes. I wish I had your enthusiasm for gardening but alas I am far too lazy. Rely on my Sin in Law who like you is an enthusiast.
Please excuse the typo in my last entry as it should read Son in law and not sin in law.
wow! that is amazing! I am going to try potatoes for the first time this year - would love to have a crop like that.
I was just coming by to see how your garden was growing. What a wonderful crop of potatoes.
I know you will enjoy those after all the work you have put into them.
Blessings to you and the family,
Melody
Hello Michel!
of course i didn't forget about you..i have just been busy and didn't even have time to read xanga.
but you got some nice pictures up there! I see that you have some beautiful grandchildren!!
love,
anny
Comments are closed.