Summer in the village

It's very interesting to watch the cycle of the seasons in a small village. The neighbors have made two hay cuttings on the various hayfields in front of my house during the last two weeks and the technology used (or lack thereof) ranges from a communist-era tractor and standard baler to a horse-drawn cutter and a load of people forking the loose hay onto donkey carts to haul back to make into haystacks near their homes.

When I drive to work each morning, I pass groups of people of varied ages heading out to the fields to hoe and weed and water everything from cabbage to tomatoes to tobacco. Living in town, it was easy to forget that many people here still depend on subsistance agriculture to get by, but now I see the evidence on a daily basis. It's humbling, frankly.

The plums have been harvested and it looks to be a good year for apples and grapes. The wheat looks ready to harvest and the sunflowers aren't far behind. It's nearly time for the pepper and tomato harvest and soon the whole village will be scented with roasting peppers and simmerng lutenitza. It will be mouth-watering!

We're also enjoying watching the storklings learn to fly. Our pair had three young ones again this year and now that they are as big as their parents, that huge nest is pretty crowded! The adult male spends a lot of time on the chimney on the next house, just watching the kids flap around. I can't say I blame him!

In just a few weeks it will be time for the the Sabor, or village fair. That's the signal that back to school is just around the corner. Can't say I'm ready for that!