Episode 14

Kindergarten

Today just one short entry!!!
While we were painting the walls of the future "Tourist room" and working our other everyday stuff like cooking beans in the fireplace. All the children from the neighborhood came to play with Leo. There were two girls and one boy. One of the girls brought walnuts and the boy wanted to play with Leo's plastic keys. In the end we all ended up playing with all the kids.Teaching them to count. Teaching them English. Cracking and eating the nuts and eating grapes. Kids played hide and seek. Pushing Leo's chart. Showing them what we do and how to make fire and paint the walls.
At the end our whole yard was in the mess with walnuts and toys allover the place. But it doesn't matter cause we had fun and the kids had fun and Leo played with his new friends and got dirty and was so happy. It all looked like a kindergarten!! It was such a lovely experience!!
Sorry there are no pictures but we had so much fun and responsibility that we forgot where the camera was.... :( Next time they come by we'll have the camera ready!!!
Tomorrow the guests arrive and we are eagerly waiting for them :) More people who wanted to see how it is to be a City Cowboy!!! :)

Episode 13

Such a perfect day....



Long time no write! Well now it has to be a long write for that time. :)

Where to start, so many things happened in the last couple of days. We've seen some wonderful places in the surounding and met some interesting people.... But let's go from the begining.

I had to go to Sombor(the biggest city in the vicinity), the center of the local government to get my new passport. And went to the municipality building which was built 1805 till 1809. Magnificent building that is still operational and houses a gargantuan picture that is 7x4 m big.
It was brough here by boat from Wiena and one wall had to be removed and after that rebuilt so they can put the picture in the Large hall cause all the doors were too small!! That all happened in 1898. On the picture there is a life-sized motive of Battle of Senta (Zenta) that happened in 1697.
After I finished the official and unofficial visit to the Municipality building i took a walk through the city. Marvelous architecture and a lot and lots of trees and green patches. It is one of the greenest cities in Europe.




There I met with my mom's friend from the childhood (she always says that they played on the street than when the streets were made out of earth pressed, and remembers how they made pies out of mud and the dust run through the toes when that ground was dry. Those were the days.) and he suggested to take us to his Walnut forest to pick some walnuts and after that go fishing. It sounded very interesting so I accepted right away. But never thought of what will come out of
it!!







Next day he came in the morning and brought a bunch of grapes from his vineyard which tasted like the finest and sweetest juice!!!
We took our fishin' gear and went into the unknown....He went toward city of Bezdan and then just turned and went into a patch in the forest and we were in a different world. Man, I'm sure that the guy who wrote "Chronicles of Amber" most certainly was here!!!
We were in a green tunnel leading god knows where... And suddenly houses started appearing on the right and a beautiful clean water of a channel on the left, with small concrete piers and
ladders going into the water, on which women and children were playing and fishing. And after a few minutes looking at all that beauty we realized that we are on the other side of the village.

Next we continued to our destination, walnut forest. Tarmac and earth changed so often that no one can count and finally we came and saw it and thought we were there but my mom said lets meet someone. Her name is Mira. She lives here in the forest, with her three children. No water, no electricity. She breads goats and cows and makes cheese.
I thought of some granny in the long skirt and a scarf over her head. But what a surprise.... She is is a nice looking fit middle-aged woman. Who lives with her animals and nature in harmony in a small beautiful house in the forest. I think the best description is Sara Connor from T2 played by Linda Hamilton. You can see that she works a lot but still underneath all those muscles there is a tender beautiful woman.
Then we went to the walnut forest with the walnuts as big as an egg and helped Joska (that is my mom's friends name) to gather walnuts and in that same forest picked raspberries and ate them with grapes and walnuts all freshly picked. Sorry folks, but that is one thing you have to come hereto taste it is indescribable!!!
And finally fishing!!! It was one of the nicest fishing in my life!!! Water was so clear that you can actually see the fish swimming and eating the bate. We spent most of the day there, it was so perfect and Joska is such a nice guy, so friendly and patient. We ate there traditional local snack which comprises of bacon, smoked sausage, bread and tomatoes again all from the Joskas own production. Just a sharp knife and a roof of the car as a table :) It was so simple but soooo tasty!!!






In the late afternoon we went to his favorite place for fishing bet there lady luck was not on our side, but we still had fun.




After we came back home we had to clean the fish and fry it....Easier said than done!!! These little fishes are some tough fellows...We spent almost an hour cleaning them. But finally managed to wrestle them into submission with a help of my dear wife!!!

What a perfect day!!!

Episode 12

Wood,corn and fish!!!

Hi all it is your truely City Cowboy again!!!
First things first... Please click on a WWF link on the right and choose a character in Melrose place and after that write a message for WWF. They support a lot of projects around these parts and are responsible for protecting many species.

Well the biggest news in the last couple of days is that our family got bigger!!! We have one more member!!! It is a little dog called Kuci (which means dogie). He just came yesterday an we decided to keep him.

Day before yesterday we were asked from a friends mom to go and help them load the corn to the barn. We packed up and went. We came and was greeted by juice and Pogacice (small breads with graves). And set down and started working. It was so nice meeting new local people and chatting while we worked. In a flash we all cleaned and loaded two full trailer loads of corn!! It was a very nice and pleasant experience. We didn't even feel we were working and working hard in the sun. After we finished the half, we had lunch. There were all local specialties stuffed peppers in tomato sauce and pasta with cheese and bread crumbs.mmmmmmm.....


One of the other big news is that we finally loaded the wood in the shad!! Yeeeeyyy!!
But now it has still has to be chopped!! Buuuuutt!!! I found a new stress relief!!While we lived in the city I played a game called Counter Strike.When I was nervous I just shot some computer guys and I was calm again.Now I found Counter Strike with a twist!! It is called Country Strike. You imagine you are a special forces lumberjack and you have to destroy as many terrorist wood terrorizing your shad and burn them in the winter. Yes you've guessed it!! I just go in the back yard and pound on the wood with the Axie the Axe!!! It is much more healthier physically and mentally than computer games.
And much much more useful!!
Imagine the shape of the last log....hmmmm.... Does this fire wood want to tell me something....hmmmm :)






And next day you guessed it ...ha ha ... no you didn't ...My birthday!!!!
We cooked the special dish made out of fish called: "Riblji Paprikas"
The bestest ever cause family was here and together and the cooks were inspired!!!
Granny and I made a perfect one!!!

Episode 11

First I'll have to apologize to all the faithful readers, because of the delay, but so many things happened and there are so many things to do that I'll have to stop doing strict day by day diary, and I'll have to switch to the episode mode. Like in a every good western farmer series we'll keep the episodes as regular as possible and as tense as possible.


Again I start my diary with Wow!!!! This morning I woke up with and idea to go to near by city of Apatin by bike. I wanted an adventure, and I wanted to explore some new paths and some nature, finally.

I told my family that I’m going. I packed all the things necessary for surviving, if I get lost by chance. I learned that proper preparation is saving lots of trouble if you get in a difficult situation. Before I went to where I intend to go, I just popped in the Center of Civil Activities to ask for directions. And there was my friend Djira, who was the tourist guide in the region, he told me that my plan was very difficult to accomplish. He told me that there is a better way for adventure here and yet to go similar way. He told me to go through the gypsy part of the town, then across the bridge and through the woods to the place called Dondo and then again through the woods but different way back. I took his advice and found it very sound especially knowing that I cannot yet go 16km one way and then again 16km back. I got on my bike and went through the gypsy village. Then crossing some dam, I came to the wooden bridge from which a marvelous view was starching in all directions.

After the bridge I went through the woods and came to that little place where all people from the village go to fish. The name of that place is Dondo. There is a small restaurant on the bank of the river, which in this region called Carda (Pronounced: Charda). After sitting there and chatting with some interesting people, I set on my bike and when back to the woods. Although it was raining I felt so great then I did not feel that cold. Around me all time there was a wilderness and a smile on the deer musk. Currently there is a mating season for the deer. In the evening you can hear them roar, and all through the night if you’re outside. On the way back, I felt like Charlie and Ewan, going through the wilderness off Mongolia, because the road was so bad and full of pot holes and rocks that it was very difficult to drive on, but that made the indenture even more interesting. Words cannot explain what I fell riding on the road so I’ll let the pictures and the movies do the talking. You have to come and experience this feeling!!! I have to even end this episode with wow!!!This feeling you can't describe you have to feel it!!!

After the adventure life went back as usual!!Fixing the axe and choppin' the wood again with all my family always ready to cheer while I'm working :) :) :)

And for the desert!!!! Some atmosphere from the wonderful adventure in the woods of Backi Monostor!!!

day 10

From the fire to the wood




Wow people!!! Today I felt a revelation!!! Remember that normal lookin' smithy from the last episode????
He is my hero from today!!!
I went to pick up my axe.and I shyly stood by the gate, waiting for someone to pay attention to me. As a new dude in the town I don't know the customs I just peeked through the gate. And I saw a biiig horse and two man holding ropes tied to that horses leg and that small man running and punching nails so skillfully that it amazed me!! Than his son came and asked me what I want and I said I left my axe for the blacksmith to repair. And he said "Ah, yes you are Milos" so I said "Yes?!?" confused that he knew my name. Than he said some on in don't stand outside. So I came in and then I saw things I can only imagine. The scene was like in some fantasy novel. The blacksmith's shop had an anvil in the middle and the forge near it, with fire burning red hot. On the forge there were numerous old tools that only expert blacksmith can recognize and use. The inevitable bucket was also there.The shelves were full of axes, tools, and ornaments made out of metal. In the left corner there was a huge machine, that looked like it came from some dwarf smithy. I asked what is it and he told me " It is fully operational!". "Yes I said, but what is it??". "He said it is old mechanical hammer, used for smiting even cold metal!" I stud in awe when he manually started the machine and it pounded on an empty anvil.Smithy's son gave me the axe on which my name was inscribed with chalk and said: "Go to my father in the yard". I stood there watching and waiting for the blacksmith to finish nailing the horseshoe. Horse was so impatient that besides being held by three men and being tied to an iron as thick as my arm. Moved with restless ease. The iron bar vigorously jumped in it's breech. The older man just came to me and murmured the price for his work on the axe and said "mind the horse it is broken". I stood there just looking at him and thinking for myself "How can animal be broken?". I thanked him and gave him the money, and he just excused himself wiped the sweat from his brow and hastily went back to work. His son took over again noticing I'm completely not from around here. We chitchatted for a while when he told me that his father is in mid seventies and he is 50 years old and he is now working as a blacksmith too, after he went out of work in the city as a tradesman. I told him that I expected a tall, huge guy with beard and an apron. At that moment the old blacksmith came in the workshop and heard my naive remark, so they both laughed wholeheartedly. And told me that it is not the strength that makes a blacksmith but the skill of using the tools. In the skilled hands tools almost work themselves. In amazement I went back home through the center of the village and telling everybody the story of the blacksmith. People had a strange look on their face because for them blacksmith is just a neighbor Adam, who is putting horse shoes on their horses and fixing stuff, but for me he and his son were magicians who transform metal into magical but useful items.

So after coming home I couldn't wait to use my new axe!!! And it worked like a dream. Well there were some nightmarish parts since it was my first wood chopping on my own. One neighbor joked: "Do it as samurai" "hmmm I thought, maybe that is not a bad idea" so I remembered my Iaido training and it worked!!! (Thanks Darko and Dejan!!) But video and pictures speak more than words..... But still it is a backbreaking work. Still at the end of the day, one feels happy to live in the place like this and to work hard and see the fruit of his work.

day 9

Pickles are your best friend!!!

Pretty uneventful day... But a lot of work!!!
With standard wood carrying. I took my doomed axe to the blacksmith to be fixed. To my disappointment he was not a tall red bearded fellow with and apron. He was a normal looking man, a bit older. He told me that the axe the axe will be finished tomorrow around noon.Than I can finally start choppin'!!!


Today pickles were the only job. But a big one. Everybody had a task that had to be done. First granny started cleaning the vegetables, and afterward everyone jumped in. You lazy folks,
you want to eat
pickles you have to work for them!!!! That is how it goes in the village.







And the welcomed reward came afterward. Yes, you've guessed it BBQ!!! Putting smile on peoples face for more than 10000 years. Stakes, Sausage, Bacon happiness all well done!!!!
Yes and fried peepers, you have to taste these folks!! Spicy, hot, mild which ever you prefer!! With oil and garlic!!As a salad!! Wow! Water comes to my mouth just writing about them!!!

While I was City Cowgirl got in a big mess!!! We got a multiprocessing device from my mom and it was meant to help us, but...... Well .....All is well what end well.... In the end we got our mashed potatoes. Thanks mom and sweety pie. It was really tasty.






And after lunch we continued working on our pickles. Everybody worked very, very hard, but now the winter will be full of vitamins thanks to my grandmas special recipes and our hard work.

So see ya later folks!!! And remember come and visit us and feel how it is living as a City Cowboy.

For more info on how to visit us write to citycboy@gmail.com

Day 8

Rock till you back say... Stop!!! :)



Howdy!!! Me again!!! :)
My first video post is now up.... I don't thing that there will be many of them since the connection for upload is weak but I'll try to post as many interesting videos as I can.

Yesterday morning started early as I decided to start working early to avoid the heat. So I took my working shoes called "Bozidarke" (name derived from "gift from God" cause they are very useful and protect my feet very well), my working gloves called "Milovanke" (derived from "caress" cause that is what they cant do!) and shovel (Still nameless any suggestions?) and went to shovel the broken concrete into the trailer (courtesy of our neighbor Steva, whom I want to thank very much!!)

In the afternoon we decided to make some walnut liqueur, cause we have a walnut tree in front of our house. I'm not so keen on alcohol but walnut liqueur is my favorite especially when my grandma makes it.


That also implied that I have to climb the ladder to get the young walnuts of the tree. Since I am new to the heights, cause I recently overcame the fear of heights (climbing the 40ft barn and being a target of a 100 bales of hay), I can't brag that it was a pleasant experience. What will a man do for a glass of liqueur!!



My granny with her special brew, pity we have to wait around 40 days for it to be ready for consumation. We City kids are not used to such a long waits. Patience my young padawan.





Look what is that??? No onions and no potatoes for the winter i.e. famine. Look out neighbor just across the street is selling just what we need i.e. go and buy the stuff you lazy son of a gun!!
Took my faithful borrowed cart and of i went. 60 kilos/120 pounds of potatoes and 20 kilos/40 pounds of onions all at once in a cart!! Yeehah I'm on a top of the world...yeah right boy... now you have to put it all in the shad...upsss...
(CSA flag has nothing to do with my political views, just got it from a friend who thought that I was too redneckish. I think that all man/women are born equal and not even the people of the same color should work as slaves or in inhumane conditions, let alone different color, race or faith. We are all brothers and sisters on this "Rock"-ing planet).





In the evening the same old routine!!! Put on the gloves and start dragging the wood to the shad. It is very hard work for a novice with no or little help. But soon it will be over!!

My back told me to stop around 22h, no more they said...or it was a Raven?!?!....

So see ya later folks!!! And remember come and visit us and feel how it is living as a City Cowboy.

For more info on how to visit us write to citycboy@gmail.com