Tuesday 27 April 2010

The colours of the French countryside at the end of April


Bees love mustard seed rape for the nectar which makes a peppery flavoured honey, often blended with less stongly flavoured honeys or used in the bakery trade. I also love the smell and am transported to heaven by the sight and smell of the fields .... I could inhale the aroma all day long just to be inspired. I lament that we are surrounded by sheep, wheat, maize or sometimes sunflowers. Oh, that I should lament with such joys around us!

However, the translation between English and French can be a little muddied or muddled... I think it's "les faux mots". So when discussing this topic with the French I have had to use the verb "aspirer"... they were not happy with "inhaler". I aspire to being fluent in the French language but know that my "langue" (tongue) will always be "bancale". But I won't "donne sa langue au chat" meaning I won't give up or I won't speak like a cat! You see how difficult it is to learn the French language.

To breathe in = aspirer
To aspire to = aspirer
Aspirer = to breathe in, to inhale, to aspire, to suck up in a straw, to draw up,
To breathe in = inhaler
To inhale = inhaler
To breathe in = inspirer
Inspirer = to breathe in and to inspire
S'inspirer = to be inspired by
To inspire = inspirer

The mustard seed rape is a member of the Brassica family and is related to the turnip. Voila - one learns something everyday!

Countdown: 3 days

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