Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring (1987)

Hubby first watched "Manon of the Spring" after his first colon surgery. He had suffered a ruptured colon from diverticulitis in March 1989 and almost died (I had no idea colons can burst until this happened!). It was truly God's mercy that I got him to the emergency room on time. He had to have a second surgery six weeks later to put everything back together again. It was pretty arduous time for us.

Anyway ...

He was recovering at home, alone, depressed that his life would never be the same, and he watched this on one of the movie channels. It really spoke to him. So, he's enjoyed this series of movies every since. The actor Yves Montand is one of his favorites.

This post is for him.


First in the series is Jean de Florette.

CAST:
Yves Montand ... Cesar Soubeyran dit Le Papet
Daniel Auteuil ... Ugolin
Emmanuelle Béart ... Manon (as Emmanuelle Beart)

ABOUT THE MOVIE:
Co-adapted by director Claude Berri from a novel by Marcel Pagnol, this hugely successful French historical drama concerns a bizarre battle royale over a valuable natural spring in a remote French farming community. City dweller Jean Cadoret (Gérard Depardieu) assumes ownership of the spring when the original owner is accidentally killed by covetous farmer Cesar Soubeyran (Yves Montand). Soubeyran and his equally disreputable nephew Ugolin (Daniel Auteuil) pull every dirty trick in the book to force Cadoret off his land, but the novice farmer stands firm. Although the Soubeyrans appear to gain the upper hand, the audience is assured that they will eventually be foiled by the vengeful daughter of the spring's deceased owner -- thus setting the stage for the film's equally successful sequel, Manon of the Spring.
Written by: by Hal Erickson - allmovie

PLOT: In a rural French village an old man and his only remaining relative cast their covetous eyes on an adjoining vacant property. They need its spring water for growing their flowers, so are dismayed to hear the man who has inherited it is moving in. They block up the spring and watch as their new neighbour tries to keep his crops watered from wells far afield through the hot summer. Though they see his desperate efforts are breaking his health and his wife and daughter's hearts they think only of getting the water.
Written by Jeremy Perkins {jwp@aber.ac.uk}
Source


The second movie to watch is Manon of the Spring. "Manon" is pronounced "Man-yon". This is the one I watched and did enjoy it greatly.

CAST:
Yves Montand ... Cesar Soubeyran dit Le Papet
Daniel Auteuil ... Ugolin
Emmanuelle Béart ... Manon (as Emmanuelle Beart)

PLOT: In this, the sequel to Jean de Florette, Manon (Beart) has grown into a beautiful young shepherdess living in the idyllic Provencal countryside. She determines to take revenge upon the men responsible for the death of her father in the first film.
Written by Martin Urch c/o {mah@imdb.com}

PLOT: In a rural French village an old man and his only remaining relative are successful flower growers using water from a spring on an adjoining property they now own. The grown-up daughter of the previous owner still lives in the hills as a goatherd and comes to realise that not only these two but the whole village knew of the existence of the spring when her father was desperately trying to water his crops. An accident with one of the goats leads her by chance to the source of the spring and the possibility of a terrible revenge.
Written by Jeremy Perkins {jwp@aber.ac.uk}
Source


What starts out as a story of revenge carried to the second generation evolves into one of forgiveness. It's quite touching and teaches a good lesson about life. I hope y'all enjoy them too.

♥ ∞

It Was A Lazy Day In Paradise

Zephyr Lilies
Zephyr Lilies line the roads and fill the fields this time of year.

Tiger Swallowtail On The Azaleas
The butterflies are beginning to make their Springtime appearances.

Azaleas Are Blooming

Lord's Prayer Statue At Greenlawn Cemetery (Waycross)
Stopped by a local cemetery to see if the office was open. It wasn't. They must not work on Saturdays. I'm going to start surveying this one next and will put the information at FindAGrave for other genealogists. Greenlawn is not old but it is quite large. I really need a map of burial locations before beginning. I'll get to the surveying after our Texas vacation.

Sunset At Red Bird Acres
Well, time for y'all to go in and get ready for bed. Sleep good bloggy buddies. Hope you enjoyed the brief stroll through southeast Georgia. Spring has sprung!! Wahoo! I hope your weather is nice too.

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Spring And The Waxwings

Cedar Waxwing In A Savannah Holly Tree
Photo By: Steven R. Hudson
The Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) came through our area this week. They are such lovely birds. I love it when they pass through as it means that Spring has definately arrived. Cedar Waxwings are en route to their summer nesting areas further north.

When they have landed in our yard, they proceeded to strip this tree bare. I don't think there is a single berry left, not even on the ground. The resident mockingbird, who had been guarding it all winter, finally gave up trying to keep the invading hoard off his territory. Poor little guy. At least there are ample bugs out now to keep his belly full.

Spring has sprung, the grass has ris’,
I wonder where the birdie is?
There he is up in the sky,
He dropped some whitewash in my eye!

I‘m alright, I won't cry,
I'm just glad that cows can't fly!
by Anonymous



Happy Spring Y'all!
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Funny Friday And Postcard Friendship Friday (03/20)

For all you who ride "those Triumph death traps" this is for you ... [tee hee] Check out how they embed the motorcycle with humor through osmosis! I always say, British humor is one of the best in the world.




And now for PFF, this is a postcard depicting the first Soviet motorcycle with the engine with the vertical dual cylinders. This machine is (or was) in the Polytechnical museum in Moscow, Russia.


Source

Postcard Friendship Friday is hosted by my wonderful friend Marie. Her link is on the right hand side of this page. ---------------------------------->

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Tough Toenails Bubba

Sam Jr.
Poor Sam. He's had a really rough week. He's getting elderly for a miniature schnauzer at over 10 years old, so, things are starting to fall apart. He's lost most of his teeth and his eye sight is failing. He had been groomed a few days ago and since then had been chewing his right toenail like there's no tomorrow. Every 5 mintues I've had to yell at him.

"Quit it!"

"Stop licking!"

"I'm going to slap a knot on your head!" (I didn't.)

Finally, I figured out that something is wrong. (I'm slow ... so sue me.) Hubby took him to the Veterarian in Waycross. Vet said the nail was 'ringed': broken clear back to the quick and all the way around. It must have gotten caught on the groomers cage by accident. In other words, the nail was hanging on by a thread and everytime he'd walk it would shove up into his foot! Owie! The base was cracked. Thus the intense pain. Well, Vet sedated the little guy and removed the entire nail. $146.80 later Sam is back home and sleeping off the drug on our living room floor. He can't jump up yet.

Oh and he's also on amoxicillin antibiotic ... again. I call it "the pink stuff" because I can never remember the drug name. He was on these same antibiotics not more than a few weeks ago from a head cold contracted from a kennel stay.

And the unexpected expenditures never end ... [sigh] Since the stock market seems to be improving, maybe I should invest in this company? My three dogs health 'issues' alone could keep this drug company afloat for years.

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Whatcya Doin'?

Boy, I wish I had this problem. I have been busier than a one-armed paper hanger this week.

But, I'm happy to be busy because my neck and right shoulder are greatly improved that I'm able to actually perform physical labor again! Yay! For quite some time now all I've been able to do without doubling over in pain is my usual duties of paying the household bills. Hubby always opts out of that one, he hates finances, except when it comes to spending money. [grumble] This week I've done my own vacuuming, un-dusting (private joke in our home), cleaning windows, light gardening, bathing dogs, laundry and so forth. Whew. So you see I've been a Busy Bee!

My step mom, Myra, would have been proud. One thing she always had, even up to about six weeks before her passing, was a clean house. This woman had so much stamina that even with suffering from the devastating disease of Alzheimer's, her home would be spotless and smell fresh.

This lady ran a tight ship, let me tell you! I learned how to vacuum properly (there's the wrong way and there's Myra's way), get dust & pet hair out of corners with an old tooth brush, sanitize a bathroom / kitchen like we're getting ready for surgery, etc. And there were no excuses in her mind. Even though I am not that anal about cleanliness (anymore) I do like a clean, or at least tidy, home.

This is no small task with three dogs that do not cooperate! They have their own pet door. I wish I could teach them to wipe their little paws before entering. [lol] They create the bulk of our work around here. [sigh] But, I love them and put up with it.

Well, I'm a little bit sore on my right side but it's OK. I am ecstatic that I can work around the house and pull my own weight. Hubby does a good job on his own and I appreciate his willingness to clean more than words can say. This whole experience would have been absolute misery without his kindness and thoughtfulness. But it's nice to be back in the saddle.

Speaking of that, I plan to ride the motorcycle in a day or two. I know, I know, it's a week before the doctor has released me but I'm gonna try it anyway. Cross your fingers and toes for me? 'ppreciate it.

All in all I am pleased and oh so grateful that things are getting back to normal for this semi-normal person.

So what's going on in your neck of the woods this week friends?

Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever (Jeremiah 33:11)

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Eleven Most Expensive Catastrophes In History

# 11. Titanic - $150 Million

The sinking of the Titanic is possibly the most famous accident in the world. But it barely makes our list of top 10 most expensive. On April 15, 1912, the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage and was considered to be the most luxurious ocean liner ever built. Over 1,500 people lost their lives when the ship ran into an iceberg and sunk in frigid waters. The ship cost $7 million to build ($150 million in today's dollars).

# 10. Tanker Truck vs Bridge - $358 Million

On August 26, 2004, a car collided with a tanker truck containing 32,000 liters of fuel on the Wiehltal Bridge in Germany .. The tanker crashed through the guardrail and fell 90 feet off the A4 Autobahn resulting in a huge explosion and fire which destroyed the load-bearing ability of the bridge. Temporary repairs cost $40 million and the cost to replace the bridge is estimated at $318 Million.

# 9. MetroLink Crash - $500 Million

On September 12, 2008, in what was one of the worst train crashes in California history, 25 people were killed when a Metrolink commuter train crashed head-on into a Union Pacific freight train in Los Angeles . It is thought that the Metrolink train may have run through a red signal while the conductor was busy text messaging. Wrongful death lawsuits are expected to cause $500 million in losses for Metrolink.

# 8. B-2 Bomber Crash - $1.4 Billion

Here we have our first billion dollar accident (and we're only at #7 on the list). This B-2 stealth bomber crashed shortly after taking off from an air base in Guam on February 23, 2008. Investigators blamed distorted data in the flight control computers caused by moisture in the system. This resulted in the aircraft making a sudden nose-up move which made the B-2 stall and crash. This was 1 of only 21 ever built and was the most expensive aviation accident in history. Both pilots were able to eject to safety.

# 7. Exxon Valdez - $2.5 Billion

The Exxon Valdez oil spill was not a large one in relation to the world's biggest oil spills, but it was a costly one due to the remote location of Prince William Sound (accessible only by helicopter and boat). On March 24, 1989, 10.8 million gallons of oil was spilled when the ship's master, Joseph Hazelwood, left the controls and the ship crashed into a Reef. The cleanup cost Exxon $2.5 billion.

# 6. Piper Alpha Oil Rig - $3.4 Billion

The world's worst off-shore oil disaster. At one time, it was the world's single largest oil producer, spewing out 317,000 barrels of oil per day. On July 6, 1988, as part of routine maintenance, technicians removed and checked safety valves which were essential in preventing dangerous build-up of liquid gas. There were 100 identical safety valves which were checked. Unfortunately, the technicians made a mistake and forgot to replace one of them. At 10 PM that same night, a technician pressed a start button for the liquid gas pumps and the world's most expensive oil rig accident was set in motion.
Within 2 hours, the 300 foot platform was engulfed in flames. It eventually collapsed, killing 167 workers and resulting in $3.4 Billion in damages.

# 5. Challenger Explosion - $5.5 Billion

The Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed 73 seconds after takeoff due on January 28, 1986 due to a faulty O-ring. It failed to seal one of the joints, allowing pressurized gas to reach the outside. This in turn caused the external tank to dump its payload of liquid hydrogen causing a massive explosion. The cost of replacing the Space Shuttle was $2 billion in 1986 ($4.5 billion in today's dollars). The cost of investigation, problem correction, and replacement of lost equipment cost $450 million from 1986-1987 ($1 Billion in today's dollars).

# 4. Prestige Oil Spill - $12 Billion

On November 13, 2002, the Prestige oil tanker was carrying 77,000 tons of heavy fuel oil when one of its twelve tanks burst during a storm off Galicia, Spain. Fearing that the ship would sink, the captain called for help from Spanish rescue workers, expecting them to take the ship into harbour. However, pressure from local authorities forced the captain to steer the ship away from the coast. The captain tried to get help from the French and Portuguese authorities, but they too ordered the ship away from their shores. The storm eventually took its toll on the ship resulting in the tanker splitting in half and releasing 20 million gallons oil into the sea.
According to a report by the Pontevedra Economist Board, the total cleanup cost $12 billion.

# 3. Space Shuttle Columbia - $13 Billion

The Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space worthy shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. It was destroyed during re-entry over Texas on February 1, 2003 after a hole was punctured in one of the wings during launch 16 days earlier. The original cost of the shuttle was $2 Billion in 1978. That comes out to $6.3 Billion in today's dollars. $500 million was spent on the investigation, making it the costliest aircraft accident investigation in history. The search and recovery of debris cost $300 million.
In the end, the total cost of the accident (not including replacement of the shuttle) came out to $13 Billion according to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

# 2. Chernobyl - $200 Billion

On April 26, 1986, the world witnessed the costliest accident in history. The Chernobyl disaster has been called the biggest socio-economic catastrophe in peacetime history. 50% of the area of Ukraine is in some way contaminated. Over 200,000 people had to be evacuated and resettled while 1.7 million people were directly affected by the disaster. The death toll attributed to Chernobyl, including people who died from cancer years later, is estimated at 125,000. The total costs including cleanup, resettlement, and compensation to victims has been estimated to be roughly $200 Billion. The cost of a new steel shelter for the Chernobyl nuclear plant will cost $2 billion alone. The accident was officially attributed to power plant operators who violated plant procedures and were ignorant of the safety requirements needed.

# 1. 2008 Stimulus Plan

$800 Billion in the first month??? And 53% of our population thought this would be OK.

"Oh, waiter ... check please?!"

Oh, that's right, we've already paid for all this. Including our children, grand-children, great-grandchildren, etc. etc.

It's not just the Dem's, this includes the Republican politians that signed on-board for the phoney stimulus too!
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