"Blossoming in Provence Volume Two?"…. Would this photo work for the next story collection? The title could be written across the blue sky… the picture, bordered by a green cover? Your thoughts here, in the comments box.
ribambelle (une ribambelle de…)
1. a swarm, flock of (bees, birds…)
2. a string of (kids…)
3. a row of; stacks of (chairs…)
Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc Download MP3 or Wav file
Autour de la table et sous le mûrier, il y avait une ribambelle de chaises de differentes tailles et couleurs. Around the table and under the mulberry tree, there was a row of chairs of different sizes and colors.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE… by Kristin Espinasse
Writer's block continues and it isn't a matter of not having a story to tell. There is a pervading dullness that creeps in each time I begin typing. Doubts begin to mount, weighing down what began as determination. Any stick-to-it-iveness… up and splits… and there's nothing left to do but to but to give up or go through.
I've been going through the 2006 story archives after realizing that a few stories were left out of Blossoming in Provence. My plan is to publish a second volume, or companion, to the BIP book… never mind that it might be a better idea to do a collection of vineyard stories (from 2007-8) or even a collection of recent stories (2009-2011), ones that might be more "mature" than the earlier vignettes?
Then again I have been reading your suggestions for a coffee table book of "best photos". I like the idea but do not currently have a good "publishing solution" (read: house publisher!) for this kind of project (the self-publishing software that I am using does not include a good template for a photos-only book).
What with the blocks and the doubts you'd think the universe was sending some kind of big hint… such as: why not go out and play in the garden instead? Or what about a Sunday drive… on Monday? or even a ditch day???
It certainly could be argued that books are made of whys and whatabouts… but they are also made of hours and hours of turnout.
Back to work, now, on two more stories for this current collection. Want to join me? Get out your red pen! Here are the next two chapters:
"Poursuivre": our puppy Braise is pursued by a big bad bistro chair! Click here to proofread this story.
"Toile": Françoise, the art store owner (you may remember reading this rerun, a month or so ago… to begin proofreading, click here.
… and many thanks to those who sent in edits for the story "Tremper"… including the suggestion to leave this one out of the collection. Anyone else think this one should go? Or can we keep this account of an arts-n-craft-challenged maman?
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Between this photo and the one at the top of this letter, which do you prefer for a book-cover image? There are three more photos (at the end of Friday's post) to compare with these. Thanks for letting me know your favorite, here in the comments.
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Yes
Being that we woke up to snow today in Northern NY, both of your photos are extremely welcome sights. Both would make a beautiful cover.
Lovely picture for the cover, but I find the foreground blur too distracting.
Love the idea, as I love the colors and their contrast, but I’m afraid that i agree with Andrew Farrell-the foreground blur is too distracting.
And I find the second photo too busy!
Hmmm. Either. Both are super. Lovely, poignant. Purple attracts me.
I prefer the second photo too, just because I don’t like the fact that the foreground is so out of focus. I would try re-taking the shot focussing on the middle ground, if possible, and see if that brought everything in more sharply. But if it’s not lavender time I recognize that you can’t do that!
Both are Beautiful and Inviting…I Love Purple Flowers Best !!!!!
The first!
Dear Kristin Espinasse: Gosh — Don’t be discouraged! I am a writer, a would-be French speaker, and a regular reader of your blog. And today’s word — “une ribambelle” — is entirely new to me and much appreciated. Your wonderful and successful blog and your great following are an inspiration to us all. So don’t be so hard on yourself! Give yourself a pat on the back — Courage!
Sincerely, Nicole Plett
Dear Kristin, As a less experienced blogger than you, and one whose income comes not at all from my blog, take what I’m saying with un grain de sel. I took a 2-month hiatus recently from my blog, CouchSurfing Cook, because frankly I was burnt out feeling pressured to publish fascinating stories about food every week and was completely uninspired. My blogs were not making the world a better place, or so I felt, and until I could figure out a purpose for myself, it felt better to take a break. I’m back again as of last week, and it feels like the best thing I’ve done. My readers are excited that I’m back. I’m excited again to be writing. And I got the R & R I needed to think and self-reflect, etc. This is all to say, sometimes it’s important to get away from blogging so that you can be inspired. Life is short. And, yes, while goals are important and sometimes you do just need to delay gratification and slog through, there’s something to be said as well for trusting your instincts and not making your life about publishing a work product as often as your publishing schedule requires of you. xo Wylie
for the book cover, I like the one with lavender field in it . . .
I think definitely the lavender pic for the cover, Kristin. With title in the sky, as you suggest – just perfect.
Love the lavender but not the blurry foreground. Also love the second photo today and the sunflowers from last week. Any of those say “Blossoming in Provence.”
…neither of those…..you have so many wonderful photos – I think one with more landscape visible? These two could be anywhere, not just Provence……
Hmmm, love the lavender. Yes, the foreground blur is distracting but that can be clipped. I find the empty sky most distracting. The roses look so luscious but too dominent.
I would love to read a book that was titled “A Dog in Provence” and you would be the perfect author. Maybe Smokey and Braise are your alter egos????
LOVE the lavendar photo! Perfect example of blossoming plus the old structure. Absolutely my fav! Take a break…get away from the thought of a book and come back in a few days to it refreshed. You have such storytelling talent that inspiration will return.
The lavender is glorious! That’s a book I would want in my home.
I like the second one better. Lavender equals France and it is overused, in my humble opinion! Let’s mix it up!
I love the what I think may be Lavender but agree that it is too blurred in the foreground.
The one with the roses is my next pic.
If you could somehow, sharpen the foreground, maybe in photoshop, that would be great.
Okay, Lavender especially if you are looking to use more photos and more “colour” photos.
Enjoying my “escape” of the day reading your writings.
Thank you, Kathleen
I love the lavender! 🙂
The lavender picture is “parfait!” It took me right to Provence….as they say…it said 1000 words…or emotions, maybe!
KRISTI DARLING,
So far none of the photo’s have sparked for me. I still like the idea I recommended yesterday in the comments – just now I remembered a few of my favorite photo’s, the one of you with the pick working in your garden…..NOW THAT WOULD BE A GREAT PHOTO FOR YOUR COVER. Also, my favorite all-time photo is the one of you gazing at the grapes in your hand like a crystal ball when you first visited the vineyard back in 2006. Please put those photo’s up for a vote.
XOXO
MOM
wow….what a beautiful phot ….the lavender is fabulous….but that amazing stone roof is a work of downhome art!!!!!!!susan standke
I like the lavender photo, but it seems too heavy with lavender, proportions are off. I love the roses picture and the sunflower picture. It’s a real toss up between the two. 🙂
I like the second one best, but anything with flowers is a winner. I think we are going to confuse you with all of our opinions… I say never retire–when you love what you do, you are not working. Just take many mini-vacations. Coffee breaks. Meditative moments…Balance is key, and you know how to do that: as wife, mother, daughter, friend, Auntie, author, etc…
Hmm—I like the Countryside scene, but maybe we need one or two more choices. I was so happy that you selected my preference for the first volume.
Love the top photo .. striking colors… more unusual.
I agree with what others have said about the distracting out-of-focus foreground in the lavender shot. As Leslie suggests, in a similar photographic situation in the future, focusing on the hyperfocal distance will bring everything in front of the hyperfocal point and beyond it into focus. A small aperture will also help.
I’m also not wild about the second shot for a cover. It’s too busy and could be anywhere.
What about an image that says “blossoming” in a more subtle way. I know you have some lovely shots of flowers in unexpected places.
And something else to think about is that these pictures are landscape format. If your book will be the same format as your first two, a portrait format shot would work better.
P.S. There is no way the foreground could be sharpened in Photoshop as someone else suggested.
Love the second picture. The purple is beautiful in the first but the blurred part isn’t good.
I prefer the second one, the first one somehow being “too much.” You have so many marvelous photos to choose from and much as I think thee are nice, I don’t think the best.
Kristin, When I think of Provence, I always think of lavender. Love your picture of the lavender field, but agree that you need one that is not blurred. I disagree that lavender is overused. After all, it is Provence! Thank you for all the beautiful pictures.
I vote for the top picture. I don’t think the bottom one leaves enough room for a title.
Salut Kristin,
Temperature hit 102 degrees here in Phoenix yesterday…summer is here
Here’s the poem I wrote for you when you had writer’s block a couple years ago….Maybe it will help.
A Blogger’s Morning
At the crack of dawn, I woke up this morning
Did my blinking, stretching and yawning
With traces of dreams racing through my head
Mind and body still commanding; stay in bed
Birds were singing and the sun was shinning
Hey, I can’t just stay here in bed a whining
I should be facing this new day with glee
Since it’s my blog, I write aujourd’hui (today)
I rack my fuzzy brain for an intriguing story to tell
But there are no ideas, no stories, nothing rings a bell
There must be some gitty-witty words of sage
But, alas today, my mind’s a blankity-blank page
À bientôt
Lavendar is my favorite so, YES!
Kristin, I’d go with the first one, the cabanon and lavendar because it’s cleaner, simpler, and as you pointed out, leaves space for the title. If it were rectangular I’d like it even better, but maybe square will work for your format.
What a cute poem, Herm!
The lavender photo is my favorite! The sky is the perfect place for the title.
Hi Kristin
Although I love the lavender, it leads the eye right to an abandoned cabanon, which, despite the charm of stone and tile, has a gaping, dark, yawn of an entryway: not very good “feng shui!”
And I agree with Alyssa, who says the roses are too busy, especially if you’re going to superimpose text over them.
You’ll find the perfect picture, I’m sure!
Meanwhile, take heart. My experience with creative blocks has been that change was in the air. I was being called to shift direction a bit.
Good Day Kristin!
I love both, but the lavender photo is easy on the eye. I feel my eyes and my mind relax as I view the soft colors. The easy fix on the blur, and would even improve the photo, would be to crop the lower portion of the flowers. This would also provide more room for words at the top since you probably won’t be able to put words over the darker color of the flowers.
It’s a gorgeous, cool, dry and sunny day in New Orleasn! 59 degrees!
How about a photo of une ribambelle de chaises de differentes tailles et couleurs? I think I’ve seen one in one of your posts. That would look so expansive and inviting and be particular to YOUR Provence.
Bonjour,
Both photos are good ideas. Why not wait until there are some dramatic clouds and re-shoot? Perhaps move a little more to the right of the small building in order to get a more interesting angle. You might want to consider putting less of the flowers in soft focus.
The other shot could use some drama in the sky as well. If nothing else, use a polarized filter to make the sky bluer.
Both of these shots look like they would fit a “landscape” shaped book better than a
“portrait” shaped book like your last one.
Please keep thinking about allowing your loyal readers to submit a photo for your consideration. It might give you some ideas.
Amicalement,
Dennis
KRISTI DARLING,
YOU CAN’T FOOL ANYONE – WE ALL KNOW YOU SO WELL…
YOU SHOULD REST AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
TOMORROW IS A BIG DAY – GUS AND PAULETTE ARE COMING TO VISIT YOU. YOU PLAYED A ‘KEY’ ROLE IN THIS SPECIAL VISIT TOMORROW – NOW THERE IS A STORY WE ARE ALL AWAITING ON WEDNESDAY.
GIVE GUS AND PAULETTE A BIG HUG FROM ME.
I SHOULD BE THERE.
XOXO
MOM
Hi Kristen,
I love the photo at the bottom of today’s posts. Do you make your collection available for sale? I am always looking for good photos for my website for France and other countries.
Jan
Thanks for these helpful thoughts about the book cover and the book (and rest… and more!)!
Mom, Gus and Paulette are coming on Thursday. Can anyone else make it to Thursdays meetup? Let me know.
Thanks, Dennis. I am still considering this. Will let you know if I open up a photo-submission. On the other hand, it is something to organize… which brings me to Jans question: no, for reasons of organization (I tried to put photos up for sale, before, but it got to be too much to juggle).
Bonjour Kristin! Both of your photos are exquisite! I love the foreground blur with the lavender, it adds a beautiful depth to the photo. And then the roses are sumptuous! I agree with whoever suggested you should do a photo book, if only you can figure a good way to publish! We love France, and we enjoy so much reading your blog, it takes us across the atlantic to an idyllic world! We hope you feel better with your writers’ block! You do such a wonderful job! Thanks so much!
I have to agree that there is too much that is out of focus in this photo, as beautiful as the colors are.