Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Wondrous Words Wednesday 15

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Kathy at the Bermuda Onion where you "can share new words that you’ve encountered or spotlight words you love. Feel free to get creative!

Finals week - Double ARGH!  ...
 
So last week I had more words from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows but word number one turned into an unexpected landmine.  I am going simple this week ...

He is going to have peach trees espaliered next to the brick garden walls.

Espalier (ess-PAL-yer) is the practice of controlling plant growth so that it grows relatively flat against a structure such as a wall, fence, or trellis. In the 17th Century, espalier originally referred to the frame or trellis on which the plant was trained. Today, espalier refers to both the plant and the horticultural technique of actually training the plant.





I more or less knew what this was but have been pronouncing it wrong. 


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1947 Vintage Irving Penn
photo gravure WALLIS SIMPSON
for sale on ebay (link)
full-length rotogravure portrait in sepia of the Duchess of Windsor

rotogravure (also roto or gravure) is a type of intaglio (in-TAL-ee-oh) printing process, in which the image to be reproduced is engraved/etched into a surface (like a copper or zinc plate) and the sunken area holds the ink. Gravure prints are produced using a cylinder for use on a rotary printing press.

Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (aka Wallis Simpson and Wallis Spencer) was an American socialite who attracted the attention of Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII. He abdicated his throne to marry her and become her third husband.



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We were to load the boat with his silver, his paintings, his bibelots, and, if enough room, Lady Tobias, and set sail at once for England.

bibelot - 1. a small, decorative ornament or trinket.
               2. A miniature book, especially one that is finely crafted.

Origin - late 19th century: from French -  Old French beubelet, or perhaps from a reduplication of bel 'beautiful'

Well, given the character of that particular character - I really think definition two is out. So we are talking tchotchkes for rich people.


6 comments:

  1. Great pictures and words.

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  2. I've seen trees like that but never knew what it was called. They are so pretty to see!

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  3. Oh, I forgot to say good luck with your finals!

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  4. New words apart from espalier. We visit a lot of historic gardens and see many an espalier.

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  5. Thanks for the pictures to help show off the words.

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  6. I like bibelot. Thanks for the illustrations along with the definitions.

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