Photography Friday~10.4.13

I was taking a bimble around the village not long ago with the good camera. Finally, Hooray!!

Simultaneously, I was pushing the Munchkin in her dog cycle that she is too short yet to peddle. I was so focused on her, crying and fussing, I didn’t realize why the camera wasn’t focusing. It was on “Manual Focus” (Wah!  Mental tantrum!)

I did get some decent shots anyway. Not great, but decent.

This gate is a gorgeous pop of color in any season. It is kind of an unexpected delight for the eyes.

Yellow flowers along the fence are the village welcome sign for all who enter.

Almost every house has peppers hanging to dry some where on the house. I love them as a vibrant red decoration.

In this picture, see if you can find: 3 tires, 2 doors, and one bath tub.

I would love to fix up this house and make it mine! I love the arched windows and doors. Gorgeous.

I even love the weeds growing under the window.  Is something wrong with me? I have porch envy with this house. I would love to have a cup of tea there and enjoy the view of the back yard/garden and the creek below. 

Eater pastels come to mind with the look of these two beauties. We looked at them 3 years ago when we were considering buying a home in the village. Only one had an indoor WC or Toilet. Mold was everywhere at the back of the yellow house because it sits back against a hill and because they used porous rock to build. But I still like to have my own mental International House Hunters moment when I look at them.

Happy Weekend all!

Photography Friday~ Barn & Garden pics

We spent a few days in the village this week. It was peaceful and beautiful. Food fresh from the garden fills our stomachs. Going to the back of the house is like visiting the produce section of the grocery store.

Our seedlings are growing well. I have done a good bit of weeding, and it is nice to see the progress! They got a bit of a parasite and we have to give them some  medicine. Soon they will be all better. Lots of tender loving care is going into raising these babies just like with the Munchkin.

One afternoon, I got a decent break from motherhood and retreated to the barn loft with a cup of tea. The smells of hay and drying grains kept me company.

Old roof tiles stacked and ready when needed.

And even though I was enjoying the break from my little one, my mind went to her as I looked at the vines hugging the barn beams like my Munchkin hugs my legs.

The loft was quiet, not even the sound of the chirping chicks below made it up the narrow  barn stairs.

 

The “stairs” are little more than a latter with double rungs and a rail. But they do the job. What a great place to have as a retreat.

Soon enough the sound of my Goldilocks brought me back to reality. Baba had gone up to the rooftop terrace to show the Munchkin where I was.

Then it was back to the grind… 😉

Photography Friday (on Saturday)~ Flowers and Fences

Pretty much every trip to the village lately I am snapping a pic of the gorgeous flowers blooming EVERYWHERE! Often they line fences. Here are a few.

Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.

Dobar Dan

Photography Friday~ Fences and Gates in Vina

While the men were at work this week, I was left again with the booger, She had refused a nap in  Baba’s bed, and I ended up taking a walk with my one ton munchkin in my arms. Inevitably, as I ventured just a little ways from the house, she fell fast asleep. Dead weight, awesome! But actually was, She had a good nap, and I got some good exercise.

Camera in hand, balancing the little freight, I snapped away at the scenery. This time gratefully,  no dogs followed me as they have in the past. And no geese honked warnings. The baby slept in peace.

In the Gypsy village. a large section  is fenced in solely by bed springs and maybe couch mattress springs. Children and chickens remain within the confines of so many springs.

Gates and fences seem to be a must in this part of the world. Only large apartment buildings are left without fences. Probably best this way, as stray and family dogs roam free and can leave presents/stink bombs wherever they like. One very good reason to have a fenced in yard.

Another good reason is the trash. Here, it seems, too few people have manners enough to walk their trash to a rubbish bin. Serbia, an otherwise gorgeous country. is on big trash bin. It is rare to find a Serb who respects their home enough to keep it clean. I has bothered me so much at times I have gone out and cleaned it myself.

I guess I should look at that as an opportunity for improvement? There are a few , just like back home. 😉

This was my favorite gate of the trip. Chicken wire attached to a wood frame, with a fancy iron gate. Simple and beautiful~

Dobar Dan

Green Thumb Thursday

There is some sort of magic dawn brings. The new day with no mistakes made. (Yet.)  A fresh head after a good sleep. (If I am lucky.) Time to myself. (again, if I am lucky.)

Mother nature’s Green thumb is at work all over the world right now.

One of the many snails I saw this morning. They are everywhere.

The sun cast its beams all over town. Dew shimmered in the early morning light.

Understated homes blossomed with the newness of the day.

I wish I could take these early morning walks more often. They are soo good for the soul, especially when accompanied my such lush greenery brought by so much rain.

Imagine the yummy baked goods some Baba makes in this enchanted yard or what a great Easter egg hunt cold be held just inside the gate. Remember, we are still awaiting the Easter bunny here. It will be glorious. 

More fun spring pics tomorrow.
Dobar Dan!

The path of the righteous is like
the light of dawn, that shines brighter
and brighter until the full day.
Proverbs 4:18

Whatever Wednesday~ mailboxes and gates

This morning the snow has come down for hours. The mountain got about a foot and we have about half that. Kind of shocking for the 27th of March.

There was to be a Vasher today. That is sort of a Pijats on a Grand scale and a carnival. But the weather has prevented it. There will be five more vashers this year. and I look forward to sharing them with you.

I have posted pictures before of a few gates. Though, doors and window pictures seem to be my prevailing favorite thing to photograph. As I began to wander down main street, I began to  pay more attention to the gates. Now, I have become more infatuated with them. I realized they are a combination of door and window. A perfect marriage of the two.

I really love this RED mail box! I want one ❤

I am pretty sure this is my favorite.

The average gate below has charm. but not so much beauty.

I love the contrast here. This grand gate belongs to the beautifully painted home and building behind. Just next door there is a barn in the back yard. This is on the main street of town. For real!

Another favorite~

Starts with and “M” and probably ends in a “vic” I bet! 😉 The majority of last names here in Serbia end in V-I-C. It’s like “Mc” in Scotland or “O” in Ireland the begin the names. 

And from my last trip to Greece, 2 years ago… One last mailbox and gate.

These were all phone pics. Grainy, but still worth posting.

Dobar Dan

Photography Friday Celebrates Serbia’s March 8

Hello Friends, Happy 8th of March! It is International Woman’s day. This is an old Communist holiday celebrating women. Men everywhere are lined up to buy flowers and other random gifts for their moms, daughters, wives, etc.

On my way out today to take pics for my photography Friday post, I past a flower shop. In hindsight, I should have taken a picture of all the people waiting outside for the flower arrangements. I was shocked at the number of adults and children outside standing and sitting where they could. Maybe next year.

I will take something to the mother-in-law tomorrow. She loves this holiday.

On to the pictures! I walked to the other side of the yellow bridge today. That is like the other side of the tracks in some towns. Lots of gypsy people live there. I met one gypsy lady today and she spoke English!  This was her gate.

After I snapped a pic of her  beautiful gate, she came out and a little boy followed but lagged behind. She was super friendly and just wanted to know why I was taking a photo of her home. I wish I had taken time to talk to her more. Another time.

This is the house next to hers, what contrast.

I was trying to beat the setting sun and the dark clouds that were threatening rain.

As I climbed the hill I got a nice glimpse of the looming clouds that hovered over the valley. The morning and most of the afternoon had been gorgeous. In the 60’s. I barely needed a jacket! And you can see from a few pics that laundry was hanging in lots of yards.

Some Baba  had her naughty black stocking on the line here. 😉

Check out this creative clothes line! Whatever works.

Along the same line of thinking, there are some unorthodox shelters here for storing wood. I thought the first one here was rather a lovely idea.

It’s not like a gazebo would be used very often in the winter. What an ingenious seasonal use!

This one is quite inventive as well.

Lots of dogs were out to great walkers today. This old yellow lab was my favorite.

On the way home it started raining. I manged to snap just a few more pics worth posting. This lonely window in an empty old house was worth the time, and I liked the way it looked when I gave it the sepia treatment.

I headed down another road to make my way home. The hilly terrain here has inspired creative architecture.

By this time it was really raining, and I hurried on my way way. But I noticed the prettiest red gate and had to get one last photograph.

Hope you enjoyed the pics
Dobar Dan

and P.S. Thank you all for cheering me up yesterday!

Munchkin Monday

A walk in a Fairy Tale Village

Last week we went for a walk in Vasilj, a little village not far from town. The initial reason to meet an expat like myself lives there. That didn’t happen, but the village was so quaint that I was thrilled we had come.

The Munchkin was thrilled to make the acquaints of some house cats and two adorable miniature Doberman Pinschers that played in an ancient school playground.

The old school playground and building looked mostly neglected.

The Schoolhouse gate

School house windows with paper snowflake cut outs

We were accompanied on the village trip by a friend of the Muz who’s father was from the village. It was lovely to have him as a tour guide.

Not only did he love on Millie, but he picked us some early spring flowers. The lovely white Visi Baba or Snow Drops as they are called in the English speaking world. I have seen those same flowers on each of the visits here in Serbia, but this time I discovered they are hiding the most beautiful upside down green heart that rests in the shade of the white petals.

The village was filled with gorgeous old homes. Sadly, it was an overcast day, so the pictures aren’t as glowing as they could be. Next time I will go on a sunny day when there are leaves on the trees. That day is not long off. Already, blues skies are more prevalent than they have been in months!! Yippee!

One last pic to make this a Munckin Monday post.

The little one enjoying a well deserved drink after a long day.