Easter treats and Flying Bells

I love little family traditions ... particularly ones involving our children and their cousins and the excitement or anticipation of an upcoming celebration ... and listening to their chatter as they discuss 'how these things must happen' with great sincerity!

At Easter, like children the world over, our boys put baskets next to their beds, waiting for the Easter Bunny to come and deliver lovely chocolate eggs.  And in case the bunny is hungry as he goes, they leave a carrot in the basket for him.  And when they wake there is usually a nibble or two missing to show he's been.

And as we were preparing these bedsides last night, it got me thinking about the little 'stories' we parents tell our children.  That bunnies are going to come with chocolate eggs for the baskets.  And about the stories french parents are telling their children about Pâques (Easter).

{image via Becoming Madame}

The church bells of France which ring cheerily throughout the year, fall silent in respect and mourning on Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified and died, and they do not ring again until Easter morning in celebration of the Resurrection, as Jesus is alive again.

So as not to upset the children by the change, a story is told that all the bells suddenly grow wings and fly to Rome to visit the Pope, where they are blessed and les cloches volantes (the flying bells) return with treats for the children.

And as the Easter bells (les cloches de Pâques) fly back to France, they drop chocolate bell, eggs and bunnies into the gardens of the French towns.  When the children wake up, they have great fun finding them (a chasse aux œufs) and all the bells ring once again because they have returned from Rome!

{image via The Paris Poodle}

I can't imagine my boys accepting this one, or being able to tell this with a straight face ... but I suppose they have put out baskets with carrots in them, in expectation a bunny will stop by with chocolate eggs!

What little traditions do you enjoy at Easter?

Jennifer

x

Notre Dame rings out again!

Just in time for this week's Easter traditions, the bells of the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris are again ringing out since Palm Sunday this week.  Receiving the nine new bells in January, they have now been installed - in time also to celebrate the cathedral's 850th year.

{image Vintage Finds - taken September 2011}

Why were they replaced?  All but one of the original bells from this cathedral were melted down for coins and cannons in the French Revolution.  In the 19th century four others were added to this one original survivor - the effect being out of tune and often said more fitting for a country church than cathedral!

New bell's arrival in January 2013 {image via Associated Press}

So last Saturday, for the first time in two centuries, with these four removed and nine new and beautifully made now installed, on a cold but sunny Parisian afternoon, all ten bells pealed out to a crowd of thousands.

{image via Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris}

One large one came from the Netherlands, and the other eight from the foundry of artisan bell-maker Paul Bergamo in Normandy.

As you can imagine, France being a country which both celebrates and prides itself on it's artisan skills, it is amazing to hear of the skill required to make these bells and to think that these have all been formed and made to be in tune with that one surviving bell!

{image via Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris}

And although newly installed, from today they will now be silent again. Why?  Come back tomorrow to find out (here) and I'll share with you some French Easter traditions!

Jennifer.

x

But wait there's more!

Ooops!  More 'new in store' from yesterday that I left off the post!

Original rush seated dining chairs.  I love these in a mix of old and new around a table.

And a very useful and sturdy, but attractive small step ladder.

{all images Vintage Finds}

In Store Today ...

These wood and metal hand tools have lovely sculptural handles.  Very smooth to touch, they have been well used for many years.  Found in a village fair in the depths of France.  What do you think they are used for?  I am thinking maybe leather work or something similar.  Do you have any ideas on what these tools are used for?

This set is very beautiful too.  Made from ebony: a blotter and quill sharpener.  Once again lovely shape to touch and hold. They look lovely sitting on a desk and make a very sharp and useful letter opener!

{all images Vintage Finds}

It's all in the way you look at it

I love my yellow 'dancing ladies'.  This delicate touch of yellow is actually an orchid, oncidium excavatum if you are that way inclined - botanically speaking.  They last well, and I can usually get about two weeks of gentle, subtle, pretty colour.

As they have now started to go papery and close, I was about to grab these out of the vase and put them into the trash.  The clouds parted, the sun turned bright outside, and the light just became magic.  And it was then that I really looked at them.

And I reached for a camera instead.

{all images Vintage Finds}