Friday November 27th
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27 November 2009 at 93 degrees!!
The weather here has been fabulous! The mercury hit 93 degrees at noon today, as R.O. and I basked in the warm sunlight once again. 
P.S. R.O. is also turning out to be one of the most handsome males who've ever owned me!  |
posted Friday November 27th, @12:40PM
Monday November 2nd
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Desk in Sofia...
Just love the natural lighting and composition.
Click for full size. 
The Bulgarian Dream? |  |
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posted Monday November 2nd, @04:35PM
Friday October 30th
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Friend's Country Home
Beautiful...
Not showing the house itself, just some of the grounds and the guest house.
Too bad it was near dusk for the final photos - not very clear, but the "open feeling" is not lost.
From a BG King's home. |  |  |  |  | 
Greenhouse packed with tomatoes, peppers, herbs, etc... |  | 
Blurry - but the feel is what counts. |  |  |  |
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posted Friday October 30th, @05:46AM
Sunday October 25th
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Little RO Journey :)
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posted Sunday October 25th, @02:46PM
Thursday October 1st
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RO becomes more beautiful every day!
I can hardly believe this is the same cat I found so sick and infested July 25 - less than 10 weeks ago. 
100% Adolescent Male! | 
Instant Karma! |
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posted Thursday October 1st, @04:46AM
Monday September 21st
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Robbie's Photo Session :-)
Love watching him grow and he has the markings of a real wildcat. 
Balancing Act | 
Innocent 1 | 
Innocent 2 | 
Markings 1 | 
Markings 2 | 
Pose 1 | 
Pose 2 | 
Pose 3 | 
Pose 4 | 
Regal 1 | 
Regal 2 |
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posted Monday September 21st, @03:04PM
Thursday September 17th
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Redux: One picture is worth a thousand words.
R.O.'s at the "terrible twos" stage and just like a child, looks so innocent when sleeping! |
posted Thursday September 17th, @04:57PM
Friday September 4th
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Mmmm... one picture is worth a thousand recipes! ;-)
September 1st's creation of fresh veggies, mozzarella and Parmesan.
Now you know what I do all day! lol
Click for full size. |
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posted Friday September 4th, @03:28PM
Sunday August 30th
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Madonna's Concert: Ending Bulgaria's Post-communist Tradition
Author: Ivan Dikov
Editorial | August 30, 2009, Sunday
Madonna staged a pretty amazing show in Sofia Saturday night that impressed 60 000 fans in downtown Sofia. However, that was no regular concert; it seems to have the significance of a historical event...
Because chances are that in a few decades it might be considered by historians the watershed event symbolizing the end of Bulgaria's post-communist transition, and the beginning of a new historical period for the country.
As ridiculous as this may sound, the fact of the matter is that this is not just: A) Madonna's first ever concert in Bulgaria; B) the largest concert to ever take place on Bulgarian soil; C) an absolutely amazing show of music, dance, and light; D) all of the above... It is: E) a lot more than all that.
Since 1989 (actually, since about 1762 or earlier, but that is a different story), Bulgaria has been aspiring to become an unconditionally European (and Western) nation, to gain an indisputable legitimacy as such, to be part of Europe (read: Western Europe), and the West.
Other than the shattering of the formerly planned economy and the appearance of a Bulgaria mafia bosses with colorful names, the aspiration to at least look like a Western nation has been the major highlight of the country's post-communist transition.
This transition has lasted for about 20 years now, and many people have been wondering when it would end, and what watershed event would mark that end.
Bulgaria joined NATO in May 2004, and the EU in January 2007. According to popular opinion, however, none of these formal, high-politics events felt like the watershed launching a new historical period for the nation...
Perhaps a pop culture event such as Madonna's concert would better serve that purpose. It is true that only 60 000 people experienced it first-hand but, at least on the most superficial level, it was a much more tangible occurrence, with a much greater psychological event for many compared to the signing of treaties and formal handshake ceremonies in Brussels, or even in Sofia.
Because, for all I know, the atmosphere at Madonna's concert in Sofia Saturday night, was no different that at such events in New York City, London, or Paris, at least in principle. It simply felt like being in a Western country, i.e. an orderly state that is on the tour map of one of the top stars in the world. And that is a feeling that is not very common in Bulgaria yet.
The true significance of Madonna's glamorous show in Sofia is putting Bulgaria on the map. And not jus the Sticky and Sweet Tour map.
There has been one other concert in Bulgaria that people were similarly excited about, and left a lasting impression to the extent that it even became an expression in the Bulgarian youth slang - the concert of Metallica in Bulgaria's then second largest city of Plovdiv in 1999, attended by over 40 000 people. At that time Plovdiv was declared the cultural capital of Europe for a month.
The Metallica concert also had a "putting on the map" feel to it because of the coming of the top US heavy metal band - 10 years after the fall of communism Bulgaria hadn't seen many appearances of such kind. Unlike Prague or Budapest, or even Moscow, for that matter, Bulgarian cities remained a distant corner of Europe for any global Western pop culture events. And, by the way, at about the same time that Metallica sang in Plovdiv, the UK electronic music group Prodigy canceled their concert in Sofia because of the War in Kosovo/the NATO bombing of neighboring Serbia.
Much has changed and much hasn't since 1999; Bulgaria has certainly come closer to Western standards in many spheres. But it is not quite there yet psychologically.
The most important effect of Madonna's concert in Sofia is its psychological impact. Perhaps her show is indeed the beginning of the end of Bulgaria's post-communist transition, in which the country has been "still not there yet"... And perhaps the true end of the transition will come when the appearance of world stars like Madonna in Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv, or Sunny Beach will be seen as something a lot more commonplace, and not that big a deal, i.e. the rule, not the exception... |
posted Sunday August 30th, @06:07PM
Friday August 14th
(jump earlier later)
Exhibition in Varna - 2
The leather worker orders all his supplies from Tandy Leather in the states. Used to use them myself.
The mail suits are as smooth as silk and made from surgical steel. Heavy as heck, but look dynamite on!!
As I started taking photos of the woodworker's art, I suddenly noticed a relief of "Abraham's Sacrifice" - I wasn't expecting anything so stunning as I had been enjoying the more whimsical works of this artist - I just burst into tears it was so beautiful. The artist looked at me, nodded his head and cried along with me. I told him I couldn't take a photo of that particular piece, it was something only to be kept in the heart. With tears in both our eyes, he nodded and agreed.
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Click for full size (Leather) | 
Click for full size (Leather) | 
Click for full size | 
Click for full size (Leather) | 
Click for full size |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
Museum piece reproduction - only two in the world. | 
Breathtaking.... | 
McDonald's :) |
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posted Friday August 14th, @03:33AM
Thursday August 13th
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Exhibition in Varna
Having loads of fun here every day!
Really love it here - don't know how anyone can live in NY after this!  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
Going to buy this when completed. |  |  |  | 
A set of cups from here - wish list! |  |  | |  |  |
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posted Thursday August 13th, @08:16AM
Sunday August 9th
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Peacocks
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posted Sunday August 9th, @08:39PM
Thursday August 6th
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RO update -again!
He's sooooo cute!  
Enjoying the sun. | 
Hey mum, are there any grapes here yet? |
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posted Thursday August 6th, @02:59AM
Saturday August 1st
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RO update. :)
Looking better every day! 
:-) |
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posted Saturday August 1st, @07:36AM
Sunday July 26th
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Amazing what a little TLC can do for a creature!
24 hours and he's as good as new. |
posted Sunday July 26th, @07:52PM
Saturday July 25th
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Introducing "R.O." to BBR! :D
My life is finally complete in my new apartment!
Found a new little love sitting in the middle of our driveway today, just waiting for me to say,
"Would you like to come home with me?"
He raised his little infected eyes toward me, while fleas scampered across his itsy-bitsy nose and
ear-mites nestled cozily in his ears, and said matter-of-factly:
"Damn right, lady! Look at me, I'm a mess! I need some of that good lovin'!"
So, I scooped up the little tyke, held him close to my breast and said,
"Mama's here for you, sweetie!"
Well, wouldn't you know it?! What's the first thing little R.O. wanted to do?
He jumped up on my laptop and started sending a message to all his friends just to let them know he was finally safe and sound!
After he sent the message to his friends, had a bite to eat and slept a bit, it was the 45 minute shower and bath routine to drown the fleas.
Well, I know he has a good set of lungs from all the crying he did!
(Only about 3 weeks old, so no flea remedies can be used - just plain old fashioned drowning the fleas and *snap* *crackle* *pop* with the tweezers as they try to escape...)
He's been sleeping ever since the ordeal. Probably the first decent night sleep he's ever had.
Cute little bugger, isn't he?!
Will take clean, fluffy pix tomorrow after we get a good night's rest. 
First photo. Poor baby. | 
Kids! All they want to do is message their friends! | 
He's sooooo teensy-tiny!! |
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posted Saturday July 25th, @05:58PM
Friday July 17th
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Old Plovdiv :)
Finally started exploring areas outside of Varna.
Went to Plovdiv and Old Plovdiv (about 175 miles or 285 km southwest of Varna), meeting the friendliest, happiest, most helpful people in Bulgaria yet!
So friendly in fact that we did more chatting than sightseeing and will have to go back to see the rest of Old Plovdiv.
Absolutely lovely city, with prices up to 50% less than in Varna, and people smiling everywhere. A real treat!
Stay tuned - more to come! 
The Spirit of Old Plovdiv | 
Father Ponov | 
Courtyard | 
Courtyard | 
Church Courtyard | 
Saint Nedelya Fresco | 
Courtyard entrance to St. Nedelya's | 
Steeple of St. Nedelya's | 
St. Nedelya's seen from street | 
Information Plaque | 
History of St. Nedelya | 
Dedication Plaque | 
Sample of local architecture | 
Different! | 
The Eastern Gate | 
The Eastern Gate | 
History of the Eastern Gate of Three Hills | 
Sample of local architecture | 
Sample of local architecture | 
New friend I made on the train! | 
...and one from the train. |
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posted Friday July 17th, @12:08PM
Tuesday July 14th
(jump earlier later)
The Story of the Little Bluebird
I first heard this story many, many years ago from a dear friend, Pastor Art Alexander (affectionately known as "PA") and just thought to pass it on here. Enjoy. |
posted Tuesday July 14th, @04:40AM
Sunday July 5th
(jump earlier later)
Study
Don't have many photos with the mop of hair loose! Don't have any for over 30 years come to think of it! 
Like this shot, but can't decide - sepia or black & white. |  | 
Original washed out from too much direct sunlight and no flash fill. |  | 
Please forgive the orange couch - it came with the apartment! :) |
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posted Sunday July 5th, @02:12PM
Tuesday June 23rd
(jump earlier later)
Early Morning Storm
Looking out toward Cherno More (the Black Sea) at the end of an early morning storm.
Please click for full size. |
posted Tuesday June 23rd, @03:43PM
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Sparrow
