Words on Love and an "au pif" recipe
Thursday, June 25, 2020
Our golden retriever, Smokey, enjoying shade under the peppercorn tree. Today's entry begins with the French version of Love Is Patient, Love is Kind and ends with a recipe (the two sections have nothing to do with each other but are, like today's recipe, au pif (spontaneous).
L'amour est patient, il est plein de bonté;
l'amour n'est pas envieux; l'amour ne se vante pas,
il ne s'enfle pas d'orgueil, il ne fait rien de malhonnête,
il ne cherche pas son intérêt, il ne s'irrite pas, il ne soupçonne pas le mal,
il ne se réjouit pas de l'injustice, mais il se réjouit de la vérité;
il pardonne tout, il croit tout, il espère tout, il supporte tout.
L'amour ne meurt jamais.
(1 Corinthiens 13:4-5)
Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc read Love is Patient in French
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud. It does not dishonor others,
it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
(If you find a better English version--a better match with the French--thanks for sharing it in the comments box)
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
Paring tomatoes at the kitchen sink, I thought to google "recette salade lentilles." But with my hands dripping le jus de tomate, I didn't want to reach for my smartphone and begin typing.That's when an inspiration came to mind:
The recipe is whatever you desire….
Voyons... Just what did I desire? And, equally as important, what ingredients were on hand? I suddenly remembered some boiled eggs in the fridge….and pickles (which go well with des œufs durs…).
"It would be nice to have some salmon," I said to Mom.
"I've got some left over...from the salad you brought over yesterday," Jules offered. Parfait!
Too bad we were out of onions… Attends une minute! There’s one, hiding under a branch of drying peppercorns on the buffet….
Eggs, salmon, onion, and how about those concombres I bought last night, while visiting Cynthia at her corner épicerie?
Any crumbs and seeds on my planche à pain are automatically added to whatever salad I'm making--lentil salad is no exception! Allez hop! In they go! (Mom wrinkles her nose at this crummy ingredient. But I have no problem with days old miettes - and will add them to a recipe here...if only to give you a good vocabulary word. Miette--un mot chouette!)
Some olive oil, mustard, and the white truffle vinegar (we're lucky to have a supply of this élixir. Jean-Marc stocks it at his shop!)....
Salt, pepper, and voilà! The only other ingredient is time. But hunger knows not patience. Alors souvenez-vous:
The recipe is whatever you desire
Using ingredients you have “sous la main”
Hunger knows not patience
Mange quand tu as faim!
FRENCH VOCABULARY
la recette = recipe
la salade = salad
la lentille = lentil
le jus de tomate = tomato juice
voyons = let’s see
parfait = perfect
attends une minute! = wait a minute!
une épicerie = grocer, grocery
le concombre = cucumber
la planche à pain = breadboard
allez hop! = off you go!
une miette = crumb
choutte = nice, neat, good
le frigo = fridge
sous la main = on hand
Mange (manger) = eat
tu as faim = you are hungry
alors = so then
souvenez-vous = remember
In our garden. Photo by Jules. Thank you very much for reading today's au pif--spontaneous--post. I have been working on a story about some dolphins, and will hopefully share the rencontre chanceuse in the next post. Have a lovely weekend.
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Love this passage on love and Jean Marc’s reading it. When I was growing up my Mom and Dad taught me to insert my own name in place of the word love. It sure made me see where I needed to work on things!
Also, a Christian Rock band from back in my day did a great song based on this passage. I’m linking here in case you want to give it a listen to.
https://youtu.be/KvmV3X5s1gU
Posted by: Brenda Pfeil | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 02:24 PM
What a good idea to insert your name in place of the word love. I woke up early and my elderly dog was getting on my nerves with her indecision to go outside, I opened the door for her numerous times and she wouldn't go out. I had to stop and breathe and not get upset with her, in human years she's well over 80!!
Posted by: Maggie Grace | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 03:10 PM
Well you’re not gonna believe this but I was making the salad today at lunch in the same exact thing happened except i used tuna and I had slivered almonds and everything else went in just like yours so we must be on the same wave links at least at lunch. I’m with you just throw everything in and good oil and lemon or (our) vinegar will make things jump! I wish I could send you roquette sauvage...and yes, all the miettes are great in everything. And try dipping your fish filets in semolina instead of bread crumbs or flour. Like catfish from my childhood.....
Posted by: Suzanne Dunaway | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 03:12 PM
Semolina...thanks, Suzanne. I will try it! Re lentils, what a coincidence you were making them too. I had a feeling a good dose of iron (du fer!) would be helpful round about now...and that is when lentil salad came to mind!
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 03:50 PM
And I did the exact same thing on Tuesday when the salad I was making got visited by Madras Lentils, an Indian pre-cooked pouch of tastiness that's good on rice with tomatoes, on a hot dog. It enjoyed it but I don't know that I'd do it again. (Who am I kidding? I will put it on a salad with spinach instead of lettuce.) Vraiment au pif!
Merci, madame!
Posted by: Lena Nowak | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 03:52 PM
I love that your parents taught you to insert your name! I’m 59 years old and I’ve never heard that. What a great tool to hit the message home!❤️❤️
Posted by: kate elliott | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 04:17 PM
I agree! Going to try this as well. Thanks, Brenda, and to Kate for commenting.
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 04:35 PM
💕💕
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 04:36 PM
I love this Brenda ♥. I learned that same thing, and was also taught to put Jesus' name in place of the word love. It is humbling, for sure!
Posted by: Beth | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 05:24 PM
Kristi- you are truly a delight!♥
Posted by: Beth | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 05:26 PM
Your salad sounds excellent, good things in your kitchen.
As to those words from Corinthians, the King James version is here, with -eth on the verbs, and is compared with the New International version. Some verbs are different. The NIV seems to match the words in French. My memory prefers the King James words, though without -eth, I guess.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13%3A4-7&version=NIV;KJV
Posted by: Sarah LaBelle | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 05:29 PM
Wonderful happy post - delightful way to start the weekend. thanks and give Smokey an extra ear scratch for me.
Posted by: nancy | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 05:43 PM
What a lovely suggestion! I am going to adopt it with my granddaughter and thank you for this! Bonne journée!
Posted by: Patricia Sands | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 05:47 PM
Thank, Sarah. I like the King James version.
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 05:49 PM
One of the best posts ever. I would not change one word of its English translation of 1 Corinthians. Those lines hold nuances I've not read/heard before. Beautiful, as is the French version.
I really enjoyed the glimpse of your impromptu kitchen magic. Delightful. And "Hunger knows not patience" is also brilliant.
Merci, Kristi!
Marion
Posted by: Marion | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 05:54 PM
Thank you, Beth. You are too!
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 05:55 PM
😂😂♥️
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 06:03 PM
Hi Kristi,
Thanks for the post today and I love the photo of you with the flower bouquet! :-)
I found a yummy recipe using leeks and green lentils. We had that for lunch last week! I am trying to make more vegan recipes so I have a repertoire on hand for when my vegan daughter visits. I have to admit that I feel better on a more vegetarian/vegan diet!
Posted by: Eileen deCamp | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 06:07 PM
Thank you, Marion. 💕
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 06:09 PM
thank you for sharing this lovely song. We could use more like this today.
Posted by: SusanIrene B | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 06:56 PM
Perfect timing. I'm reading my emails before I start to make refrigerator soup with all the leftover vegetables and bits in my frig.
Your picture in your garden is beautiful and joyful
Posted by: SusanIrene B | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 07:00 PM
I think the next to last line would better translate as “forgives”. I love that you gave us this - a familiar verse that we can fully appreciate in French.
Posted by: Anne Kennedy | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 07:36 PM
I always thought to myself that allez hop meant upsy daisy.
Posted by: Thomas | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 08:06 PM
Our dear Kristi,
These glorious words in Corinthians once again touch my heart, as they have from the time when I could first truly comprehend them.
And!the pictures you gifted us with today are a perfect compliment!
Smokey in your garden!Most especially,
gorgeous you(!),face lifted to the sky,sun,and God,while holding that bouquet of heaven scent blossoms.
Oh my goodness!!
Thank you!!
Love
Natalia. Xo
Posted by: Natalia | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 08:24 PM
Thomas, come to think of it--yes, it does! Next time I tip my breadboard, I am going wish this to those upended crumbs. Upsy Daisy!
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 08:38 PM
Au pif a wonderful new word for me. The photo of you is lovely … filled with sunshine. And Smokey under the pepper tree. I miss the smell of them from my childhood in Southern California where we would picnic under one in my home town.
Posted by: suzanne | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 09:09 PM
J’adore Jean Marc reading Love is kind. Absolutely beautiful! The comment about inserting a name instead of the word Love. I will pass this on to my granddaughter! ❤️🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼❤️
Posted by: Kathleen Hurder | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 09:41 PM
kristi,
i don't use siri, or alexa, or whomever .... but you could have kept your hands in your tomatoes and blurted out your question to your phone, perhaps? just a thought!
thank you for always shining a light on our days....
Posted by: marlies t wilding | Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 10:20 PM
Hey Kristi. I have always loved the expression “au pif” and trying to convey the feeling as well as translation to my husband.....got lost in the translation! I think 1Cor is read at every wedding here in the US. But it never loses its punch.
Salut!
Posted by: Young Paciello | Friday, June 26, 2020 at 01:08 AM
Lovely post today, Kristin. There is so much anger and violence in the world today; people are behaving
like spoiled children! The only antidote to all this is love. Each of us must access this love in our own
special way and share it with whomever we encounter on our journey. Thank you for the empowering
words; vraiment les bons mots.
Posted by: Joanne | Friday, June 26, 2020 at 01:48 AM
Good idea, Marlies! I have a Google phone and need to figure it out. My voice commands havent worked well in the past. 😂
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Friday, June 26, 2020 at 07:07 AM
You have the capacity to touch so many lives. Simply beautiful! Thank you! 🙏
Posted by: K. J. Laramie | Friday, June 26, 2020 at 04:09 PM
Thank you, K.J. 💕
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Friday, June 26, 2020 at 04:29 PM
Totally on his own whims, my husband has somewhat replicated your gorgeous garden as evidenced by his coneflowers, lavender, cucumbers and sunflowers. His sunflowers two days ago HAD spectacular enormous foot-wide leaves and were on their way to budding. Thank you for the pictures of your sunflowers for my virtual enjoyment as I won't have them here. A roving pair of bucks with fuzzy spikes fed on ours leaving us with sad, denuded stalks and leaf stems. I'm enjoying your beauties virtually.
Posted by: athia gantz | Friday, June 26, 2020 at 07:51 PM
Beautiful picture of you in the sunshine!
Posted by: Linda in California | Friday, June 26, 2020 at 10:48 PM
Dear Kristi,
I loved hearing your beloved read Corinthians! Thank you for all of yours and your family's efforts to live in the love that he read. I and many still need much practice...and I am 76!!! Yikes!!
I am and have been for some years, teaching the French language to myself. I have discovered that grammar is so interesting to me. And I love listening to one reading in french, and then reading along with the speaker.
Thank you and hoping the children, all grown now of course, are fine.
God bless you all, C-Marie
Posted by: C-Marie | Saturday, June 27, 2020 at 12:38 AM
In the past, the sound files were fine. Recently I've hardly been able to hear them. Is there a way they can be made louder? I read the excerpt from Corinthians in French (thank you), but couldn't distinguish the words much in the sound file.
Yes, the passage from Corinthians has been read at many weddings, including mine!
Posted by: Marianne Rankin | Saturday, June 27, 2020 at 04:18 AM
I love that our gardens are growing the same things ( we, too, have cucumbers climbing across the garden floor). Sorry to hear about your sunflowers being eaten!
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Saturday, June 27, 2020 at 06:43 AM
I m 59 and have never heard this either and its a wonderfully simple biblical passage.
Posted by: Robert Harrison | Saturday, June 27, 2020 at 12:26 PM
Your posts are a ray of sunshine during a difficult time in our world. Thank you! Votre joi en simplicité est inspirante. Et merci pour l'écriture en français. Je l'adore. Bon weekend Kristi!
Posted by: Jeanine Woods | Saturday, June 27, 2020 at 05:28 PM
That picture of you in the garden is STUNNING. I love it - and I always love pics of dear sweet Smokey.
Posted by: Susan Carter | Monday, June 29, 2020 at 02:51 AM
Jean Marc’s voice has a soothing, dreamlike quality. During this time of isolation, I listen to this beautiful recitation over and over again, and had a thought... Wow, wouldn’t it be nice if he read more inspirational passages, quotes, or even love poems, to reflect upon and take in more rays of sunshine.
Posted by: K.J. Laramie | Monday, June 29, 2020 at 12:51 PM
Yes! It's truly a time to reflect and be more quiet, draw nearer to God and just be peaceful. I, too, have listened to Jean Marc's recitation multiple times. It's just.... lovely.
Posted by: Jeanine Woods | Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at 05:05 AM
Bless you for being a ray of light. I love everything about your spontaneous post! You look radiant and beautiful. The salad sounds delicious - love that it was a joint effort with Jules. I have a page from my college sketchbook with the words from 1 Corinthiens 13:4-5 outlined in sweet peas. I'm curious about the dolphins. Have you been swimming with them?
Posted by: Stacy Lund | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 02:49 AM
Thank you, Stacy. Those scriptures illustrated with sweet peas--I can picture the sweet image now. No, I did not swim with dolphins here in the Mediterranean. Jackie and I had the chance to swim with dolphins in Florida, during an organized and safe (especially for them) encounter. 💕
Posted by: Kristin Espinasse | Friday, July 03, 2020 at 06:53 AM
Hello Kristi and family
Should like to see picture of Mother's purple mu mu please?
I like her fashions.....where did she buy it? And Is it possible to know name of shop where might purchase?
And has Mom started painting again? Not always easy to find motive without painting company I find.
Love to all, Sylvia...nearly 93...Long ago Journalist UK.
Posted by: SylviaKlondike Kingsley | Monday, July 06, 2020 at 10:01 AM