LICKING GOOD

Langue de chien vaut le médecin

A dog's tongue is worth a doctor

 An old French dictum, and variations thereof, imply that a dog's saliva has healing

properties, which would explain in part why man's best friend is always on the spot to lick his wounds.

The family's Cavalier King Charles, above, is a case on point.

©2023 P. B. Lecron

BETWEEN LAND AND SEA

La Ria d'Etel...entre terre et mer

A charming site is this body of water formed by an arm of the sea in the backcountry of the southern part of French Brittany's Morbihan. Above is a view of a small 11th-12th century Roman chapel

on the Ile de Saint Cado, dedicated to the fifth-century evangelist Welsh monk, Saint Cado, for whom the  island is named. 

©2023 P. B. Lecron

 

NOW WE ARE SEPTEMBER

Septembre se nomme le mai de l'automne.

An old French dictum meaning that September is the May of autumn. So true.

Allée des platanes, Arboretum de Versailles-Chèvreloup.

 

IN ALL ITS SPLENDOR

 Dans toute sa splendeur 

©2023 P. B. Lecron

COUCOU!

 Coucou--it's the name of a bird, it's a friendly and familiar greeting, and it's a name for an early spring wildflower, the primevère officinale. A fun and easy French word to know.

©2023 P. B. Lecron

BRIGHT AND YELLOW

A wave of cheerful jonquils brighten a cloudy gray day in the Parc Bagatelle, Paris.

©2023 P. B. Lecron

 

GOOSE AND GANDER

A pair of resident Canadian geese in the Parisian Parc Bagatelle. Although normally a migratory bird, the Bernache du Canada has become sedentary in France. And why not! 

First introduced to England in the 17th century, then onto the European continent, the territorially agressive Canadian goose has unfortunately been classified in France as an invasive exotic species since 2010. 

©2023 P. B. Lecron

A LITERARY SYMBOL

 Mysterious, majestic, and even maligned as vain, the peacock actually has an anthology of literary texts dedicated to it that range from Antiquity to the early 20th century. Marie-Pierre Fougerouse selected and compiled the texts which appear in her book, Le Paon: un chef d'oeuvre vivant.

Vocabulary

la traîne du paon:  the long tail feathers of the male peacock

©2023 P. B. Lecron

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME

 A delicate touch for this wheelbarrow used by gardeners in the roseraie at the Parc de Bagatelle.

Vocabulary

une brouette:  a wheelbarrow

un pochoir:  a stencil

une roseraie:  a rose garden

©2023 P. B. Lecron

GET GOING

 L'écurie use plus le cheval que la course. 

This French proverb, "the stable wears out the horse more than the race," is used to express the idea that the lazy man who stays home and loafs is more tired than the one who works.

Stables at the Haras de Jardy, Marnes-la-Coquette.

©2023 P. B. Lecron

DOUCE FRANCE

Life's simple pleasures

From an early springtime promenade in the Parc Bagatelle, Bois de Boulogne.

©2023 P. B. Lecron

 

LUNCH BREAK

Pause-déjeuner

Noon at the Parisian Parc de Bagatelle in the heart of the Bois de Boulogne before the official arrival of springtime.

©2023 P. B. Lecron

HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS!

 Comme c'est beau!

A late winter view of the remaining water basin at the Parc Royal de Marly-le-Roi.

It was in this royal domaine, half-way between Versailles and Saint Germain-en-Laye, that Louis XIV constructed a small château where he would go to relax and get away from the trappings of royal court of Versailles. The Sun King's favorite retreat, with its enchanting pavillons, gardens, and gigantic cascading fountain, was unfortunately destroyed following the Revolution.

©2023 P. B. Lecron

A FRIENDLY ARGUMENT

"N''importe quoi!" says Minette to Charlie, the family's friendly Cavalier King Charles.

These two do get along, however.

 S'entendre comme chien et chat

In English we say "to get along like cats and dogs," interestingly preceding dogs with cats.

Perhaps for alliteration, or perhaps because of pecking order. 

Vocabulary

un dispute amical: a friendly argument

une bagarre: a fight, a brawl

Expression

N'importe quoi!:  Nonsense!

©2023 P. B. Lecron