Today's word is yet another example of how I learn English from the French…
bivouaquer (bee-vwack-ay)
: to bivouac
un bivouac = an improvised camp site. An individual sleeping shelter under the stars (or more often rain clouds) made out of natural materials or very rudimentary supplies. (from Wiki Answers)
Question …but just what does "to bivouac" mean?
Answer: to make a temporary encampment somewhere.
Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc: Download MP3 or Wav file
Bivouaquer, c'est s'installer sommairement dans un lieu naturel pour y manger ou dormir.
Bivouaquer… it means to settle oneself simply (in minimalist conditions) into a natural environment and then to eat (picnic) or to sleep there.
A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse
I thought today's word had nothing to do with the goings on around here at the moment. My plan was to feature the word–overheard yesterday at a picnic–and then post a few unrelated photos from Mom's visit. (I've promised to take some time away from posting and email, in order to spend as much time with Mom as possible).
Only, when I went to look up the word "bivouac", I learned it is the same in English. Zut! That means I have to find another word to share… On the other hand, maybe I am not the only one unfamiliar with this funny word bivouaquer, a verb that is alive and well in France (I must have heard it half a dozen times, yesterday, as the French are already talking about vacation plans, which, for some, will include roughing it, ie, bivouaquer.)
Meantime, life's not so rough for Mom at the moment. She is temporarily encamped–or en train de bivouaquer–in the room that was to be my office… (I've grown fond of this cozy corner of my bedroom and continue to write from here). Off to see what she is up to now….
Thank you for reading and for the encouraging and poignant comments you sent in, following last Friday's post. If there are slumps, doubts, victories, embarrassments, yearnings, and hi-falutin' aspirations in a writer's journey–your supportive comments even out the bumpy road, helping me to see the horizon in time to renew my commitment to simply settle down and write my heart out.
Amicalement,
Kristin
To comment, click here. I leave you now with a few snapshots from Week One with Mom…
She made it–all the way from Mexico! Here is Mom's welcome party fan club. From left to right: 17-year-old Max, 4-year-old Smokey, Mom, Smokey's mom, Braise, and 15-year-old Jackie. I told Mom to get up off the paw-stained floor, but she was so happy to be surrounded by ALL her loved ones that she could have cared less about the dirt.
Some bivouac! Mom loves her room, where she can see and hear all of the activity in the courtyard. At night she loves to watch the stars that twinkle over the Mediterranean Sea.
Mom's bags arrived 24 hours after she did. We shared my make-up and a chat before heading to Sanary sur Mer for lunch. That's Mama Braise, on the left. (A funny aside: Mom is wearing my red pajama pants. I wouldn't notice this until AFTER we finished lunch at the cafe and a stroll around Sanary. Her baggage arrived later that afternoon 🙂
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It's fun to walk along the port in Sanary sur Mer, where all the historic fishing boats "les pointus" are lined up. Many of the wooden boats have signs displaying the historic characteristics of the modest vessels, some nearly 100 years old.
Mom's purse. It looks like Jean-Marc's humble side kick, Mr Sacks, has competition!
Time for a siesta. But first, enjoy the fancy ironwork on this campanile.
Me and Mom. "Just pretend it's my stand." Mom said, after a local artist offered Mom her seat for the photo.
More photos coming soon. Meantime, I'm making the most of my time with Mom. This newsletter/blog may be a little sporadic in the coming weeks–as we slow down our day and celebrate.
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Enjoy your mom’s visit and take some time off (but take lots of photos!!).
Happy American Mother’s Day!
Enjoy your mom’s visit and take some time off (but take lots of photos!!).
Happy American Mother’s Day!
Happy Mother’s Day this Sunday
Happy Mother’s Day this Sunday
I have been reading your blog for a few months, and look forward to new words and phrases, the reason the blog captured my attention in the first place…I want to improve my French. It was an unexpected pleasure to “meet” you and your family through your writing. I had wondered why there had been nothing in a few days…I am glad nothing has gone wrong. It is nice to know that your mother is visiting. Enjoy!
PS thank you for such a lovely and informative blog. It is wonderful to learn more about French life through your writings. It is a good diversion for this lawyer in Philadelphia! Thanks.
I have been reading your blog for a few months, and look forward to new words and phrases, the reason the blog captured my attention in the first place…I want to improve my French. It was an unexpected pleasure to “meet” you and your family through your writing. I had wondered why there had been nothing in a few days…I am glad nothing has gone wrong. It is nice to know that your mother is visiting. Enjoy!
PS thank you for such a lovely and informative blog. It is wonderful to learn more about French life through your writings. It is a good diversion for this lawyer in Philadelphia! Thanks.
Hi Kristin,
So happy that you will be spending Mother’s Day with Jules! Love the photo of Jules with the dogs and kids and the one of you two at the artist’s stand. Have a great time together!!!
Hi Kristin,
So happy that you will be spending Mother’s Day with Jules! Love the photo of Jules with the dogs and kids and the one of you two at the artist’s stand. Have a great time together!!!
I love your Mom’s style. The red pajama pants and high-top Converses look great together.
I love your Mom’s style. The red pajama pants and high-top Converses look great together.
Hi Kristin, Wishing you and your Mom the best of Mother’s Day and a wonderful Spring visit. Can’t wait for more adventures. xoxo
Mary
Hi Kristin, Wishing you and your Mom the best of Mother’s Day and a wonderful Spring visit. Can’t wait for more adventures. xoxo
Mary
Well, its obvious you come from excellent stock. Mama Jules is a lady after my own heart … I’m only just a tad bit envious .. honest
Well, its obvious you come from excellent stock. Mama Jules is a lady after my own heart … I’m only just a tad bit envious .. honest
Wow, your Mom’s got style! Now we know where you got yours!
Love the red high tops and the way she expresses her style, even with pajama pants! Where did she find the fish handbag?
Thanks for sharing!
Wow, your Mom’s got style! Now we know where you got yours!
Love the red high tops and the way she expresses her style, even with pajama pants! Where did she find the fish handbag?
Thanks for sharing!
Enjoy Mother’s Day with your mom. Just remember to tell us about your adventures with her later.
Enjoy Mother’s Day with your mom. Just remember to tell us about your adventures with her later.
Happy Mother’s Day to you, your mom and to Jean-Marc’s mother,too. Have a wonderful visit with your mother. As always, she looks fabulous!! And thanks for sending photos and exploring a new word for us. (Your lunch at Sanary sur mer looks like a feast maybe for two persons).
Happy Mother’s Day to you, your mom and to Jean-Marc’s mother,too. Have a wonderful visit with your mother. As always, she looks fabulous!! And thanks for sending photos and exploring a new word for us. (Your lunch at Sanary sur mer looks like a feast maybe for two persons).
My only contact with the word ‘bivouac’ was in the military and all these years I thought it was a military word. So, learned something new. Thanks.
What I would like to know is what the lunch dish was in Sanary sur Mer. And I guess the big fish was someones pocketbook?
My only contact with the word ‘bivouac’ was in the military and all these years I thought it was a military word. So, learned something new. Thanks.
What I would like to know is what the lunch dish was in Sanary sur Mer. And I guess the big fish was someones pocketbook?
Thank you for the Mothers Day wishes! Happy fête des Mères to all mothers who are reading and to everyone who will celebrate their maman.
Michael, thanks for the info on bivouac. Mom mentioned the same: that it is associated with the military, wheras in France it is used by civilians, too 🙂 Re the meal we ate: le loup de mer. Various translations are: catfish or sea bass or bar. Yes, the fish in the photo is a purse.
Thank you for the Mothers Day wishes! Happy fête des Mères to all mothers who are reading and to everyone who will celebrate their maman.
Michael, thanks for the info on bivouac. Mom mentioned the same: that it is associated with the military, wheras in France it is used by civilians, too 🙂 Re the meal we ate: le loup de mer. Various translations are: catfish or sea bass or bar. Yes, the fish in the photo is a purse.
Dang! My comment never got posted. I guess I’ll try to recreate it.
I started with the military-thing for “bivouac,” but that’s been covered.
Then I said:
Kristin, I love all the photos, but especially the one of Jules in her window and the one of Jules being greeted by the four grandchildren.
You deserve some time off while your mom’s here. We’ll miss you, but we’ll manage. Have fun.
Have a great visit, Jules!
Dang! My comment never got posted. I guess I’ll try to recreate it.
I started with the military-thing for “bivouac,” but that’s been covered.
Then I said:
Kristin, I love all the photos, but especially the one of Jules in her window and the one of Jules being greeted by the four grandchildren.
You deserve some time off while your mom’s here. We’ll miss you, but we’ll manage. Have fun.
Have a great visit, Jules!
You are truly blessed to have your mom in your life. My mom passed away when my kids were little, and I’ve always felt ‘cheated’ with that loss.
So, I say to you and to all who have their mom’s with them “Enjoy every single moment with your Mothers!” Don’t let ‘work’ get in the way 🙂
God bless you both. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy . . .
You are truly blessed to have your mom in your life. My mom passed away when my kids were little, and I’ve always felt ‘cheated’ with that loss.
So, I say to you and to all who have their mom’s with them “Enjoy every single moment with your Mothers!” Don’t let ‘work’ get in the way 🙂
God bless you both. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy . . .
The Boy is mighty dashing/darling/delightful in Jules’ straw hat, or is that one similar to her usual chapeau? Lovely seeing her surrounded by her adoring fans. Your lunch looks delicious, and the yummy-looking fish is enhanced by J’s fish handbag! Between that, the red hightops, AND her wearing your red pj bottoms, she is -as EVER – “the cat’s pyjamas”!!
From Random House word of the day: “It means ‘a wonderful or remarkable person or thing’. But it nearly always implies stylishness and newness-…”
And that, ladies and gentlemen IS a description of our beautiful Kristin’s Mom!
Happy Mothers Day to you both and to Belle-mere Espinasse, and to all mothers everywhere. Best wishes to the family for more good times with Jules and enjoy some time off, Kristin. Thanks for all the pictures.
The Boy is mighty dashing/darling/delightful in Jules’ straw hat, or is that one similar to her usual chapeau? Lovely seeing her surrounded by her adoring fans. Your lunch looks delicious, and the yummy-looking fish is enhanced by J’s fish handbag! Between that, the red hightops, AND her wearing your red pj bottoms, she is -as EVER – “the cat’s pyjamas”!!
From Random House word of the day: “It means ‘a wonderful or remarkable person or thing’. But it nearly always implies stylishness and newness-…”
And that, ladies and gentlemen IS a description of our beautiful Kristin’s Mom!
Happy Mothers Day to you both and to Belle-mere Espinasse, and to all mothers everywhere. Best wishes to the family for more good times with Jules and enjoy some time off, Kristin. Thanks for all the pictures.
What a joy it is to share in your visit. You both are simply glowing, and the energy can be felt all the way to Utah. It brings back memories of the times my Mom visited me in Dijon. I shared all sorts of pictures with her but at that time (not so long ago actually, 90-92) we didn’t have either digital cameras or easy internet access.
As I can’t do it with my own Mom, please give yours an extra hug for me on Mother’s Day!
Best wishes.
What a joy it is to share in your visit. You both are simply glowing, and the energy can be felt all the way to Utah. It brings back memories of the times my Mom visited me in Dijon. I shared all sorts of pictures with her but at that time (not so long ago actually, 90-92) we didn’t have either digital cameras or easy internet access.
As I can’t do it with my own Mom, please give yours an extra hug for me on Mother’s Day!
Best wishes.
Would bivouac be the same as primitive backpacking, which I’ve done my share of in my younger years. You two look so happy hanging together. Wishing you both a very Happy Mother’s Day this weekend. I am excited to spend tomorrow with my daughter at a dressage horse show in southern Indiana. She’s a trainer at a dressage farm near here and she’s had a tentative job offer at a farm somewhere in Germany! Crossing my fingers for her!
Would bivouac be the same as primitive backpacking, which I’ve done my share of in my younger years. You two look so happy hanging together. Wishing you both a very Happy Mother’s Day this weekend. I am excited to spend tomorrow with my daughter at a dressage horse show in southern Indiana. She’s a trainer at a dressage farm near here and she’s had a tentative job offer at a farm somewhere in Germany! Crossing my fingers for her!
Kristin,
Please wear a wide brim hat in that strong sun (like your smart Mom)
Kristin,
Please wear a wide brim hat in that strong sun (like your smart Mom)
Hello, Kristin, I’M new to this, as I subscribed only a couple of weeks ago, thnks to prompting from my Jacksonville FL friend Diane Young. Enjoying your word-a-day v, v much. Iwanted also to tell you abount my daughter Eleanor Berdsley, who is NPR’s go-toperson from Paris and Frnce. Her email is , and I’m hoping that you two might meet. I forwarded to her your a recent word-a-day colume, along with the subscribing email. Hope she takes me up on this. She lives in the 15th arrondisement on 41 rue Sebastien Mercier, so maybe you two can meet.
Great job you’re doing for Frnco-Amer. relations! Ed Beardsley
Hello, Kristin, I’M new to this, as I subscribed only a couple of weeks ago, thnks to prompting from my Jacksonville FL friend Diane Young. Enjoying your word-a-day v, v much. Iwanted also to tell you abount my daughter Eleanor Berdsley, who is NPR’s go-toperson from Paris and Frnce. Her email is , and I’m hoping that you two might meet. I forwarded to her your a recent word-a-day colume, along with the subscribing email. Hope she takes me up on this. She lives in the 15th arrondisement on 41 rue Sebastien Mercier, so maybe you two can meet.
Great job you’re doing for Frnco-Amer. relations! Ed Beardsley
Kristin sorry but I left out Ellie Beardsley’s email. Maybe your set-up scratched it. If possible let me know what you need that i’ve not supplied, and I’ll send Best wishes
Kristin sorry but I left out Ellie Beardsley’s email. Maybe your set-up scratched it. If possible let me know what you need that i’ve not supplied, and I’ll send Best wishes
Love your writing. Reading both your books back to back. So moving, so inspiring and I so wish I were living in the South of France.
Thank you !
Mark
La Jolla, CA
Love your writing. Reading both your books back to back. So moving, so inspiring and I so wish I were living in the South of France.
Thank you !
Mark
La Jolla, CA
Hi there Jules!
I see you are a free spirit as ever. The great tennis shoes, the red pajamas, the rakish hat–and that wonderful fishy purse. You go, Girl! Y’all have fun, and Happy Mother’s Day to you both.
xxoo
Lynn
Hi there Jules!
I see you are a free spirit as ever. The great tennis shoes, the red pajamas, the rakish hat–and that wonderful fishy purse. You go, Girl! Y’all have fun, and Happy Mother’s Day to you both.
xxoo
Lynn
love Love LOVE the photos! love seeing you and jules together. love the purse!!! love the love.
happy mother’s day to all!!
(oh, Kristin, i prefer to think you write your heart ‘in’… 🙂
love Love LOVE the photos! love seeing you and jules together. love the purse!!! love the love.
happy mother’s day to all!!
(oh, Kristin, i prefer to think you write your heart ‘in’… 🙂
KRISTIN,
YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO HURT A GUY! LOOKING AT YOUR PICTURES, I HAD A GREAT YEARNING TO BE THERE. YOU REALLY HAVE A KNACK OF BRING YOUR WORLD INTO MY HOME. WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO MAKE A VISIT TO FRANCE, A REALITY THIS FALL. OUR REGARDS TO JULES.
GUS ELISON
KRISTIN,
YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO HURT A GUY! LOOKING AT YOUR PICTURES, I HAD A GREAT YEARNING TO BE THERE. YOU REALLY HAVE A KNACK OF BRING YOUR WORLD INTO MY HOME. WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO MAKE A VISIT TO FRANCE, A REALITY THIS FALL. OUR REGARDS TO JULES.
GUS ELISON
OHMIGOSH, vous etes tellement adorable, vous deux! Bonne Fete des Mere to both of you dear mothers!! xoxox
OHMIGOSH, vous etes tellement adorable, vous deux! Bonne Fete des Mere to both of you dear mothers!! xoxox