Sonoma Country Life

Word of the Week - Bellibone

Taken from the French 'belle et bonne", this week's excellent word of the week, Bellibone, is, in fact a woman of exceptional beauty and goodness. Bet yo didn't know that.

Definitely one to add to the everyday vocabulary fellas, though you may be advised to follow up any brandishing of this term with its actual meaning, as it doesn't sound quite as flattering as it is!

One of the most bodacious of our P'Town 'bellibones' celebrated a splendid shindig under the late August skies this afternoon, providing me with a perfect little pic for the blog.

Word of the Week - Aristology (Noun)

Time to bring "Word of the Week" back to Sonoma Country Life now that school is back in session and we are all called to kick-start the brain cells after summer's excuses!

Came across the word "Aristology" , which means 'the art of cooking and dining'. Derived from the Greek "Ariston" meaning 'breakfast or lunch' and logos 'study'.

Used frequently in the 19th Century but rather rudely usurped by 'gastronomy'.

Word of the Week

Monday marks the all new Sonoma Country Life Word of the Week as an effort to improve our collective knowledge of obscure, entertaining and downright weird old remnants of the English language!

Let's start with the highly topical selection of Boondoggling, which is a delightfully odd American expression pertaining to useless government spending of the 1930s.

Bored with Bushisms? Boondoggling is a true U.S. classic created around the American government's attempts to combat the Great Depression.

Where on earth did Boondoggling derive from in the first place? Apparently from the Scottish word Boondoggle, which means to score a marble without actually winning it free and clear.