Kristin Espinasse's Blog, page 66

eveiller

Smell the roses, see the butterfly's wings... slow to a snail's pace but not so slow as to sleepwalk through the day.

France and Monaco Rentals: short-term holiday rental properties throughout France. Click here for pictures.

éveiller(ay-veh-yay) verb
 
       : to wake up, to excite... "to pull from sleep" (tirer du sommeil)

French Vocabulary & Audio File Hear my daughter pronounce today's word and quote (Note: Don't recognize...

fils + book giveaway + your own personal talent

Happy Birthday Max. We watered you. You watered the vines. And everything just grew.

 MAS DE LA PERDRIX. Lovely months to rent this home France: July, for fields of sunflowers & lavender. September, for the grape harvest! October: fall leaves. The exchange rate is great. It's a wonderful time to rent this dreamhouse.

 

TODAY'S WORD:
fils (feece) noun, masculine

    : son

C'est bien le fils de son père = he is very much his father's son
ê...

6 Little-known tips to successfully learn French

Field of poppies in Bandol.  See the recent photos of Mom's first days in Provence, here at Instagram or on my Facebook.

Exclusive French made clothes now available to purchase on-line. Thomas Hulston Collections.

This is a guest post from Benjamin Houy, author of How to Learn French in a Year and founder of French Together, a website where he makes learning French easy. You love France, you may already live there or plan to live in this beautiful country in the future....

mesaventure: Mom's mishap, Smokey's in limbo, and I choked on a pill

In limbo. Both Smokey and my Mom were in limbo this week: the one is still waiting for his tumor  test results, while the other is about to land in Madrid, si Dieu le veut (God willing!) Here is a picture of Smokey to make us all smile in the meantime. The title "Ironmutt" is in reference to the medal he is wearing, swiped from Jean-Marc who is a recent finisher of the race which took place in Aix-en-Provence. Bravo Jean-Marc! And Bravo for helping my Mom when she was stranded in Mexic...

Delightful words and company: ravigoter

I love this picture of my friend, David, at his farmhouse in Lorgues. Notice the garden boot about to fade into the wall beside him. It belongs to his lovely wife, artist (and gardener) Tessa Baker. If you have the chance to attend Tessa's "Painting in Provence" course, this beautiful mas and its relaxing garden will be your inspiring retreat, and these cherished friends will be your hosts.

ravigoter (verb)

    : to perk up; to buck up

AUDIO FILE: Listen to Jean-Marc...

S'esclaffer: Never do this alone in France

 Smokey gets his stitches out today (test results back next week). Here he is taking a break from that uncomfortable cone, the protective collerette he has worn for two weeks. 

Tomorrow is le premier Mai.  Click here to learn what the French are up to.

s'esclaffer

    : to guffaw, to burst out laughing

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:...

Mois & May in France: two things to know

Friday is May 1st. Be prepared by reading about the Muguet tradition : Click here or here. And many thanks to the writer Mary Ellen Gallagher, whose thoughtful notes and research inspired today's post. 

Exclusive French made clothes now available to purchase on-line. Thomas Hulston Collections.

 

le mois (mwah)

    : month

ça fait des mois = it's been months
arrondir ses fins de mois = to supplement one's income
tous les trente-s...

Coursier: Delivering my dog's tumor to the post office...

Do you listen to the audio files in these posts? Here are the French men who record them: my 19-year-old son, Max, and my husband, Jean-Marc. The treasure of sound files for this blog dates back to when the kids were 7-years-old. Here is a gem you must listen to and share!: A nine-year-old Max, reading Rudyard Kipling's inspiring poem, "If". Click here.

coursier, coursière

    : delivery boy, delivery girl, courier, runner

Beautifully renovated and decorated home in the Lubero...

Get well soon, in French + photos from our winetasting!

 I pick up Smokey from the clinique in half an hour! His operation went well to remove the tumor and we will have results back in two weeks. Thank you for the thoughtful wishes you've sent in, including this exquisite note from my favorite calligrapher, Joy Fairclough, based in the South of France. See her Studio French Blue !)

bon rétablissement

    : get well soon!

France and Monaco Rentals: short-term holiday rental properties throughout France. Click...

Droit au but: Smokey update

Come to our home, this Monday, April 20th at 3p.m. for snacks and a winetasting. (We live near Bandol) To reserve your seat, email kristin.espinasse@gmail.com (p.s if the fava beans are ready, we'll try some :-)

Mas de Perdrix. A home in France that artists and writers love to rent.  Work on your creative project in this inspiring environment.

droit au but (dwaht-oh-bewt)

to go straight to the goal, directly to the goal to get right to the point

AUDIO FILE: Listen to Jean-M...