All photos © Kristin Espinasse
Come harvest time, this old wagon is an important part of la routine for a certain Cécilién* farmer. (*Cécilien, Cécilienne: resident of the village of Sainte Cécile-les-Vignes)
Jean-Marc's USA Wine Tour: If you are near Tampa on March 24th, you are very welcome to join Jean-Marc for one of his wine tastings. Have a look here for the list of cities where he will pour his wines, including his gold winner "Mistral".
Today's Word:
Because today's word (the title of our story…) is the same in English, we're going to turn the tables a bit, and look at the French definition this time. Following the definition, you'll be in for a treat: Tante Marie-Françoise is back with her second article in her series "Lettres de Ma Terrasse". Enjoy this edition and be sure to share it with a friend who loves France.
la routine (lah roo-teen) noun, feminine
: habitude prise de faire quelque chose toujours de la même manière
.
Cinéma Vérité: For fans of French Word-A-Day, or for those of you who simply enjoy a regular visit to this word journal — whether to learn a phrase, see a picture, or read the stories on French life — you might just love the weekend photo edition of this blog: "Cinéma Vérité" is your gift when you help support this French word journal, now in its seventh year — and still free! Find out how to contribute, here.
Lettres de ma Terrasse
"La Routine"
Toutes les maisons de la rue du quartier ont la même architecture : un escalier latéral de quatre ou cinq marches fait accéder à un petit perron devant la porte d'entrée. Les maisons sont donc légèrement surélevées parce qu'en sous-sol il y a une cave antique souvent creusée dans la roche. Autrefois c'est là que l'on faisait le vin, sous la salle à manger! On entre encore dans ce réduit par une minuscule porte au ras de la rue, gymnastique garantie!
Sur les petits perrons il y a une grille de protection et c'est une tradition de la garnir de quelques plantes fleuries. Ces plantations modestes, le plus souvent des géraniums, sont l'occasion de conversations anodines entre voisins… comme on va le voir!
C'est l'été, les personnes âgées, on le sait, se lèvent tôt… et encore plus tôt à la belle saison quand le soleil et les oiseaux sont eux aussi très matinaux.
Ma fille Audrey, alors 10 ans, est en vacances et n'a aucune raison de se lever aux aurores. Un matin, mon café tout juste avalé, je la vois descendre de l'étage des chambres la mine renfrognée. Je m'intrigue et la questionne sur la raison de ce réveil matinal.
"Mais, Maman, tu n'as pas entendu les voisines?"
"Si, je sais bien que tous les matins elles balayent leurs escaliers puis y jettent un seau d'eau."
"Mais tu vas voir qu'elles vont encore se raconter la même rengaine pour leurs fleurs."
"Ah bon, je n'ai pas remarqué…"
Nous faisons silence et, de fait, les deux mamies voisines engagent dans le parler local une conversation d'un trottoir à l'autre.
"Dites, Françoise, mes fleurs? … je les ai arrosées hier… c'est pas la peine que je les arrose aujourd'hui quand même… parce que… bon… si je les avais pas arrosées hier… je les arroserais aujourd'hui… mais comme je les ai arrosées hier…."
"Eh oui, Lucienne, moi je les ai pas arrosées hier, c'est pour ça que je les arrose aujourd'hui… mais demain, …moi… je les arroserai pas.
Tu as entendu! s'énerve Audrey, elles se posent la même question tous les matins et je suis sûre que demain c'est Françoise qui demandera à Lucienne s'il faut arroser ou non les fleurs!
Pour cacher mon fou-rire, je pars faire chauffer du lait; j'apporte le beurre et des tartines de pain tout juste grillé. Je lance:
"Dites, Audrey, vos tartines, je les ai beurrées hier… c'est pas la peine que je les beurre aujourd'hui quand même… parce que… bon…
Un grand sourire éclaire enfin le visage de ma chérie; elle m'embrasse puis s'installe devant le bol fumant.
"Quelquefois la routine a du bon ma chérie!"
* * *
Check back on Wednesday for the English translation of this story! Meantime, please leave a note for Marie-Françoise in the comments box — letting her know how you enjoyed her story. I'll be sending her the link so that she can enjoy your words!
Enjoy "Planter le Décor", Marie-Françoise's last story, here.
Update! Mille mercis to Divya, Jacqui, Ally, and Leslie (and anyone I might have missed) for translating Marie-Françoise's story. You'll find their versions (in American and English) in the "routine" and "anodin" comments boxes!
Today's Photo & Question:
In the town of Orange: Red-n-Yellow: French façade & matching flowers
Question: Is your outfit matching or clashing today and do you even care? Share your story in the comments box.
My answer: currently, I am matching (in non-color: beige, black, white…) though I was seriously clashing over the weekend when, at my son's basketball game in Tarascon, I noticed the other women's shoes: heels and poiny toes, black all around! Meantime, I wore gray tennis shoes* with pink stripes, and black patterned (!!!) socks. I know better, but I also now know that weekends are for relaxing, for breaking the rules, and for not taking yourself–and fashion–too seriously. There is a time and a place for everything and it was time to focus on my son and be an (ableit mismatched) cheerleader.
PS: those shoes were a 2003 Christmas gift from Jean-Marc. At the time, I thought they were the dorkiest shoes that I had ever seen. I put them in the back of the closet and forgot about them… until one day I needed shoes. Now I wear them almost daily. "Dork" to me now is someone with an attitude: ungrateful, self-important, or plain 'ol stubborn.
Discover more from French Word-A-Day
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I am matching! I have on a long sleeve navy cotton pull over, navy blue jeans, my husband’s big white athletic socks and gray asics off trail sneakers…they’re my favorite! I’d wear sneakers over a pointy toe shoe ANY day of the week!
Love your blog!!!
Cheers, Randy
Red and yellow. Mix them together and, voila, Orange!!
I’m all in blue. It matches my mood on an overcast Monday.
I’m wearing a yellow sweatshirt and black sweatpants….old grungy tennies and I’m getting ready to garden…..my son is getting married in our front yard this summer, so I will be gardening a lot….i love to garden and this is very exciting for me to plan the yard…..i’m not sure if i match, but i’m comfortable…..from the land of oz….chris
White-at-the-knees jeans, a red sweatsuit top that’s seen better days, navy socks, and bright blue Crocs — but my plans for the morning are to run the vacuum cleaner around. I will go as far as putting real shoes on to drive a friend to her physical therapy appointment today.
About shoes: years ago friends in Marseille took me to Les Baux. They explained that they had been there most recently with their daughter’s class and a group of visiting American high school French students. As they watched the teenagers spread out and looking down and away from the cliff they noticed the shoes. There was half overlap, with French and Americans wearing sneakers. The other half of the French students wore high heels, whereas the other half of the Americans wore hiking boots!
The outfit is a light green nightgown, an off-white chenille robe and beige slippers. Does that qualify as matching? It’s not easy getting in gear on a gorgeously sunny and warm (for the time of year) Front Range Colorado morning. The only blue in my Monday will be the sky. Time for a second cup of coffee!
Okay, Jan. NOW, I’m GREEN with envy. Bright, bright green that defineitely does NOT match my blue ensemble:) — Diane
My one-piece bathing suit which I have tried
to redesign twice. I finally found a mini black tube top to put around my chest to hold the damn thing up. I think it looks pretty cool. I gave up bekini’s on my 61st birthday, but if I get in good shape this spring at FRENCH BOOTCAMP – I’m back to the bekini.
I can relate, Diane! As for me, I’m puttin’ sweats and gowns on my wish list… a little elegance… and, ahhhh…. expanding waistbands!
PS: Mom: you beat me to the comments box today. I just saw your note. We must have hit “publish” at the same time. Get ready for BOOTCAMP! PSS: I see you have *finally* shared your blog…. hurray!
O.k. – sorry about the incorrect spelling of bikini – where is the spellcheck on the comment box?
Kristi – what do you mean “shared my blog”
Have I pushed a wrong button on this $#$%
computer. It is not NOT ready yet.
What’s the saying: you’re ready as you’ll ever be — and perfect just as you are! xoxo
Merci, Marie-Francoise. C’etait mignonne votre histoire. Elle m’a donne un beau sourire.
I am at work today so, oui, I match. But I just got back from 10 days in Paris and I never feel very chic there! French women must be born in heels. Heels and cobble-stoned streets! I admire their sense of style. Ladies always dressed up just to go to the market…
My sisters and I have an “it doesn’t match, but it goes” philosophy.
Today my clothes go.
Mine is not and I do not care as I have a bit of food poisoning from the train last night coming home from Venice back to Paris.
I knew the food wasn’t as good (the city is fabulous and colorful just like your shots!)
Jeanne
A charming and touching vignette. Mme Marie-Françoise writes like a modern Daudet. I much enjoy her language—French—and the sensibility.
I am responding to the question about fashion. It’s been difficult to know my own fashion here. It seems there are 3/4 kinds of style…. 1. Comfort and don’t care, 2. Care and dare – lots of tucks, zippers, poofs…. buttons…. pointy shoes…. then, 3. simple good looks, you don’t notice, but it’s a good not notice, then at last, 4. the best dressed – matched to perfection, perfect fit, even the cashmere sweater matches the white and blue checked basket on the back of the bicycle. It makes me want to give up. In America, I was fashionable – even described as “looking French” but here, I just don’t get it. I want to look good, feel good and not spend so much!!!!!!!!!!
I am emphathetic about your fashion dilema.
Seems like a very interesting subject!!
I rarely match in that official “ladies who lunch” way, but I firmly believe that coloring outside of the lines and being eclectic is the true measure of an interesting person that I want to know better.
And patterned socks are far superior to plain. J’adore your outfit as described, Kristin!
Thank you, Emily–and I like your “coloring outside of the lines… is the true measure of an interesting person that I want to know better”!
Jeanne: hope you’ll feel better soon!
Morton and Pat: mille mercis de la parte de Marie-Françoise!
Merci Marie-Françoise pour votre petite histoire charmante. C’est vraiment la même histoire partout que la routine nous rassure (surtout nous qui approche la viellese!) que, jour par jour, la vie continue; et qu’il faut arroser les fleurs tous les jours, or tous les deux jours–j’oublie…c’est la maladie des anciens… Bonne continuation de vos lettres!
Actually, I was packing last night and going through my pile of unfolded laudry and came up with a unique combination. I wore my great grandmothers slip, the full one with the shoulder straps and short enough to go beneath a miniskirt. A teal blue chiffon scarf with glittery border sewn along the sides, and my favorite plain white 100 percent cotton with 3/4 slleves, and lastly fleece pick floppy socks. All a collection from visiting my family in Boston though I live in Hawaii. My husband winced at the combination but kissed me still.
Sorry for all the typo’s I think without the errors.
No worries, Diane. I noticed there was a double post and I deleted one of them.
Today I match.Perfectly pressed pants with a charcoal grey cashmere sweater,pink scarf and navy overcoat. I sell wine and my accounts may not appreciate my colorful unmatched outfits that I wear on the weekend. Yesterday I wore a long crazy yellow and grey shirt/ dress type thing with an orange and white printed long scarf! It was gloriously french looking and i felt so chic. Today I look a little boring, At least my lipstick is red!!!
J’adore cette petite histoire de la routine. Je pouvais presque voir les fleurs et gouter le chocolat chaud. Que la France me manque!
Lets see…I am wearing today a fullish black skirt with a white singlet top under a silver grey singlet top and a cream knit cardigan over ( has a small collection of tourist stick pins on one side) and sandles. Note to self…don’t forget to brush hair before you go out! (repeat to self…)
I am looking forward to sitting down later today to try and translate Marie-Francoise latest story. I throughly enjoyed her last story, although my translations only get the gist, and then following everyone elses translations as they weave in the beauty of her written images…language is wonderful no matter where it originates!
Merci Marie-Françoise pour votre petite histoire drôle. Il en est de même dans tous les pays avec les jeunes filles, n’est-ce pas?
Marie-Francoise, je trouve cette histoire charmante. Vous racontez bien la beaute et la verite dans la vie.
Merci!
I’m wearing comfortable and warm, non-matching clothes as it is too cold for this octogenarian. My trousers are on the more dress-up side only because my baggy sweat pants are just too crummy looking for being in town earlier.
Kristi,it was a joyful surprise to see a picture of Orange. The area is vaguely remembered but the photo elicits other pictures of different times in Orange that are most vivid.
My giving wife bought a cell phone for me. I have mixed feelings — happy to be able to call Nancy when I need to be driven home from a place too far from chez nous for me to walk and not so happy when Nancy said”I need to know where you are (from time to time — not all the time yet!)
Great news — expecting to have a great grandson delivered in July and reservations have been made to visit my one-of-two best male friends, Ray (who has terminal cancer), in Texas. We have agreed to have lunch together with his wife, Rosie, on April 19th and 20th.
sigh!….Jules, I think we need to write out “bikini” and “sandals” out 100 times!!!
Merci à Marie-Françoise pour cette délicieuse vignette. Je crois “entendre” ces dames aux accents succulents.
Though I feel 40-year-young (la fleur de l’age), my body sometimes behaves like the 57-year-old that I am. So sensible lace-up shoes with orthotics is my lot! They come in boring black or boring black…. ONE DAY, I will dye them… in non-matching colours! In the meantime, it is my “guilty pleasure” to wear mismatched cotton socks (or crocheted fine wool socks). I also love to wear odd earrings. In deference for St Patrick, though, today Both my socks are green. :)- (Well it IS the 17th already, here in OZ).
Matching is not my forte; in fact, I am definitely a not-match type. Ma soeur is matchy-matchy – typical for sisters! My wild and wonderful article of clothing is sans doubt SHOES…a recent interest…a new passion. But I am very selective…do not “collect,” they have to be outrageously fabulous. I think it is more fun to be a little outrageous w/clothing. I continue to try and “dress up” more when I leave the house…inspired by French women when i was there last Fall. Alas, I slouch out of the house too often. I am looking at this word “slouch” which I have never used like this before. But I like it.
Merci Merie-Francoise–working on the translation.
Wow, I’m jealous that Diane has her great grandmother’s slip. What a treasure.
Match? Ce n’est pas quelque chose pour allumer le feu? Ou le journal de Paris? Bon, my sox match (each other, nothing else): bright red/turquoise argyle pattern, dark blue chinos, and a hawaiian shirt (too many bright colors to list). Et milles mercis a Marie-Francoise pour sa petite histoire. Et a tous, bonne fete de St. Patrique!