Kristin Espinasse's Blog, page 64
August 31, 2015
Devoiler: The Secret My Husband Kept from me
Smokey's Excellent Vacation - We just returned from the Ile d'Oléron with all four--make that five!--members of our family. From a nightly game of Yam (Yahtzee) to regular forays to the ocean, we had a restful and memorable time together. See all the pictures right here. (And did you spot Mr. Sacks in the photo above?)
MILLE MERCIS
Thank you for your thoughful responses to the previous story, "Hostile." After reading your comments my Dad wrote to say, "Your readers are incredib...
August 19, 2015
Vendange + Hostile? (Please don't sign off after reading this!)
Readers call him anything from "Hunk of Burning Love" to "Chief Grape" (and some other things, read on...). Here is my husband in his vines, at this morning's unofficial harvest. More pictures will be posted, soon, at Instagram (see here).
French Provincial--Australia's #1 magazine for French style and culture. Subscribe now
A SERIOUS WARNING:
Today's story includes sensitive material (and the F word). Please do not be offended or sign off for this transgression. An...
August 12, 2015
Glaçon: A Wife's Revenge + Ratatouillaisse recipe
Just discovered another photo of Jean-Marc and his side-kick Mr. Sacks, in Italy. Don't miss the collection of Mr Sacks photos!
JEAN-MARC IN WINE SPECTATOR - Please read about Jean-Marc in this week's online edition of Wine Spectator! The story is called Parched in Provence.
Mas la Monaque - Rent this beautifully restored 17-century farmhouse. Click here for more pictures.
TODAY'S WORD: le glaçon
: ice cube
French definition of ice cubes from Wikipedia:...
August 5, 2015
Illegal Alien, Moi? Carte de sejour & Lettre de motivation
Scroll down my Facebook feed and you'll see French artist and friend Yvon Kergal's recipe for carmelized "Ratatouillasse" (apparently a valid scrabble word, though no other definition found...) It's the most delicious hamburger-ratatouille combo ever!
French Provincial--Australia's #1 magazine for French style and culture. Subscribe now
TODAY'S WORD: une carte de séjour
: residence permit
AUDIO FILE: Listen to Jean-Marc:
Download MP3 or Download Wa...
July 30, 2015
The 5 senses in French + Smokey's Grief
Pictured: Sam and Breizh, in 2009. Smokey's parents met and eloped in Marseilles. It is the most amazing story ever. A miracle! Please read "Chien Perdu" here. (But don't miss the update, below).
l'ouïe (wee) noun, feminine
: hearing
Mas la Monaque - Rent this beautifully restored 17-century farmhouse. Click here for more pictures.
Related Terms & Expressions:
le ouïe-dire = hearsay, rumor
avoir l'ouïe...
July 26, 2015
Goodbye, Breizh.
Breizh. May 17th 2006- July 25, 2015
9 GOLDEN YEARS
Yesterday we said goodbye to our beloved golden retriever, Breizh (a.k.a. Braise, and Brez). We are so grateful, dear girl, for all of the happiness you gave us. We can never thank you enough. Repose en paix.
I leave you, dear reader, with Jackie's words:
Tu as était toute ma vie, depuis mes 7 ans, ma première meilleure amie, m...
July 24, 2015
avoir de la veine + Learning French strengthens your brain!
A meaningful gift our recent guests left us: drawing by WRAL. (We will stick with WRAL for now, until I check if it is ok to post the artist's full name.) First, today's expression:
AVOIR DE LA VEINE
: to be lucky
Mas de Perdrix. A home in France that artists and writers love to rent. Work on your creative project in this inspiring environment.
AUDIO FILE: Listen to Jean-Marc read the following example sentence:
Download MP3 or Wav
avoir de la ve...
July 17, 2015
Meet Morrie & French fruit soup recipe
Jean-Marc, returning to his vine fields after delivering me this tree!
Meet Morrie! We welcome to our vineyard a new tree, a morus alba pendula . This weeping mulberry tree, a permaculture gardener's dream, will lend a delicious dimension to today's recipe: French Fruit Soup. Read on!
French Provincial--Australia's #1 magazine for French style and culture. Subscribe now
la cueillette (kuh yet)
1. picking, gathering
2. crop...
July 15, 2015
French Marriage advice, and weakness and sacrifice
Jean-Marc ("Chief Grape") and Kristi. My husband records the sound files for this journal (today's will be late), and I write the stories. Photo by Cynthia Gillespie-Smith (check out her charming rental in Provence very near Aix-en-Provence and not far from Avignon and Arles).
chétif (chétive)
: puny, meagre; undersized, poor
un enfant chétif = a weak child
une récolte, une plante chétive = a meagre harvest, a puny plant
Example:
Nous n'avions pu voir qu'une...
July 10, 2015
Pillow talk, Ex-girlfriends and my Mother-in-law
My mother-in-law has discovered google translation as a way to read these posts in French. I hope Michèle-France will enjoy today's story! (Picture of the red sunflowers growing in our field of cinsault grapes. To see the yellow tournesols, join me on Instagram.)
oreiller (oh-ray-yay) noun, masculine
: pillow
My Other House is in France pillow - thoughtful gift for someone who loves France.
Related Vocabulary
prendre conseil de son oreiller = to sleep on it (re...
