End of Season

Last night, Austrian yatch brokers; tonight, Libyan oil entrepreneurs.  They buy me a drink, just for the heck of it.

Garden

Have trouble growing anything in my garden.   Dont know why.   Shade?  Water in dry season?untended most of the year?  But this wild mountain thyme that I uprooted on the path up to St. Martins struggles along year after year. Likewise the mint from the roadside to Supetar.  

Only 3 Days Left

All Hallows Eve,

All Saints Day,

All Souls Day.

Beautiful weather to say good-bye.

(Happy trick-or-treating, Eason. . . er, I mean, Darth. . . The Force be with you!)

Reading at Sunset

Flies,

Buzzing, buzzing, buzzing.

How many words to  make Now?

Fwd: Re: Congratulations!

-------- Original message --------
From amir salkanovic <salkanovic@yahoo.com>
Date: 10/29/2014 20:54 (GMT+01:00)
To Julia Hurd <julia@qsoup.net>
Cc 'JRH' <jhurd@qsoup.net>
Subject Re: Congratulations!

Hello Julia and John,

. . . As I was away for two weeks when Lejla was born it got really busy at work. This last weekend we also visited Zavidovici and Zivinice with both kids for the first time, so grand parents were real happy. 

I attached two photos, one with Mak and Lejla, and second one from Zavidovic from this wekend. Mak is playing with my friend girls, and there is Lana, Faik's daughter (with orange hair)..

Hugs,

Amir, Inela, Mak, i Lejla

Tues

Marius took his photos and left!  Off on the ferry!

He plans a showing to Subud this weekend with his new data projector of 150 of the best.  Some pretty gorgeous stuff. He leaves in photographic debt to Pero and Ivo, which I know he will repay.  

I am paying bills,  doing laundry,  baskingnin sun and dreaming of haiku and painting,  and beginning to plan my own departure.  Sun is shining (but nights are chilly).   Slavko is still on the mainland.

The Holiday weekend approaches so I must plan carefully (I forgot when I booked my return flight): All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day (Day of the Dead).  There is a brisk business in flowers and candles for this Memorial weekend, as you can see from when I stopped by local garden shop. 

Sunday

Sunday,  the bells --real bells -- ring wildly at Communion.   We take the long drive down the length of the island,  just to say we did it.   Visit old church of St, George.  Snooze under Pines in deserted village of Gazul.  Delicious tuna steak at night at marina.   We are only customers.   Only 2 restaurants left open in town.  We are helping to shut this place down for the season!

Mon

Down the primitive south side of the island today,  and up the new fire road toward Blaca.  Beat the h☆ll out of poor old lady Bella Bijela 2, had to tie her together with old strapping I found on mountain top.

Day 3: Visiting Pero at his Aetelier

Here's a photo Marius took yesterday of Pero Jaksič with a sculpture he is working on.   This will be one of ten he hopes to have ready for exhibition next summer.

Autumn

A truly lovely autumn image by Lynne!

Marius -- Notes

Day 1, we hang out with the guys in Nerezisce, including Ivo and stone sculptor Pero Jaksic.  Then go to dark alchemist lair to watch grape mash transformed to liquid gold... a stop at ancient chapel of St. Ilias on the way home...

Day 2, Skrip, Dol, and a gracious luncheon with Ivo and Lilijana at their remote house in Bobovisce;  we drive the riva in Milna, the beach,  the hill and loop on Mlin.

Today

Tim,  Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to you!

John

Marius Arrives Safely but Tired

My stone house shudders,

Thunders rend the air,  alas!

A guest at midnight. 

(Ed.:  Here the poet is undoubtedly referring to the change of weather which preceded his guest's arrival although the sunset had been beautiful and resulted in several lovely photographs. Or perhaps it isn't the weather to which he is referring?)

My Patio, Windy Day

This guy knows what it's about ...

Shida Yaba (1663–1740)

Hakisōji / shite kara tsubaki / chirini keri

After I've swept and tidied up, 

Down fall some camellias.

Garden at Sunset

Dry fig leaf clatters down to stone.

Who would believe such racket? 

-- Sun slips into the sea. 

Good-bye

Chris finishes repairs on my front gate,  which I had just painted.   I thank him.   

He says,  "Do not say "Thank you" so much.   We don't do that in Croatia."

"Oh," I say,  "like in Klingon.  No word for Please or Thank you."

"Yes," he says, "or for good-bye."

And he leaves. 

Fwd: Ah ha! Part 2 -- Backfire

-------- Original message --------
From jhurd <jhurd@qsoup.net>
Date: 10/20/2014 17:44 (GMT+01:00)
To Dsoup <dbrute.dsoup@blogger.com>
Subject Ah ha! Part 2 -- Backfire


So M☆☆☆ surprises me and drives all the way from Splitska to see me.  Maybe 25 kilometers or so.   I am busy cleaning the bathroom but sit on the patio with her.  "John, " she says,  "I have come to Milna to see you.   Your Black Madonna (Magna Mater) painting is haunting me.   I must have it.  I have collected paintings from all over Europe.... Poland,  Russia, Bulgaria....I have many on my walls in London,  but this one I must have. " 

Well, I didn't really expect to see her again and still I am feeling fairly secure because I know she is going to offer me about $375. USD, which she does and which I intend to refuse..  "All I have is 2000 Kuna, " she tells me. 

"Ah," I tell her, safe in the knowledge that I wont have to part with my painting after all, "I am flattered but I can't sell it for that.   I must keep my prices stable." (Ahem. Clever me.)

There follows a little exploratory discussion to see if I really mean it, then --  "I must have it, " she repeats, "let me see it again. " So I trudge upstairs,  and bring it down. "OK. She says,  "I am haunted by this. That is so beautiful.  I must go get more money. "

Now I panic.   This was not what I expected.  Sell my beautiful painting?  What to do?  Be honest instead of politely dodging?

"M☆☆☆," I say,  "This is generous of you,  but I really don't want to sell it. "  Ouch.

Strangely enough, this she understands. . . "Oh, that is why.  Well, maybe paint a copy.   I am here until Saturday." (Ahem again!)

I expect to hear more about this from mutual friends here.

Bad News

"Bad news,"  I text to Slavko, who is working on the mainland in Solin. "You know those pieces of 3x5 cm wood you bought to make my entry roof? Some sneaky bastard has taken one,  cut it up,  made stretcher bars,  and stretched canvas on it to paint! "

"John," he texts back.   "You just couldn't resist,  could you?   Roberto is gone from your street,  so it is either you or old lady Lukrica."

"You're right, " I reply.  "That d☆☆n old woman.  Who would have thought it of her?!!! "

Johnny Smokva: Food and Drink

1.  The Night Before

This little fish,

Swimming now in olive oil.

Yum!

2. The Next Day

A charming custom, 

A small rakija in the morning --

I'll take coffee,  thanks! 

(Ed.  note:  The first poem deals with the barbarous habit of eating fellow sentient beings once widely practiced at all levels of world society.  Here the poet appears to anticipate and relish such ingestion. 

 The second poem refers to the intake of ethyl alcohol,  here a poison distilled from fermented grape marc with debilitating,  short and long term mental and physical effects.  Also once a wide-spread practice.  The attitude of the poet here is apparently health conscious, or perhaps ironic, or perhaps remorseful.)

Eason and Charlotte