Notes from a Moscow resident

It's been only about 20 days since I last posted, but there have been so many changes since then! Moving to Moscow, changing a job that I had for the last 8 years, getting into a totally different environment... Thankfully, I had a long and good vacation during the summer, so I was able to deal with the stress and rush of the last few days. And I was fortunate that my sister was able to come to Cyprus to take over everything that had to do with the movers and putting the house in order after they emptied it.

The weather in Moscow is unusually warm - it was 29 degrees Celsius. So, I get to enjoy the outdoors during the weekends. Yesterday we went to a huge park, with many impressive soviet buildings, two huge and beautiful fountains, markets that sold plants and flowers, a botanic garden and a forest with many lakes in it! We crossed only a small part of it, but we were walking for 5 hours! I had to struggle not to buy flowers yet, but I made a list of all the plants I want to buy.

Next week I'll start looking for an apartment and hope to be settled before the winter comes!

Closing, I would like to add few comments:

• the lemonade recipe is given to me by Mrs. Loula, my "mother" in Nicosia; she is a great person, full of life and always giving to others; I always admire her ecxcellent relationship with her close but also distant relatives, from her side and her husband's side; she is also an excellent cook! I was always planning to help her pick olives from the many olive trees she has, but was always at a trip when it was time to pick the olives
• you and the other lemonade-preparation group added pizzaz to the lemonade recipe, with the special ice cubes, the presentation and the beautiful photo!
• I want to greet my father through our Arakhne; he has recently started to read our blog - and I am told he likes it!

No photos for this posting, but I promise that as soon as I get a computer I'll be posting many many pictures... and I still need to find a way to send you the pictures from our vacation...

Da svidanya! (see you again! - I'll be able to write in Russian soon, as I am starting lessons)

Limonata or Lemonada...~Ç

As a result of great teamwork, this holy lemonade is ready to drink...

Mum and me: squeezing the lemons, peeling, and making the mint-ice cubes
Şerife:adjusting the sugar
Tijen: taking the pictures
Ayser Hn: sponsoring with the garden...
And the oscar goes to you: for the recipe!

Whole-summer lemonade:

Ingredients: 2.5 kilos of lemon + 1/2 kg sugar ( for the ones who liked more sugarful may add more)+ 2-3 small mint bunches...

• Wash and squeeze the lemons and grate 2-3 lemons to add lemon zest.
• Add the juice (and any pulp that goes through stainer) into a pan and the lemon zest.
• Add the sugar in the pan and heat the lemonade in low to medium fire. Stir continuosly, till the sugar dissolves.
• The lemonade should not come to the boiling point. Turn it off when all sugar is dissolved and it startes to steam.
• Leave it to cool completely. Put in a jar with 2-3 mint bunches and keep in refrigerator.
• Use it diluted with water upon your taste.
• Make ice cubes with mint leaves, serve and drink :) Afiyet olsun...

Photo Memories from a Lovely Vacation

It was a great trip! I travelled overnight from Kavala

to Mitillini

The boat trip was very exciting! Seagulls following the boat, the sunset, the fishing boats each having marked its fishing territory with the fishing lanterns and the nets.

From Mitillini, I crossed over to Aivali, a little town on the sea front with a majestic charactrer.

Memories of the past everywhere, in Aivali and Mosxonissi...

Lively colours of the present in Havran, Burhaniye and Cunda ...

I fully share all your highlights and would add the following:

• food with intervals of food

• the green waters and the majestic doric columns of Asso

• my claim to fame - being interviewed by a food writer for a food magazine....
• having a story for everything
• the sunset seen from Seitan sofrasi, from Aivali and from Denetko
• listening to the music in the car
• the bibila lessons, the scores of antique mantilas with the interesting oya, the "treasures" I bought at the Burhaniye bazar, the wooden knitting needles, the endless reviewing of the pattern magazines, the plans for future vacations......
• the hospitality of you and your mother, the warm company of Sherife, finding a new friend in Tijen

I think that, among the many passengers and their relatives and friends, we were the last ones to stop waving to each other, as the boat was departing from the port of Aivali.

με υγεία και του χρόνου!

(in health, next year also)

Güle Güle -"Adio" ~Ç

Unfortunately I couldn't paste Greek alphabets... But last night, after your "farewell" i studied alphabets and basic words... kalimera, kalinihta... And i find a gem!: Food and restaurants section for 3-4 pages.. So next time at least i will be able to communicate with your mum in our language :)

Thank you very much for your visit, for "Being just our reason"... I feel that i nurtered last week in many aspects... The highlights of a fish-memoried fish:

• Our fish-theme dinner w Tijen
• Your first manicure
• Solution creation and conferences in your shop
• Zeytinbağı-Zeytinbağı-Zeytinbağı
• Future destinations: Crete, Moscow, Kavala, Athens ( previous Portugal remained)
• 35 + 19 = 43 :p
• Each will choose her own subject!
• Never-fitting dresses in Ayvalık pazarı
• A touch of spice ...

I know there are many, many more... But i want to keep all from "nazar"! As we and you say "Health to your hands and mouth"

No comment :( ~Ç

(<- Photo, Tijen İnaltong)

Hellooooooo,

My last post was in June, 17. Today I forgot the password first and I couldn't find how I was doing the small wave just before Ç! It is obvious that I am OK with creativity but I need to go long long long with punctuality.... Although I don't write I do many Arakhnes things, hopefully :) I prepared an executive summary for you to give an idea of two months
before we see each other next week in Burhaniye:

1) Apricot fest: Our next door neighbour is Tijen İnaltong, a food writer whom I known for 4 years from her workshops, books and her yahoo groups. She recommended the house - i must say bungalow- which we rented for this summer. There was "an" apricot tree in their garden and in June and early July we produced almost every kind of side-product from these apricots: Sun-dried as you seen in pictures, marmelades, pestil ( dried layers of fruit pulp as it is explained in the dictionary), juice and icecream - you may taste this last one!- You may find the link for Tijen's blog just below:
http://mutfaktazen.blogspot.com/

2) Weddings: In mid-June, there were two and in August, 11 there was one wedding ceremony. The first bride was my close relative and next door neighbour in mother's house, the second bride is younger of sisters whom we met in our Greece tour in Thessaloniki, just before to meet you! The older of the sisters is my friend in the States where i spent my 5-6 weeks together this year. So as you see my Greek visit yielded 3 good friends for me! The third bride is my ex-intern in the consultancy job, but she is like a cousin for me, and another coincidence after the internship she started to work in Yapı Kredi Bank which I worked for 4-5 years and her colleagues are my ex-colleagues at the same time. Small world! (I realized that I attended the first wedding in June, 27 in Gönen the town famous of needle laces in South Marmara)

http://gonenoyasi.sitemynet.com/ ( I found this site just i was looking a page for ypu to show Gonen, it is interesting, again Turkish, just surf. The name of the site is "oya" of Gonen, in one of your postings you did mention about the etimology of lace, oya etc. I love to talk about this issue, let's keep it to face to face)


Although to be in 4 different ceremonies ( 2 quite traditional, 2 more modern), I would like to write about "kına gecesi", unfortunately i couldn't load the original photos, so the info and photos from net. Kına means "henna" and this ceremony focuses on farewell of bride to exactly to her mother, own family and the objective is to make mother&daughter to cry. Now I am realizing that it is very psychodramatic way of eliminating the catharsis of especially the bride who is going to be in a totally new environment, if you think traditional families.

This brief explanation from the official site of Ministry of Culture, is you find time to visit you will see more about authentic marriage rituals: http://www.discoverturkey.com/english/kultursanat/halk-dugun.html

Night Next Before The Wedding Day, A Women’s Entertainment Where Bride’s Fingers Are Freshly Tinged With Henna ( Kına Gecesi):

This night in which the bride will be together with her family, relatives and friends all of which are women is just before the day of fetching bride as known the main wedding day. This night which is called “Kına Gecesi” is celebrated in the bride’s home. The bridegroom’s family and other guests are met and hosted in the bride’s home.
Usually dry henna brought by the bridegroom’s family is broken to pieces in a silver or cupper vessel by a woman whose father and mother alive, not experienced any separation. After preparing the bride, veil ornamented with red flake is placed over her head, and she is brought into the middle with accompaniment of hymn, folk songs about henna. Hands and feet of the bride are dyed with henna. The bridegroom’s side is under the obligation to put money in the hand of the bride. Dying ceremony of henna is different according to regions. The henna so dyed has such names and types as “iplik kınası” (henna for yarn), “sıvama” (smearing), “kuşgözü” (bird eye).
After leaving woman who came together for dying henna close friend of the bride remain with her and enjoy themselves till morning.

3) Olive oil

I am not going to write anything new about this divine gold liquid, however i will share with you the new tastes in Ayvalık and Burhaniye with Tijen's guidance. İnşallah, we will stop there with you, too.

The first one is Laleli, and my favorite is olive oils with original aromas, in which the aromatic herb or fruit is squeezed at the same time with olives, lemon and olive are processed at the same time for example.

http://www.zeytinim.com/engindex.aspx

The second is "Kürşat" and their olive pastes are delicious, unfortunately i couldn't find them on the internet, so you will see live!

That's all for this month, until see you next week.

In Memoriam

The little girl is my grand mother Katina, pictured with her father. She must be less than two years old, which means that the picture was taken either in 1912 or in 1916(*). At the bottom left there is the name of the photographer and at the right it says Trebizon.

This is the only picture of her as a child and of a member of her family.

I am wondering whether the photographer went to Pafra or Sampsous or whether my grandmother with her family went to Trapezous, maybe to visit Panagia Soumela.

These days mark the 25th anniversary of her death.

(*) My grand mother's identity card was stating 1911 as her birth year. However, she was always insisting that she was born in 1915 but her relatives said 1911 so that she could be considered old enough to be hired at the tobacco factories of Kavala.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪«Ανάβουνε φωτιές στις γειτονιές…» ♪ ♪ ♪

On June 23rd a very ancient custom takes place in Greece. As the song says,

‘They light fires in the neighbourhoods…’

in the evening and children and adults jump over the fires. In many areas of Greece the custom is performed in its entirety, including girls bringing the silent water from a well, a public water fountain or the sea (in the latter case, from fourty waves).

But we used to do only the fires, when I was a child. ‘St. John’s fires’ of the fires of ‘Kli'don’ (from the ancient word Κληδών), as we call them, because June 24th is the one of the days that our church dedicates to St. John.

All the children of the neighbourhood collected pieces of wood and grass and we were lighting the fire in the corner in front of our house. In this fire we also were burning the flower wreaths that we made on May 1st and had hung above the entrance door of the house. Then we jumped over the fire. I was afraid and managed only to jump at the edge of the fire, not really over it. I remember my mother, who was not afraid to jump over the flames.... Usually, after a while, the neighbour started ouring water on the fire over the wall of his garden and was spoiling our fun!

In the ancient Greece, this celebration was dedicated to the Sun and the Light and took place around the summer solstice - just like today. The first day of the new moon after the summer solstice was also considered as the first day of the new year in Athens in the ancient times.

The title of this posting is from a song of one of the best greek albums Άγιος Φεβρουάριος (Saint February). The themes of the songs are about Aivali and Smirni.

Does your mother remember this celebration in Thalassia?

I am leaving today for a remote Russian village, where I will not have easy access to internet. More news when I come back to Moscow, next weekent.

I HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING THE SEA!

The History of Each Place Written with .... a Needle

This is the title of the newspaper article, from the Kathimerini newspaper, announcing the exhibition of Greek needle lace at the Benaki meseum. I managed to go one Thursday evening.

There weren't many pieces, but there were unusual and very old pieces of kopanelli (do you remember my post a few months ago?) and bibila lace. Most of them came from the islands and mainly from Creta. Among the bibila pieces, were two smal handbags, presented as a gift to Queen Victoria, and two samplers with a variety of small flowers, trees, grass.... You can see part of one in the picture of the article. They were magnificent and - of course - reminded me of the book you gave me!


It was written that the name "bibila" comes from the turkish words "bir biri", which mean one next to the other. Is that the meaning? If so, it is most intersting to know that the greek term for this lace comes from the turkish words, because the turkish name for this lace "oya" probably comes from the ancient Greek word "ouyia" (still used today) which means the edge of the fabric, as the bibila usually decorates the edges of fabrics. We must add this topic to the list of issues to investigate when we start our research project for our book on lace.

Other important pieces in the exhibition were shoulder covers from Creta, made from thin linen, embroidered with colourd threads, in filtiré, with inlaid motifs. Very ellegant and very artistic! You would have loved them!

Another important note in the exhibition was the influence of the Greek lace tradition on the italian reticella lace. There are some excellent examples of reticella lace in the lace file I sent you with the Pandora's email some time ago - the one I had to break in three parts.

The exhibition was one of the events of the Coference of the International Lace Organization (OIDFA http://www.oidfa.com/), which took place in Athens in May.

Well, that's all for today. I am tired and will go to bed early, as I was travelling from yesterday afternoon till this afternoon. I flew over the Aegean - MOST beautiful at this time of the year! I hope you are enjoying the sea and the vacation life, and that's why I forgive you for not writing often!

Greetings from Moscow!

Lesvos

ΚΑΛΗΣΠΕΡΑ!!!!

I was away for 38 days during my last trip and the seasons changed. So, during my first summer weekend in Cyprus I spend the whole weekend taking out the summer clothes and putting away the winter clothes and washing carpets, blankets, clothes, .... what I should have done one month ago!

The news of you renting a house for the summer appeared magical to me! I am picturing a cure little house in a small resort town, near the sea. You could go to the sea every day!!! Magnificent! It is an excellent idea to meet in Burhaniye and/or in Lesvos! My plans for the next 2-3 months are a little up in the air, however I'll try to find time for some vacation. I've never been to Lesvos!

You really meant when you suggested the trip down the Aegean, from a Greek island across to a Turkish town and back again!!!


The capital of Lesvos is Mitilini and some times we call the whole island Mitilini - I think it is the only island whose name is confused in this way.... Lesvos is the homeland of many artists. The poetess of ancient times Sappho (7th century B.C.), the folk painter Theofilos (end of 19th century - beggining of 20th century), Stratis Mirivilis one of our most important novelists and one of our two Nobel laureate poets Odysseas Elytis come to my mind now.

Here is a painting of Theofilos, very relevant to our blog's name. There is a museum with many of Theofilos' works at Molyvos.

One of Mirivilis' novels is called "Panagia the Mermaid".... Now that I think of it, it is one of many many many examples of how the sea is weaved into the life of the people in a very natural way... I now found out that the name comes from a fresco in this little chapel, which is called Panagia the Mermaid and is located in the village where Mirivilis was born.

Lesvos is also notorious for two products: ouzo (especially from Plomari) and the most famous Kalloni (meaning Beauty) salted sardines (a strange name to be associated to salted sardines, don't you think? in fact, it is the name of the bay where these sardines are caught).

And I'll close with a folk song from the shores of Asia Minor - I am not sure if it comes from Aivali or Smirni. It is a dialog, probably between a mother and her child. The translation is not making it justice, but I am sure you'll sense the sentiments behind the words. I love this song! I think it is best sung by Domna Samiou (I'll introduce her to you in another posting).

In one of the upcoming Pandora's envelops I intend to include a CD with the traditional songs of Asia Minor, Konstantinoupoli and Smirni, as well as new songs about these places. I am not sure how soon I'll be able to compile this, but I have it in my mind.

Don't worry about the change in the format of the blog... we'll fix it.

ΚΑΛΗΝΥΧΤΑ!

Troubleshoot....Ohmmm ~Ç

After publishing two posts today there is a huge blank in the middle of the blog... I hope this posting will recover it....

I had found this image when i am looking for knitting and waited to post a suitable theme, it is for this troubleshooting one, c'est la vie !

Baptism-Bez kesme & Burhaniye ~Ç

I loved your Baptism preperations, however i tried to remember whose Baptism is this - it is dramatic, i know :(- Your Venezulean friend's youngest? And unfortunately i couldn't see in detail your bibila lace... i hope you will be able to take a closer photograph....

10 days ago, I participated to the one of my friends "faşadura-bez kesme (cutting fabric) " ceremony. She is five-months pregnant for a boy and faşadura is a Jewish ceremony for baby preperations, the term is Spanish most probably, have you heard it before? This is from a French web site for baby-showers...

Turquie: La "Fasadura" est très populaire parmi la communauté juive.Organisée au 7ème mois de grossesse, c’est une fête célébrée entre femmes uniquement , pendant laquelle un cérémonial est organisé autour de la découpe d’une étoffe blanche qui sera gardée pour confectionner le vêtement de baptême du nouveau-né.
Il pourra aussi servir pour confectioner le doudou du petit. (http://www.babyshower.fr/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=19) (http://www.laurencesalzmann.com/photos/anyos_munchos
/anyos_munchos06.html)
this is where i got photo, it is again from Turkiye, Ece Mizrahi's faşadura ceremony and it is from 80s i guess from the ladies haircut and earrings' style :P)
And this is Turkish one I am going to translate the basics however i do wonder how much you are going to get about it :)

türkiyeli yahudilerin geçmişten günümüze yaşattığı önemli geleneklerden biri de doğacak bebeğe giysi hazırlama günü olarak tanımlanabilecek faşadura'dır. faşa giysi anlamına gelir...faşadura, hamileliğin 5. veya 7. ayında pazartesi veya perşembe günleri, (inanca göre dua kapılarının açıldığı, tevrat okunan günler) anne adayının evinde, yakın akraba, eş-dosttan kadınların katılımıyla gerçekleşir. önce bir masa hazırlanır. masa güzel bir örtüyle ve çiçeklerle süslenir. eve gelenler masanın etrafında toplanır. bebeğe gömlek dikilecek kumaş (genellikle ince patiskadır) masaya serilir. toplantıya çağrılanların maddi gücüne ve aileye yakınlığına göre getirdiği hediyeler üstüne konur. doğacak çocuğa bereket dilemek için kumaşın üzerine şeker ve para atılır. yakınlar arasından, henüz anne ve babasını kaybetmemiş kadınlardan biri makası alır ve dualar, iyi dilekler arasında gömleği biçer. gömlek biçilirken törene katılanlar bebek için hayırlı, uğurlu, sağlıklı olması için dualar ederken, anne için de "a la primera boz" temennisinde bulunurlar. bu, "tanrı bir avazda (bir tek çığlıkla, bağırmayla) kurtarsın" anlamına gelen ispanyolca bir deyimdir. bu gömlek daha sonra özenle saklanır ve bebek doğduğunda ilk olarak bu gömlek giydirilir.faşadura töreni daha sonra hep birlikte yenilip içilerek tamamlanır. bu törenle, hem tanrı'ya "sen bana bir nimet verdin, ben hamile kaldım, ben de sana olan inancımı, güvenimi bebeğe hazırlık yaparak gösteriyorum" denmektedir, hem de "hiçbir dilek emek harcanmadan, onun için hazırlık yapmadan gerçekleşmez" diye özetlenebilecek bir yaşam felsefesi sembolize edilmektedir (http://sozluk.sourtimes.org/show.asp?t=fasadura)

And Burhaniye... For this summer we rented a summerhouse in Burhaniye( http://www.burhaniye.bel.tr/), very close to Ayvalık if you heard and just opposite to Midilli (Lesbos) island. We are going to there this Tuesday morning and except some occasions in İstanbul we are planning to spend summer there. It is to early mention it but i am dreaming to visit Lesbos, i will take my passport with me. The first question could you manage to come there, Burhaniye, this summer and the second one can we make it to visit Lesbos together this summer?


I am looking forward for your answers ;)

(PS: My draft posting published finally it is just under your last two posts, i loved your copper kitchenware and the iron cast ones, and also your St.John's wort writings and once again i think that how much we have common!)

Pots and pans

I am returning to Cyprus tomorrow, after another very long absense! To celebrate the occasion - and to remember how my house is - here is a picture of my collection of moulds and copper pans. I got most of them in America. I love copper kitchen utensils!

I also love cast iron utensils! Decorative as well as of use. I had bought a set of heavy cast iron frying pans, which have become completely non stick with the use and care. Last week, while in Athens, I made spinach pie and since I could not find the oven dish, I decided to bake it in the large cast iron frying pan. It came out excellent! I will be using it to bake pies from now on.

The lavender in the picture is from my lavender plant.

The other plant is fried "sword grass" (spathohorto), as we call it. In English it is called St. John's wort; scientific name Hypericum Perforatum. Have I ever told you about this? We have been using it in our family as long as I remember... It is actually a small bush, which produces yellow flowers around this time of the year. We put the branches with the flowers and leaves (fresh or dried) in olive oil and leave it in the sun. The oil becomes orange colour - we call it "sword oil" (spatholado). We then keep it in bottles and use it on wounds. It has very strong healing properties! My grandmother and my great aunt (her sister) prepared it every year; my mother and my aunt (her cousin) still do it. I recently learned that one can use it on the face, as a moisturizer. I tried it and it does leave the skin really soft. I never asked myself where the name came from, but I recently was told that it probably comes from the old times, when people used it on wounds by swords.

After a very long time....

Well... it has been too long since either of us posted in Araknhe! Most of this time I was in Russia and you were in America! I was checking whether there was a new post but did not have the time to write.

I am still in Moscow, returing to Athens tomorrow after one full month abroad (Germany, Netherlands, England - one day in each of these countries - and then in Russia for three weeks). We started a new project with a Russian steel plant, located east of Moscow in a small town is in the middle of a forest with artificial lakes. It would be very nice if it were not for the moskitoes, which make it unbearable to stay outside.

As you remember, my mother, sister and friends came to Cyprus for the baptism. We all had a very good time! Till the baptism everyone was busy with the preparations, as my sister made everything (clothes, the decorations and even the cross that the god parent is giving to the child) by hand, with the help of my mother and our friends during the last two days! Here is the dress, made of thin silk and soi sauvage from Soufli

My sister designed it and made it with my mother. My sister was wearing the same design in blue and white. Can you see the bibila lace around the neckline? It was my only contribution to the baptism! Kalliopi decorated the basket used to take the clothes to the church.

Christos, Kalliopi's brother, with my younger sister decorated the baptism candle.

The church was a very small one. It was actually a cave in the rock.

Many more photos from the baptism when we meet!

Unfortunately, we did not get to celebrate Easter properly this year. We were all in different places and the preparations for the baptism took priority. I managed to avoid travelling for two full weeks so that I could stay with my mother and sister while there were in Cyprus and then Athens. It was good! I got to see my boukamvelias starting to bloom. The pictures are not so clear, as I used my mobile. For a long time I wanted to reply to your Bahar Geldi message with some flowers from my verandas and I took these just before I left for the latest trip.

I am looking forward to hearing your news from your latest trip!

American Way, Finally!!! ~Ç

As you've already seen this post was "drafted" since April 25! Almost 2 months past and of course the agenda is changed. Very briefly the highlights from tha days in the States:

MY Sex and the City t-shirt!

• Turkish Night in Boulder
• Easter- Egg Hunt
• Greeley Museum- Pioneers' Spirit
• Mexican food
• Jazz - Maria Scheneider
• San Francisco-Asian Culture
• Napa Valley - Falcon Crest, Copia, vine, wine...
• Colorado mountains...

I am hoping to write in these titles someday, but for sure i must write about Copia- The Culinary Center in Napa, maybe you already know or have been.

İnşallah :) from now on - although it is summer- we post everyday!!!!

It feels like autumn here!

Good morning!

I would have loved to match your spring posting with one from Cyprus and I was planning to put pictures of my flowers from my verandas, but the weather here this week is more like autumn than like spring: it is cloudy and cold and it rains from time to time.... Despite this, my lavender is full of flowers - I was startled when I saw it, picture will be provided over the weekend - and my cactuses also have flowers. But the bougenvilias, the hybiskus' and the jasmin are very much behind.... They now have small new leaves and I hope they'll be in full bloom by the end of April when my mother, sister and friends will be here for the baptism.

Seattle! One of the most exciting things you can do there is to take a boat trip from a small town with a harbour north of Seattle and go our through the straights of the San Juan islands into the Pacific ocean to see the orca whales travelling to warmer waters. It takes a full day, but it is well worth it! The boat follows the whales from a distance but you can clearly see them swimming in and out of the sea. At the end of the trip, our boat sped up, went ahead and stopped on the path of the whales. The captain switched off the engine and we were waiting... when the whales arrived near the boat, they surfaced IN FRONT OF US and dived again, passing right under the boat! It was one of the most exciting pictures in my life, to see the mother whale and the baby into the green waters passing under the boat! I remember that I screemed. You will see also sea lions, bald eagles, seals, etc... but seeing the whales is the most exciting part of the trip.

My cough still persists, so I tried the onion and honey medicine: thinly sliced onion with honey in a jar; after a few hours there is a thin liquid on top; I take one spoonful three times a day. It seems to work!

Bahar geldi - Spring time!!!! ~Ç

Typical of me, i couldn't search, write and post what i want... And for today for the first day of beautiful April, i am going to fill our blog with flowers! However i should mention about "Marginal" - it has really a different approach to flower arrangements in terms of colours and decorations....

http://www.marginalflowers.com/main.htm

I discovered Marginal looking a flower arrangement for the engagament ceremony of one of my relatives... A very close friend of mine recommended the florist and instead of ordering on the phone, i would like to see at place and it was a very good decision!!

This beatiful setting was easily made of from their advertorial CD, the glass of water the shop owner brought me when i asked to drink water and the vase already there. Incredibly grace....

I also bought a twin-set of "sümbül" hyacinth, for the first and 60th birthday celebration of my mother... Normally she doesn't celebrate it, but my cousin's wife prepared a surprise for her!

And these are the lovely pink hyacinths....

• "Welcome to Spring! "
  
  

I just read the notes you put under the picture. I don't know if you'll believe it, but my first guess as to who your mother was, was correct! My first choice was the girl in the middle... second after the drum player, as you say... Then I searched again and found your younger aunt. They look very much alike I think, so I chose her.

Dear Çiğdem,

your last posting and the picture really moved me! I don't really find any more words to say, other than to thank you for sharing the picture with me! I tried to find who your mother is on the picture. Is she standing second from left?

My maternal grandfather was born in Avdira, very close to Thalassia, as you can see on the map! Next time you are over, we'll go to both villages!

Today, after the celebration mass and the small reception, I went to Izmailovo park, which is the flee market of Moscow. Although the articles they sell nowadays are mostly commercial, one can still find beautiful handmade things. Among the things you would have liked: siberian cashmere shawls (hand knitted in lace patterns), hand painted plates from Uzbekistan, in beautiful blue colours and geometrical patterns (they brought in my mind the tiles in the beautiful old mosque Kalliopi and I visited in Skoutari - Uskudar, but I don't remember its name now...)

Speaking of Uskudar, a few weeks ago I came across the latest copy of Saveur magazine and read the article about the 100 best things they selected. Among them there was the Çiya Sofrasi restaurant in Uskudar, which was described as serving authentic turkish cuisine and was highly recommended. I found many more references and articles in the internet on the restaurant and its owner and chef. Have you ever been there? Next time I am over, we should go.

The week will be stressful and busy! On Thursday I hope to return to Greece, after almost four weeks in cold Moscow!

March, 25 1950s ~Ç

( the second line of the students; the blonde girl, second on the left is my little aunt, my mum is the second girl on the right after the guy with drum, and older aunt is standing on the right of my mum after another girl, she has two hair braids)

This is very interesting example from the daily life of ordinary people in the history of two countries: My mom, two aunts and their best friends - like blood sister as they say "ahiret kardeş". "Ahiret" means the life after death which refers that their friendship is forever,- family members and almost all the village... People of Tıkızlı (Thallasia) Village Turkish Primary School, are celebrating March 25, independence day of Greece as far as i know from Ottoman Empire ! :)

I found this picture, while i were digging for my older aunt (büyük teyze)' s photos for her grandchild's third birthday :) I prepared a custom-made book for her as "Hilal's third year book"..

Greetings from Moscow!

Καλησπέρα Çiğdem!

After I read your very nice posting, I made a cup of hot water, honey and lemon, which I am now drinking while writing this.

I am glad that I reminded your mom and aunts of the Μάρτη. Let's remember to make it for ourselves and put it on next March.

It is my third week in Mosow! I am very busy with work (sometimes staying up till 4 am) and I was again sick, this time with fever. After a few days of trying to fight it alone, I eventually went to the doctor, who gave me 4 types of medication. It still took one week to pass! I am not fully recovered, but I feel better. This winter has been particularly difficult!

I had forgotten the βεντούζες (şişe çekmek) till I read your posting! I never had them on me, but my grandmother - and later I - did this for my mother, when she had bad colds in the winter. In fact, now that I remember it, my mom used to say that the best technique was that of our great aunt Pagona - the aunt of my grandmother. After some time of simply heating the glasses and putting them on the skin, she used to move the last ones up and down, till they came off by themselves. I used to be very afraid of the whole ritual when I was watching my grandmother, but once I had to do it myself for my mother I did not feel it was so difficult. Now that I feel tired from work and from coughing, I wish I could have one session of βεντούζες!

I think that Moscow is a very peculiar city, but I can't really explain why.

The Kremlin is a mythical structure! I have seen it only from the outside, but I am always impressed by the towers (each has a different shape), the colours (brick red and green) and the church domes inside and around it.

Another paradox is the Red Square, which is far smaller than what it seems in the soviet parade videos. When I first saw it, two years ago, it was at night, it was empty, the cedars along the walls of the Kremlin were full of snow and the clock was ringing 9 pm - it has a very soft tone. I thought I was in a fairy tale...

The churches of Moscow are beautiful buildings, each with its own style, decoration, colours... St. Basil's at the end of the Red Square, seems like a toy.

I am thinking of photographing them in the summer. The two themes I will shoot in Moscow are the churches and the Kremlin towers.

On the other hand, you see many ugly buildings made of concrete. There are boulevards inside the city having seven lanes each way, a strip with trees in the middle and a side road with two lanes each way! The same extremes you find in people....

Anyway, on Saturday evening I went to the Novodevichiy convent, which is inside the city. It was the time of the Saturday vespers and there was a very harmonic women's choir. I enjoyed the mass. Tomorrow I am invited at the reception in our embassy for our independence day, which is on the 25th of March. And on Sunday I will go to the mass service for our independence day...

On the 25th of March we traditionally make fried cod fish in batter and serve it with yogourt garlic sauce. This is an exception during the 40 day fasting period before Easter. There are variations of the yogourt garlic sauce. My grandmother made it with smashed garlic, yogourt, dried bread crumbs, walnuts pounded in the mortar, salt and olive oil. Just mix well and serve with the hot fried fish pieces. Usually in our house the sauce finishes first, before the fish.

Kalliopi posted a nice comment about the kourambiedes, we thank her! I am not sure what she thinks about the βεντούζες (şişe çekmek)!

I hope you will have access to the internet when you are in the US!

Καληνύχτα!