Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Joyeuses Pâques!

My brother and I, 1961. We had matching sailors outfits. I had a bonnet, gloves and a white patine purse. Easter meant new clothes for church, waking up early and running outside, searching for our Easter baskets in the garden, mine was by the purple irises. Easter meant hard-boiled eggs dyed in bright colors, (the colors I liked, the eggs I did not!)

Easter in France means the church bells ring and ring and ring, there isn’t an Easter bunny here, it is the church bells that spread the chocolates far and wide! We live next to the church.

Easter, the golden egg, the celebration of life, the empty tomb, the hope of a new day, the singing of Alleluia!

Put on your Easter bonnet and join the parade!

Comments

48 responses to “Joyeuses Pâques!”

  1. ms*robyn

    oh your life in France sounds just wonderful! How innocent we are as children.

    Reply
  2. Paris Parfait

    Love your description of your childhood Easters, as well as Pacques today! Also, adorable photo.

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  3. Dawn

    Blessings on you and yours this day, dear Corey…

    Reply
  4. Shannon Lewis

    Happy Easter, sweet Corey! We decorated eggs last night and the kids were enthralled. Like you though, they weren’t so enthralled by eating them this morning (whites yes, yolks no way!).
    We’re bound and determined to go to the ocean today even though winds will be 20-30 miles per hour and inland it’ll be 56 degrees, so you can imagine what it’ll be by the ocean, LOL. It’s a tradition since we’ve moved here and I will not break tradition!!

    Reply
  5. Nicole

    oh my gosh, your bonnet is so cute in the photo. Funny how things don’t change that much. Today Claire will wear her new Easter dress, we’ll go to church, hunt Easter eggs in the yard. I suppose that is why it’s called “tradition.”
    Chocolate distribution through sound waves? I’m gonna have to try that!

    Reply
  6. AscenderRisesAbove

    What a great picture; could you both be any cuter?

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  7. jennifer

    I like the sound of Easter in France. Church bells and chocolate… sounds perfect! Love the photo and sweet memories. Joyeuses Pâques! (Hey, I’m even learning French language on your blog!)

    Reply
  8. Marilyn

    That purse! I’m almost positive I had one just like it at some point. 🙂 Do kids ever wear Easter bonnets anymore? As much as I hated hats as a kid, that was always a highlight.

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  9. Annie

    What good timing this Sunday Scribble was for you. You got to show off and enjoy that sweet little Easter bonnet again. Happy Easter!!

    Reply
  10. ULLA

    Truly Adorable, just like today Corey!!! Blessings to you dearest…

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  11. andrea

    Happy Easter dear Corey! Wishing you and your family another glorious celebration.
    a.

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  12. Jeanne

    This photograph is so precious and priceless………..
    Happy Easter to you and your precious family!
    Much love
    Jeanne
    X0X0

    Reply
  13. Heather

    Something so special about black and white photos…I often feel like if I stepped into one then I would join the people dressed as I am not, in a time that has passed before me. Lovely Easter memory, thank you for sharing!

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  14. susan

    Happiest of Easter Times to you!

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  15. shelley

    Corey,
    That is the most adorable picture. I love it! Happy Easter to you and your family.
    Love, Shelley
    P.S. I also love the bright color eggs and the new clothes, family together and BBQ chicken!

    Reply
  16. Mary Jane

    Hi Corey,
    Love your little white purse…my mom is here with me today and said,”very nice…..she is 89 and this is her first blogging day….have a Joyeuse Paques, vous ausis et votre famille….

    Reply
  17. Lesley

    I have finally had time to catch up on your posts. The words and photos give me peace. Thanks, Corey, for your inspiration and insight.

    Reply
  18. Maggie

    Cute cute cute! I love the matching Easter outfits. I used to go through catalogs and beg my mom to buy matching dresses for me and my sister (I was crushed that she never did; now I realize that I was attracted to the tackiest outfits on the planet!).

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  19. mikaelah

    what a lovely little bonnet you have … and your brother is the golden egg? that is how I feel about all of my siblings anyway. Happy Easter!

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  20. expatraveler

    Corey – I hope your Easter was wonderful. I find it so different that the church bells spread the easter baskets and chocolate. Oddly, kim and the frog have a great story about that on their blog… Such a wonderful photo. I only remember one from when I was 8 years old and I’m wearing purple soccer sweats from the 1970’s.

    Reply
  21. Amber

    Oh, this picture is so sweet!
    Easter is my favorite holy day, for all the reasons you said. Today our pastor said that Easter was the day for healing broken bonds, and for hope. I love it!

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  22. Elizabeth

    No Easter Bunny I could live with as long as there is chocolate!
    Happy Easter.

    Reply
  23. Shannon (Sentimental)

    What a fun post and I love hearing about your life, your culture. Thanks for sharing it.

    Reply
  24. Kerstin

    How lovely to see someone else’s ‘wee’ photo of her and her little brother.
    I remember the colored easter eggs; we used to have easter egg painting contests in my family and line them all up on Easter Sunday (up to 20 eggs!) where they would be judged ruthlessly and the adults were just as keen on winning 1st price as us kids!
    Just found your lovely blog, I’ll be back 🙂

    Reply
  25. Colette

    Salut, Corey!
    What an adorable photo. It occurs to me that we all look similar at that age.
    Joyeuses Pâques.
    Colette xox

    Reply
  26. diana

    Love the b/w photo of the sweet siblings !
    I hope the church bells tolled joyously today for you and your family !

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  27. julie

    Happy, Happy Easter, Corey!!! When I was a kid, I hate those Easter outfits, with the bonnet, little purse, and sometimes gloves…but now that I’m so much older (and so much more nostalgic), I miss those days of Easter outfits and hunting for eggs!!!
    You and your brother are so adorable!!!
    Best wishes to you and yours!!!

    Reply
  28. Connie

    What a darling picture. It would have been wonderful to hear those beautiful bells.
    Hope you had a nice Easter.
    Connie

    Reply
  29. herhimnbryn

    Happy Easter!
    A sweet image. What is it about b and w photos? So evocative of childhood and childhood memories.

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  30. cruststation

    That picture is just adorable! (I especially love your bonnet and purse) Your childhood sounds like one filled with much happiness and love, what a lovely family.

    Reply
  31. susan

    the happiest of easter mondays to you corey and to yours… the photo of you and your brother are so much like my old photos it makes me smile. we do all have that certain 50s appearance, cute bags and bonnets. very very sweet! xoxo susan

    Reply
  32. Beth

    Oh that sounds lovely for Easter. I wish there was not so much emphasis on the Easter Bunny and bright plastic everything here in the states. Try as I might it’s hard to avoid. I much prefer an emphasis on the true meaning of the Holiday, both the religious and natural rebirth.

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  33. Brother Mathew

    Marty is such an egghead.

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  34. Joanne

    Adorable children!
    Beautiful Prose!
    Blessings!
    Love,
    Joanne

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  35. –erica

    oh the images corey..

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  36. lala

    This is a cute picture of you and Marty. I remember seeing that picture and it brought back memories of Easter. Mom/Dad would always buy us a new Easter outfit and when we got home from church we would have to stand in line (oldest to the youngest) in front of that big kitchen window and take our picture. All eight of us!!
    Easter was cold this year, didn’t buy a new outfit casuse it just didn’t seem like a bright spring day. But it ws so cute seeing all the little girls in their new Easter outfits in church. Went to 8 oclock mass, and saw mom, Aunt Louie, your dad and mom in the second pew, along with all the cousins sitting around them with their families. So beautiful!
    Love lala

    Reply
  37. misty

    BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL!
    I would love to live next to a church and hear the bells!
    Thank you much for your comments to my blog… I share the same feelings for your blog!

    Reply
  38. la vie en rose

    look at how cute the two of you are!!!! we always got new outfits for easter too–usually made with love by my grandmother. and of course there were also the new shoes and the new hats, and even sometimes some gloves. to this day i think i must have a new outfit for easter…heehee…

    Reply
  39. Kim G.

    Lovely picture! So sweet! Thanks for sharing your memeories with us!
    Blessings to you!

    Reply
  40. orama

    Note the eyes on the young boy. Fixed on a candy egg.
    Let him go Corey.

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  41. tongue in cheek

    Orama,
    my brother has a sweet tooth that would make a lion jealous! You are right, he did have his eye fixed on the golden egg!! Look at the hand itching to get it!!
    Did you see what Brother Mathew wrote about you? ;o!! love Corey

    Reply
  42. Mardougrrl

    How incredibly adorable and innocent and joyous! Lovely look at childhood.

    Reply
  43. mary ann

    precious photo and memory..treasure that always.
    this brought a smile to my face as i read your words.
    hope you had a wonderful easter.
    mary ann 🙂

    Reply
  44. Gina

    What a sweet sweet photo.

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  45. Ellen

    Corey, this reminds me so much of a photo of me and my brother. I was four, he was two. Both of us dressed in our Easter best. In my photo, you can see my excitement…about to dance and frolic…as I clutch tightly to my super-soft Easter bunny.
    Your photo and words evoke memories and sweet feelings in me. Thank you!
    e

    Reply
  46. sarah

    I love this portrait of you & your brother and the stories of your childhood Easter! THanks for sharing them with us! ;O)

    Reply
  47. pam

    Happy Easter Corey! What a great photo -and I laughed out loud at the “egghead” comment by one brother toward another.

    Reply
  48. Carolyn Davis

    Hi Corey,
    What a precious picture, it brings back so many memories of my children at that age. How innocent the child at that age, not a care in the world, except to find those Easter baskets. much love, Carolyn

    Reply

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