A Moment in Provence

Provence, pottery, france, vintage, antiques

 

A moment in Provence is best at the end of Spring, late afternoon.

With family and friends gathering outside,

sipping rose, while the softness that is before nightfall causes one to reflect on the day.

A French provencal water jug, an old one, that used to be used to collect water from the well sits on the kitchen table… France the lessons I have learned under your watch.

 

Provencal pottery water

Provence, france, vintage, antiques,santon

 

A santon, part of the French nativity scene, with the water jug on her head.

Perfecting balance.

That is how I feel: Our friend is recovering in the hospital. Thank you for your prayers, much needed prayers… My prayers weave with yours, surrounding our friend, begging for balance, courage, and healing.

The day is not over… with harder days to come.

 

Provence, french, pottery, vintage, antiques

 

A mortar and pestle. In Provence it is used to make an olive oil, egg yolk and garlic sauce called: aioli

A tool used to crush, grind, and mix solids in to fine powder, or cream.

As I pound the pestle I put my heartache, my sadness for our friend's journey and imagine it smoothing out, blending it to a happy place.

If it could be so easy. 

 

Provence watering jugs

A few weekends ago I bought the piece of provencal pottery (the plain one to your left) I was attracted to the shape, though I had no idea what it was used for. I asked the brocante dealer and he said, "It is for putting water into the holy water font at church."

That sold it for me.

Holy water.

Gee, I should of used that for a "French Antique Guessing Game"! Would you have known?

 

Provence, dinner,  france, vintage, antiques

 

The table was set.

Flowers from our courtyard inside a porcelain de Paris vase.

Straw plates wait for the meal to be served.

All in place, ready.

After I took a photo I looked up and saw an unexpected guest arrive.

French cat

Our old neighbors moved (Prayers answered!) they took their cat… Stinky Cat, kind of sad to see him go. But the new neighbors have a cat… she is very friendly, very curious, and loves to dangle her back leg in our fountain and admire the goldfish. Hopefully just admiring.

Again thank you for your prayers and good thoughts!

So tell me do you have a name for our neighbor's cat?



Comments

52 responses to “A Moment in Provence”

  1. This is a beautiful post, your pain for your friend is felt in each sentence. Hopefully, time will help.
    …by the way, I would have fought you for the holy water jug! 🙂

  2. Corey, so sorry to hear about your friend. My prayers go out to them.
    As for le chat, I think Oreo or La Jambe (the leg) are fitting names. 🙂

  3. DangleDoris or ChatEau 🙂

  4. martina

    La Princesse naturellement! Or Fantine. Then again, I named my kitten Pesto after favorite sauce. She has grown up to be a sweet little pest with pesto green eyes. Maybe neighbor kitty could be named Aioli.
    Continued prayers for your friend’s healing.

  5. Brother Mathew

    Eric.

  6. Rosemarie

    “Minou”, of course!

  7. Theresa,
    I would have won. 😉
    C

  8. yin yang, or batcat.

  9. Inspector Clouseau

  10. Chris M

    Hi Corey, The dangling leg in the fountain brings to mind “La Dolce Vita”. If it’s a female, Sylvia–if a male Sylvan:) I hope your friend feels all of our prayers.

  11. Pantoufle. I always wanted to name a cat Pantoufle and if he dangles his leg in the fountain, it seems all the more appropriate.. PRAYERS for your friend and especially for those who love him so.

  12. Your “new” neighborhood cat is a Tuxedo! His/her coat is lovely! We have six cats (yes, six “rescue” cats); one is also a black/white Tuxedo named Oreo. Our other kitties are Pepper, Daisie, Blackie, Peanut, and our newest family member, a calico we named Callie.Oh, and let’s not leave out our sweet chocloate cocker spaniel, Cocoa 😉 A house full of critters….we love ’em all dearly!

  13. They are GONE??!! Oh joy! Oh rapture!
    Oh! And while you and Theresa were fighting over the water jug, I nicked it. Touchdown and score. Yea!

  14. I just showed the photo of your new kitty to Farmboy Husband, who immediately reacted as I did: dead-ringer for our late beloved farm-cat Sly! We had earlier white-and-blacks, too — short-hairs Bruiser, Pirouette — and Sly’s slightly older half-brother, a super-fluffy long-haired black-and-white with such immense paws I named him Sasquatch. Of all these, only Sly and Pirouette would be apt for your visitor-kitty. She does look like a real charmer; hope she’s spayed 😉

  15. P.S. I named Pirouette’s calico litter-mate Pas de Chat, which might be an apt name for a French cat!

  16. And while you were all duking it out over the water jug, I cat-napped the kitty — meow!!!

  17. If it were a girl, with the markings on her head, she reminds me of the way Frida Kahlo used to part her hair straight down the middle. Frida Catlo?
    If it were a boy, his sweet goatee makes him look a bit like a young Henri Matisse?
    What a sweet foot-dangling friend.

  18. Sentimental

    You could call the cat “Dangle”.

  19. Tulip…no idea why, just popped into my head.

  20. In the alternative, Pêcheuse (or Pêcheur, as appropriate) — or the English equivalent, Fisher.

  21. In honor of your beautiful rose vines. I hereby name your french neighbor’s kitty. Rose!
    I heart you, Corey Amaro for noticing the petals and not the thorns of everyday life.

  22. Very very clever!!

  23. La Jambe that is cute!

  24. Hi Shelley
    Catlo… One of my nicknames for Sacha was Boylo!

  25. Oh I like that! Dangle.

  26. Perhaps kitty could be named Mademoiselle Pendent or Poisson Puss or Dipsy or Lily or Paddy Paws (from lily pads) or Beau Dangles. I could go on forever but I really do love ChatEau.

  27. The cat looks like it is doing the “Hokey Pokey”…you put the right foot in, you put the right foot out, you put the right foot in and you shake it all about. Did I get that right?
    Praying for inner healing for you friend.

  28. Nancy W

    our prayers will not stop.

  29. it’s funny that I was going to say “dangle”…but several other’s already have! So I agree with the lady who suggested Beau Dangle! So cute! Prayers go out to your friend…

  30. I love that cat! When I look at him I think “Mister Business.”

  31. The cat’s name is Felix. About the jug for Holy Water…do you think this is true or a tale to sell the jug….who wouldn’t want a jug that hauled Holy Water. It is a nice jug true or not. Enjoy!

  32. HI Ann
    Good question. I think it is probably true, considering something had to be used to add water, and wince plastic didn’t exist…. Of course if the pottery had a religious mark on it, such as a cross, I would be more convinced. nevertheless, the dealer is well known and sells many of his wares to collectors.
    C

  33. She rather looks like a delicate “Camile” to me…..
    love her!!

  34. Her ears remind me of Batman – how bout Catman. Even for a girl!

  35. Mike Salter

    How about Resky (as in Pesce)? Best, Mike

  36. leaford@msn.com.au

    Sylph, quiet a slinky name for such an elegant cat, boy or girl!

  37. mary blanchard

    I like Dangle and Oreo 🙂
    I would never have guessed a jug for Holy water.

  38. Love your jugs and table setting, Corey! Hopefully the cat is well fed and has no interest in the fish as his next meal 🙂 I too like name “Dangle”.

  39. Cleopatra……..just looks like her!

  40. RebeccaNYC

    Pas de Chat, naturellement. And continued prayers for your friend…and for you as you continue the journey of friendship.

  41. “Pied au frais”, or cool foot, Corey. (Hope I translated it correctly.
    Healing thoughts for your friend’s health, from your early home, the Bay Area.

  42. prayers continue for your friend.
    I like Dangle – too cute. Also like Hokey Pokey – have not heard that tune in a long time.
    I want that water jug. Too perfect – a holy water jug that looks amazing. I want one!!!

  43. Lorelei

    The cat has markings like a cow…and his/her name should be “Moo”. Hopefully there will be no “cow-pies” to mark his/her territory and only a peaceful existence between neighbors.

  44. 🙂 Glad you liked it 🙂

  45. That kitty is so cute! You should have called it Snuggly-muffin Mc-cutieKins. Or Fluffy! lol

  46. Nancy from Mass

    I have that same santon!

  47. 🙂 You have the santon, I have the photo, lol.

  48. Ree you make me smile! You know how I am not fond of cats… but YOURS is the best cat in the WORLD!!

  49. He looks so much like our cat we lost 2 years ago of heart failure. His name was Shamu, after the whale at Sea World, here in Texas. He had killer instincts, like hissing and attacking our teenage son if he came downstairs in his underwear. LOL

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *