Just back from a doctor's appointment in Marseilles (Youpie! No need for elbow surgery–just a lot of kiné, or physiotherapy visits to repair my coude. Today's photos , and the following post, are from 2 years ago. Meantime, it is not too late to enter the drawing for a one week stay in this Provençal village home.
PEACE ON EARTH – LA PAIX SUR LA TERRE
The other day, while Smokey and I waited in the school parking lot for Jackie, kids filed past our car, occasionally stopping to point and laugh: "Mais regarde sa langue! Just look at his funny tongue! Ahahahaha!"
Laisse tomber! Don't worry about it, Smokey. They don't know your story and there are so many stories out there. The holidays are a time to open up our minds and our hearts. Joyeuses Fêtes.
le pin (pahn) noun, masculine
: pine tree
Also:
le pin d'Alep = Provencal white pine
le pignon de pin = pine nut
la pomme de pin = pine cone
le code pin, le numéro pin = pin code, pin number
AUDIO FILE: listen to Jean-Marc read todays word, phrase, and example sentence: Download MP3 or Download Wav
Cette année, notre sapin de Noël est un petit pin d'Alep.
This year our Christmas tree is a Provençal pine.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE… by Kristin Espinasse
When Jean-Marc suggested hunting for this year's Christmas tree in the forêt behind our house, our daughter wrinkled her nose. Now there was a grimace I could translate in French or English: it said that all her friends probably had REAL Christmas trees, the kind on display at the mall!
Our daughter's reaction made my husband even more determined. It was high time to lift the consumer veil from our children's eyes: A true arbre de Noël didn't always come from the checkout lane! Not this year anyway–not when a forest dense with pines crowded our back yard.
Allez! Jean-Marc persisted, dragging our Christmas tree snob off the couch.
I hid in our room, where I'd taken refuge from all the holiday frenzy. There, in the quiet, I heard the crunch of leaves as my husband, our teenager, and the dogs crossed over the boules court on their way to la chenaîe.
Not 10 minutes later and they were back. Strange…. They must have encountered les chasseurs and had to postpone their search. I sank deeply into my bed, wondering just when the tree chore would get done! Why didn't I keep the ugly plastic tree of yesteryear? It had been so easy to part with it, while cramming the contents of our lives into two economy trucks last September. What a bad decision that was! (the tree, not the cheap movers. Not one lamp broken in the deal!).
But what was the deal with our tree? I threw back the covers and got out of bed. In the living room I found Jackie back on the couch, watching TV.
"Well, what happened?"
My daughter smiled. "Rien".
"But did you find a Christmas tree?"
"Oui…"
"Well, do you like it?"
"Oui," Jackie nodded, and the stars twinkling in her eyes were proof of that. I felt a bit star-struck myself, bewildered by the peaceful atmosphere. Wasn't tree-shopping supposed to be chaotic? Et bien, we had skipped the commercial venture this time!
My daughter followed me into the entryway to our home, where a rustic fireplace and two felt-covered fauteuils have become a favorite resting spot.
There stood our Christmas tree, between the cozy sas and the dining room. Jackie knelt down on the ground to arrange the area beneath the tree. "Papa collected some mousse in the forest," she explained, as she borrowed some of the characters from the crèche, setting them on top of the deep green ground cover.
The door opened and Jean-Marc came in, his arms full of firewood for the cheminée. "Alors? Ça va l'arbre? Your daughter cut it down."
"It's beautiful!" I admitted. "What kind is it?"
"Un pin d'Alep."
I ran to my dictionary to look up the term. Un pin d'alep is a Provençal pine. What could a hopeless Francophile want more than a French Christmas?
Un Noël Provençal!
And what more could our daughter want than a real arbe de Noël? From the sparkle in her eyes, it was clear: this year she got her wish.
***
Bonnes fêtes! Happy holidays dear reader. May the spirit of the season grab you… filling you with peace, love, and forgiveness.
Amicalement,
Kristi
French Vocabulary
allez! = come on!
la forêt = forest
un arbre de Noël = a Christmas tree
allez! = come on!
la chenaîe = pin oak grove
les boules = the game of Pétanque, read Gary's story
le chasseur = hunter
rien = nothing
le sas = (a synonym for sas is chambre, or room, but here it refers to a small entry way)
le fauteuil = chair
le papa = dad, father
la mousse = moss
la crèche = nativity scene
la cheminée = fireplace
amicalement = warmly
French Christmas Music: "Mon Beau Sapin", "Sainte Nuit", "La Marche des Rois", "Petite Ville Bethléem", "Il est né Le Divin Enfant". Order CD here.
Smokey has taught himself how to eat, despite his handicap. And he has a trick or two for keeping his nerve-damaged tongue in place…. So if you see him walking around town like this, he's not snobbing you–he is only trying to hold himself together!
May you, too, hold yourself together this time of year–doing whatever you need to do to enjoy the moment. Not everyone will understand your position (just look at Smokey's!), but that's not your problem. Ce n'est pas ton souci 🙂
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A beautiful,heart warming story.Joyeux Noel to you and yours!
A beautiful,heart warming story.Joyeux Noel to you and yours!
Bonne saison, aussi, Kristin et famille!:) Best wishes in all of your new adventures. 2015 is going to be fantastique!
Bonne saison, aussi, Kristin et famille!:) Best wishes in all of your new adventures. 2015 is going to be fantastique!
Joyeux Noel. Merci for sharing your tale of finding un arbre de Noel.
I always enjoy stopping by.
Joyeux Noel. Merci for sharing your tale of finding un arbre de Noel.
I always enjoy stopping by.
So glad no surgery is required! Hope you’ll post a photo of this year’s tree. Joyeux Noel!
So glad no surgery is required! Hope you’ll post a photo of this year’s tree. Joyeux Noel!
Peace be with you and your family, and best wishes for love and happiness in the coming year.
Marjorie
Peace be with you and your family, and best wishes for love and happiness in the coming year.
Marjorie
Merry Christmas and my very best wishes for all of your family. Thank you for another year of sharing your delightful and thought provoking life adventures. Also, Happy Birthday a couple days in advance. Amicalement, Cynthia P.S. Very good news that your elbow will not need surgery!
Merry Christmas and my very best wishes for all of your family. Thank you for another year of sharing your delightful and thought provoking life adventures. Also, Happy Birthday a couple days in advance. Amicalement, Cynthia P.S. Very good news that your elbow will not need surgery!
dear, dear smokey.
dear, dear smokey.
Yet another thing to be grateful for – I am so glad to hear your good news. And this story is right there in the essence of what this season is all about. That it was topped off by photos of Mr. Smokey himself…well, I am just delighted. Merci, Kristi et Joyeuse Fêtes!
Yet another thing to be grateful for – I am so glad to hear your good news. And this story is right there in the essence of what this season is all about. That it was topped off by photos of Mr. Smokey himself…well, I am just delighted. Merci, Kristi et Joyeuse Fêtes!
Very good piece of news about your elbow. I hope the “kiné” won’t be too painful.
Smokey, we love you!
Let me thank you for all the delightful moments you brought me all along these years. I do and will look forward to receiving fresh news from Provence.
Très heureux et joyeux Noël à vous tous & très grosses caresses aux deux 4pats !
Very good piece of news about your elbow. I hope the “kiné” won’t be too painful.
Smokey, we love you!
Let me thank you for all the delightful moments you brought me all along these years. I do and will look forward to receiving fresh news from Provence.
Très heureux et joyeux Noël à vous tous & très grosses caresses aux deux 4pats !
I can’t wait to see how may entries you end up with for your Provençal vacation house giveaway. I bet you hit 1,000!
Merry Christmas and best wishes to you and all your family for a happy, healthy 2015.
I can’t wait to see how may entries you end up with for your Provençal vacation house giveaway. I bet you hit 1,000!
Merry Christmas and best wishes to you and all your family for a happy, healthy 2015.
A lovely story, with a beautiful Christmas tree…Smokey makes it perfect!
Sandy
A lovely story, with a beautiful Christmas tree…Smokey makes it perfect!
Sandy
Walking behind my older lab, her hips askew and prone to collapse, she wees if she’s had too much water. I tell her that I’m looking at my future and we’ll muddle through, she and I. She doesn’t hear anything, (deaf as a post), but her tails wagging the whole time.
Walking behind my older lab, her hips askew and prone to collapse, she wees if she’s had too much water. I tell her that I’m looking at my future and we’ll muddle through, she and I. She doesn’t hear anything, (deaf as a post), but her tails wagging the whole time.
Peace to you and yours, Kristin. And I’m so glad there is no need for surgery.
Peace to you and yours, Kristin. And I’m so glad there is no need for surgery.
Wonderful story. Thank you for the gift you’ve given me this past year, of learning French with my teen son!
Wonderful story. Thank you for the gift you’ve given me this past year, of learning French with my teen son!
So glad to hear that no surgery is needed. We sure do love our animals no matter what. La photo de votre fils de facebook–il serait un modèle. Joyeux Nöel tout le monde.
So glad to hear that no surgery is needed. We sure do love our animals no matter what. La photo de votre fils de facebook–il serait un modèle. Joyeux Nöel tout le monde.
Dear Kristi,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA. I look forward to all of your posts, own both of your books, and I hope you will keep this up forever! So glad you will not need elbow surgery. I wish you a fast recovery. Again, thank you for your posts, and have a great holiday!
Amicalement,
Carol Carney
Dear Kristi,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA. I look forward to all of your posts, own both of your books, and I hope you will keep this up forever! So glad you will not need elbow surgery. I wish you a fast recovery. Again, thank you for your posts, and have a great holiday!
Amicalement,
Carol Carney
My dear father always brought a tree home from the woods near our house in Pennsylvania. I thought it was the prettiest tree in the world.
Happy Holidays to Kristin, her loved ones and to those who write on this site. I enjoy all of the comments very much.
My dear father always brought a tree home from the woods near our house in Pennsylvania. I thought it was the prettiest tree in the world.
Happy Holidays to Kristin, her loved ones and to those who write on this site. I enjoy all of the comments very much.
Yea, wooHOOOO, dearling darling, Smoky.. You are the most beautiful, the bravest, and in this photo the essence of regal! You look like the King of Dogs you are and so happy there is no surgery! Kristen, I love this story, and again thank you for your beautiful, heart-filled writings. May you and your family have a blessed Christmas and the best in 2015.
Yea, wooHOOOO, dearling darling, Smoky.. You are the most beautiful, the bravest, and in this photo the essence of regal! You look like the King of Dogs you are and so happy there is no surgery! Kristen, I love this story, and again thank you for your beautiful, heart-filled writings. May you and your family have a blessed Christmas and the best in 2015.
A lovely story!
Hoping you and your family enjoy the Christmas holidays and have a New Year filled with love, peace, hope and dreams come true!
Your heartfelt stories are always special and meaningful to me.
Joyeux Noel!!!
A lovely story!
Hoping you and your family enjoy the Christmas holidays and have a New Year filled with love, peace, hope and dreams come true!
Your heartfelt stories are always special and meaningful to me.
Joyeux Noel!!!
Dear Kristin,
The messages in today’s post, so beautifully written (as always), really touched my heart more than I can say, for I do not have your gift with words. I want to wish you and your family a merry Christmas. Thank you for sharing your lives with us — the joys, sorrows, hopes, and fears. We are all on this journey together.
Dear Kristin,
The messages in today’s post, so beautifully written (as always), really touched my heart more than I can say, for I do not have your gift with words. I want to wish you and your family a merry Christmas. Thank you for sharing your lives with us — the joys, sorrows, hopes, and fears. We are all on this journey together.
I loved these stories when I first read them, and they warmed my heart yet again. Kristin, I’m sure you’re relieved at the good news about your coude. Hmm, does the word coudre have its root in coude? Joyeux Noel to you and your family! 🙂
I loved these stories when I first read them, and they warmed my heart yet again. Kristin, I’m sure you’re relieved at the good news about your coude. Hmm, does the word coudre have its root in coude? Joyeux Noel to you and your family! 🙂
Hi Kristin,
I loved reading this sweet story again. Do you have a Provençal pine this year too?
I’m so glad you won’t need surgery!
Joyeux Noël et bonne année to you and your family!
One day I would love to see pics of the Foire aux Santons de Marseille! I have a lavender harvester couple that I love!
I’m making some creme de menthe brownies that my son asked for. I hope I don’t eat them all before he arrives on Sunday!
Hi Kristin,
I loved reading this sweet story again. Do you have a Provençal pine this year too?
I’m so glad you won’t need surgery!
Joyeux Noël et bonne année to you and your family!
One day I would love to see pics of the Foire aux Santons de Marseille! I have a lavender harvester couple that I love!
I’m making some creme de menthe brownies that my son asked for. I hope I don’t eat them all before he arrives on Sunday!
Your arbre de Noël story pulled up memories of my childhood when my mother & I went into the woods & cut a pine for our Christmas tree. Everything is big business today & so much is lost along the way. O well, this a lucrative time for Christmas tree farmers and they are happy so we are happy for them.
Smokey makes it even more perfect, n’ est ce pas?
No surgery is wonderful present😅
Passez des bonnes fêtes et bonne année a tous!
The prayer of my heart for all of us is lasting peace In our world!
Your arbre de Noël story pulled up memories of my childhood when my mother & I went into the woods & cut a pine for our Christmas tree. Everything is big business today & so much is lost along the way. O well, this a lucrative time for Christmas tree farmers and they are happy so we are happy for them.
Smokey makes it even more perfect, n’ est ce pas?
No surgery is wonderful present😅
Passez des bonnes fêtes et bonne année a tous!
The prayer of my heart for all of us is lasting peace In our world!
Kristi, I also want to say, I was moved by Smokey’s being laughed at, seemingly shabby treatment by the children. It is a perfect example of how “difference” observed in others separates people and often results in shame and embarassment. It breaks our hearts for those we love, and ourselves. I have a lasting memory, very rarely Remembered now, of being asked by my friend’s mother to come into the kitchen. There she asked me to turn so her friends could see the deformity of my greatly swayed back, which they laughed at. This is not a big deal in the scheme of life, but it had lasting percussions–I considered myself freaky and tried to hide it thereafter.
Many moons hence, I am reminded how foolishly we do and say things that hurt others. I have certainly done my share. The important message in this is the act and blessing of forgiveness. Giving and receiving, opening our hearts to one another in all our goofy stumbling ways, releasing the great divide of pride, we can find peace. i heard this once from a wise woman and it has helped me (belief in reincarnation, not required.:
If there is anyone in this lifetime, or any other lifetime, I have hurt ~
I ask forgiveness,
If there is anyone in this lifetime, or any other lifetime, who has hurt me ~
I forgive them,
They are free, I am free.
May we all find our hearts opening wider at this holiday season–cause we’re all in it together!
Kristi, I also want to say, I was moved by Smokey’s being laughed at, seemingly shabby treatment by the children. It is a perfect example of how “difference” observed in others separates people and often results in shame and embarassment. It breaks our hearts for those we love, and ourselves. I have a lasting memory, very rarely Remembered now, of being asked by my friend’s mother to come into the kitchen. There she asked me to turn so her friends could see the deformity of my greatly swayed back, which they laughed at. This is not a big deal in the scheme of life, but it had lasting percussions–I considered myself freaky and tried to hide it thereafter.
Many moons hence, I am reminded how foolishly we do and say things that hurt others. I have certainly done my share. The important message in this is the act and blessing of forgiveness. Giving and receiving, opening our hearts to one another in all our goofy stumbling ways, releasing the great divide of pride, we can find peace. i heard this once from a wise woman and it has helped me (belief in reincarnation, not required.:
If there is anyone in this lifetime, or any other lifetime, I have hurt ~
I ask forgiveness,
If there is anyone in this lifetime, or any other lifetime, who has hurt me ~
I forgive them,
They are free, I am free.
May we all find our hearts opening wider at this holiday season–cause we’re all in it together!
A Very Happy Christmas to you & yours and a Prosperous & Healthy New Year !!
p.s I am enjoying reading ‘my prize’ , “Flirting with French”
A Very Happy Christmas to you & yours and a Prosperous & Healthy New Year !!
p.s I am enjoying reading ‘my prize’ , “Flirting with French”