Monthly Progress # 14

At fourteenth month after planting, the F. religiosa is doing well. New growth continues to sprout from the lower trunk, slowly but steady. It still gets watered once weekly but the occasional downpours keep the surrounding moist most of the time. A new mulching is planned during the first week of July.

Monthly Progress #13

Here is today's look of the F. religiosa, thirteenth month at its home. Most of the new growth is concentrated around the lower trunk. With the frequent afternoon rain storms, growth surrounding the tree has progressed rapidly but the ficus is now expected to require much less care and it is expected to do well on its own. New photo will be posted again on June 17th next month.

Monthly Progress #12 - Year One

Exactly one year ago, on April 17th, 2011, the Ficus religiosa was planted here. After a year at its home, this sacred ficus tree is quietly growing. Most of the growth has been in the main tree trunk that has increased six fold in size. New branching is predominantly concentrated near the base and this tree is doing well as expected.

Favorite Tunes

Monthly Progress # 11

The Ficus religiosa is growing slowly but steadily. Work of expansion at MBC goes on around the tree and it requires very little care. Weekly, the water is turned on for about 15 minutes just to make sure the soil is not too dry. It is expected to have accelerated growth when more rain will arrive starting April this year.

Monthly Progress # 10

Growth continues steadily and the tree is doing very well. This is the tenth month after planting. All's well. Robin and Susan Shelley came to visit the tree on Valentine's Day, on Feb 14th. Thank you, Susan and Robin.

Monthly Progress # 9

The Ficus religiosa, after nine months at its home, has begun to show signs of being well established. Several new growths have branched from the top and the tree looks very healthy. As time goes by, the threat of ant invasion has lessened considerably. It is watered once weekly without any other special care. Once a month, new photos will be added so its growth can be monitored.

First Anniversary-December 17th, 2011

A year has passed since Maryse left this earth, leaving all her pain and suffering behind. That was a good thing, for her. But her beautiful memories live on in my heart and soul... It has been a difficult year for me with many downs and ups... more downs than ups that I could count. But life must go on...

Many of her friends did not have the opportunity to come say their last good-byes and this first year anniversary remembrance is dedicated to offer them a glimpse of the last rites given to her. Maryse's funeral services were held at Stanfill Funeral Homes, and I thank my friend Bill Martinez, its Director and owner, and his staff for having provided us with a beautiful setting for this sad event. All the fresh orchid flowers were sent from Thailand by my dear friend Banjong and my thanks go to him and to his wife, also my friend, Ratsuda. I thank Mieko and Rose, members of the local Ikebana society to which Maryse belonged, for having spent an entire evening to fashion the beautiful arrangements that adorned the entire space. Their labor continued and consumed their next half day of in-situ work. I thank my dear friend Keith and Maryse's kid brother Huy for the photos used in this video celebrating Maryse's first anniversary.

The service was scheduled on December 23rd, 2010 during a busy time of the year. I thank my in-laws, Rev. Theodore Lewis and Connie Houghton who have braved the busiest time for travel; and I thank my cousins Phuong from California and Phuc and his niece Mai who came from Canada to attend Maryse's service in Miami.

My dear nephew Herbie made a special trip from Denver to come MC'ing the service for his aunt and I thank him for his flawless work as master of ceremony. I thank all my dear friends, some of whom I have lost track for many years, who came to share my sorrow, and that of my daughter VyVy and my son Mac-Long; and all other members of my and of Maryse's family, among whom, Kim Phuong who traveled from Houston, and Diep from Philadelphia.

The catering service was provided by my friend Elizabeth's Catering by Lovables and I thank my daughter VyVy for enlisting her friend's service for the specially prepared food from Thailand.

Maryse's portrait was one of the many black and white I made for her and the distinctive new custom framing was done by my friend, the Godfather Bob Menconi. Bob and Monica, thank you!

My thanks are also extended to many other individuals, too numerous to mention here. Your expression of sympathy from near and far gave me the support that I needed.

Many of the objects you see in these photos are Maryse's personal favorite belongings. Some of them were special to her and they helped her cope with the darkest days and provided her with solace when she was not well. She was very proud of her paintings and some of them were displayed to accompany her during the service.

The music you hear was heard during the service which was Mozart's Requiem. It was requested by my daughter VyVy to use for her Mom. In this video, you hear two excerpts: Requiem and Lacrimosa, performed by the Wiener Philharmoniker conducted by Herbert Von Karajan.

The second part of the video has photos taken during a commemorative planting of a tree in memory of Maryse. The original idea was from my friend Christiane Tyson (Chris) and I thank her for her thoughtfulness and her generosity to make arrangements for a special place of planting in the Montgomery Botanical Center (MBC) in Coral Gables. For this beautiful memorial, I thank Christiane and her husband, my friend, Christopher Tyson, who made a very special effort to come to the planting event that took place exactly four months after Maryse's passing, on April 17th, 2011. I thank Dr. Patrick Griffith, Executive Director of MBC to have personally provided all the material and his labor of love to nurse the Bodhi tree, whose scientific name is Ficus religiosa, in MBC's nurseries prior to planting.

The Bo tree that was planted belonged to Maryse and instead of it growing in her back yard, it is now growing in a beautiful, serene and spacious secluded part of MBC. This tree is given tender loving care by everyone at MBC and it is in the hands of botanical professionals who will make sure it will grow to its fullest potential. For this, I thank the staff of MBC who allows me to come visit often at times I feel the needs to be alone with my thoughts.

I thank my daughter VyVy, whom I love deeply and unconditionally, who traveled from her home in London to Miami to comfort me during a very trying time. Her husband Nathan could not find a way to leave London due to bad weather so this video is for him. Lastly, I thank my special son Mac-Long for being my life's companion.

Thank you for the time you spent visiting this site and for reading. When you have time, come to this space to take a leisure look at how Maryse's tree is doing. It will be a beautiful tree for all of us to see for many years to come.

Please click on the photo below to see the commemorative video in a new browser window that will start automatically after download. The photo shows Maryse's ficus tree as of December 13th, 2011.

Monthly Progress # 7

This is the seventh month since the Ficus religiosa was planted here. The battle against the red ants is over and the tree is doing very well although growth is slowed when Fall begun on 23rd of September. When it doesn't rain, the tree is watered at least once a week. Below is today's look from the familiar views.
This view is West...



... West-NorthWest...



... and NorthWest...

Happy Birthday 2011-#1

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Monthly Progress # 6

Half a year has gone by since Maryse's Bo tree was planted. Rainfall has been heavy for over a week here and the ficus tree is doing excellently. Many vigorous branches sprouted from the tree's trunk with many large and healthy leaves. The tree is doing very well.
This view is West...



... West-NorthWest...



... and NorthWest...

Remember Maryse

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Monthly Progress #5

This is the fifth month since the planting of the Bo tree at this location. 3/4 of the year has gone by since her passing... and Maryse is still sorely missed...

This view is West...

... West-NorthWest...

... and NorthWest...

Panoramic View

Here is a panoramic view from the location of Maryse's Ficus religiosa. The tree has now recovered well from the offending red ants and new growths resume on all branches including the younger new branches from the lower trunk.

Ficus religiosa

The Ficus religiosa is recovering from what we think is an aggressive invasion of the red ants. It is growing many healthy new branches in the lower portion of its trunk that is growing well. One has to be patient until the roots find their way to the water table for sustained growth.

These Foolish Things

Affectionate, loving and sentimental, Maryse always clung to her favorites and always very reluctant to changes. She did not want to replace her cell phone and kept it for several years together with her favorite ornate tiny purse that she had for decades. Her faithful cell phone is still in perfect working condition but no longer receives incoming calls nor can it make outgoing calls.


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These Foolish Things (Remind me of You)

Music: Jack Strachey
Lyrics: Eric Maschwitz
Vocalist: Nat King Cole

A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces,
An airline ticket to romantic places,
And still my heart has wings...
These foolish things remind me of you.

A tinkling piano in the next apartment,
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant,
A fairground's painted swings...
These foolish things remind me of you.

You came, you saw,
You conquered me.
When you did that to me,
I knew somehow this had to be.

The winds of March that made my heart a dancer,
A telephone that rings,
And who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings...
These foolish things remind me of you.

The first daffodil and long excited cables,
And candle lights on little corner tables,
And still my heart has wings...
These foolish things remind me of you.

The park at evening when the bell has sounded,
The 'Ile-de-France' with all the gulls around it,
The beauty that is spring's...
These foolish things remind me of you.

How strange, how sweet
To find you still,
These things are dear to me,
They seem to bring you near to me.

The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations,
Silk stockings thrown aside, dance invitations.
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you...

These foolish things remind me of you.

TLC

Maryse's tree is being attended to quite often these days... Today, follow up treatment to get rid of the red ant nest at the base is applied. A special solution to promote growth will be added in a few days. The tree is responding in kind by putting out new and healthy branches and we think that the treatment is working as expected. Thank you, Christine and Nora.

Monthly Progress #4

This day marks the fourth month since this Ficus religiosa was planted here. The past two weeks have been busy for us nursing this tree back to full growing form. The large red ant colony at the base of the tree was dealt with properly and hopefully they will either be eradicated or move somewhere else. New growth has returned and this tree is getting a lot of attention and care.

This view is West...

... West-NorthWest...

... and NorthWest...

We believe this tree will be beautiful and at home at this precise location. Once established, it will take care of itself...

Need TLC

Maryse's tree was doing very well... until recently when it started to drop leaves. We are looking into the problem, and suspect that the red ant hill at the base may be the cause. New growth began at the base of the tree but that may be signs of distress. This is a botanical center, so we should be able to understand and correct this problem.

Monthly Progress #3

Three months after planting, here is how Maryse's tree looks today. It has been raining on and off the past month and this area was weeded quite often to keep the bad growth at bay. New growths on the young tree appear consistently in new young leaves on new branches. Today, there is a flock of ibis feeding as seen in the West-Northwest view. The ficus tree is planted in the SE corner in the Southeast Expansion Area (SEA) of Montgomery Botanical center.
This view is West...

... West-NorthWest...

... and NorthWest...

Visiting this tree always evokes painful memories only I can experience.
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St. James Infirmary
Musician: Louis Armstrong
Music and Lyrics: Anonymous

Touch

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Touch
Music and Lyrics by Seal and Mark Batson
Vocalist: Seal

Without your touch I've been lost without the things I love
Without your kiss I've been dreaming of the things I miss

Your eyes, your mouth, your lips, your touch
(Your eyes), (your mouth), (your face), (your touch)

Who am I (Who am I)
There to tell (I'm not to tell)
What will be (what will be), no one knows, (still)
Who am I (I need to know)
There to tell (What time itself)
What will be (Will it show) well let it be

Each day we miss, I remember times I used to kiss
Your mouth (Your mouth), your eyes (your eyes), your face (your face), your touch (your touch)

But Who am I (Who am I)
There to tell (I'm not to tell)
what will be (What will be), well no one knows, (still)
Who am I (I need to know)
There to tell (What time itself)
what will be (Will it show) well let it be

(Still I need to know), (What time itself), (Will really show)
(Still I need to know), (What time itself), (Will really show)

And I say
Who am I (Who am I)
There to tell (I'm not to tell)
What will be (What will be) well, no one knows, (still)
Who am I (I need to know)
There to tell (What time itself)
what will be (Will it show) well let it be

Who am I (Who am I)
There to tell (I'm not to tell)
what will be (what will be), well no one knows, (still)
Who am I (I need to know)
There to tell (What time itself)
what will be (Will it show) Well let it be

Your mouth, your eyes, your face, your touch
Your touch, your touch, your touch, your touch.

Sweet Memories

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Sweet Memories
Vocalist: Willie Nelson
Music and Lyrics: Mickey Newbury (1968)

My world is like a river as dark as it is deep
Night after night the past slips in and gathers all my sleep
My days are just an endless stream of emptiness to me
Filled only by the fleeting moments of her memories
Sweet memories sweet memories...

She slipped into the silence of my dreams last night
Wandering from room to room turning on each light
Her laughter spills like water from the river to the sea
And I'm swept away from sadness clinging to her memories
Sweet memories sweet memories...

The Chimera

Print PDF

The Transplant Foundation, Inc. played a major role in the last two years of Maryse's life. It published a periodic newsletter named "The Chimera" that provided news to its members and to the public at large. In its last publication, Issue 1 in the Spring of the year 2011, the Chimera's Memorials section contained acknowledgement of financial contributions made to the Foundation in the name of Marie Rose. Parts of that issue are excerpted and reproduced here as our expression of gratitude to everyone who had gracefully made such noble gestures. Thank you!


The Miami Herald also has an on line guest book that appears below. A special thank you goes to the kind words expressed therein.

Tenderly

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Tenderly
Vocalist: Nat King Cole
Music and Lyrics: Walter Lloyd Gross and Jack Lawrence

The evening breeze caressed the trees tenderly
The trembling trees embraced the breeze tenderly
Then you and I came wandering by
And lost in a sigh were we.
The shore was kissed by sea and mist tenderly
I can't forget how two hearts met breathlessly
Your arms opened wide and closed me inside
You took my lips, you took my love so tenderly.

Monthly Progress #2

Two months after planting, here is how Maryse's tree looks today. In this center, there is a constant battle against the rapid growth of grass, weeds and other undesirable plants. The ficus tree is planted in the SE corner in the Southeast Expansion Area (SEA) of Montgomery Botanical center, which is very recently mowed and cleared. This view is West...

... West-NorthWest...

... and NorthWest...

Khóc Chị

My closest high school friend is Võ Vĩnh Thuận, a professional musician. We were able to regain contact after many years and I last saw him in Los Angeles in 2008 during a trip we made to attend a funeral. It was then that Thuận met Maryse for the first time. It turned out to be the last time as well. Thuận visited this blog after learning of its existence recently and was moved by the poem by Maryse's kid sister Kim. A few days later, he sent me his latest music composition bearing the original title "Khóc Chị" which translates into "Weeping For A Sister." The words of his music are from the poem, almost verbatim. The background photo he selected is from my "Compiègne" blog.

The sheet music he made is accompanied by the special sound track that he commissioned as a gift to Maryse.

For the benefit of those of you who do not know the language, a translation is given here:

Weeping For A Sister
By Elizabeth Kim
Translation by Lân

One after another, the loved ones depart this world
The pain leaves its imprint on the sorrow
Life is fraught with obstacles
The only thing left is this weeping poem
Weeping poem, sorrowful poem, longing and regretful poem
Memory of bygone days reverberates in one's heart
Lost in a world full of suffering
Bobbling with emotion in life's ocean of regrets
Shredded fallen leaves spreading here and there
Denuded trees sadly exposing their crooked branches
The freezing dew and snow windswept along with the clouds
Days and months swiftly flow into time past.

Khóc Chị

Music: Võ Vĩnh Thuận
Vocalist: Thái Hòa
Arrangement: Kiên Thanh

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Lonely Wine

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Lonely Wine
Vocalist: Roy Orbison
Songwriter: Raymond Joseph Downey

The night is bright and gay but I'm so blue
My heart must have its way and dream of you
That's why I sigh and sip my lonely wine.

Your picture on the wall your smiling face
Brings back the memory of your embrace
I start to cry into my lonely wine.

Teardrops fall but all they bring is heartache
It's better if I never think at all
Still they soothe the pain my lonely thoughts make
I never quite succeed in hiding all, so let them fall.

Wherever you may be, I'll still be true
And when the clouds roll by I'll come to you
But until then I'll drink my lonely wine.

Denise

Missing from this space are words from Denise, Maryse's closest friend over all these years. After many attempts to get her to write, Denise was still unable to put down in words what she felt in her heart. It took a trip across the Atlantic ocean to Balaruc near the Mediterranean sea and a face to face emotional reunion for me to get her to recount these memory fragments... Those bygone happy moments, precious as they were recalled, only accentuated the sorrow we both felt...

Maryse's tender age growing up in Saigon was one full of privileges. Member of the "Jeunesse Doree" elite group, she was living on top of the world, enjoying life to the fullest, going to the exclusive French Marie Curie high school with Denise and regularly parading the high fashion avenues after school for ice cream on Catinat street at Givral's. The two girls were inseparable and Denise often stayed overnight on weekends in Maryse's bed room. As it was the norm at that period of time, young girls were watched with eagle eyes by their strict parents. Of course, they all have more than once sneaked out at nights to go to innocent dancing parties thrown by friends. Full skirts would not fit while being worn so they did remove them and pass them through the windows to put them back outside to avoid detection during their occasional escapades. Maryse had at her disposal a convertible Studebaker which she drove around town without a valid license at first. As it was her habit until the later years of her life, Maryse loved new
clothing, many of which never worn. She often bought fabric and took them to a tailor near her Marie Curie high school to fashion new clothes and almost immediately passed them on to Denise. In her later years after having settled down, Maryse hardly ever talked about her bubbling youth. I always thought that that classy Studebaker I see in photos belonged to some of her family's rich American friends. It was indeed a huge sacrifice that she let go of her other well heeled pursuers in Paris that included a Laos prince, to adapt to the lifestyle of
starving students that she happily shared with me. But we both gained big in beautiful memories that continue to this day to torment me with no end in sight. Denise remains close to my heart and I often think about her living with her husband Rene in their beautiful home in Balaruc, near Sete, France.

Monthly Progress #1

One month after planting, here is how Maryse's tree looks today. Planted in the SE corner in the Southeast Expansion Area (SEA) of Montgomery Botanical Center, this view is West...

... West-NorthWest...

... and NorthWest...

Not the Same

Paris... May 3 - 7, 2011. It's the same old city... but not the same as before.
Chatelet Metro Exchange

30 Rue de Campo Formio

Boulevard de l'Hopital

7 Rue Denis Poisson