Fresh Water for Flowers: a book pairing

Let’s take an imaginary trip to the French countryside

Fresh Water for Flowers by Valerie Perrin tells the story of Violette, a french woman whose life is marked by deep sadness and loss. As her story unfolds with each encounter and new character, the reader is given a chance to see where hope can grow. Violette’s story takes us from abandonment as a child to an unhappy marriage and finally to the connection of deep friends. Violette’s story is told through the people she meets working as a train crossing operator and later as a cemetery caretaker. The story is one rooted in place and remembrance, of how we form family with the people before us, and how relationships live on even after death.  

Best place to read this book: Your local cemetery. Walk around and notice the names and dates. Think about the lives and stories found there. Give thanks for love and grace and forgiveness. All the tears and joy. 

The town flower shop. Smell the flowers and bask in their colors. Talk to the owner or workers behind the counter. Ask them why they’re there, and what it is they love about flowers. 

Smells and tastes like: tea and fresh baked goods on a rainy day. Shared with friends. 

Sounds like: Vincent Delerm’s “Life ahead of you.” 

Feels like: a walk along the beach with ocean waves crashing and the peace that comes from the immensity of water before you. 

Pairs well: with finding your own potted plant or flower. Pick the perfect spot where the light dances on the walls. Watch the plant grow and change, and remember to give it fresh water. 

Favorite quotes

“You see it all, in our line of work,” Paul Lucchini steps in. “Sadness, happiness, believers, time passing, the unbearable, the unjust, the intolerable…in other words, life. Basically, us undertakers, we deal with life. Maybe even more so than in other lines of work. Because those who come to see us, it’s them that remain, them that remain alive…our father, God rest his soul, always said to us, “Sons, we’re the midwives of death. We deliver death, so make the most of living, and earn a good one.’”

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A little more about Kim and where you can find her words! Walk & Talk by Kimberly Knowle-Zeller is a space to share stories, inspiration, and hope. She writes about motherhood, faith, and finding joy right where you are. She’s a Mama, writer, and pastor. She’s lived in West Africa and one summer hiked 500 miles across Spain, and now calls Cole Camp, MO, home with her husband, two children, and dog. She loves to walk, talk, and share stories.

Every month she sends a note of encouragement or a piece of writing on where she’s finding God, along with a few of her favorite things from around the web.