Tuesday, May 15, 2007

leeks, green, blackbird

I like leeks. I like growing leeks. They are easy to grow. You just make a hole with a dibber and drop in the leek seedling straight from the seed-tray or seed-bed. You fill the hole with water and leave it. Leeks come to mind today because of a word I came across in a French dictionary. The word is poireauter, which comes from, poireau the French word for leek. Poireauter, means to hang around, which is, one supposes, what leeks do until you are ready to lift them. I have never heard the expression used, but according to the dictionary you can also say faire le poireau to mean hang around. I look forward to using it myself next time I am in France, but who knows, perhaps the usage is obscure, and no one will know what I am talking about.

Verde que te quiero verde! The green of moss, the green of verdigris, the green of pistachio nuts.

A blackbird sits on a tv aerial and sings his heart out.

1 comment:

Lucy said...

Perhaps it's the French equivalent of the modern expression 'vegging out'. something to do with vegetables not moving much or responding to stimulus. Can't say I've ever heard it here; I'll try it with my students and let you know!