Bayram Bonbons

While Bayram lasts for five days (until Tuesday night) it was today that we were hoping for the traditional Bayram visits from the villagers looking for sweets. I say "hoping for" as last time I was bypassed by them all probably due to Rambo being loose. I am getting ahead of myself here but I wanted to explain the title first. Anyway...

This is what I woke up to this morning

I didn't sleep all that well last night. After publishing the blog we watched "No Country for Old Men" and I just couldn't get back out of the film world and my mind was just whirring round with everything it had made me think and feel. I absolutely love that film and would recommend it very highly to anyone and everyone. I fell asleep eventually and once under I didn't wake until around the normal time. This lie in thing could become a habit, with no alarm to wake us, and who needs an alarm when the view out of the window when you open your eyes is as stunning as this.

Tying up the side gate so Ralf can't get out any more

A got up and made a brew and checked the boys were OK (which they were) and then brought the brew to bed but we were both dozing and only just remembered about them before they were too cold to drink. She got up again to feed the boys and left me to doze but I couldn't drop off again no matter how hard I tried so I got out of bed and went to do the washing up. Ralf had escaped from the garden the other day when we were at the manure pile so after feeding A went down to the side gate to add a tie to the bottom so he can't push his way out.

I had a rather boring task for the morning which involved being sat at the computer typing and I was actually pretty happy that the weather was so cold and grim; I was not sitting there wishing I could be outside in the fresh air as it was very pleasant indeed to be sat where the fire was burning away making us nice and toasty warm. I spent the whole morning doing this and therefore there aren't any interesting photographs. Sorry.

Super photogenic barn

I reached a point where I could no longer carry on with this task so I took some time to play Civilisation and then we decided that rather than just talking about taking the boys for a walk we would actually head out and get some fresh air ourselves. We both wrapped ourselves up (I put my boots on which I haven't worn since doing the plastering course - they still had bits of plaster stuck to them) then put them on their leads and headed out towards the village. We decided to drop down the lower track which A had never been along and then when we got to the junction to go back up towards the dead tree we took the other turn which went down past the really picturesque barn.

Detail of the barn

You may remember me taking a picture of this a few months ago from a distance; well this time we got to walk right past it. There was some quite pale etchings on one of the stones which we weren't able to read at the time however the wonders of photoshop again worked their magic and so was able to work out it says that the barn was renovated or built or dedicated or something on 15th August 1971.

Turning leaves, mushrooms and my family

We walked across the valley and up towards the village on the ridge opposite, going via a semi-short cut which led down between some fields and provided a bit of excitement when we walked past a young bull who was showing a lot of interest in us and followed us down the edge of his not very well fenced field. Fortunately he didn't charge and we were away safely. Other than this we saw evidence of the changing season as autumn rushes in, a couple of interesting mushrooms including one that looks poisonous and a couple of huge ones that had been knocked over up in the village.

A gorgeous stream down the valley

We did make our way all the way up the steep road to the village though I was a bit reluctant for various reasons including the fact that dog walking isn't really common here and other dogs are quite territorial. Before we reached the summit and confronted that issue however we came across something that is surprisingly common over here and rather sad to see. I am not the kind of person who comes to this country and then criticises and complains however it does upset me when rubbish is dumped in such beautiful countryside and particularly when it could so easily be burned and no long blight nature.

Looking over to our house

We were able to look back over the valley towards our village and from this perspective finally showed just what a huge place it is we have. The roof is so large and when you set it against the other houses from this position it is dominating.

Hunting bird

On the way back down towards home we saw a couple of pretty cool things. First of all a hawk of some kind came swooping across near us; I dropped Rambo's lead to swing the camera up for a picture and A had to go chasing after him to grab it but it was worth it as one of the pictures actually came out, even though I only had the short lens.

This one is really well looked after

A bit further down we came across one of the natural springs that are scattered all over the place however this one had a table cloth and pictures hanging on the walls. How wonderful. As we were getting close to turning back up towards ours we walked past a family walking the other way. The man was brave but the two ladies were terrified of Rambo. You can understand this attitude when you consider that when we walked through the village at the top we had about six large wild looking dogs barking and growling and almost choking themselves to get at us; not nice.

We had eaten some already

It was lunch time when we got back so we reheated the left overs of the pasta yesterday which was just as lovely again. We then had a chore to run down into the shops to get some stop-smoking pills, talk to the garage woman about some repairs that Thomas needs before we head back, and go to the food shop. As it was Bayram the garage shop wasn't open (and neither was the carpenters where I was hoping to pick up more sawdust from) however we had success with everything else including sweeties for Bayram. When we got back we weren't long home before the Little Lady came over with her guests from Turkey who came in to look around what we are doing. She brought a tray of lovely little Turkish desert which we stood on the porch and munched.

Tandem snoozing

We had several other visitors through the afternoon, all of whom were treated with sweets and when the Special One, the Other Brother and the Kmet came it was lovely to show them all round and get the really impressed comments for what we have done with the guest room and the roof terrace as they hadn't seen them yet. I told them we were going in two weeks and not back for five and they expressed sadness that we would miss hunting season. We got hugs as well and lots of back thumps. I am going to miss this place so much. A was tired and so was Ralf after the walk and the visitors and I managed to catch them both dozing. Bless.

Saying goodbye to the sun

And so the evening happened; I played more of my game (I was most excited to get Giant Death Robots I can tell you) and we had chili from out of the freezer. I have spent AGES writing this blog as I have put music on and been really distracted as well as not really being in the mood for writing. Just before we ate I saw that the sun was setting and popped onto the roof just as the sun sent some "goodbye" rays from behind its cloud. Stunning

How is this even slightly comfortable?!

We may put a film on after I hit publish or we may not, but one individual who has really settled in for the night is Ralf who has managed to contort himself into all sorts of positions as he has been sleeping in and off and through his bed. This one was my favourite. He is still laying like this. How is this in any way more comfortable?

Well, that's that done. See you tomorrow.