An extraordinary new voice in contemporary woman’s fiction, Courtney Miller Santo makes her magnificent debut with The Roots of the Olive Tree, a novel that will delight fans of Sarah Blake’s The Postmistress, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, and the works of Kristin Hannah. Set in a house on an olive grove in northern California, The Roots of the Olive Tree is a beautiful, touching story that brings to life five generations of women—including an unforgettable 112-year-old matriarch determined to break all Guinness longevity records—the secrets and lies that divide them and the love that ultimately ties them together.
The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is a very important plant in terms of oil-producing crops in the Mediterranean basin. As reported by Zohary and Hopf (1994), olives probably originated in the Eastern region of the Mediterranean area. All of the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean area used the olive tree and its olive oil, which was also integrated into the religious practices of all the known religions of the region with implications of peace, fertility, strength and purification. Nowadays, the olive trees have spread to many countries in the world and adapted to the varied microclimates that characterize the different areas. The cultivation of the olive tree has expanded in Asia, America and Oceania due to the promotion of olive oil as a product with both nutritive and beneficial effects on health. Currently, the world olive fruit production is around 19 million of tons, of which 90% is consumed as olive oil and 10% as table olives. The beginning of this book is devoted to the historical roots of olive oil production, in order to produce a picture of the ancient empirical olive cultivation and Italian institutions that have allowed the scientific and technological knowledge of olive cultivation to prosper from the eighteenth century to the mid-20th century. Olive tree biodiversity is estimated to have more than 1,200 cultivars, which is a very wide germplasm. In one of the chapters of this book, the botanical and historical origin of the olive tree and the morphological and genetic methodologies applied to identify the olive cultivars are examined. Moreover, the importance of preserving the large olive tree germplasm to avoid the loss of cultivated biodiversity is mentioned. The importance of the germplasm collections, their management and enhancement are reported in a chapter in terms of the strategies for the ex situ conservation of plant genetic resource. Development in the world of olive groves requests not only the choice of suitable germplasm for the different environments, but also the production of olive plants in the nurseries. A chapter describes the most important propagation techniques such as grafting and cutting, and in particular the micropropagation that may represent a thriving business for nurseries. The last chapter explores an important aspect of the olive oil production chain, which produces a large amount of by-products like humid pomace and wastewater. These by-products have represented for several years an environmental problem due to the presence of high polyphenolic content and minerals. In recent years, a new approach is taking into account strategies and technologies for the valorization of these by-products, which would be transformed from waste materials to resources.
The day I was seven, my grandfather gave me and olive tree...At first, Sophia thinks the tree is an odd gift, but when Grandfather dies and her mother travel to Greece to see the tree, she discovers that what he discovers that what he has given her is far greater than she'd ever imagined. A testimony to the wondrous ties of family and heritage, this glorious picture book brings together the beautiful writing of acclaimed author Eve Bunting and the exuberant paintings of artist Karen Barbour.
Knowledge can come from books, but wisdom can only be received from God. This book is the accumulation of the knowledge learned by the author through personal experiences and the wisdom of spiritual principles from God's Word. Multiple topics are covered to help and support families. aEURC/ Love languages aEURC/ Discipline aEURC/ Teaching work ethics and the handling of money aEURC/ Spiritual training aEURC/ Grace gifts and temperaments aEURC/ Releasing our married children Whether just starting a family or helping to raise grandchildren, there is a wealth of information to assist you. Why olive plants? When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD. (Psalms 128:2aEUR"4) In this blessing, God compared your children to olive plants and commissioned them to be all around your table. My question was, aEURoeWhy olive plants?aEUR Here are some facts I found about the olive tree: The olive tree is one of the most beloved, sacred trees in Israel. It has strong roots that live for thousands of years. They are evergreen trees bearing valuable fruit all year long. Olive trees can grow in a rocky environment with poor soil conditions. They need a sunny position and regular watering to thrive. The olive tree grows quickly the first four years, producing a beautiful white flower. Maturing of the olive tree slows down, developing fruit several years later. The olive leaf extract possesses extreme healing properties. The olive branch is a symbol of peace. The expensive olive wood is fragrant, colorful, dense, and durable. The wood is used for fine furniture and the making of items of religious significance. The wood is seasoned and cleaned by applying oil and rubbing with salt. The olive fruit is very bitter if not processed correctly. With careful preparation, it is a delicious, salty addition to our diet. The Israelites considered an abundance of oil as a sign of prosperity and favor. The olive oil is used to produce light and as an anointing oil for healing. Judges 9:9 says that oil was used to honor God and men. The olive tree is cherished and loved for what it gives the nation of Israel. Our little olive plants should be cherished and loved for what they can do for the kingdom of God.
"The olive trees grow each year, just waiting to discover the magic within their growth. Waiting, for the next time to occur again..." Discover the beauty of Palestine through a young girl's journey as she learns the tradition of the olive harvest. A tradition that continues between each generation to maintain the roots of the Palestinian community. Alia shows the beauty of the harvest and learns the importance of the olive tree harvest through her life.
An analysis of globalisation as an international system that today directly or indirectly influences the politics, environment, geopolitics and economics of virtually every country in the world.
Renovating an historic Memphis house together, three cousins discover that their spectacular failures in love, career, and family provide the foundation for their future happiness in this warm and poignant novel from the author of The Roots of the Olive Tree that is reminiscent of The Postmistress, The Secret Life of Bees, and Kristin Hannah’s novels. Nearing thirty and trying to avoid the inescapable fact that they have failed to live up to everyone’s expectations and their own aspirations, cousins and childhood best friends Lizzie, Elyse, and Isobel seek respite in an oddly-shaped, three-story house that sits on a bluff sixty feet above the Mississippi. As they work to restore the almost condemned house, each woman faces uncomfortable truths about their own failings. Lizzie seeks answers to a long-held family secret about her father in her grandmother’s jumble of mementos and the home’s hidden spaces. Elyse’s obsession with an old flame leads her to a harrowing mistake that threatens to destroy her sister’s wedding, and Isobel’s quest for celebrity tempts her to betray confidences in ways that would irreparably damage her two cousins. Told in three parts from the perspective of each of the women, this sharply observed account of the restoration of a house built out of spite, but filled with memories of love is also an account of friendship and how relying on each other’s insights and strengths provides the women a way to get what they need instead of what they want.
