SKYWATCH--tree in Čekmin, Serbia

Scene from the terrace of my friend's family's house in Čekmin (CHECK-meen), Serbia, where I spent two days earlier this month.  Fields, fields, fields...

See other skies on SKYWATCH.

Playing with Mini

On the first of this month, I posted a Theme Day photo of my new little Minox camera.  Of course I still have and use my Nikon D90 most of the time, but it's fun to play with Mini.  It's limited, of course, with 5.1 pixels, an equivalent of a 42mm lens, an ISO of (I think) 100, and only three focusing distances.  Here are some examples of what it does. As you see, some photos are not too sharp, but honestly, I think it's me who wasn't too steady or else, as in the case of the garlic and plums, in reduced light.

You can have a look at its review right here.

And the answer to yesterday's puzzler:  The object on the left in the photo in question is a yoke used for people to carry buckets of milk on their shoulder.  The other 'bench' is used to remove dried corn from the cobs.  You straddle it, then rub the ear up and down on the pegs to remove the kernels.

ABC Wednesday--"G" is for "Goričani"

Another photo from Goričani, where I visited some friends.  On the left are a bottle of homemade plum brandy or rakia, a typical brandy glass, and some local wildflowers.  On the right my friend had made Serbian cornbread (usually with bits of fried bacon and some local cheese).  On the plate is some of that white cheese, and in the red cup is kajmak, a buttery-like spread made from cream skimmed from milk.

And in the middle, what are those two items.....?  I know, but do you?  (Answer on tomorrow's post!)

See other G's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Let's cruise....

I wanted to take a canoe ride in this canoe, but decided it was just too darn hot.  So I took a photo instead.

Not at the zoo

No, not at the zoo, but rather in the village of Čekmin (CHECK-meen), Serbia, near the cities of Niš (NEESH) and Leskovac (LES-ko-vahts.)  This peacock, peahen, and occasional offspring belong to one of the villagers. They like to roam...

Čekmin is very small, and I was surprised to find a short video of it on Youtube, so if you'd like to have a look, click right here.

SUNDAY BRIDGES--Seeing Double Part II

This photo above of two bridges on the way to the natural reserve of Carska Bara may remind you of this earlier post of mine.

See other bridges on Louis La Vache's  SUNDAY BRIDGES.

WEEKEND REFLECTION--Waiting for goose goulash

Went to the Zasavica Nature reserve on a recent road trip.  In one of the reserve's ethno houses, they serve a delicious goose goulash in these ceramic bowls...at least I'm fairly certain it was delicious...  I was traveling with someone who didn't want to try it and that specialty is all they had, so next time for me.

Is that me in the reflections?  Not sure...

Can you spot the fly?

See other reflections on James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

SKYWATCH--Hey! Hay!

I've always been fascinated how different countries stack, roll, or bale their hay.  Someone passed on to me once a blog of a man who posted photos of just this, but I can't find it...

These big rolls were stacked along a road to Obedska Pond on a recent road trip.

See other skies at SKYWATCH.

He would have been proud...

A bittersweet post today.... Today marks the 4th anniversary of my husband's passing, something my children and I still have difficulty coming to terms with.  Above are my two grandchildren, Mila, now just over one, and Luka, who is a little over three months old.

He would have been so proud....

ABC WEDNESDAY--"F" is for "Furry feline feet"

My friend Vuk's kitten...lounging on the table.

See other F's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Two more from BELEF

Two more night shots from a recent performance of street players during Belgrade's summer festival, BELEF. The fellow in the bottom photo was using his camera, too!

Rust and shadows

While in the town of Trstenik the other week, I caught these shadows of part of a fence surrounding a church.

Sunday Bridges--Obedska Pond

Just last week I showed you a photo of a bridge in the Obedska Pond area," and now here is one in another natural reserve called Imperial Pond. Imperial Pond (Carska Bara) is located 17 kilometers south of Zrenjanin, in west-central Serbia, and is the country's largest individual bog.

Off to the town of Niš this weekend...what bridges await me there?

 See other bridges on Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

Weekend Reflection--the birthday balloon

A plastic tubing of lights reflects on a tent top decorated with red balloons at a birthday party I recently attended.

See other reflections at James' WEEKEND REFLECTION.

SKYWATCH--comin' home

Snapped this in the town of Kupinovo, Serbia, through which I recently traveled.  Many, many storks nest here. They're said to bring good luck.  Here's one stork, or rather its shadow, on its way home.

See other skies at SKYWATCH.

Time for a haircut...

 

I thought this girl was real at first, but she's just another one of the statues from Belgrade's summer art festival, BELEF.  You've seen a close-up of the statues in the fountain here. At first she seemed to me to be envying  the other statues cooling off.  But, surprise, have a look at the photo below.  Doesn't seem she sees them at all.

ABC WEDNESDAY--"E" is for "ever on the lookout"

It's I who am ever on the alert for a photo, not this fellow whom I spied while visiting a photo exhibit across from his terrace.  The photo is a bit fuzzy; dirty window to shoot through.

See other E's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Sheikh Mustafa's 'turbe'

Above is a photo of Sheikh Mustafa's 'turbe' or tomb, on a side street in downtown Belgrade. This tomb, dating from the end of the 18th century, had fallen into ruin, but thanks to the Turkish International Cooperation and Coordination Agency, it will be restored.

Ironic, some say, that the building is  being restored by the Turks, who occupied Serbia and parts of the former Yugoslavia for 500 years, beginning with the Battle of Kosovo in 1389. The number 1389 scribbled on the wall above stands for the nationalistic movement you can read about here.

White jeans

A pair of white jeans drying on a terrace in the town of Trstenik caught my eye....

SUNDAY BRIDGES--Obedska Bara

Another day trip yesterday to Obedska Bara or Obedska Pond (you can read about this natural reserve right here. )  Seen in the photo is a bridge to the entrance to part of the reserve where there is a much safer viewpoint tower so you don't have to climb up this rickety one.  Actually, this one is missing quite a few rungs, but if you're daring...

See other bridges at Louis La Vache's SUNDAY BRIDGES.

WEEKEND REFLECTION--the red curtain

Snapped this about 10 days ago when there was wind and temps were a bit cooler.  I loved how this curtain billowed.

See other reflections on James' Weekend Reflection.

SKYWATCH--feeble attempt

 My friend and I had a drink the other night.  We'd hoped to escape the heat, but even outdoor cafes were hot.  We sat right under this misting fan, but it only provided a teeny bit of coolness...

See other skies at SKYWATCH.

Not every day....

Not every day do I get a good-looking fellow to pucker up.  This young man was part of a street performance on Belgrade's Republic Square for Belgrade's summer festival, BELEF.

ABC Wednesday= "D" is for "dogs"

Dogs evolved from wolves, though sometimes it's hard to tell. Here is Kraut (the big dark gray guy) and Vukica (VOO-keet-sa, which means 'little wolf'' on the right with their person, Miodrag.

Bibi played more with Kraut...

See other D's on ABC WEDNESDAY.

A hot job in hot weather

I didn't envy these ladies grilling hamburgers that I saw in Kraljevo where I traveled about 10 days ago.

A hot, hot job in hot, hot weather.

Man, it's HOT!!

It is sweltering and I so wanted to join these terracotta figures in a fountain downtown.  They and other terracotta sculptures nearby are part of BELEF, Belgrade's summer festival.

Hot your way?  How are you keeping cool?

Sunday Bridges--Branko's Bridge 1939

A poster from an exhibit of Belgrade's bridges a few months ago.  This bridge, King Alexander I's, no longer stands as such.  In its place stands the less attractive Branko's Bridge.

In this photo you can also see the newly-constructed (in 1939) Belgrade Fairgrounds in the lower left.  Two years later this concentration camp was taken over by the Germans and used as a concentration camp.

See other bridges on Louis La Vache's    SUNDAY BRIDGES.

WEEKEND REFLECTION--Summer snack

Always on the lookout for a still life.  This one appeared at my local market, next to a small, makeshift cafe. Someone already chomped one of the two apples.

The green market is bursting with produce here. How's yours?

See other reflections at James'  Weekend Reflection.

SKYWATCH-The moon and Danube Insurance

A full moon over the Danube Insurance Company sign  on Belgrade's Republic Square.

See other skies at SKYWATCH.

Bull and beer

Not the name of a cafe, Bull and Beer, and this place actually seemed to be someone's house. I expect it might be the home of the village of Goričani (go-REE-chah-nee), Serbia, not far from the city of Čačak (CHAH-chak) where I visited some friends last weekend.  Their wall also features the rest of this bull, a pig, and a horse. Horse meat is eaten a bit here and in other parts of Europe.  Love their porch furniture.

ABC WEDNESDAY: "C" is for "Camera" and THEME DAY: Numbers

I've been downsizing...have long had a small notebook computer, have been junking stuff around the house I don't want, and.....decided on my return trip to Belgrade to purchase on the airplane this cute little Minox DCC 5.1 pixel camera.  It's posing next to my travel buddy, Radovan, on this 50mm Nikon lens with all its numerical info visible (after all, it's the Theme Day of Numbers today).  Haven't taken too many photos yet with Mini, as I call her, but will post one soon.

In the meantime, check out other C's on ABC WEDNESDAY, and for Theme Day, go ahead and click right here.

And to see what others are posting on our-while-the-portal-is-down-site, click  here.

P.S.  Downsizing is fine, but I still have and use my 'big' DSLR!  Sometimes size does matter!