Property
Instead of spending an afternoon slumped over the computer, we went to take a look at some of the family property in Siorac. Namely:
- the new house
- Parain's house
- the maize field
- the barn & veggie garden
- two tobacco barns
- the wee fountain (Fontaine de Roch)
- the Bois d'Isabelle (one half for Maman, the other half is mine)
- Bressailles
There was a time when owning land was a good thing. It gave value to your family name. It showed you belonged somewhere. Gave you roots as deep as time.
Now owning land makes you a nuisance. It could be built on -- why won't you sell? Don't be silly... you're not doing anything with it! You don't pick the chestnuts, you let visitors pick your mushrooms and walnuts. You haven't grafted the pear tree in years and have no plans of building on your plots!
The land doesn't belong to me. I belong to the land. I can't sell it, my mother can't sell it, my grand-father can't sell it. We can't sell what belongs to our ancestors and our descendants.
Live with it. Between your house and your neighbour's, there will be a patch of half-wild woodland. Not your new swimming pool. Not a house for American tourists. Get used to the idea.
- the new house
- Parain's house
- the maize field
- the barn & veggie garden
- two tobacco barns
- the wee fountain (Fontaine de Roch)
- the Bois d'Isabelle (one half for Maman, the other half is mine)
- Bressailles
There was a time when owning land was a good thing. It gave value to your family name. It showed you belonged somewhere. Gave you roots as deep as time.
Now owning land makes you a nuisance. It could be built on -- why won't you sell? Don't be silly... you're not doing anything with it! You don't pick the chestnuts, you let visitors pick your mushrooms and walnuts. You haven't grafted the pear tree in years and have no plans of building on your plots!
The land doesn't belong to me. I belong to the land. I can't sell it, my mother can't sell it, my grand-father can't sell it. We can't sell what belongs to our ancestors and our descendants.
Live with it. Between your house and your neighbour's, there will be a patch of half-wild woodland. Not your new swimming pool. Not a house for American tourists. Get used to the idea.