Category: Nostalgia

Bureaucracy, Legal Issues, Marseilles, Milestones, Nostalgia

Homesickness strikes during passport renewal at the American Consulate in France

The wind and sea in Marseilles…. French Quote: Les larmes sont les pétales du coeur. –Paul EluardTears are the heart’s petals. Audio File: Reread the above quote, then listen to it here: Download MP3 or Wav file A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse Coming Home   Standing before the great iron gates of the American consulate in Marseilles, I was surprised by a barrage of … Continue reading Homesickness strikes during passport renewal at the American Consulate in France

Kristin Espinasse122 Comments
Harvest, Nostalgia

Halt! Harvest Time. The next edition may or may not go out on Monday… depends on the state of the grapes! une impatience grandissante     : a growing anticipation   Audio File: Download MP3 or Wave file Comment décrire les sentiments d'un vigneron la veille des vendanges? C'est une impatience grandissante! How to describe a winemaker's feelings prior to the harvest? Anticipation!   A Day in a French … Continue reading

Kristin Espinasse41 Comments
Arizona, garden, gardening, Nostalgia

enfance

"Frozen"… or the "permanent press" cycle in Provence.  enfance (on fance) noun, feminine     : childhood Expression: vivre une enfance heureuse = to live a happy childhood. Audio file and many more expressions, here. French Christmas Music: "Mon Beau Sapin", "Saint Nuit", "La Marche des Rois", "Petite Ville Bethléem", "Il est né Le Divin Enfant". Order CD here. A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse An … Continue reading enfance

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Nostalgia

“Une petiote” is a synonym for “little girl” in French + childhood story

Meet-up: Jean Marc will be in LA soon… & elsewhere in the States… une petiote (peh tee oht)     : little girl, lass un petiot (peh tee oh)     : little boy, lad A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse Don't you just wonder who lives behind these fascinating French façades? The characters that cohabit, the personnages who putter derrière la porte? I … Continue reading “Une petiote” is a synonym for “little girl” in French + childhood story

Kristin Espinasse42 Comments
Driving, French Destinations, Nostalgia

parole

  In the moss-covered village of Rochegude… a courtyard, above, located beside the writer's den that I mentioned in a recent post..    parole (pah-rol) noun, feminine      : lyrics; word (spoken).     Audio File: Hear Aunt Marie-Françoise pronounce the French word "parole":Download Parole   Download Parole À la parole on connaît l'homme.  –PA Manzoli   Help translate today's quote? …or share one of … Continue reading parole

Kristin Espinasse42 Comments
Jules, Nostalgia

camionnette

Crashing into the marguerites. Oh, the dangers of driving in Ceriana, Italy (where we saw the little camionnette). la camionnette (ka-me-oh-net) noun, feminine   pick-up truck; small van, minivan La camionnette démarre avec fracas et la jeune fille ferme derrière elle la lourde porte, relique de temps moins sûrs. The truck starts up with a roar and the young girl closes behind her the heavy door, … Continue reading camionnette

Kristin Espinasse2 Comments