Diane's Dialect

Further up and Further in

Yesterday we visited a church nestled in the mountains of southern Bulgaria.  The church had young men and women who were participating in worship and listened to the sermon.  We look forward to our next visit.  During the summer in Bulgaria, people like to go to the mountain during their free time.  Sunday, the day most people don't work, many families are walking to or playing, resting, and visiting friends in the cool air of the mountain top.  God has blessed Bulgaria with wonderful pictures of his creation.  I am blessed to experience it too.

Making Room

It's only been one year when we came to Bulgaria with 10 pieces of luggage yet now I'm working to sort and find places for things we stored in the guest bedroom.  We will have people here this summer and they need all the room I can give in the guest bedroom.

I am also switching winter clothes with summer since the warm weather is upon us. I will then clean up and make the place ready for our summer guests.  I'm expecting good to come from it all.

Have you seen a stork?

Today I was watching a news clip about bad baby names, but that is not what I am writing about.  The tradition of wearing martinitzas are until you see a martin or stork that flies north from Africa for the summer.  Yesterday we drove out of town for a church service and Stefan pointed out a stork nest with birds.  I also saw a martin's nest.  So now I will stop wearing the red and white.

The trees are blooming all around.  We saw the apricot trees bloom first, then the cherry trees.  I think the plum and pear trees are about to peak their bloom now.  So when your snow melts do know that spring is coming.  I am truly enjoying it now.

Flowers In February?

It is not as cold now. I see a little light green grass and a great surprise. There are little white flowers growing in the back yard and in neighbor’s yards. Peggy told me the name of the flower that typically blooms in February but I have forgotten it, I didn’t recognize it. On a nice day I took the camera and here are 2 pictures of the little white flowers.

Birthday Fun

I am having a great day so far reading all the ecards, emails and greetings from so many people.  Vicky my good friend and translator when we were in Taiwan, the Wilson's and Cathy in Africa, several wonderful cards from my wonderful aunts, even greetings on my facebook. I also received pictures form children in Elgin. Here is a picture my aunt sent of us a long time ago.

Children

We have often received clothing from Greece to be distributed to those in need in Bulgaria.  We have sorted through the clothing and saved children's clothes to give to a program called Good Mothers/Good Children that has begun from the efforts of two women we know in Sandanski, 12 kilometers away. 

These clothes are very much appreciated and it is good to part of God's hands and hearts to people who need it.

A new experience in England

It was great to get to know the pastors in Solihol England as well as Preston.  A highlight for me was to find out that the church in Renewal was connected to the Wroxall Abbey Estate for weddings in the church that was built in 1141.  It was one cold place but Pastor Justin Marsh turned on the organ and I played a phrase of Amazing Grace.  What a priviledge to step into history, the church holds about 80 people and was earlier an Anglican church in the country. They hold church now twice a month.  It was a rainy day but the gardens were beautiful.

The Color Time of Year

Al and I both love Fall when things cool down and the trees change color.  We are not at peak in Petrich, but in the  next few weeks we will see the mountains in God's art form.  We also love squash and I wasn't sure if we would be able to get hubbard squash here until we were walking through the market, which comes to Petrich on Wednesdays or Saturdays, and spotted several very large hubbards.  We bought the smallest one and will be having great soup for awhile.  Bulgaria has only Hubbard squash and pumpkins so the name for the squash is pumpkin.  Bulgaria and Greece produce a thick yogurt that we use instead of sour cream.

We have hired a tutor now for Bulgarian and are learning fast and yet not fast enough to carry on a conversation.  I feel like a child repeating what people say to get it right.  The clerks at the store are noticing my small improvements.  I am also understanding more.  I also enjoy listening in on conversations at a bookstore in town.  I understand the children when they are begging mom to buy them something.

At the Beauty Salon

I am working on Bulgarian and will be working on it a long time. Friday I decided to get another haircut and color my hair. We are trying to meet the neighbors and a woman has a salon close to our home. It became an experience as she asked neighbor teens to translate (they refused most of the time as like I am, they are unsure of their words). Other women came in to talk also, I understood more than I thought I would and not nearly enough to carry on conversations. I could understand talk concerning children, ages, and some occupations. Once woman wanted me to translate a document but I don't know enough Bulgarian to help her. It was great though to meet some of the neighbors. They have invited Al and I to come by to talk in the evenings and we hope to do that.

Excursion

Last week in Greece we travelled to Edessa and a mountain village with our friends Daphni and Anthony. We had several hot days and to be in higher elevation to see a waterfall and eat fresh fish in a cool spot was a real treat. Daphni is named after a plant in Greece and we are standing in front of one of those plants. The constant concrete in the city is a definite contrast when you see trees and beautiful vegetation. We also drove by many farms harvesting peaches.