Therefore, January is supposed to be frustrating, depressing and endless. How else would we appreciate the coming of Spring, hope and light? Personally, I have never felt more stuck and frustrated. Weather, fluctuating job news, lack of resources, fear of what happens next - it has been relentlessly demotivating and anxiety-inducing.
This is why on the last weekend of the endless cutting month, I did what was instructed. I got my hardy garden tools and took to some heavy landscaping. Wall building with associated stone cutting, as well as some comprehensive tree surgery.
The wall issue was relatively straightforward and much easier than the other section, which had needed complete deconstruction. In this case, I took out the collapsed top bit, and dug out the soil and roots behind. I was then able to replace the reshaped stones so it was safe and stable. These two beautiful sections now make the rest of the wall look untidy, but that is work for another day.
This tree problem had been bugging me for months. Last year, I wanted to see what the tree did - nothing exciting, just a beautifully shaped tree with smooth bark and small leaves. I can work with that. Inspired by the olive pruning I have seen, I removed dead branches, internal curly boughs, and anything growing downward. It is now proudly gracious and needs some cyclamen or other damp-shade-loving flowers underneath.
I was not cutting calories. When lunchtime rolled around, I lit my prepared fire and was pleased to hear the satisfying sizzle of pork steaks, sausage and čevapi when the grill was good and hot. Even better was when I cut off a head of garden cabbage and made the freshest salad imaginable. My olive oil had succumbed to the cold and had the consistency of overwarm butter.
“Šta radiš?”, queried a voice from above.
Boško was lured off the scaffolding he was moving. He had noticed the dense smoke emerging from the smoky room, where the meat was cooking. Another face appeared at the other side of the building. It’s amazing how the scent of grilled food draws out the workers. Duje was helping Boško with the heavy lifting.
“I was hungry, so I made a start on lunch. No pressure, you have plenty of time to finish what you are doing, it will be ready in an hour.”
“Is it ready yet?”, pondered Mr Impatient.
The workers went back to work cutting the wood, hooks and metal into shape and making the scaffolding secure. Duje was bubbling away, energetically chatting about some guy and the idiotic thing he had done. Boško in his usual style cut across the excitable babble, and told Duje to stop filling his head with nonsense.
Don’t mess with a hungry man, when the scent of meat is in the air. And don't mess with a woman who is determined to make everything smart, hopeful and beautiful for the Spring.
I was not cutting calories. When lunchtime rolled around, I lit my prepared fire and was pleased to hear the satisfying sizzle of pork steaks, sausage and čevapi when the grill was good and hot. Even better was when I cut off a head of garden cabbage and made the freshest salad imaginable. My olive oil had succumbed to the cold and had the consistency of overwarm butter.
“Šta radiš?”, queried a voice from above.
Boško was lured off the scaffolding he was moving. He had noticed the dense smoke emerging from the smoky room, where the meat was cooking. Another face appeared at the other side of the building. It’s amazing how the scent of grilled food draws out the workers. Duje was helping Boško with the heavy lifting.
“I was hungry, so I made a start on lunch. No pressure, you have plenty of time to finish what you are doing, it will be ready in an hour.”
“Is it ready yet?”, pondered Mr Impatient.
The workers went back to work cutting the wood, hooks and metal into shape and making the scaffolding secure. Duje was bubbling away, energetically chatting about some guy and the idiotic thing he had done. Boško in his usual style cut across the excitable babble, and told Duje to stop filling his head with nonsense.
Don’t mess with a hungry man, when the scent of meat is in the air. And don't mess with a woman who is determined to make everything smart, hopeful and beautiful for the Spring.
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