White Asparagus and a Graduation
The small Dutch city of Wageningen was crackling with excitement recently, or so it seemed from my perspective amongst a group of master’s students that included my daughter Fiona, about to participate in their graduation ceremony. Because the pandemic had robbed them of their bachelor’s ceremony, the event took on epic proportions. The University […]
Voting in Europe
Yesterday was voting day for European elections. We had 38 official parties to choose from, and we all know who won. Pretty much throughout Europe. The wind is blowing to the right. My voting station is the nearest public high school, a five-minute walk from where I live, and I headed there mid-afternoon on Sunday. […]
More Voters, More Chances
This morning on the radio (France Culture, a French national treasure), I listened to two women debate the various economic proposals from parties running in the hastily called French elections. I’m no economist but I understand the basics, and it is horrifying to learn how weak so many of the proposals are. And unrealistic. I […]
Open Book Comes to Normandy
I love living in France, holding French citizenship, and enjoying everything that a life in France comprises. I’ve written much about this of course, most of it involving the procuring and preparation of food and those behind this valiant and noble effort. I will mention that this love affair is eternal, despite the current roller […]
Victor Hugo and the Pride of the Norman Farmer
God bless Victor Hugo. I cannot count how many times this author, poet, and statesman has brought me back from the abyss with his thoughts and images. We’re plunged into political chaos here right now, so I turned to M. Hugo and he’s come through again: “However strange the present moment may seem, however […]
Zizanie in Paris
Go to the Recipe Greetings and many apologies for my absence the last couple of weeks. I’m blaming it on the Olympic Games which will start this coming Friday. Why not, I figure, everyone else is blaming everything on them. The truth is that Paris is in a state of “zizanie” or chaos, and […]
The JO Opening Ceremony
I almost regretted driving out of Paris at 5 a.m. the morning of the Opening Ceremony for the 2024 Olympics, to begin a trip planned a long while ago. Reason had told me not to stay in the city, but I was like the kid looking backwards as we left, catching my last glimpses of […]
A Final Olympic Episode
I worry a bit that news of Paris 2024 is on overkill, yet it’s just all so much fun and exciting that I have a final episode for you, from my personal Paris 2024. I’m not much of a sports fan, which is the understatement of the century, but when I was invited to the […]
The Rhythm of Life in France
It didn’t take me long once I’d moved permanently to France to figure out the French schedule of life. It helped having a little boy in school, because thanks to him, I learned that every six weeks he would have two weeks off school. I remember a sense of terror at learning this, however, for […]
Nutmeg, More Precious Than Gold
In the 14th century, a pound of nutmeg was purportedly worth three sheep and a cow; in the 17th century, the little, fragrant nut was valued higher than gold.
