Goodbye Mas des Brun. Thank you for 5 wonderful years!
FARNIENTE–from the Italian fare (to do) and niente (nothing). Farniente is a new word for me, and an old one when it comes to naming a home (Jean-Marc tells me many French people name their homes farniente). Help us find a name for our new place, submit your suggestion in the comments at the end of this post
SOUNDFILE
Click here to listen to Jean-Marc read the following French words
Nous cherchons un nom pour notre future maison…nous pensons à "Farniente."
We are looking for a name for our future house…we're thinking about "Farniente."
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE
Goodbye Mas des Brun
by Kristi Espinasse
I've just cleared off my desk to type this last dispatch from our former home sweet home. It is quiet here now, only a very dusty house and a few towers of boxes after Jean-Marc's family left, last night.
What a help they were! Jean-Marc's brother, Jacques, arrived, along with Mariem, his "coeur" (as he's called her for years) and her 11-year-old son Farès, who is a smiling participant in anything–even moving! My belle-soeur Cécile joined us, too, for phase one of our déménagement.
Forming a human chain, our family transferred the wood pile to the rented camion and emptied the entire contents of Jean-Marc's wine cellar bottle by bottle, case by case! As an array of dusty bouteilles traveled out of the cave
UP the path in front of our porch, our golden retriever was reminded to sors de là–or move it!
Our former home. Read about that window above Smokey….
If Smokey is a little displaced so is his unbeknownst-to-him adversaire, Lili–the 12-year-old long-haired chat we've inherited along with our new (1960-built) house in La Ciotat. Though Lili has been entrusted to the neighbors, we all hope she'll just stay put. The question is, after 10 moves, will we stay put too?
SUBMIT A NAME FOR OUR NEW HOME
Talk to you again soon–from La Ciotat. Meantime, help me answer Cécile's, question: "What will you name your new house?" Submit a name in the comments box below (link at the end of this post).
FRENCH VOCABULARY
Mon Coeur = sweetheart
la belle-soeur = sister-in-law, step-sister
le déménagement = move, moving
le camion = truck
une bouteille = bottle
la cave = cellar, wine cellar
sors de là! = move out of the way!
Batch after batch of oven-roasted ratatouille has sustained us during this move! My favorite way to make it is to chop up all the vegetables listed below and toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper (we ran out of herbs de Provence and won't buy more until we move!). Put the coated veggies on a tray or two and into the oven they go (at 180c or 350F, for one hour). Delicious with a roast chicken, all that leftover sanglier, or tossed in pasta, to name a few incarnations of this wonderful dish.
The veggies you'll need. Let me know if I've left something out…
2 eggplants
2 peppers
2 zucchini
lots of cherry tomatoes, whole or halved
2 carrots will add a wonderful roasted sweetness!
1 onion
1 potato
3 or 4 cloves of garlic
Tip: The more colorful the better. When our curb-side veggie stand had yellow tomatoes, I grabbed them. Ditto for the white eggplant and also the bright purple eggplant. Carrots are not part of the traditional ratatouille, but the color and taste sweetens everything! Do yourself a favor and make this easy dish whenever the ingredients are in season. It is so handy to have on hand, just like its Sicilian counterpart.
Previous recipe: the scrumptious La Tarte Tomate
On Monday we will complete phase 2 of our move, just up the coast to La Ciotat. A bientôt!
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Hi Kristi, I agree…..live there for a bit.
Congratulations and try to remember you are five years older than the last time you moved, so do not hurt your body!
It sounds like such a beautiful spot, your new home.
You have inspired me: in cleaning out things that should not live with me, even if I am not moving. You are have an amazing attitude. I hope you will feel relieved when it is all completed. Moving is taxing!
Sometimes our best ideas come to us in our dreams or in the middle of the night. Just let the idea of naming your place go and the perfect name will come when you are sleeping in your new abode. You’ll settle in and feel the name . Does everyone in France name their homes? I like the idea….
Patricia in Vancouver…. I will be flying to La Ciotat in less than 2 weeks!! I can’t wait to see that gorgeous sea again. Maybe I will see you in the village and wave!! Good luck and all the best to you and your family in your new home.
So it looks like you already know about the winery..I vote for” l’abri far niente”
Le nid enchanté. Or l’aire
First, because I think you might like to feel protected for a spell…
The second because you both are unafraid to flap rose wing and take flight…
Your writing is charming, open, honest and this makes reading it a much enjoyed occasion.
Thanks! Alice
Maison Mon Couer…seems fitting.Wishing you and yours a very uneventful move.
I suggest Domaine d’Amour
Maison Mon Couer…seems fitting.Wishing you and yours a very uneventful move.
How about hygge which sums up what makes life beautiful and wonderful?
I submit “La Douceur”. May your new life and home be filled with sweet blessings.
Maryellen Wales
Arlington, Texas
Oh, zut! That sounds a little like heaven or hell, at least to me, as I’m not young!!!
Our dear Kristi and Jean Marc,
A million congratulations (and blessings!)at this exciting time!
Though I felt a lump in my throat and tightening of my heart strings at your adieu to Mas des Brun,God has opened the door for this next happy step in your life’s journey,and we know you will embrace it with joy and faith(and joie dear vivre!)as you have with every sunrise and sunset this far.
Your new home’s name will come to you when you are still and listen to your inner self!
Love
Natalia Xo
Kristi,
I agree with the readers who say “wait”, the house will provide it’s name for you. We named our attached apartment “Songbird” because when mom was living there, she loved to listen to the birds sing. The name should reflect the house and the people who live in it. A name will come when you least expect it.
Good luck with the rest of the moving. I hope that you love your new house as much as you did the past several houses.
Kathleen
We named our hilltop retirement home The Nest — (Le Nid in French)
It connoted the snug coziness we hoped to achieve.
I agree – great name!
I have loved the word ‘farniente’ since finishing the book Eat, Pray, Love years ago. I remind myself to savour those quiet moments of doing nothing. These days, they are far and few, which is also a good reminder to make more room for ‘farniente.’ As for a name for your new home, I agree with the others who have advised you to not rush into naming it just yet. It will whisper its name to you soon enough, at the most unexpected moment. In the meantime, enjoy every minute you spend building your new nest, and take your time savouring this new adventure! Bon courage!
Meilleurs voeux pour la nouvelle demeure !
Je suggère en Italien: “Ce la faremo !” (nous y arriverons!)
Luiz Novaes
Mexique
Wishing you the best of wishes on your life journey and new adventures!
Good luck and happiness in you new home. To me, France is the gentle songs of doves. Love The name “les colombes”.
Best wishes as you leave your beloved Mas des Brun. I am still enjoying the wonderful rosé that I bought this year through a local wine store in DelRay (Alexandria), Virginia. You and Jean-Marc are resilient, hopeful, and always looking toward the future. I have no doubt that you will be very happy in your new home in La Ciotât. I would vote to name it “Mas de Joie.” I look forward to hearing about your new adventures there. Never says “Good-bye” to places and people you love, just “Au revoir.”
“Ratatouille” seems like a good name, since your lives are such a melange, both of nationalities, metiers, hobbies, pets, and locations. Not to mention emotions…
I agree Kathleen…..best to wait until the house speaks to you.
Angela
« Domaine de la mer et du vent » (pourrait se prononcer « de la mère et du vin »)!
To follow up on Cyndy’s notion of “Ratatouille, consider:
Cap au Nata (assuming La Ciotat house overlooks water). French pun, right?
PS: No zooks in a caponata. Just egglplant, onions, garlic, olives, capers, and tomato sauce. Grated chocolate on top.
Coming back to Seattle for a visit anytime soon?
J’aime “Nouvelle Commoncements”…….New Beginnings!
Lovely photos! Wish you’ll all the best!!!
Have one more for you:
Le Vigneron social (A social vigneron is a passionate wine person, who understands how to grow grapes, make wine, but also and more importantly, who understands that his story and his knowledge is valuable to the end consumer)…
OR a social vigneron could just be a person who used to make wine, but now only drinks it!
Very clever, Ronald, considering our recent crush on Sicilian caponata! Love your chocolate addition!
Hélas, no more sea view!
So enjoying everyones suggestions. Thank you all very much!
P. S. Ronald, We very well may visit Seattle next year. We hope to see you.
Dolce Vita
Flourish Manor
Maison Lili
That you 💕💕💕
I am new to your site……it is brilliant! Thank you for sharing.
As for a name of your new home …considering the life journey….
La Paix Sur Mer
Rue Facile – Easy Street
Moment au Soleil – Moment in the Sun
Pas de regle – No rules
Wishing you and your family the best your new home.
Ma Maison.
Grateful thanks for your entertaining letters.
Adieu fro New Zealand
This is a bittersweet time, as most moves are. Here’s wishing you both more of the sweetness for your second act. I agree with Jean-Marc for the name: Dolce Vita!
So many things I would have suggested — Sans Souci, Bon Espoir, Revons, Enfin — but agree that it will come to you when you settle in.
Congratulations dear Kristi & Jean-Marc!
Best wishes for your move-in and may Smokey transition well too. Wishing you much joy, laughter and love in your new home. A new chapter, new dreams…excited to see what adventures this move brings. Love, Stacy
Psst: I may be moving soon too.
Thanks for the laugh!
In honor of two dear friends that have passed away, they had homes,one in Tourette sur Loup near Vence called “Mas de Oiseaux and another in Colorado called “Twains Meet” perfect for a couple joined from 2 different worlds.
Congratulations on completing Phase 1, Kristi and Jean-Marc. Big moves have been a theme in my life recently, as many friends have moved to a new life from a long-time and/or much-loved home. Someday soon it will be our family’s turn, as we must downsize. I look forward to reading about your thoughts and emotions, and how Smokey is doing, as you complete this move and settle into a new place and a new life. As for your new home’s name: while the suggestions in the above comments are fascinating, I agree with the idea of spending some time in your new abode, and letting it speak to you, before you finalize your decision as to its name. With every best wish, Leslie
For your new home, I love the name, Heart’s Rest,
or Le Repos du Coeur.
I really think you need to live there for awhile and a name then will come to fit the place and your life. but in any case here are a few that might work in the end.
Monte Bello
sur Mer
Petit coin
Novelle Vie
Jardin D’amour
Pieds Sur Terre
and Maison d’Epinasse
Bonne chance Kristi and Jean-Marc,
My suggestion for the new home is Le Sans Souci
Herm
Belly Acres
With all the beautiful and creative suggestions, I like this one the best. Dolce vita implies an appreciation for life, through good and bad. And I truly believe that good can come from unfortunate circumstances. You and Kristi embrace life to the extent that it cannot ultimately be other than sweet!
I’m sure it is bittersweet. Breathe deeply and enjoy your newest adventure!
GwenEllyn.
I got it right away and it cracked me up!
Mas de Joie!
How about “Mas de Joie”
Dear Kristi and Jean-Marc ~ I’m with the voices that suggest a bit of time will reveal the perfect name for your new home. Keeping you in our hearts and thoughts … Restez calme et bon courage!
David,
You stole my idea! 🙂 I just signed on to input that one!
Maybe “Cherchez Les Oursins” or “Recherche d’oursins” or “Maison Par Les Calanques” or simplement “Un Autre Beau Chemin”!
Kristi & Jean-Marc
Enjoy your new wonderful move, such opportunity!
Bisous, Judi