The battery
(already appeared in my memories)
The battery was a great business, there were many people this day there:
A score of people made up of neighbors and friends.
Grand' Rousseau father had a felling machine, we were proud.
old photograph without final improvement (approximately 1945), I am in bottom on the right.
In the room, part or no one usually does not penetrate was drawn up
the large table covered with
white cloths as tablecloths and with the menu:
Hen with
pot with its bubble and its vegetables
(the cock and hens of the previous year) cheeses of the farm, rice with
milk or fruits of season, quotes, coffee and pushes coffee...
This day the activity was large. The boat ones were distributed on the heap of sheaves,
There were this day the broqueteurs, the delior, the carriers of grain: strong men equipped with broad shoulders were selected to mount the bags (of approximately 80 kg) to the attic.
There were also the pick-ups of small straws, of balls, put in a large bag of fabric; binders, carriers of bales of straw, with each one its well defined task.
The very flexible oats ball was put on side to make straw mattresses intended for the cots.
Ah! the first sheaf swallowed by the threshing-machine I remember well this noise of downpour of the first grains precipitated on the grid.
I liked this odor of fresh straws.
The men did not stop that to drink a blow of quotes or to wipe the face with
One of these broad handkerchiefs with squares blue-purple, Ben yes at least that was needed.
Mom passed with her bottle of quotes (cider) and some glasses "see it to you on the photograph with its bottle", each one drank one after the other... the throats were often dry, the cider of the farm was soft.
It was necessary to often pass by again, so not one heard the swearwords of some assoiffés.
Good god, the dog is attached to champieure here!... Without a word, between two sheaves,
They seize tended glass., let it fill saying simply when it overflows
"it Ben! avalent of a feature the tended neck! let us barbillons and bourriers of barley and oats ball
swimming on the surface, that made party of the whole!.Et says while thanking:
Oh! that made Ben whom been able of although a kick in the ass that!
It is in the same bucket as everyone washes the hands, water is black, the cloths also,
but nobody is opposed. It is the same made filth of sweats,
straw and dust which covers these men since the morning.
They are well tired, at the same time, brothers of tiredness, exhaustion and satisfaction.
Because this day was also a day of meeting.
Called : - with - Robert bleaches on grass! and also fork of the devil, crane jib,
bleaches on grass red, pin of the devil ! ... not very flattering you will say to me...
Me, I find this foliage very pretty and the small flowers too.
I remember the day or I took this photograph quickly made,
Squatted (the objective through mesh of netting )
on the private ground of geese already on the defensive
and which did not seem at all to appreciate.
