ABC Wednesday--"Q" is for "Quite a hot dog!"

Hungry? How about a half-a-meter-long hot dog? For the metrically challenged, that's about 19.69 inches, a formidable challenge for even the most ravenous hot dog lover.

This places also serves another specialty, a Hamlet, a ham omelet served with or without a bun. Its advertisement that you can just partially make out on the bottom of the photo reads asks in Serbian, "To be or not to be in a bun?" Apologies to the Bard.

Join ABC Wednesday here

Soft pretzels

I just LOVED to eat soft pretzels as a child. I liked mine piping hot, sprinkled lightly with salt, no mustard. I saw them all over New York, but have not tried any yet.

What am I waiting for? I did have a hot dog, though. New York's not New York without eating a hot dog.

ABC Wednesday "P" is for "pig out"

This little hot dog truck is red, red, red! There was no one around when I took this photo from my car while waiting at a red light. I wasn't hungry either, but had I been, this little truck, with its self-dosing hot dog, would have been just the place to pig out!

See what other P's people have posted on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Dog-tired.

According to Wikipedia, the phrase Dog Days or "the dog days of summer," refers to the hottest, most sultry days of summer. They are a phenomenon of the northern hemisphere that usually falls between July and early September, but the actual dates vary greatly from region to region, depending on latitude and climate. Dog Days can also define a time period or event that is very hot or stagnant. Well, it's been hot and stagnant here pretty regularly, and this dog has picked an odd spot to rest, right in the sun. But I've noticed street dogs do that to warm their bones, poor things.

Take your pick!

Hot, hot, hot, but it's supposed to rain on the weekend.

While walking the dog this afternoon and trying to avoid hot surfaces for her tender tootsies, I entered an underground passage under two busy streets. I had been there before, but hadn't exited through the part where this fantastic sock shop is.

Socks galore.  I was tempted...the watermelon ones look refreshing.

Which pair/s would you take?  And look up that Youtube tutorial on how to make masks out of a pair of socks.

Once Upon a Mattress....

I get such a kick out of seeing people dressed up advertising products on street corners. So far this trip I've seen a pizza, a hot dog, a Statue of Liberty, and an Uncle Sam. What's next?

This fellow was more than happy to wave to me when I snapped him at a red light.

ABC WENESDAY: "Z" is for ZANY PICNIC DRESS FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY to my American friends.

There is a Fourth of July celebration at the American ambassador's residence, but I was not invited.  We local Americans used to be invited in the good-old-days, until at one point we were deemed personae non gratae....seriously.

I will eat a hot dog by myself and watch our president sink deeper and deeper....I hope.  Okay, enough.


But ladies, would you wear this zany dress to a picnic?

See other Zs on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Bratwurst!

Sometimes I want a hot dog or something of that sort.  So this is the Bratwurst that Isaac of Dante's Inferno served me.  I asked for the works, minus mayo, but with jalapeno peppers and all.  Yum.

MONDAY MURALS--COCA-COLA

Somewhere around 1886, John Pemberton, an American pharmacist, created Coca-Cola out of necessity. to control his chronic addiction to morphine, which he took as a result of a painful saber wound.  Shortly after, he decided to market his 'pain killer' as a drink, and the rest is history. 

Looks like it didn't make it to Serbia (then Yugoslavia) until 1967. I love this mural. It shows an old Italian FICA (FEE-cha), very popular then, the classic red cubic hot dog stand, and an example of the BRUTALIST ARCHITECTURE building nicknamed the Toberlerone Building because of its triangular projections.

See more murals on MONDAY MURALS.

 

THE FOOD'S GREAT!

 The child in me, not too deeply hidden I have to admit, always delights at the sight of these inflatable ads.  This one is for a  hamburger/hot dog/and similar roast meat place.

SKYWATCH---puffy

This was an extraordinary sky, but I'm not sure my (not-so-hot) cell phone captured it....  Cursed myself for leaving the biggie at home on a short dog walk.

See other skies on SKYWATCH.

Daily Haiku

Like so much stuffing

From my dog's favorite toy

White clouds on blue sky  

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Who wants Jackson?

I'm back on my feet again, though I still don't feel so hot and am still taking antibiotics. My son is helping me walk Bibi, but from time to time I take her out so I can get some air, too.

During one such short walk in my neighborhood, I noticed this little dog, who seemed to stay in one place, since from my terrace I'd seen other larger male strays chasing him. He's very sweet, and I felt sorry for him....so he is currently safe and sound on my terrace. Yesterday he got his first shots and worm pill. Jackson, or so I've named him, is about one year old, seems to like children from what I have observed, and doesn't growl when you pet him while he's eating. I'm placing some ads and using the grapevine, so we will see. I cannot keep him, since already one dog is enough for me now that I am working again.

Strays are a BIG problem here; most puppies are born and die in a short time, and those who survive are not always lucky.

Any takers for Jackson?? :) I'll keep you posted if, or rather I hope, when I find someone.

Jilly, who runs Riviera Dogs, this post is for you, as well as for Paula of Pensacola Daily Photo.

TRYING TO COOL OFF IN THE PARK

 Took this shot on the sly the other evening.  They were watching a kid playing with my dog just behind me. I hope these folks got cooled off a bit, but it was hot....

WRITER IN ABSENTIA

 I walk my dog in this park nearly every day, at least for sure in the morning since it's been so hot.

Sometimes we sit and have a cup of coffee or a lemonade (for me, of course; she gets water) and I read the newspaper.

The other day I noticed that someone had gone off somewhere and left glasses, a book, and a notebook, along with his/her water. I thought at first the 'writer' had gone to use the restroom, but he/she never returned in the 45 minutes I sat there.

SHAMEFUL

For several years, and perhaps even longer, my children's ex-primary school (and now the one where my grandchildren go), has had various projects to teach children respect for nature, beautifying the environment, and similar. Most of these have failed miserably.

In the above photo you can see that pine trees were planted before the summer holiday, with the intention that each class would care for, i.e. water during the holidays and after. 

The failure of this particular project broke my heart for several reasons:  No teacher/school authority/environmental adviser seems to have paid any attention to the fact that sandy dry soil (and this part of New Belgrade was built  on sand and marsh (buildings still standing since the early Sixties) is NOT where pine trees grow in nature. Just as bad, they were planted in full sun, and we know how hot and dry this summer was. Also, it is not enough to ask children to faithfully water the trees; someone needs to supervise this project, especially since these were planted not long before the summer holiday when people go on vacation. 

Every day I pass by the schoolyard on my dog walks. Yesterday (and school begins today) I wrote a  letter to the director of the school summing up my thoughts and reprimanding the school for apparently 'just fulfilling a duty' and not following up.

I will give them two weeks to answer, and then a modified version goes to the public newspaper. I don't expect miracles, but at least I know I have in some small way made the authorities aware of the problem. I also plan  on sending by mail a letter to the school...someone may have just pressed 'delete'. And yes, they could toss the paper letter too.
 

Chillin' on the beach

Very early every morning and later in the afternoons this dog would lie in this same spot.  Too hot for him during the day. I believe he is a Greek Shepherd or mixture thereof.