La nature

Sylvie and I escaped to Elora Gorge for a walk today. The sound of water rushing through the rapids was soothing. I needed it.

I wanted to know the French names of trees, so she told me: cedre, peuplier, cerisier, bouleau (birch), sapin (fir), chêne (oak), pin. "You probably know maple," she said. Of course we always see it on syrup bottles, but I had to think: erable. She couldn't remember the name of my favourite tree, so I looked it up back home. There are several different words, but American beech seems to be hêtre américain. Practically all trees are masculine.

Chickadee is mésange, and nuthatch is sittelle.