Although I promised you that the New Year's post would be my 'last' Parisgirl post, I decided that we couldn't leave France (and, particularly, Normandy) without a word about moles.
While in the US, spring is when a young man's fancy turns to major league baseball, Parisians will be opening up their country places in Normandy and discussing the ideal method for battling the 'mole problem'.
So, I thought this might be the ideal time to bring up the important discovery that Christopher has made about moles. It appears that very few scientists have taken the time to look at the secret lives of moles. For example, if you've ever visited Stonehenge, you might be surprised to know that moles have been building miniature stonehenges on your lawns. Moles choose not any old stones to mark their 'front doors' - those eyesores that deface your perfectly manicured 'gazon'.
All of this observation began on the day that Christopher decided to take a non-violent approach of co-existence with the moles. Rather than choose any of a variety of lethal expulsions (bombing, drowning, or maiming), he merely raked over taupe mounds (the word for mole in French is taupe) as soon as they appeared. After much raking, he observed the curious configuration of stones - most often including a flat stone or two at the entrance of each taupe mound.
After a number of years of raking over taupe mounds, Christopher finally caved into the more conventional approach. This was a sad day. Especially because no matter what technique one chooses, the moles do come back. They were here first.
If you want to make friends with your moles, rake over the mounds, plant with grass seed, fix yourself a gin-and-tonic and wait for the next taupe mound to appear. It's cheap entertainment, and meanwhile you may even break the code.
