Brushing Up My French

       My son's recently trekking through the mountains and glaciers of Chile where avalanches are common reminded me of these notes I took while driving through glacier and mountain country in Canada, reading the signs:

"Danger Falling Rock" is in French Chutes de Pierre.  Pierre must be rock.  Well, Pierre, South Dakota, must be Rock.  Falling Rock doesn't sound as good as Chutes de Pierre.  I hear it in the words.  I hear the danger. . . chutes de pierre [SHOOT de pih-AIR].  Chutes is also in "waterfall," chutes d'eau.  This is a refresher for my French.  And I'm learning some things I didn't learn in French class.