With 3 religions in Bosnia, Easter is not such a big affair. The Muslims don't celebrate it and the Orthodox church celebrates it next week so we were in a minority as we got into holiday mode. I went to find chocolate eggs and was gobsmacked to find that here, in Bosnia, the most chocolate obsessed nation I have ever come across, didn't do them. At all. No big eggs. No little eggs. I did find some chocolate bunnies, next to the chocolate Santas left over from Christmas, so we went with those instead and I found some other sorts of chocolatey things that could be hidden in the garden for a traditional egg hunt.
The Bosnians may not do chocolate eggs, but they do get very into decorating their eggs. A friend had us over on Friday afternoon to help paint eggs and they turned out really well. The boys were very proud of their efforts and they occupied a very pretty looking nest in the middle of the table whilst I considered what to do with them next. Then I read a post from Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy which gave me the answer and an egg rolling competition commenced. The boys took to the event with enthusiasm. We don't have any eggs left anymore.
After a long, hard, cold, miserable, dank, dark winter it is such a joy to see the spring sunshine. It is t-shirt and shorts weather here. We spent the whole weekend in the garden digging our allotment, planting a variety of herbs and veg (fortunately being directed by a friend who actually knows what she is talking about) amongst the blossoms of the fruit trees that surround the garden. Suddenly I felt that Bosnia is a good place to be. I'm looking forward to the summer.
Showing posts with label spring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spring. Show all posts
Monday, 13 April 2009
Monday, 6 April 2009
Spring has sprung
At last. At long last. Spring has arrived, and it has arrived with a vengeance. The weekend was beautiful, blossom on the trees, all sorts of flowers out and a general sense that the winter with its snow and mud is behind us.
We took the opportunity to see whether the lakes near Tuzla were open yet. Deliberately not taking any swimming stuff (however much the boys beg, it is too cold to go swimming just yet) we set off and joy of joys, they are. People were cooking barbecues and picnicking, playing volleyball, fishing and generally moving into summertime mode. It was lovely.
Inspired we came back, bought a barbecue and spent the evening cooking our own burgers and kebabs in the garden, enjoying the evening light and not having to put on a jacket. Throw in a few beers, the odd glass of cold white wine and some good friends and races with small children around the garden and suddenly Bosnia doesn't seem a bad place to be at all.
Even with all the above, there is one development that has really caught my imagination. I've noticed over the past couple of weeks that all the Bosnians have been very busy in their gardens. Not tending to flowers (although there are some roses and other splashes of colour appearing in front of everyone's house) but planting their vegetables. There has been a flurry of digging, weeding and planting going on in almost every garden and most the open spaces around. Well, when in Bosnia.... we now have our own allotment in the corner of the garden. More accurately we now have our own dug up bit of earth and the bottom of the garden, but I have onions, carrots, peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes to plant. I know nothing about growing green stuff, being an urban girl born and bred. But, I'm very excited about having a go, and, armed with their own trowels and permission to go get really dirty, so are the boys. You never know, if they grow the vegetables themselves they may even get inspired to eat them.
We took the opportunity to see whether the lakes near Tuzla were open yet. Deliberately not taking any swimming stuff (however much the boys beg, it is too cold to go swimming just yet) we set off and joy of joys, they are. People were cooking barbecues and picnicking, playing volleyball, fishing and generally moving into summertime mode. It was lovely.
Inspired we came back, bought a barbecue and spent the evening cooking our own burgers and kebabs in the garden, enjoying the evening light and not having to put on a jacket. Throw in a few beers, the odd glass of cold white wine and some good friends and races with small children around the garden and suddenly Bosnia doesn't seem a bad place to be at all.
Even with all the above, there is one development that has really caught my imagination. I've noticed over the past couple of weeks that all the Bosnians have been very busy in their gardens. Not tending to flowers (although there are some roses and other splashes of colour appearing in front of everyone's house) but planting their vegetables. There has been a flurry of digging, weeding and planting going on in almost every garden and most the open spaces around. Well, when in Bosnia.... we now have our own allotment in the corner of the garden. More accurately we now have our own dug up bit of earth and the bottom of the garden, but I have onions, carrots, peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes to plant. I know nothing about growing green stuff, being an urban girl born and bred. But, I'm very excited about having a go, and, armed with their own trowels and permission to go get really dirty, so are the boys. You never know, if they grow the vegetables themselves they may even get inspired to eat them.
Saturday, 21 March 2009
First day of spring?
Are you thinking gentle temperatures, delicate flowers or going outside without a jacket on?
That was last week. Today it snows.
Enough already.
That was last week. Today it snows.
Enough already.
Monday, 2 March 2009
spring into actions
Last weekend we spent most of our time building snowforts, throwing snowballs and sledging. This weekend we haven't needed to put on a jacket.
Spring has arrived, and although we're not ruling out a return to some miserable weather, right now the good people in Tuzla are out enjoying the sunshine, seeing to their gardens, doing a spot of DIY, having picnics, congregating in the cafes which have suddenly appeared outside and generally enjoying the first day of spring.
It would appear that with the arrival of warmer weather comes the season of citizen protests and actions. We popped along to one such event on Saturday. The Tuzla Blind Association had organised a day of action to highlight how difficult it can be to negotiate some of the streets in central Tuzla when you can't see. They were putting blindfolds onto people (including a number of fairly high level politicians) and letting them try to walk along the Korzo (the central pedestrianised drag in town).
Adam was intrigued. He didn't want to try it out himself, but he was thrilled to be able to help guide me when I was temporarily without sight. He took his responsibilities very seriously and negotiated me up and down the Korzo at some speed, rather faster than I was totally comfortable with, but with no accidents.
Having shown our very responsible and helpful 3 year old at his best, Jessie then let the side down somewhat. Spotting an abandoned chicken wrapper across the way, she charged across the flow of unsighted people and gave us a clear demonstration of exactly why she will never be a guide dog for the blind.
Spring has arrived, and although we're not ruling out a return to some miserable weather, right now the good people in Tuzla are out enjoying the sunshine, seeing to their gardens, doing a spot of DIY, having picnics, congregating in the cafes which have suddenly appeared outside and generally enjoying the first day of spring.
It would appear that with the arrival of warmer weather comes the season of citizen protests and actions. We popped along to one such event on Saturday. The Tuzla Blind Association had organised a day of action to highlight how difficult it can be to negotiate some of the streets in central Tuzla when you can't see. They were putting blindfolds onto people (including a number of fairly high level politicians) and letting them try to walk along the Korzo (the central pedestrianised drag in town).
Adam was intrigued. He didn't want to try it out himself, but he was thrilled to be able to help guide me when I was temporarily without sight. He took his responsibilities very seriously and negotiated me up and down the Korzo at some speed, rather faster than I was totally comfortable with, but with no accidents.
Having shown our very responsible and helpful 3 year old at his best, Jessie then let the side down somewhat. Spotting an abandoned chicken wrapper across the way, she charged across the flow of unsighted people and gave us a clear demonstration of exactly why she will never be a guide dog for the blind.
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