BEARDED

Of course people can choose their hairstyle and in a man's case, beard style. Personally, I do not mind beards, but for me they have to be shorter and neatly trimmed. Otherwise, honestly, they look too unkempt. My own opinion of course!

AN ADMIRER

This sort of fashion comes and goes and still gets looks.
 

SYMMETRY?

 

Hmmm....This is one of those photos I thought would turn out better. Was desperate for a photo!

DOWNSIZING

 

Ever wonder how many layers of posters a kiosk can have? Now you know!

SUMMER BEER

 These were full cases of beer, a sign that summer is in full spring, and that it's still darn hot. I imagine the grocery store's fridge is full. 

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

 

Like in many places, there's been no rain and all is hot, yellow, and dry. I came acris the little tree today on an already fairly shaded sidewalk. There was another about 10 yards farther. I imagine this was a city initiative. Both were generously watered and I am making it my duty to water each one every day, and hope the rain comes soon. 

HARD TO KICK THE HABIT

 This man was NOT smoking. I saw him extinguish his cigarette before he entered the bus, but old habits die hard. He was dry-puffing for two stops, then exited the bus.

BLACK AND BLUE LAUNDRY

 Laundry day!

REACHIING FOR THE SUN

This sunflower in the unkempt yard of an abandoned-doomed-for-demolition building makes one last stab at reaching for the sun.

Qué Calor!

These two chihuahuas didn't seem to mind in the least being packed into this carry bag. Only breeds from hot countries can appreciate our upper to mid-nineties temperatures.
 

WATCHING THE WORLD GO BY

 "Something's going on down there!" 

NIGHT BASKETBALL

 Too hot in the day for serious basketball, but evening temps make a game possible. (And yes, the ball went in the hoop.)

GANDHI WALKS

 I got my hair cut the other day and as I was walking with my walking stick and billowy dress, I noticed I resembled Gandhi!  I've posted about India's spiritual leader before and even posted another Gandhi shadow, which you can see RIGHT HERE.

WORD GAMES

Crossword puzzles! I don't do them on a daily basis, but when I have no book to read (or Internet, ha) I like to challenge myself. I do them in English and in French, but was reluctant to do them in Serbian. Over the past weekend, having neither a book or Internet, my granddaughter prodded me to try. Next day I bought my own magazine and it is with the English and French ones on my night table!

 

WAITING

 Came across this trio awaiting their owner/s outside a shop. I sometimes leave my dog tied in front of a store, but only where I can see her since she is of snatch-and-run size. 

MELON TIME

 No surprise to tell you it has been darn hot here--high 90s, slipping into 100s from time to time. I indulge in melons, all kinds, from watermelon to canteloupe to this honeydew. When very cold, it temporarily soothes the heat. 

HOT SUNSET

Last evening's beginning of the sunset. You can tell from the sky (I think) that it was a very hot day, and tomorrow's not going to be any better.
 

PRACTICAL OR DECORATIVE?

 This is the ceiling of a passage leading to a park under a building in my neighborhood. I have no idea at all why these oddly-arranged egg cartons are there. For decoration or do they serve a purpose? 

NIKOLA TESLA FOUNTAIN

 There is a small green space near a high rise in my neighborhood which is cared for by local residence. They've made one section into a toddler park, another for plants and little statues, and now this one with a small fountain in Nikola Tesla's honor (see the sign in the upper left). Nikola Tesla, the famous Serbian/American inventor did indeed design a decorative water fountain that you can READ ABOUT RIGHT HERE. This fountain doesn't resemble his concept at all, but someone was thinking of him when they put in this little fountain. There is a working (sometimes!) model of Tesla's fountain near the Tesla Museum downtown.

GREEN GRAPES

I think these grapes will never be wine. They are part of a larger mass of grapevines that form a trellis for shade over an outdoor patio. They are edible now though, albeit a bit on the sour side.
 

NIKOLA TESLA TAKES A BREAK

 I am sure NIKOLA TESLA tiij a wekk deserved break now and then.  Wonder what book he's reading.  Here he is on  a mural.

REFLECTION

The reflection cast from one of the new buildings on an equally new area of the city called Belgrade Waterfront sparkles on the Danube. Belgrade Waterfront is disliked by true Belgraders and long-time expats like I am, because it really clashes with the soul of the city. Visible in the foreground are the ruins of one of the many (now abandoned) floating bar restaurants, which were deemed too tacky for Belgrade's future plans.
 

CINDERELLA TREES

 I just had to take this photo of these three evergreens which looked to me like they're going to the ball.  See photo I pinched below. Apologies to Walt Disney.

THEME DAY AUGUST 2026--PURPLE

 Purple is the theme for August 2026, and for a while I was avidly hunting something purple. Unfortunately, I found it, sort of. I have MISPLACED my purple Transcend external hard drive!!!  Unthinkable. I have ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE where it could be. I have looked in all the logical places, the illogical ones, in the refrigerator, etc. and it is nowhere to be found. I truly believe it has found a portal to another dimension. I really wish it would come back.....Losing sleep over this, and am ready to hire a psychic. I took it to the US and I know I brought it back. Lodged Lost and Found notices at airports I traveled back through, just in case, but zilch. That means it should be here at my home....somewhere.  Anyway, it you've found it, let me know....nothing is impossible!

See other August Theme Day photos by CLICKING HERE.

SUMMER FASHION, THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT

Two different takes on summer fashion. Me, I prefer loose, billowly cotton or linen dresses.

WATCH YOUR BELONGINGS

 On a few local (Belgrade) Facebook groups, I have recently read a number of posts from persons who have been pickpocketed. Most claim they were careful, but we all know pickpockets are extremely skillful and usually work with a partner or two. There's no sense in making their 'job' any easier like this young woman did by leaving her purse behind her on the bench between us. Not once did she look around, totally engrossed in conversation with her friend. I could have made off with the entire purse had I been so inclined, but I preferred to lick my ice cream in peace. 

THE FROZEN BIKER

 Biker on the sidewalk along the Danube (Yes, this is Serbia....) who appears not to be moving, therefore frozen, despite the heat!

WALKING TEDDY

 Mom and son are doing okay, but Teddy must have been tired.

THE GAME GOES ON

 Two chess players meet downtown for a game of chess.  It's still hot here.....

NEEDLEPOINT

 This empty field across the street from me is a far cry from an art gallery. Nevertheless, my dog and I discovered a framed (albeit a damaged frame) needlepoint. Any takers? 

WAITING FOR THE BUS

I was waiting for the bus, too, though I wasn't nearly as stylishly dressed. The photo  behind her is of Hotel Moskva downtown, which I've shown you MANY TIMES BEFORE.
 

'THE NAME IS POPOV, DUSKO POPOV"

This may seem hard to believe, but it is true.  Please read THIS LINK.  You will learn that Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond books, was inspired by the flamboyant Serbian counterspy, Dušan "Duško" Popov.  Popov came from a well-established Serbian family and this entire building at #5 Francuska Street belonged to them.  If you'd like to read the book he wrote (and shell  out big bucks since it is  out of print in English), check THIS LINK.

THE PAINTER

 There is a painter who lives in one of the long, concrete, drab Brutalist-style apartment buildings in New Belgrade. apartments near me. For years he's taken it upon himself to beautify the colorless walls separating the building's entrances. Here is an example. 

NO PIROSHKY FOR ME

I adore piroshky, but not in 90-degree weather. The little stand selling same is closed....wondering why, ha.

OPEN YOUR MOMENT OF JOY

The sign reads, "OPEN YOUR MOMENT OF JOY".  Somebody should go and boy these girls a bottle of this juice.

DOG DAYS

 

The Dog Days of summer are in full swing and my dog and her cousin are dog-tired from the heat.

AI EDIT

 I went to Gemini Photo Editor to arrange my TWO separate photos so that the walkers would be facing each other. I imagined a bit of cropping, but still keeping two photos. However, Gemini did better. It combined both photos into one single photo. Not bad; it outsmarted me. Handy, but kind of scary, though this creation is innocent enough.

I wanted to simply ask viewers "Is there also so much graffiti in your town?"

ELDERLY, BUT MIGHTY

 As I sat sipping my lemonade under a cafe umbrella in 35 Celsius heat, I had to hand it to these two older ladies plugging along at a good clip. It is even hotter downtown with all  that stone and cement. 

READING

 Despite the major heat wave here, this girl  looked very cool (both senses of the word) while reading at this outdoor cafe.

ALL READY FOR THE DANCE!

 

Had to chuckle at blogger Jack Keane's ( Hartford Daily Photo ) comment on my post yesterday where he wrote that the girls appeared more like 25 than 15. 100% right, BUT not because of their shoes! Older girls would wear fancier shoes, heels at least, but 8th grade girls go for tennis shoes, albeit new and jazzed-up ones. And here's a matching purse! 

EIGHTH GRADE GRADUATION

 My granddaughter here in Serbia on the left and her friend walk toward their middle school to wait for a bus that will take them for an evening at a restaurant on Belgrade's River Island to celebrate their completion of eighth grade.  We never had a big deal like that when I finished middle school!

ACROSS THE STREET

 

Phone shot while I was waiting in the car while son was buying a watermelon.

UNINTENTIONALLY SURREAL

 The building across the way was striking against the dark sky....thought I had clicked it, but then I moved and ended up with this. Still kind of striking!

CURLY

 Couldn't help wonder if this fellow is  happy with such curly hair. I knew girls when I was in grade school/junior high who did not like their curls.  Personally, I think it's cool.

IT' NOT WHAT YOU LOOK AT......

 Henry David Thoreau, American naturalist and essayist said in his journal in August 1851, "The question is not what you look at, but what you see."  

 I've always found this very true, especially for photographers. This photo is one I've stuck in my 'urban accidental art' file.

ORANGE PART II

 If you read my post yesterday, you'll see I have succumbed to one of my fetishes again.

ORANGE

 I am beginning to realize I have a chairs/symmetry fetish to add to my laundry fetish, since I know I have posted many photos on those themes. Here's another! 

SCALES OR WATER TOWER/FOUNTAIN?

 

Somebody in the government is hell-bent on imposing cultural monuments around town. These scales stand in the 'terazije' secton of downtown. 'Terazije' does mean scales, implying the kind you see at villagearkets, but the Internet gibes us another more likely meaning: "Terazije street began as a 19th-century settlement established by Prince Miloš Obrenović. Its name derives from the Ottoman Turkish word for "water tower" or "water scale". The Ottomans built these towers at specific intervals to distribute and elevate water pressure, and one such tower stood precisely where the Terazije Fountain stands." A recreation of this fountain is  visible in the background.