I had never heard of if until this post (and grew up in a bocce-playing Italian family). In fact, the origin of the word helps explain how it differs from bocce.
Since there might be others as clueless as me but who are familiar with bocce, this page has a nice summary of bocce vs petanque.
http://www.petanqueamerica.com/game.html
As a kid I got a serious injury when my finger was picking up a bocce ball as another crashed into it — this wouldn’t have happened if we were playing petanque
My ring finger swelled up to the size of a small strawberry. Don’t get a finger between two bocce balls about to impact – conservation of energy and momentum (and the mass of a bocce ball) means it will hurt! Definitely a bizarre “who would have guessed it” injury. I was too young to spill a beer at the time
This is a poignant photo. I support the redevelopment of that space, but i will miss that tiny green space and those magnificent red dawn cypresses, or dawn redwoods, or whatever they are.
Technically I believe the development design does leave those trees in place. In reality, it is hard to imagine they won’t be severely damaged by construction all around them. Trees that large have a huge root system.
I will really miss that space. The meandering path is awesome. I spend many a lunch time eating there. It always facinates me how most people don’t even notice its presence. Often I sit in there and it feels like I am invisible as people go about there day. Only several times have I noticed someone choose the meandering path over the sidewalk, and they were two boys with their mother around 5 & 7 years old. It was funny because the mother’s could not get them out of the space. The dawn redwoods are state champions and I was told were the first dawn redwoods planted in Georgia. They are a very treasured tree in the northern part of China near the Korean boarder. I also enjoy the black benches which are really high up so when I sit on them my legs do not touch the ground, which makes me feel like a kid again. The nice willow oak, grass, and flowers transport me to the most pristine of green spaces. I will miss that space and for me is one symbol of our City taking a step backwards in terms of green development. The next closes green space will now be the trees in front of Post Office and the one in front of the Marley. It is my strong belief that we need lots of small green spaces spread for a green infransturcture of the mind (accessibility) and water absorbtion. That green space might be replaced but it will take at least 40-60 years for it to have the mature trees. This sounds more like a obituary, a ranting one at that, but it makes me feel better saying it.
There’s a charming, if overblown garden in front of Terra Mater and Decatur CD. Have you stopped to smell those rampaging roses lately? They are fabulous.
I, too, have fond memories of that little park. I can remember walking on the winding path with my grandfather in the early- and mid-1970s, holding his hand & singing songs (Chattanooga Choo-Choo, You are my Sunshine, etc.). I will miss it when it’s gone. Even now, some 40 years later, every time I drive by it makes me think of him. (tears)
i did not know there were other petanque enthusiasts around. maybe we should set up some petanque and pastis afternoons this summer.
I had never heard of if until this post (and grew up in a bocce-playing Italian family). In fact, the origin of the word helps explain how it differs from bocce.
Since there might be others as clueless as me but who are familiar with bocce, this page has a nice summary of bocce vs petanque.
http://www.petanqueamerica.com/game.html
As a kid I got a serious injury when my finger was picking up a bocce ball as another crashed into it — this wouldn’t have happened if we were playing petanque
A serious bocce injury? I thought the worst thing that could happen was sloshed beer.
My ring finger swelled up to the size of a small strawberry. Don’t get a finger between two bocce balls about to impact – conservation of energy and momentum (and the mass of a bocce ball) means it will hurt! Definitely a bizarre “who would have guessed it” injury. I was too young to spill a beer at the time
Too young to spill beer? Then I suppose the B don’t stand for Blake, because ye ain’t Irish!
My favorite childhood throwing toys were jarts–now there’s some good old-fashioned dangerous fun.
This is a poignant photo. I support the redevelopment of that space, but i will miss that tiny green space and those magnificent red dawn cypresses, or dawn redwoods, or whatever they are.
Am hoping those trees can survive whatever happens. Love their “Christmas-tree” shape.
Technically I believe the development design does leave those trees in place. In reality, it is hard to imagine they won’t be severely damaged by construction all around them. Trees that large have a huge root system.
I will really miss that space. The meandering path is awesome. I spend many a lunch time eating there. It always facinates me how most people don’t even notice its presence. Often I sit in there and it feels like I am invisible as people go about there day. Only several times have I noticed someone choose the meandering path over the sidewalk, and they were two boys with their mother around 5 & 7 years old. It was funny because the mother’s could not get them out of the space. The dawn redwoods are state champions and I was told were the first dawn redwoods planted in Georgia. They are a very treasured tree in the northern part of China near the Korean boarder. I also enjoy the black benches which are really high up so when I sit on them my legs do not touch the ground, which makes me feel like a kid again. The nice willow oak, grass, and flowers transport me to the most pristine of green spaces. I will miss that space and for me is one symbol of our City taking a step backwards in terms of green development. The next closes green space will now be the trees in front of Post Office and the one in front of the Marley. It is my strong belief that we need lots of small green spaces spread for a green infransturcture of the mind (accessibility) and water absorbtion. That green space might be replaced but it will take at least 40-60 years for it to have the mature trees. This sounds more like a obituary, a ranting one at that, but it makes me feel better saying it.
There’s a charming, if overblown garden in front of Terra Mater and Decatur CD. Have you stopped to smell those rampaging roses lately? They are fabulous.
I, too, have fond memories of that little park. I can remember walking on the winding path with my grandfather in the early- and mid-1970s, holding his hand & singing songs (Chattanooga Choo-Choo, You are my Sunshine, etc.). I will miss it when it’s gone. Even now, some 40 years later, every time I drive by it makes me think of him. (tears)