The French Factrice

Postcard Friday #55 - Dog Tired

2010-02-04T23:18:00.006+01:00

Dog tired is an old English phrase. It derives from an old tale of Alfred the Great who used to send his sons out with his extensive kennels of hunting dogs. Whichever of his sons, be it Athelbrod or Edwin, were able to catch more of the hounds would gain their father's right hand side at the dinner table that evening. These chases would leave them 'dog-tired' yet merry at their victory!

Welcome to this weeks Postcard Friendship Friday! If you're visiting and would like to join in the fun we would be thrilled;) It's easy! All you need to do is:

1. Have a blast with this mail theme! Examples include: any type of postcard, a photo of a mailbox, mailman, a stamp image, postcard altered art, or simply a photo of something that you find 'Postcard Perfect' etc etc etc!
2. Link in with Mr.Linky at the bottom of this post
3. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and leave comments! That’s what a blog party is all about!
4. Link back to the party from your post so that your readers can come and see what everyone else is talking about today! Please grab the badge if you'd like to add a bit of PFF colour to your post:)

Jour des Crêpes

2010-02-03T09:29:00.000+01:00

The Catholic holiday of Candlemas, on 2 February, is a feast to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of baby Jesus. In France, this holiday is called la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or jour des crêpes.

Not only do the French eat a lot of crêpes on Chandeleur, but they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them. It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year!
french vintage postcard

A Bouquet of Lily of the Valley for the Ozark Madieval Fortress

2010-01-27T10:30:00.002+01:00

I just can't stop tooting The Ozark Medieval Fortress' horn! I blogged about the ingenious project here. The stone stronghold of the past is set to open on May 1st! Here's an illustrated aerial view of this momentous undertaking.

I stumbled upon the little beut of a vintage postcard at an open market in Toucy, France. Isn't it just perfect for announcing the starting date of the unique medieval construction site? The scented lily of the valley is considered to bring luck! Here in France we give small bouquets of the delicate blossom to friends and family on May Day. Bonne Chance to you Ozark Medieval Fortress!

Be sure to visit the official Ozark Medieval Fortress Site at:

http://ozarkmedievalfortress.com/

ozark medieval fortress

Rainbows, Arkansas, and the Ozark Medieval Fortress

2010-01-20T10:49:00.002+01:00

The etymology of the word 'Ozarks' is a subject of speculation. It has been suggested that it's a linguistic corruption of the French "aux arcs-en-ciel," which means "toward the rainbows" Apparently the spotting of Roy G. Biv* is quite common in the mountainous regions of Arkansas. I'll surely see one when I visit the Ozark Medieval Fortress!

* Roy G. Biv - This stands for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. That's how I was taught to memorize the order of the colors of the rainbow in school:)

Be sure to visit the official Ozark Medieval Fortress Site at:

http://ozarkmedievalfortress.com/

french vintage postcard rainbow

The Ozark Medieval Fortress

2010-01-18T10:43:00.001+01:00

I just scribbled the phonetically misspelled US state of Arkansas onto my bucket list! The 25th state of the union is home to the ingenious Ozark Medieval Fortress project! The rugged Proterozoic mountain range, extensive underground cave systems, world class trout fishing, sparkling lakes and streams, abundant wildlife, famous fiddlers, quilt makers, and tall tale story telling were enough to lure me to vacation in AR. But the fact that a stone medieval CASTLE using 13th century tools and techniques is being built has convinced me to hop on a plane and visit the "Natural State!" Here is a selection of the "medieval" artisans in action courtesy of the Ozark Medieval Fortress Facebook fan page.

The burly resident blacksmith forges every tool, nail, chain, etc. used on this astounding medieval construction site.

Each quarried stone is shaped by hand using a mallet and chisel and then put into place on the 6 foot thick castle wall.

All materials are transported via horse and cart. Isn't this image simply postcard perfect? Every imaginable task is accomplished by hand, from scratch and with passion! Historians, archaeologists, castle lovers, and laymen alike will be watching as the walls of this unique stronghold mount. I can't wait to visit! Don't hesitate to visit their informative website at: http://ozarkmedievalfortress.com.
ozark medieval fortress large letter vintage postcard curt teich

Postcard Friday #52 - IKEA and Clumsy Omelet Chefs

2010-01-15T00:08:00.002+01:00

I can relate with this all-thumbed, undexterous, butterfingered, maladroit, graceless girl who dropped her eggs! The card reads,"Ah! That's a funny omelet!" I hopped over to IKEA to replace all of the glasses that I've broken lately. I decided to give a palette of 12 glasses a good home and... slip...slop... I dropped them all!

Welcome to this weeks Postcard Friendship Friday! If you're visiting and would like to join in the fun we would be thrilled;) It's easy! All you need to do is:

1. Have a blast with this mail theme! Examples include: any type of postcard, a photo of a mailbox, mailman, a stamp image, postcard altered art, or simply a photo of something that you find 'Postcard Perfect' etc etc etc!
2. Link in with Mr.Linky at the bottom of this post
3. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and leave comments! That’s what a blog party is all about!
4. Link back to the party from your post so that your readers can come and see what everyone else is talking about today! Please grab the badge if you'd like to add a bit of PFF colour to your post:)

French vintage postcards eggs omelet

Omelet!

2010-01-12T15:30:00.000+01:00

This grumpy gus is collecting eggs for an omelet.When Swedes want a smile for the camera, they say "omelet," which gives a decidedly more subtle and less radiator-grill-like result than when saying "cheeeeeeese." Zut! Now I'm hungry.

french vintage postcard collecting eggs

Postcard Friday #51 - God Save the Queen - 01/08/2010

2010-01-08T00:01:00.001+01:00

Here's a glimpse of a London in retro postcard form to go along with these snazzy Union Jack chucks I just found online. I must have this flag footwear!

I always assumed that the name 'Union Jack' was a fond and very specific nickname for the British flag. But apparently flags have been called 'Jacks' since the late 1500's. It's was a generic term denoting any bit of cloth flying in the wind! Yep. I'll be humming 'God Save the Queen' as I strut around in these babies.

Welcome to this weeks Postcard Friendship Friday! If you're visiting and would like to join in the fun we would be thrilled;) It's easy! All you need to do is:

1. Have a blast with this mail theme! Examples include: any type of postcard, a photo of a mailbox, mailman, a stamp image, postcard altered art, or simply a photo of something that you find 'Postcard Perfect' etc etc etc!
2. Link in with Mr.Linky at the bottom of this post
3. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and leave comments! That’s what a blog party is all about!
4. Link back to the party from your post so that your readers can come and see what everyone else is talking about today! Please grab the badge if you'd like to add a bit of PFF colour to your post:)

londn vintage postcard retro

Postcard Friday #50 - Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T22:52:00.000+01:00

Here is a postcardy Charlie Chaplin sans mini mustache. I watch 'The Gold Rush' every New Year's Eve! It's become a quirky tradition. The comedy is streaked with poetry, pathos, tenderness and...... the famous roll ballet scene takes place on the final day of the Gregorian year - December 31! I've youtubed it for you:) Happpppppppppy New Year!

Thank You Librivox!

2009-12-31T15:52:00.001+01:00

I found a fabulous free audiobook resource! Volunteers over at Librivox.org read and record books books that are in the public domain. The selection is endless and also includes foreign language texts. Books in French, Urdu, Ancient Greek, Church Slavonic, and Tagalog (I've never even heard of that one) are all up for grabs in MP3 form.

I'm currently reading, listening, and bumbling through 'La Femme de Trente Ans' by Balzac. It's a big help to hear the pronunciation of each and every word. I'm hoping that some of the vocabulary will get stuck in my wee brain:) Have fun!

librivox.org

That Old Chestnut

2009-12-29T10:30:00.002+01:00

This little lady from the Limousin region of France is busily cracking open chestnuts. I often make bread with chestnut flour. It's naturally sweet and doesn't grow stale as quickly as a baguette. Chestnuts are also surprising bursting with vitamin C!

Chestnuts used to be a common food staple in the United States until the chestnut blight fungus of 1904 devasted the population. 4 billion American chestnut trees died within 40 years. That makes me want to plant a chestnut tree in my backyard!

Christmas at Notre Dame de Paris

2009-12-21T10:34:00.001+01:00

Here is a bit of Christmas razzmatazz smack dab in front of Notre Dame de Paris. Doesn't this picture seem to just twinkle at you?

The first Christmas tree in France was introduced by Marie Leszczyriska, the wife of Louis XV, at Versailles in 1738. It was a royal washout. The court scoffed at the German tradition. The 'sapin de noel' didn't catch on in France for another century!

2.99 Euro

vintage postcard christmas notre dame paris

The Yule Log - Postcard Friday #49

2009-12-17T11:22:00.000+01:00

This little lamb needs a pair of long trousers for Christmas. Take note dear Santa! She's hugging a yule log which is a very pretty and practical decoration in my book. Mine is gussied up with holly and will be tossed in the fireplace come Christmas Eve:) The French paticularly enjoy eating the yule log in cake form. That Noel desert tradition has been wround since the 18th century. Here's a pretty as a postcard example!

christmas vintage postcard

The History of Tinsel

2009-12-14T16:10:00.001+01:00

Tinsel in its modern form was invented in Higham Ferrers England in 1843, and was originally made of shredded silver.

According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary the word is from the Old French word "estincele", meaning sparkle. (nicked from Wikipedia for you with love:)

Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan! - Postcard Friday #48

2009-12-10T19:17:00.001+01:00

Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan! That's how you say Merry Christmas in Taiwan. This mailbox from the largest island of the Republic of China is quite Christmasy with its dashing green and red color combination. The choice between prompt mail and ordinary gave me a good me ho ho ho:)

Welcome to this weeks Postcard Friendship Friday! If you're visiting and would like to join in the fun we would be thrilled;) It's easy! All you need to do is:

1. Have a blast with this mail theme! Examples include: any type of postcard, a photo of a mailbox, mailman, a stamp image, postcard altered art, or simply a photo of something that you find 'Postcard Perfect' etc etc etc!
2. Link in with Mr.Linky at the bottom of this post
3. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and leave comments! That’s what a blog party is all about!
4. Link back to the party from your post so that your readers can come and see what everyone else is talking about today! Please grab the badge if you'd like to add a bit of PFF colour to your post:)

Back To the Salt Mines

2009-12-09T09:56:00.001+01:00

I should be posting vintage postcard images filled with Santa, angels and good cheer. Nope. You get a polish salt mine:) The word 'salary' actually comes from the word salt. The Roman historian Pliny the Elder stated as an aside in his Natural History's discussion of sea water, that "[I]n Rome. . .the soldier's pay was originally salt and the word salary derives from it. . ."

A Very Breck Christmas

2009-12-08T12:20:00.000+01:00

Have yourself a very Breck Christmas! Isn't she lovely? Breck ads favored 'real' woman over professional models. In the early years of the ad campaign the Breck girls were family members neighbors or residents of the community. The illustrations were described as, "illusions, depicting the quality and beauty of true womanhood."

Fire Over England - Full Film!

2009-12-07T09:41:00.000+01:00

Fire over England is a 1937 London Film Production starring Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, and Flora Robson. The film is a historical drama and is set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. I'm posting the full film here! You can watch it in full screen too. Just click on the little box in the middle at the bottom of each clip. (That's a bit confusing... Tell me if it works for you:) It's a must see gem of cinematic history!

Writer's Block - Postcard Friday #47

2009-12-03T21:50:00.000+01:00

Having a Snapping Good Time in Florida - Postcard Friday #46

2009-11-26T21:47:00.005+01:00

Fossils from 3 brand new crocodile species were recently found in the ancient Sahara wetlands! The Rat Croc (silly name, eh?) was a rather smallish reptile. This 3 footer ate roots and grubs that he dug up with his bucktoothed lower jaw. These crocodiles walked on two legs rather than flat on the ground like their modern snappy cousins! Click here to read about the pancake, duck, and boar crocs! The full article is amazing.

Editor: This postcard features a large and in charge ALLIGATOR.

Marie: Picky! Picky!

Welcome to this weeks Postcard Friendship Friday! If you're visiting and would like to join in the fun we would be thrilled;) It's easy! All you need to do is:

1. Have a blast with this mail theme! Examples include: any type of postcard, a photo of a mailbox, mailman, a stamp image, postcard altered art, or simply a photo of something that you find 'Postcard Perfect' etc etc etc!
2. Link in with Mr.Linky at the bottom of this post
3. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and leave comments! That’s what a blog party is all about!
4. Link back to the party from your post so that your readers can come and see what everyone else is talking about today! Please grab the badge if you'd like to add a bit of PFF colour to your post:)

Silver Shed Romance

2009-11-25T10:25:00.001+01:00

Here's a bit of jelly to complement the peanut butter post! Silver Shred would be an odd J to add to your PB though. It's a finely cut lemon jelly marmalade. It's apparently good for your complexion and scrummy by the spoonful too. Isn't this a darling card? vintage postcard

Peanut Ointment and Jelly Sandwich

2009-11-23T18:48:00.000+01:00

O Canada! Peanut butter was invented by Mr. Marcellus Gilmore Edson of Montreal, Quebec! He described his new product as having '' a consistency like that of butter, lard, or ointment.'' A peanut lard and jelly sandwich doesn't have quite the same appetizing ring to it. This food pioneer might get a kick out of knowing that the average American will have eaten 1,500 of the sandwiches before graduating from high school!

Thank You My Friends - PFF #45

2009-11-19T20:35:00.001+01:00

Now that the word 'unfriend' is the Oxford American Dictionary I can go ahead and use it here too!
I feel compelled to say THANK YOU for not unfriending me. I haven't been the hostess with mostess lately. I blog on the fly and comment rarely..You all have the patience of saints! PFF is such a wonderful group of caring, creative, paper lovers. Each and every one of you absolutely amaze me.

unfriend - verb - To remove someone as a "friend" on a social networking site such as Facebook.

As in, "I decided to unfriend my roommate on Facebook after we had a fight."

Phantom Metro Stations of Paris

2009-11-18T12:05:00.000+01:00

This grainy vintage postcard is a rare find. The mustached gentleman is making his way down to what is now called a phantom metro (subway) station in Paris. The stop Saint-Martin was officially closed on September 2, 1939.

The phantom station was recently spiffed up by the Salvation Army of Paris, France. The homeless are sheltered in this antique setting during the bitter winter months. The station still has beautiful porcelain tile advertisements on the walls.

Hopefully warm soup and a bit of old world charm can bring a smile to their face!

'S' is for .....

2009-11-16T13:18:00.000+01:00

'S' is for .... Shannon! This amazingly talented blog designer has the uncanny aility to translate your design ideas into reality. She certainly razzmatazz-ed up my sleepy template. Shannon is creative, versatile, accomplished, clever, zippy, professional... the list of raving adjectives goes on and on:)

Can you hear me applauding Shan?

Bounce over to Eight Crazy Designs here!