Archive by Author
Un cadeau* Posted by Tim Hildreth on Dec 20, 2016
12 years ago when I was a French teacher, le mois de décembre (the month of December) presented a special challenge. As the winter break and les fêtes de fin d’année (year end holidays) approached, keeping kids focused on lessons and learning became more and more difficult. Especially in the last week before les vacances**…
Drôles d’invitées* Posted by Tim Hildreth on Dec 13, 2016
Le temps des fêtes (holiday season) is just about my favorite time of year. At my house we love to really get into it and decorate which . . . when you do it the way we do . . . takes some time! While we decorate, we like to watch movies that put us…
Trois recettes pour les fêtes* Posted by Tim Hildreth on Dec 6, 2016
![By Nickolas Muray [No restrictions or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://blogs.transparent.com/french/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/12/McCalls_magazine_cover_family_arriving_in_the_kitchen_for_the_holidays-286x350.jpg)
Après novembre, décembre est arrive! (After November, December has arrived!) Et qui dit ‘décembre’ dit ‘fêtes’! (And that means the holidays!) Noël (Christmas) is just three weeks away and since we’re hosting ma belle-famille (my in-laws, sisters, nieces, nephews, and more!) it’s time to start getting ready. An important part of any holiday celebration is the…
Le plus important des jours . . . * Posted by Tim Hildreth on Nov 29, 2016
Novembre touche à sa fin. (November is almost over.) As I was reflecting on the last month and thinking about this week’s post, it struck me that November is a month full of momentous jours (days) . . . some are specific to us here in the US, but at least one should be on…
Plus ça change . . . * Posted by Tim Hildreth on Nov 22, 2016
Nostalgia, like jet-lag, is a modern phenomenon. Just like you can’t have jet-lag without jets – If you can’t change time zones faster than your body can adapt, you can’t lose sleep over it! – you can’t have nostalgia unless the present is significantly different from the past. And in today’s world – when so…
Bons baisers d’Amqui!* Posted by Tim Hildreth on Nov 15, 2016
Je vous écris cette semaine de chez ma tante Rose. (I’m writing to you this week from my Aunt Rose’s) After last week, it seemed like a little escape to Canada was in order. Have no fear though, by the time you read this, I’ll actually already be back in the US. Tante Rose est…
A little song and dance . . . Posted by Tim Hildreth on Nov 8, 2016
Musicals are most commonly associated with Broadway and London’s West End, but France has produced it’s share of musicals too. Some of them like Les Misérables have known long-term success around the world, while others are more obscure. And while in the last 20 years France has seen a growing success at home and abroad…