talon
Saturday, April 04, 2009
When vines look like vultures... or eagles... Do you see the "bird's" talons? This photo, taken last week at a neighboring vineyard, is a close up of the vines featured in yesterday's edition. To comment on this photo, please click here -- and thank you for your thoughts!
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talon (tah-lohn) noun, masculine
: heel (shoes); crust (bread); stub, tail
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Today's edition is informal (no list of idioms, no vocabulary section, no story--no writer deadlines...) after all, it's Saturday... and Saturday rhymes with vérité! So here's a heads-up: I have just posted a behind-the-photographic-scenes story over at Cinéma Vérité. The essay is called "The Fading of France". I encourage you to read it and to see the gallery of 15 photos that accompany the post. Sign up now to the weekend edition, "Cinéma Vérite," and join me as I travel around Provence. Click here to begin.
Thank you for following French Word-A-Day -- now in its seventh year and still free as a bird with French talons.
Amicalement,
Kristin
PS: I swiped today's word from the story over at Cinéma Vérité... Don't miss it!
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For more online reading: The Lost Gardens: A Story of Two Vineyards and a Sobriety
Kristen,
Merci pour vos commentaires de Provence. Je vient de visiter en Avignon et Aix pendant le mois de mars. Dans les restaurants j'ai mange les crepes delicieuses "Mont Ventoux." Pour le "Marron Glace," est-ce qu'on peut substituer la "Creme de Chataigne sucree?" Merci, Kathy
Posted by: Kathy B | Saturday, April 04, 2009 at 03:28 PM
Nice...
Posted by: Barbara | Saturday, April 04, 2009 at 04:26 PM
I still say they're sisters, and not mother daughter.
@ Passante
I don't remember Cliff Richard being big here in eastern Canada in the 1960s. I really just heard of him in the 1980s, but I knew he must have BEEN big when he was the first rock star to be knighted (1995). Bob Geldof, who is Irish, received an honorary knighthood in 1986. But I'm male and 52, and I was (still am) looking at the women.
Posted by: Douglas | Saturday, April 04, 2009 at 06:36 PM
Ah, what good luck to catch the eagle in flight, just as he's about to snatch une petite souris from the field!
Posted by: Lee Isbell | Saturday, April 04, 2009 at 06:38 PM
Incredible photo! If it weren't for the background, I would've thought it was a sculpture.
And, by the way, you and your mom are adorable. How inspiring you both are!
Posted by: Cate Salenger | Saturday, April 04, 2009 at 06:44 PM
I see the eagle now, but my first thought was that I saw a bison. So maybe it's one of those mythological beasts made of more than one animal. It's very striking. Thanks.
Posted by: Carol | Saturday, April 04, 2009 at 08:51 PM
Merci beaucoup for the kind words. Vous êtes trop gentils!
Kathy: re chataigne: oh yes indeed! (here at our place we use a lot of that crème de chataigne (on crêpes, in cakes, or just by the spoonful... so I'd say go for it!
Lee: So many of those field mice end up in our house. I wish they were of the vine variety, like the Eagle in the picture :-)
Carol: Now that you mention it... Oui! I see the bison (or bison-aigle)!
Posted by: Kristin | Saturday, April 04, 2009 at 09:21 PM
Talon. What a beautiful word.....It is my gorgeous 5 year old sons name!!!!!
Posted by: Jennifer Baker | Saturday, April 04, 2009 at 10:11 PM
I love this photo Kristy! The vines look so wise this time of year (your time of year!)
xxx
Posted by: Erin Pooley | Sunday, April 05, 2009 at 08:39 AM
Thanks, Erin. Great to get your note! Mom and I were just talking about you two yesterday (the "two" part being Ross -- he would love the bike trail that we found yesterday: it starts behind the graveyard in Roaix--where Mom and I were studying succulents, moss, and how to care for chrysanthemums (sp?)--and ends at the bottom of the village of Rasteau! Tell Ross "hi" from us! and best to you both).
Posted by: Kristin | Sunday, April 05, 2009 at 08:55 AM
I agree with everyone -- amazing photo! I also liked the "yellow field" -- a dancing vineyard. Thanks for keeping me connected to the paysage I love so much.
Cheers,
O.
Posted by: Ophelia | Sunday, April 05, 2009 at 02:13 PM
Kristi, mon amie, that is a very "vine" photo of an eagle.
I seldom do, but have I spotted un erreur in the first line of your reply following Corol's post? Does "gentils" needs either -lle or -l to replace the "s", depending on the gender of Carol?
Because I make so many errors venturing into French, I hesitate to correct anyone who is fluent, but for the same reason it gives me some kind of unexpected pleasure.
Haven't correspondent lately as my friend's passing along with some serious concerns and plans have thrown me off kilter a bit.
Love to you and "yours" -- Fred
Posted by: Fred Caswell | Sunday, April 05, 2009 at 04:27 PM
Love your site. Will be back often to add to my vocabulary!
Posted by: Kirsten | Monday, April 06, 2009 at 04:28 AM
Beautiful old vines against an amazing azure sky...yes, I see the talons~you have a great imagination. I thought the photo of the full vineyard from the other day looked like a cemetery...about to come to life!
Posted by: Jennifer in OR | Monday, April 06, 2009 at 06:35 AM