Four oaks, one sacred destiny: Recreating Notre Dame’s spire
JUPILLES, FRANCE >> Four French oaks that have been standing for hundreds of years in a once-royal forest now have a sacred destiny. Felled Tuesday in the Loire region’s Forest of Berce, they have been selected to reconstruct Notre Dame cathedral’s fallen spire.
The 93-metre-high spire, made of wood and clad in lead, became the most potent symbol of the April 2019 blaze when it was seen engulfed in flames, collapsing dramatically into the inferno.
Last July amid a public outcry, French President Emmanuel Macron ended speculation that the 19th century peak designed by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc could be rebuilt in a modern style. He announced it would be rebuilt exactly as it was before. And that began a nationwide tree hunt, culminating in a painstaking selection in January and February of this year.
Some 1,000 oaks in more than 200 French forests, both private and public, were chosen to make the frame of the cathedral transept and spire — destined to be admired on the Paris skyline for potentially hundreds of years.
“Given the place occupied by the cathedral in the hearts of the French, in the history of France and the world ... we are happy (that) the entire industry — from foresters to sawyers — is mobilized to meet this challenge,” said Michel Druilhe, President of France Bois Foret, a national interprofessional forestry network.
Reconstruction of a 12th-century cathedral such as Notre Dame in wood is a daunting prospect. The inside was such a lattice of beams and supports that it was affectionately called the “forest.” Calls to reinforce it with fireproof concrete were dismissed, even after such material helped limit the fallout from a blaze in the Gothic Nantes Cathedral last year.
Understandably, the dimensions required for Notre Dame’s anointed timbers are clinically precise: Many trunks have to measure over 1 meter (more than 3 feet) wide and 18 meters (60 feet) long. Eight of the trees — destined for the most monumental part of the spire — were found in the Forest of Berce that once belonged to the Kings of France.
On Tuesday, chainsaw-wielding
tree surgeons in Berce scaled the special oaks to fell them in a race against the clock. All 1,000 must be “harvested” all around the country by the end of March, otherwise harmful tree sap and moisture could enter the wood fibers. So far, so good.
“We have just measured one, it fits the required criteria in length and diameter. The only thing left to do is make the beam for Notre Dame,” Anthony Jeanneau, ONF Forestry Technician, told AP as trees fell noisily around him.
There is in fact one other requirement: Patience. The trunks must be left out to dry for up to 18 months.
That fact alone show why Macron’s pledge to rebuild the cathedral within five years — by 2024 — has been widely dismissed as unrealistic.
Some 1,000 oaks in more than 200 French forests, both private and public, were chosen to make the frame of the cathedral transept and spire — destined to be admired on the Paris skyline for potentially hundreds of years.
March is celebrated as “Stout Month” for one particular reason: St. Patrick’s Day, which celebrates the patron saint of Ireland, falls squarely in the middle of the month. And Guinness stout is unquestionably the beer most associated with Ireland.
But St. Patrick’s Day as we know it here in the United States, with its parades, green beer, corned beef and cabbage and “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” T-shirts, is largely an American invention.
Well into the 20th century, the holiday was for the most part a quiet, religious affair in Ireland — and until the mid1960s, all the bars in Ireland were closed on St. Patrick’s Day, since most people were home with their families.
Historically, Irish immigrants faced discrimination and persecution on these shores and looked to St. Patrick’s Day as a way to celebrate their shared heritage with revelry that began in what is now Florida in 1601. The first annual St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in Boston in 1737, followed by New York City’s parade in 1762 and more major cities following suit — understandable since between 1820 and
1860, a third of the immigrants to the U.S. came from Ireland.
In recent, non-pandemic years, Ireland’s celebrations have come to resemble the American. The Irish city of Dublin puts on a four-day festival — as opposed to the California city of Dublin, whose festivities usually last three. And other Irish cities join the fun with festivals, feasts and, as you’d expect, a fair amount of Guinness.
Guinness stout is the original Irish or dry stout, although other imports include Murphy’s Irish Stout and Beamish. But given that St. Patrick’s Day parties originated here, I’d argue you should pick up some American stouts for your own at-home festivities.
Before the IPA-craze, many breweries use to include a porter or stout in their portfolio, and there are still a few good ones to choose from, including some locally brewed versions of Irishstyle or dry stout.
One of my favorites is North Coast’s Old No. 38 Stout, named for a now-retired engine from the California Western Railroad. You know it as the Skunk Train, which still steams through the redwoods from Fort Bragg to Willits. It’s a solid stout with great toasted malt and coffee notes
Moylan’s Dragoons Dry Irish Stout uses malt and hops imported from the United King
dom and commemorates Gen. Stephen Moylan, an ancestor of the brewpub’s founder. Moylan was an Irish-born commander of the 4th Continental Dragoons during the American Revolutionary War.
There are, of course, other types of stouts, including American stout, which is hoppier than Irish versions. They’re a little easier to find and quite delicious, too. Three great examples of the style include Marin Brewing’s San Quentin Breakout Stout, Deschutes’ Obsidian Stout and Sierra Nevada Stout.
There’s also a sweet stout or milk stout style, which leans on the sweeter side, as you might expect, with less burnt or bitter notes. It may remind you of coffee and cream or a sweetened espresso. Some good ones include Firestone Walker’s Nitro Merlin Milk Stout, Faction Brewing’s Grand Anomaly Milk Stout and
Heretic’s Caramel Moochiato, a milk stout brewed with caramel and vanilla. Colorado’s Left Hand Milk Stout is a great choice, too.
For a particularly smooth brew, try an oatmeal stout. Oats are added to the malt build, which really smooths out the mouthfeel and makes them easy-drinking beers. Marin County’s Iron Springs brews a great one called Sless’ Oatmeal Stout. Rogue’s Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout is a good one, as is the UK’s Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout.
After going without Trent Brown for half of their games the past two seasons, the Raiders decided Tuesday they’re better off without him by agreeing to trade their high-priced offensive tackle to the New England Patriots.
The Raiders dealt the 6-foot8, 380-pound Brown to the Patriots
for a 2022 fifth-round pick, a team source confirmed to the Bay Area News Group. In order to shed Brown’s $14 million salary off their 2021 salary cap, the Raiders also shipped their 2022 seventh-round pick to New England in the trade first reported by NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
The trade ends Brown’s mostly disappointing two-year Raiders career, one that began with tons of promise when the team made him the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman by signing him to a massive, fouryear, $66 million free-agent deal to leave the Patriots in 2019.
Brown was dominant during the 11 games he played with the Raiders in 2019, earning Pro Bowl honors. A torn pectoral muscle sidelined him for five games that season. Things turned sour for Brown this past season as he dealt with a calf injury, missed time while on the COVID-19 list and had a scary episode when he was hospitalized in Cleveland after a pregame IV reportedly caused air to enter his bloodstream.
The injuries caused Brown to miss all but five games for the Raiders in 2020, meaning he took the field in just 16 of their 32 games the past two seasons. That’s not a good return on the $37.3 million the Raiders have invested in Brown.
Now, Brown heads back to New England, where his one-year stay as their left tackle before free agency was the best of his six NFL seasons since being drafted by the 49ers in 2015.
Judging by Brown’s response Tuesday on social media, he’s overjoyed to be leaving the Raiders. He had two years remaining on his contract, but agreed to a restructured one-year, $11 million deal with the Patriots.
“I LOVE IT HERE!!” Brown wrote while tagging the Patriots on his Instagram post Tuesday morning showing him celebrating with his arms in the air.
Brown also confirmed reports he hadn’t been happy with the Raiders with a Twitter post, “Money don’t mean (expletive) if you ain’t happy I swear to GOD!!”
Raiders general manager Mike Mayock indicated recently the team wasn’t sold on keeping Brown’s heavy contract unless they could count on him each week.
“Trent’s whole thing is when he’s healthy and in shape and ready to go he’s as dominant as any tackle in football,” Mayock told reporters. “He proved that early in the 2019 season. Since then it’s been kind of a roller coaster ... if Trent gets in shape and stays committed there’s not a better talent out there.”
The numbers back up Mayock’s claim. When he’s been on the field the past two seasons, Brown’s impact has been undeniable. The Raiders have allowed a 24.4 percent pressure rate without Brown as opposed to an 18 percent pressure rate with him on the field, according to NexGen Stats.
But, given Brown’s health issues and his contract, the Raiders obviously weren’t willing to pay the price to
see if he’d become a reliable right tackle for them again.
The trade opens up a gaping hole at right tackle for the Raiders, but it also opens up $14 million on their salary cap availability. According to OverTheCap. com’s figures, Brown’s trade and the reported releases of safety Lamarcus Joyner, receiver Tyrell Williams and guards Gabe Jackson and Richie Incognito leave the Raiders with just under $30 million of cap space heading into next week’s NFL free agency period. The league’s salary cap is projected to be at least $180.5 million.
Williams’ release — and subsequent signing with the Lions — is the only one of the Raiders’ cuts that’s been officially recorded by the NFL office, though.