FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

Merci, Smokey R. Dokey for your vacation update. La vie is okey-dokey now that you are chez Espinasse, dans beloved maison et famille once more, oui? Moi? J'ai eu "les blues"--bien sur pas des chansons. Good news: we all come home eventually, home being that warm caring place where we know we are going to be, certainment, okey-dokey. Or as ma soeur dit: "hunky-dory." Les mots humereux, which give the heart a little lift!

As for disgruntled paysenne, she is now "famous" and does not even know--we send her okey-dokey's as well. Merci, Kristin for this charming story and now! tra-la, tu es une poet as well.

l'expression: avoir le cafard! on a le cafard...eeek! le cafard = cockroach. Je pense que je vais bien, out! out! le cafard! Fun with a little research on the meaning of the blues.

What an incredible shot of Braise and Smokey mid-leap! Ears a flyin' and all. LOVE it!!!

81F today in Atlanta, still lots of pollen, ugh!

Hi Kristin.

I'm just catching myself up after a two week holiday. Your photographs - your words - all have a freshness about them. You must have had a wonderful holiday. You have been vivified! (Tu te vivifiais! - is that the right form??)

To refer back to your last post: I think that you are even more "presente" with a camera in hand - no wonder you enjoy it so.

Karen - sunny and very spring-like in Towson, Md. USA

Correction: (I think)

Tu te vivifies, Kristin! (Better?)

Just remember not to publish the photo of the Madame without her permission!!

Kristin, I'm surprised that you are holding your breath to take photos. I use a Sanyo X1200 digital camera with 12.1 megs resolution and 3x optical zoom. It cost me $112.99. I can take a random photo while spinning around on my feet and the image has no blur. I take 30-40 pictures a day, often in very windy (shaky) conditions, and I rarely think about blur anymore (it took some getting used to not to think about blur). What camera are you using? Have you experimented by taking photos while deliberately shaking/moving your camera?

Such useful words - I've already e-mailed them to an American friend of mine with whom, for almost 36 years, I have spoken and written exclusively French, for practice (unless others are around who don't understand). I find myself very acariatre when thinking about the economy and Internet jobhunting, a terrible way to recruit people.

It occurred to me that Theodore Seuss Geisel, usually known as Dr. Seuss, might have been familiar with the word "grincheux." If he was, maybe he got the word "Grinch" from that.

Yes, a true photographer sees beauty in everything. I've long thought, Kristin, that you see beauty in your French surroundings, which Americans might regard as "abime."

Not only should a picture not be published of a person without permission, ideally the subject should be asked ahead of time if one may take a photo. Of course, if the subject is a dog, asking the owner is appropriate.

The picture of Smokey and Braise is fantastic. What better way to capture the idea of "joie de vivre"?

I and 8 of my sketchbook friends will be in Provence May 1-15, going to the hillside towns to sketch, and sights that typically catch our eyes include those of doors, windows, potted plants, etc. Is there some culturally sensitive way we can do this? Ought we ask permission first?

Jackie's photo of the dogs is wonderful! If she gets tired of jumping horses she can train the dogs in agility. I think they're naturals.

Dear Kristin
Job hazards, en francais, would be "Les risques du metier". Le hasard is a 'false friend', just like "librairie", which doen't mean "library"!
Eg, Le hasard fait bien les choses translates as Chance would have it...
This could be an interesting subject: "false friends", languages are rife with them! (Pardon my grammar).
Jacqueline in autumnal Brisbane :)

Merci beaucoup for your photo feedback, which reminds me: I forgot to give credit (in the original email) to my daughter, Jackie, who captured Braise and Smokey in action! She is thrilled to read your feedback on her photo.

Ophelia, oh, the thought of someone scolding *you*! If the scolder only knew what a sweety she was speaking to!

Leslie, Interesting thoughts on French women being more quick to scold. It reminds me of getting chewed out by my 85-year-old neighbor, years ago! She was unhappy about Jean-Marc's latest invention: re-routing our drainpipe... so that the excess water fell into her flower bed. JM had thought his idea/solution brillant.

Douglas, I should trust in my camera instead of holding my breath, but hold my breath I will! I figure if they sell tripods, it is for a reason... So, until I get to the tripod stage, I'll steady the camera this way.

Jennifer, glad you asked about the sign. It is in another photo (the photo in this edition was taken in Italy, not in the Alpine down where Madame Je-N'Aime-Pas-Qu'On-Photographe-Ma-Maison lives

Jacqueline - thank you for the correction. Yikes! I should have known that... Re "false friends": quelle coincidence! I will be posting an article, written by a Francophone, soon.

Jane, Re asking permission before sketching one's home... interesting question. Anyone have an answer?

Marianne and Nan, thank you for your thoughts and kind words!

Yes, your little poem did leave me with a smile, as did the story by Smokey. Nothing like the joy and love a dog give upon the return of their family.
Sunny and beach walking today.