Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

How to take a Bath

                   

Carry the tub outside.

Under your arm,

hold the champagne.

Gather roses; buds, blossoms and blooms-

toss them in the bath.

Oh those wisps of delight!

Take the garden hose and fill it up-

Overflowing!

Take your clothes off,

and toss them far out of sight!

Dip a toe and then dare…

splash in!

Bath yourself in the moonlight silky and smooth.

Sipping champagne,

Straight from the bottle while listening to the owl-

Hoot!

When you are fresh and clean,

Wrap yourself in your bed-sheet

like a butterfly cocoon,

And sleep!

Why do we do the same thing, the same way, each day?

French reproduction angel, from a 19th century form. Made in cement.

Comments

55 responses to “How to take a Bath”

  1. andrea

    Ha! Ok, I will start taking my baths this way. Of course neighbors, husband and children might object, but it sounds heavenly!
    Love the shot of your son on the bike by the way.
    a.

    Reply
  2. cruststation

    Wow, to bath like a princess. Rose petals and Champagne how delightful!

    Reply
  3. snowsparkle

    i literaly gasped at the beauty of the petals and statue! so, so beautiful. and then the images created by your words were even more astoundingly beautiful. wow! thanks for the reminder in the form of a fantastic question. i will try to celebrate today with a more creative approach. thank you, corey!

    Reply
  4. Lisa

    Sigh, all I have is the champagne. It would probably be exceedingly difficult to set up a tub on the third floor roof. At least it would amuse the neighbors!

    Reply
  5. jennifer

    This is so inviting. I am not the type to toss my clothes out of doors but the image you present is very tempting… I LOVE the photo and every word you wrote (and the bike photo down below too 😉

    Reply
  6. Josephine

    Corey,
    You are my muse! This is wonderful. A waterhose cold moonlit bath.
    What a wondrous way to enjoy being alive!
    xxxoooxxxooo

    Reply
  7. Annie

    This is so decadent and totally dreamy. Deep sighs.

    Reply
  8. Britt-Arnhild

    I love your sence of romance 🙂 By coincidence I took a bath last night. I almost always use the shower, but I was tired after long working hours and my body was in pain. I filled the bath tube (which is usually only used by our 10 year old), and climbed it, bringing with me a full glass of red wine and a good book (about living in Tuscany) Had a very good and relaxing hour – and later in the night both I and dh agreed that when we “do” our bathroom in a nfew years we’ll have a bigger bath tube, with room for two, with a bubble bath…

    Reply
  9. susan

    yes yes YES!

    Reply
  10. deirdre

    This is wonderful. Makes me want to skip work and take a bath. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Jeanne

    Sounds like a plan to me!
    Giggles!
    Love Jeanne

    Reply
  12. naturegirl

    Taking off my clothes in the garden and bath in rose petals! Perhaps when I was younger and had a body to show off to my neighbors.! Corey we are too modest in my corner of the world! The moonlit champagne…YES! In answer to your question..
    we have a choice to live life as we choose.Happy day to you!! 🙂

    Reply
  13. Kerstin

    I love taking baths. It is one of the reasons why we built a new bathroom with a huge bathtub aka the Ubertub! It’s my own little Spa and I use it often, with my favourite scents, soft candlelight and music.
    Your musings about bathing are romantic and delightful, do you actually do this?? I love it all apart from the cold water! Hmmm, perhaps on a hot sultry summer night …

    Reply
  14. Heather

    There is comfort and romance in the everyday rituals. Our sense of who we are wrapped up in champagne and bubbles – romantic soul you are!

    Reply
  15. Shannon Lewis

    What a delicious post.

    Reply
  16. susan

    Quantum physics would say it’s because we are conditioned… we don’t see the miracles swirling around us ~ well, except for you, our internet quantum girl.

    Reply
  17. Ulla

    Oh yes Corey – just as I imagined it! words straight out of a romantic dream…

    Reply
  18. meredith

    Ooh, if I took a bath outside, my neighbor would be terribly pleased!

    Reply
  19. wishes&Heros

    That is a great idea for a bath! I was imagining it while I was reading and it felt so good, relaxing …
    why do we do the same thing, the same way, every day? Why?

    Reply
  20. lauren

    This sounds lovely… if not a teensy bit cold! I love hot hot hot baths-I take one almost every night. This cool bath would have to be taken outside on an incredibly sultry night. And I can just picture all the birds giggling in the trees above to the delight of seeing this “human birdbath”!
    Lovely post Corey, (again…sheesh…)

    Reply
  21. marybeth

    Oh how fabulously freeing!
    Our dear friends gave us an open invite to their Jacuzzi while they are crusing in Alaska-so tomorrow night it is!
    o.k. to be perfectly honest, i always like a towel or robe close by =)
    (((hugs))
    mb in JT

    Reply
  22. mab

    oh first of all, my friend, the picture is awesome! I just love it! and the poem, well, what can I say? once again, your words speak volumes; you took me there and I enjoyed every moment; thank you for your contribution here, you are a class act.
    hugs,
    mab

    Reply
  23. linda

    What a wonderful picture you paint! My neighbors would really know for sure i had gone over the top:) Most of them think i am there already…..so this would cinch it (only kidding….such a romantic you are:):):)

    Reply
  24. Paris Parfait

    If the water was heated, sounds like a lovely plan. Champagne in the moonlight is always a good plan! 🙂

    Reply
  25. endment

    A-a-a-h-h-h- delightful!

    Reply
  26. Deb L.

    *Everything* tastes better with champagne! Your photos are jsut exquisite…

    Reply
  27. AscenderRisesAbove

    so how big is said ‘tub’ again? Are we talking wash basin tub? or hot tub?

    Reply
  28. Lorelei

    Oh Corey! Just wait until the weather warms up around here! A bath with flower blossoms….wrapping up with a French linen sheet.Beautiful…

    Reply
  29. amber

    Yes! How perfect a moment. *sigh*
    🙂

    Reply
  30. Holly

    We are truly ceatures of habit. And as usual everyone is so afraid of what someone else might think. It’s a shame. We miss so many simple pleasures because we won’t take a chance. I say let’s everybody dip!

    Reply
  31. sandig

    Why do we? Thank you for the wonderful inspiration. Although I don’t think the neighbors would appreciate this particular creative gesture… I could put it up on the deck upstairs… hmmm. I love the image. I love that fact that my brain is having a fun playing with my own version of stepping outside the box in a grand way… food for the spirit. Thank you!

    Reply
  32. Teresa

    My romantic new friend- what a beautiful picture you plant every post. I am tickled that I found your wonderful blog.

    Reply
  33. weirdbunny

    How amazing does that sound.

    Reply
  34. Lilly

    Hi. First time that I’ve visited your site. I’ve just seen a few of your posts and I love the photos. I’ll be back to read more. I have a couple of rose photos that I posted recently at my site. …I’m feeling like my mom these days. She always took photos of flowers and I never understood why but recently I find myself taking photos of flowers each day!
    lillyshome.blogspot.com

    Reply
  35. diana

    One of my favorite pictures Corey !
    I would have to have alot of champagne
    before, during and after … hee hee !

    Reply
  36. mary ann

    c’est la vie>>>the way it should be!!!!
    corey i love your joie de vivre!
    & i know that the 32 others before me think the same too!
    🙂 mary ann

    Reply
  37. Jenny

    What a delightful treat to find this place…I love your writings and artistry with your blog! Beautiful!

    Reply
  38. MCaplan

    You live so brightly!! This is a beautiful photo. What a fun bath that would be!

    Reply
  39. la vie en rose

    lovely idea! once i did decide to bathe in rose petals and candle light. i picked the petals off one by one, sprinkled them in the tub, relaxed and breathed. it was wonderful. and then i turned the light on and noticed what the candle light had been hiding…tiny bugs that i hadn’t noticed in the roses all in the water! i had bathed in bugs!!! sometimes ignorance can be bliss…

    Reply
  40. Connie

    Sounds lovely.
    Take care,
    Connie

    Reply
  41. deborah

    soupir….

    Reply
  42. AscenderRisesAbove

    Just doing a heads up…
    over at studio friday the prompt is “antiques and aged” and I thought of your wonderful finds. I don’t think I have seen you there. if interested here is the url
    http://www.tinesparkles.squarespace.com/studio-friday/

    Reply
  43. Catalina

    Ohhhhhhhhhh! je voudrais bien prendre un bain come ça…..! I would love to take a bat like this one…dreaming of it by now……

    Reply
  44. La Fée Coriandre – Sofia

    this would be great if I could do it 😉 hehehheh 🙂

    Reply
  45. katie

    I was right there as I read this.
    How wonderful ….. if only…..well maybe I could…

    Reply
  46. Jeanne

    All a woman needs is a good bath, clean clothes, and for her hair to be combed. These things she can do herself. I very seldom go to the hairdresser, but when I do, I just marvel.
    Hedy Lamarr
    I dreamed of bubble baths last night could it have been your words which linger sweetly on my soul.
    Your emails to me make me sparkle!
    I love you dearly!
    I am so thankful and proud to call you my FRIEND.
    Long may your blessings be!
    I love thee dearly!

    Reply
  47. berrie

    sounds like the perfect northwoods kind of bath:O) I certainly could partake in it* No peepers! nothing but woods xo

    Reply
  48. Mary Jane

    I like your question….I know that I often follow the same routine each day…maybe it gives us a small comfort and control in a world that cannot be often controlled.

    Reply
  49. maggie

    Corey:
    That sounds delightful, but I’m afraid the neighbor will have a heart attack.
    Have a great weekend
    Maggie

    Reply
  50. NessieNoodle

    mmm- I can feel the chill of the water, the bubbles of the champagne, then sounds and the joy-
    lovely words, lovely photo

    Reply
  51. kit

    They’ve said it all already. Beautiful picture in the photo and the words. I’d have four border collies prancing around trying to join in the fun – shatters the romantic, dreamy image somewhat!

    Reply
  52. –erica

    except it’s fREEZINg HERE!!!!!!! lol

    Reply
  53. Marilyn

    Now THAT gives new meaning to ‘bathing beauty.’ 😉

    Reply
  54. Carol

    Oh Corey I love this photo, it’s too beautiful for words!

    Reply
  55. jann mumford

    This is the perfect bath,the perfect way to cleanse the body, mind and soul………..

    Reply

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