Give blood!

They say you can't get blood from a stone...but can you get it from a statue? These terra cotta figures were waiting to take their place at an exhibit, not to give blood. No one came out of the blood truck to ask them to come in...

ABC WEDNESDAY "F" is for "Fun!"

I was envious of these Romi or Gypsy boys having a great time in a public fountain just off of Knez Mihailova. It's been really hot here... I wondered if they would give their sister a ride, but I couldn't wait to see...too hot.

See other F's and maybe more fun on ABC WEDNESDAY.

Gone...but by no means forgotten...

Symbols seem to pop out of our surroundings, sometimes to give us a sign, or at least that's what I think. Today marks the three-year passing of my husband, who was taken from my family and me much too early. I found this heart yesterday on a nearby street.

He is gone, but by no means forgotten...and in some ways, I believe he is still here. My love for him is.

Cheerful!

Unfortunately, it's not often that you see really nice individual mailboxes here. Only one of these cheery red mailboxes seems to have suffered some damage.

Such a bright red! Might even make getting a bill fun...or maybe not.

SUNDAY BRIDGES--that bridge again....

Here we go again. Another take on Belgrade's newest, almost-completed bridge that the city let people walk over two weeks ago. It was really hot, but you could get great photos of places along the river that otherwise you couldn't. I showed you this bridge here and here.

Check out other bridges at Louis La Vache's Sunday Bridges.

WEEKEND REFLECTIONS--Say "cheese"!

When reminded of Winston Churchill's comment on France, "How can you govern a country with 300 cheeses?" Charles de Gaulle retorted: "There are at least 350."

Here in Serbia there appears to be, at first glance, one kind of cheese: white cheese, or 'beli sir". However, as white or cream-colored as the cheeses are, there is actually quite a variety: younger, older, salty or not, spreadable, creamy... I've never counted and doubt if there are 350, but you never know. In the photo above, you can see only a few of the cheeses available here. Visit any outdoor market and you'll see lots more. I'll see if I can scrape up a photo for you. The little clay pots contain yogurt, and the plastic white ones are filled with heavy cream.

See other reflections and maybe even more cheese at James'

Weekend Reflections.

SKYWATCH FRIDAY--red sunset over the Sava

Big, fat, red sun on its way down over the Sava River in New Belgrade.

See other skies at SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

Daddy's little helper

"Welcome to the Ice Age," reads the sign on this Costa Coffee window. And it's a clean window, too, thanks to this little girl and her father.

ABC WEDNESDAY--"E" is for "eternal"

Some people believe that nothing is eternal, that nothing lasts forever. It's true that material things, no matter how indestructible they seem, one day will fall apart, erode away, disintegrate; in short, disappear. Sooner or later people disappear too, no matter how much we want them to be with us forever. Today marks the day my husband suffered a stroke that led to his leaving us much too soon. I'd like to think that it was only his physical self that is gone, and that he is somehow still around. Part of him lives on in his baby granddaughter, Mila, who by coincidence, turns one month old today. Above are my son and daughter-in-law's wedding rings, dangling from Mila's toes. May they, and my daughter and her husband, all live long and happy lives.

See other E's at ABC WEDNESDAY.

Airing the clothes

Nothing like airing out your clothing to get them sweet-smelling....and perhaps full of cat hair.

Red against Red

Do you walk against the red light sometimes? I do.... Now that many people are on vacation, this normally very busy street has less traffic.