Summer reading

At a certain age all the questions a person asks him or herself are really just about one thing: how should you live your life? ~ Fredrik Backman

I've read a couple of books this summer which I could easily put on "my favorites" list. One of them was Britt-Marie was here by Fredrik Backman and the other one was Leading the cheers by Justin Cartwright. Both of them are in a way connected with what I feel right now, with how I live at the moment. They made me think of what I should really do with my life. Because things have to change, no matter how good my life looks from someone else's perspective.

A human being, any human being at all, has so perishingly few chances to stay right there, to let go of time and fall into the moment. And to love someone without measure. Explode with passion. ~ Fredrik Backman

Did you ever love anyone without measure? I was lucky enough that I did.

Who's guiding who?

I got my first job at the Ministry of work and I would have built a great career by today. But ... B was the one who had wanted me to work in the company owned by his family, so I simply left the ministry and started to work for them. Six years of boredom, of zero personal growth followed. Although it was hard when he left me, I see very clearly today that I could never be who I am if I still had the job in that company. Also, I would never be who I am if I stayed at the ministry. Comfortable life, that's what I would have had but I would never know people I call friends today. And I am grateful for this. For people who spend days with me, chat with me, go out with me on adventures or just for a coffee or an ice cream, discuss things with me about what we do or about life and world in general, ...

Yesterday I spent a day with one of such friends. He also works as a guide, and this time it was me who was guided by him. He led, I followed. He showed me his hometown, the places where he spends most of his free time. There were the waterfalls, the coldness of the forest through which we walked, the ideas which we exchanged, the stories he told. And of course, deserved ice cream at the end of our trek. Before we said goodbye to each other, we sat on the grass on top of the hillock above his hometown and made plans for our next joint adventure. What a wonderful day it was!

Up there again

These summer days bring magic into my life. At least it seems so. I feel happy and at ease and I know that things will eventually fall into their place when the time is right.

I received a call the other day from my ex colleague at work with an invitation to join an ornithological excursion as high as 2000 m above sea level. Of course I joined old colleagues on Friday, and spent two wonderful days on the mountain meadows beneath Mangrt, one of the highest Slovenian mountains. It was still lots of snow up there, so we stayed in the shadow of this mountain instead of reaching its peak.

Birds were there, not as many as expected, beds of Alpine flowers were spread out everywhere, mountain hut was pleasantly warm and pancakes with home made strawberry jam were delicious. What counted most was a bear hug from my ex co-worker, accompanied with soothing words and long talks about almost everything possible with people who joined the excursion. We shared our knowledge, offered a listening ear, laughed together and silently sat on the bed of flowers while waiting for the birds. It felt so good to be there.

Today mountains have been once again covered by fresh snow. Will we ever have normal weather again?

Guests

Friends visiting my home are a good reminder that I should be grateful for what I have. Alright, some of my friends and colleagues are still at the beginning of their thirthies and I don’t know many people who have even in their forties their own home without lots of help from their parents, so there’s still time for those youngsters to find a place and call it a home.

Although the place where I live is far from what my image of coziness is, at least I have my own roof above my head (and all credits paid off!), my own table to eat at and my own chair to sit on. It is good that friends remind me of this from time to time. They are pleased with as little as a warm room, a comfortable armchair, a cup of tea, a slice of an apple strudel and lots of books around them. Some don’t need fancy lights (we still have bare lightbulbs sticking out of the walls) or fashionable couch (we still have only armchairs) or expensive pictures on the walls from famous artists (I wouldn’t want to have one of those even for free because I really don’t understand or like modern art) to feel good in my home.

It is a sleeping beauty, this home of mine, because I know exactly what I want it to look like one day. Hopefully soon; after all I’ve been living in this house more than eight years! I just hope we won’t have another flood once again. This would be just too much even for me.

So, the last time we had friends around I had a chance to teach one of them how to knit, and I have to say that it was real fun. I reckon that it was for both of us. This also reminded me that we have all still so much more to learn.

Presents

I am always looking forward to preparing presents for neighbors and girls (who are just colleagues, not friends). This year I crocheted some mistletoe leaves to decorate the wooden pendants with Christmas motives. I found the instructions in a book that you can see in the picture. Ž said that they look like propellers, not mistletoe leaves. Well…

Usually I make presents for our neighbors but this year I thought of giving each of them a box of dried persimmon and a laurel twig. I have some ideas for the future years written down but I will probably have to start working on them sooner than in the middle of December. What I disliked this year was buying presents for the kids of Ž’s colleagues. I will have to figure out how to make this easier next year. They are all loaded with toys and I think that they don’t need more than they already have.

So, now I am already thinking of a birthday present for my mom. I guess I will be making lace again. :-)

Days on the river

I couldn't really count on proper vacation at the beginning of May. Promises were made but never fulfilled. Anyway I spent two nice days on the river Mura with colleagues. It wasn't just a trip for fun, it was actually work. We were counting birds, two days in a row, from early morning until late afternoon.

I found out that I rarely do anything just for fun. My shift almost never stops at 3 p.m. and I can't say that weekends or holidays are relaxing and free of work. Though, I guess, I will have to take a proper vacation soon, I desperately need time just for myself. That's why I am so much looking forward to a summer season when I will be, hopefully, again in the mountains.

Into the fog

Cookies are eaten. I said hello and also goodbye to friends. Instead of finally being in the sun, I drove into the fog on Saturday in the afternoon. We had such fog for almost a month in Ljubljana: Edible and not edible fruits in autumn: Beaver's tracks in mud: Stones smelling of rotten algae: Floki's farewell: I spent a day outside yesterday, at least it wasn't as chilly as other days in November. And in the evening we went fishing. While standing in a warm (yet chilly) breeze I made plans for the future days. It is a busy month, this December.

Summertime

I know, I haven't been around for quite some time. I took a week off, and I have to say that it was a pleasant one. :) It started with helping my colleague to cover the roof of his weekend house. Ž and I had a special apartment, sleeping up in a hayrack. :)After a day of hard work we took a bath in a natural warm pool nearby. I enjoyed myself a lot, it felt more like a holiday than real work.

I spent the first day of summer in the mountains. The season has started, at least for me. My favorite time of a year is finally here! :) In the evening I visited an observatory located on one of the Ljubljana's hills. I had a chance to observe Saturn, galaxy and star mist with a professional telescope. I have realized that I know much more about the sky than an average Slovenian citizen. This probably comes from watching the stars every clear evening when I was a little girl. :)

I visited my grandmom this past week, too. She's been lonely and has become rather melancholic since she's alone. Most of the time we chatted, but in between I gathered some herbs for winter teas. These days chamomile smells nicely in my home. And in the garden waited so many raspberries for me that I couldn't eat them at once. Yum! Oh, summertime, what a joy you bring! Enjoy yours!

Pen friends

Don't be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again.
And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends. ~Richard Bach

I don't know if I have told anyone of you that I used to have many pen pals in my teens. When I was about 12 years old I sent a letter to BBC Radio and my address was told on the air in one of their midnight shows. I received many letters from all over the world. Some were just asking me to send them jeans or some other goodies (those from the ex-USSR or Eastern European countries) while with some people I was keeping friendly contacts over many years.

We were getting older and some stopped writing to me or I stopped writing to them. Jetty from the Netherlands, Robert from Poland, Kathrin from Germany, Janette from Malaysia, Jorunn from Norway, Ralfs from Latvia and Jason from Britain were those who stayed my friends until I »grew up«. I met Jetty and Jason in person, they both visited me. Jetty just for a day, Jason for a couple of weeks. My parents were not really thrilled over this but we "survived". Those weren't the easiest years of my life, I can say. I was so childish (well, I still am, I admit) though all I needed was love and support (and I still do, I guess).

I lost all contacts with these people over years, too. About a month ago I was thinking of them again. What do they do, are they still alive, what has become of them?

Then dad called me on Sunday and read me a message in English that he had received. It was from Jason. He found me through my dad. I had a smile on my face wondering what should I write to him. My life story in a few sentences?

For sure it felt good to receive his e-mail next day with the same friendly way of writing as sooooo many years ago. British people are polite, you know, as long as they don't sit behind the tv screen watching soccer. :) The truth is that I am glad that he has found me. It feels good to share the stories of our lives and recall memories from the past.

Home, sweet home

It felt like I had lost a part of myself while being on holidays in the South. I had to go away this weekend, 200 kilometers from home, to find my soul again. It feels good to be whole once more. I met my friends, I spent time with children. They have so much to give and I admire their imagination. It is also interesting to notice how much they reflect their parents' relationship. A good relationship - happy children, bad relationship - sad children.
Interesting enough that I had played with oracle cards before I left home. I like those cards, the text is written so positively that it is almost impossible to feel bad after reading what each card has to tell you. I especially liked the one saying Give Yourself the Best. I think I did exactly that this past weekend. And while driving back home on train I realized once more that Slovenia is a beautiful country. Home, sweet home.

Among young people

This weekend was surprisingly pleasant. I expected little from the planned events, but eventually everything else that was not planned and came along, was good. I was with a group of youngsters that we meet from time to time to do good things for birds, and people. By coincidence mother of one of them was present and she taught me how to braid a wreath from straw. It is easy, and I enjoyed myself braiding my first straw wrath... Later in the evening I met another group of youngsters, and we ended up in a local club. We played billiard again, and it was great fun. This time I managed to hit more balls than the last time I had played it. I thought about the events later in bed and I found out that I like to play different sorts of games, and just hanging in a pub for nothing (i.e. getting drunk) is not something that I like.

Sunday was sunny and somehow warm. Ž and I went for a walk and I even took some photos of the plains near Ž's home, although the scenery was kind of boring and dull. Winter is on its way for sure, temperature this morning was -5 degrees C. Time for coziness, friends and family. Shopping can wait; we have agreed on small gifts this year, anyway.

So, there are less than 14 days until Christmas; I hope that life will be better than on most days this year. One of those years that I would rather delete from my life if I could.

Karma for today: Savor the fleeting delights of the day.

Zarečenega kruha se največ poje...

Ljuba Urška, čestitam! :)

Robin who?

My friend is off to California with her family this weekend. Safe and happy journey! I hope to see those giant trees once, too. We met for an ice cream yesterday and after that I checked what was playing in the movies. Well, the truth is that I wanted to see Robin Hood, and it was still playing. I haven't seen so much violence lately; if I remember correctly, The Lord of the Rings was the last violent movie that I saw. Life in the 12th century wasn't easy, I imagine. I can't say that I enjoyed in the story as much as I did watching Julia & Julie or Slumdog Millionaire, but it did lift my spirits. One of the treasures I have at home is my bow; I think I told you that before. So, maybe it is time to bend it again and shoot some arrows in the nearest target. Maybe.

There are certain interests that haven't disappeared from my consciousness since my childhood. Archery, Native Americans, mathematics, flowers. After all, also climbing trees, if I had a tree nearby to climb. Reading books. When I was in my teens, I read Robin Hood. I cried at the end of a story when he died. Well, this movie is different. You've heard this before, I assume. :)

On Wednesday I spent an evening with my parents. Actually, I watched a movie at their house by coincidence. After it was over and I was putting my shoes on, my dad shouted from his room: »Why don't you get yourself a TV?« My answer was simple: »If I want to watch something, I come to your house. And after all, I'm sure I would spend too much of my life behind the screen.« Sometimes people forget living their lives, spending so much time watching TV. Well, in a way this is their life. They do know everything about politics and accidents and who killed who, but do they have their own (hopefully happy) stories to share?

Karma for today: Let others have their own beliefs.

Easter time

It was hard to wake up at six in the morning on Saturday, but we did. Off we went to the SE part of Slovenia. To one of the rare virgin forests that still exist in Europe; Krakovski gozd. We were told that it is more than 200 years old. Which means that nature was taking care of itself all those years without any human intervention. Lovely places, pleasant people. Tired as we were we were indulging in a hospitality of our friends later in the afternoon. This beauty is from their garden: We chatted, rested, went for a walk to search for a beaver. No luck this time. It was even harder the next day to wake up at 5:30. Bird monitoring... It was a pleasant morning that ended with a cup of coffee and later with a brunch at my parents'. Easter breakfast with my family. I managed to dye a black egg this year:Well, I didn't mean to...
I hope you had nice Easter holidays, too.

Karma for today: Never trouble another for what you can do yourself.

It was a party

Sometimes bird monitoring ends in a party... I have only two photos to show you from this weekend, taken where I was standing and waiting for an eagle owl (there was none this time). The weather was excellent, with clear blue sky... I have never been so long in a smoky place, and I have to admit that I love the ban of smoking in public areas. It was exhausting breathing smoky air. But it was a good party, anyway. Meeting old friends, having fun, live music by the locals. I was the oldest one staying over the night. Huh.

Although the sunshine and blue, blue sky were inviting me to go out yesterday in the afternoon, I had to take a nap for a couple of hours. The night before was just too exhausting. I hope there will be more like this.

Karma for today: Take time to be playful today.