Planting a Touch of Provence in the American South
- Rebecca Drew
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
As discussed last month, there were no new resolutions set for the previous New Year. The entire year was based on kismet, and that spirit extends into this upcoming year. Meanwhile, it is fun to have goals, so rather than leaving everything to chance, this year will have a theme: Planting a touch of Provence in the American South.
What does this mean? Well, some decisions will be made on the basis of bringing aspects of Provence's culture to life here in the southern United States. Deciding on a particular rose to plant? Choose one originally created in Provence. Choosing grapevines to plant? Choose a variety well-known in Provence. Baking pastries for the holidays? Find out what they bake in Provence. You get the picture.
This idea arose while reading Les Lettres d'Éstienne Pasquier. Also spelled Étienne Pasquier, he was an attorney and author in Paris during the 16th and 17th centuries. Mostly known for writing one of the first modern histories of France based on primary sources, Les Recherches de la France, he was appointed as "Conseiller et Advocat General du Roy á Paris" by King Henry III. Some of us with French-Canadian ancestry count him as an ancestor, thanks to his descendent making the journey to Québec during its early years as a French-speaking nation. Reading some of his works can make one feel as though he is reaching out to future generations, giving sage advice along the way. While I don't think he is actively doing that "from above" or anything like that, it is reassuring that he left a body of work for all of us to read.
If Monsieur Pasquier lived in northern France (mainly Paris and a short stint in Troyes), then what does that have to do with Provence located in southern France? Well, one of his passages in Les Lettres d'Éstienne Pasquier stated that perhaps our goal should be to mimic heaven here on earth. Believe me, he states it much more eloquently in old French, but the meaning was clear. While working on spiritual matters and behavior is key to bringing heaven to earth, we can look to the physical environment, too. I thought, "How does nature mimic heaven?" People say that Provence is like heaven, so that seems to be a good place to start! However, if we can't go to Provence, then we will have to plant a bit of it elsewhere. Luckily, the American South is full of heavenly forms of nature, so it is a matter of simply enhancing it with touches of Provence.
As a side note, I have to admit, the picture (see above) was generated by Wix AI. Is it okay to keep using AI like this? While I never plan to write in this journal with AI, it feels a little disingenuous to use AI photos, like the ones generated in the previous six articles. This is the seventh AI image, so maybe this is a good time to stop. What can I say? I got carried away by how seamlessly Wix AI took mere suggestions and generated images beyond my imagination. Thanks, Wix!
Meanwhile, I wish you a very Happy New Year, and I hope you can cultivate "La douceur de vivre" throughout the year!
