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August is wedding season here in northern Albania and it is a popular month for Albanian's living outside of country to return to visit family. We received 5 wedding reception invites, one which included two receptions. Now, I have loads of experience attending weddings and even a bridesmaid/maid of honor a few, 7+, times, but this was a whole new world. I consulted my wardrobe choices ahead of time with my niece and sister-in-law because I was told these are more formal than casual so with six dresses chosen I had hope of blending in. The first date we had two scheduled, one reception at 12 pm and the next at 8 pm. The first one of the day was my husband's first cousin's daughter on his dad's side. We arrived on time but waited for additional family before approaching to venue which was a large three story commercial building from the outside with some fancy fountains, large lit letters that spelled LOVE and a guitar shaped walk/pool. When we entered the building on the second floor it was fully immersed in the cocktail hour with small tables set up and larger table towards the center with an assortment of beverages, juices, soda, water, beer, and wine. We had assigned seating on a chart that was to the left of the beverage table. We were ushered to the third floor and were greeted by additional family members at the door to a very fancy ballroom and unexpected based on the rest of the building I had seen so far. After finding our table and shaking a few more hands we sat a large white clothed table covered in an assortment of food, beverages, glass and dining ware. The food choices included a plate of yogurt like sauce they call Kos, grilled vegetables, olives, and baskets fresh fruit and bread, drinks included an ice bucket with an assortment of soda, beer, waters flat and sparkling and on the table two wine choices red or white and bottle of Raki. The ballroom had a large open dance floor in the middle, the band at one end and the bride and groom at the other, the tables and chairs for guests were tiered so the second layer sat a bit higher so no views were blocked and ran on each side of the dance floor. Once the ballroom was filled and most were seated the bride's family was announced as they entered with the bride. The music was intense and very loud from beginning to end and the brides family danced before sitting down to honor the bride. At this time the first round of seven dishes were served. The first plate consisted two different types of cheese, three different types of fried meat and a pickled salad in the middle. The music and dancing continued in full swing and the second dish was served which was more like a kebab, skewered grilled chicken and veggies. At first the escort with the bride I thought was the groom only to have the groom and his family announced about an hour or so into the reception (I was so confused). This is when I learned that the newer tradition here is to have a reception in honor of the bride and the groom's family and selected few friends attend as honored guests...at this point the couple is not married yet. Are you still with me?? I was attending a wedding reception for a wedding that had not actually happened yet. Back to the food, the third dish was a chicken cordon bleu, fourth steak and potatoes, fifth assortment of roasted lamb, sixth tortellini and a white sauce covered meat and seventh would have been the dessert but it was 6 pm and we had another reception to attend. Overall the dresses were extremely fancy lots of glitter and super glam and the bride's gown was princess dress with a fitted bodice and a large layered skirt. The dancing was non-stop with a simple side step and a fancier hand holding circle with a couple of steps depending on the music. The music was all traditional songs and even had a small round table set up at one point the singers sat down and a few men with raki joined them and most sang along at the table. We made our apologies for leaving early but we had to return home and pick up additional family to head to the second reception. So if you are counting that was a 6 hour reception and still going, we left before the cake and when we had to drive by the venue on the way to the next reception it was still going strong at nearly 8 pm. Reception two was for my husband's first cousin on his mom's side. It was held in a large white building with an outdoor cocktail hour with small tables and a table for drinks on the side. We arrived right before they began to usher people inside, this venue was a round ballroom, with a dance floor cleared in the middle and the tables set up on all sides with a designated head table for the bride and groom and a small DJ set up in the corner. The table and food/drink setup were very similar to the first wedding just a few small changes to the meat choice and rice instead of pasta. The music was very different more current Albanian music and not a live singer and the sound quality was much less intense which we appreciated because our ears were still ringing from the first wedding. Dancing wise I took my first trip around the hand held fancy step dance and kept up with the crowd. There is a version of this dance that is the same steps to 'Cotton Eye Joe' took me back to my college days for a minute. The dresses were a mix of super glam and semi formal and the bride had a wardrobe change from a sparkly princess gown to a lace mermaid right before the cake cutting. The cake was not American traditional cake it was dulce de leche with caramel topping. The couple was married earlier that day and didn't have a prior reception so this was the one and done. Difference in the age of the bride's tends to dictate on where they fall tradition wise. This couple was mid 20s/early 30s so they did what and how they wanted, the first bride was 19 so followed the parent or new traditions. We stayed at this one until the very end which ended at 330 am, 6+ hour long receptions are a normal thing here. Wedding three was a four part series, we were part of the groom's honored guests at the bride's reception on a Saturday night, this was at small venue with a similar set up with a small dance floor and tables on either side but it had lots of pillars which gave line of sight some challenges. We danced a lot this evening, they had a good DJ. The food and beverage choices were very similar to the previous weddings nothing new maybe one or two less courses. One tradition at the end of the reception is the dollar dance, depending on the reception it is a song or two for the family first and then a song for the friends but there is typically a large circle dance with the bride and groom in the center, couples will dance with the bride and groom and place a dollar bills on there head and wish them luck and congratulations. The cake cutting is usually done before these last dances. Cake this time was half cake half pudding middle. We left near 4 am. And the next day we had a dinner party with groom's family at the groom's house late Sunday evening followed by an early wake up call at 7 am. As part of the honored guests we carpooled to the bride's home to pick her up, this is quite the production. The videographer records the entire parade of cars and the cars are decorated with bows and ribbons. Once we arrived at the bride's home we are greeted by the bride's family and then ushered to a table covered in small plates of nuts, fruit, beverages, petla (like mini donuts), honey and raki. The brides family comes down the line to toast the guests and then after a half hour or so the singing begins. There is a song that calls for the bride and tradition wise the bride is to come out for a hidden nook, with veil and crying (LIKE REALLY CRYING). The family then exits the home and we the groom's family and honored guest throw candy at the couple as a wish of sweet blessings. The parade of cars makes the way back with horns blaring, music and yelling from the car and throwing candy to passerby pedestrians. The tradition is to deliver the bride to the groom's home by noon. We ran into some traffic on the way back and had to speed the last leg but once we arrived back in Bajze, the groom's hometown, we slowed down and tossed more candy and A LOT of noise. We arrived at the groom's home and another tradition is singing the bride in to the home and throwing more candy, followed by a photo with a young male baby again sweet blessings and fertility. We all departed back to our perspective homes until wedding at 1 pm. The wedding was held in the town's Catholic church. Pause, the bride is now with the groom's family so NO ONE from the bride's family was present when they actually got married. But they said their I Do followed by a few photos and then we all went home to nap. The groom's reception started later that evening and like the other venues there was a cocktail hour outside before going inside, this venue was large with tables on the right and then on the left a dance floor with tables on either side with a DJ and bar in the middle. No pillars which was great for line of sight and the table's were set up with similar food and beverages. We had some of the best food at this venue and danced basically the whole night they had a mix of DJ and live singers. A few new traditions with the bride dancing for her groom and the groom dancing with a burning white cloth. It was another late late night 330 am, after our day started at 7 am. Our fourth invite led us to another venue, this was for my husband's second cousin's son on his dad's side. There was an outdoor cocktail hour and once ushered inside they announced the groom's family and friends it was around 12 couples deep. The set up of this ball room was different pretty narrow with columns and for some tables it was hard to see or get to the dance floor. The food and beverage selection was much like the others but this one was followed by ice cream instead of cake. This was the groom's reception so the couple were married early that day. The music was mostly done by a DJ which had a good bit of up tempo current Albanian music blended with some traditional songs. The glam was off the charts for this event and the bride's princess gown was also very nice. Another long one we left just before 4 am. And our last wedding was at the first venue we attended and it was for his first cousin's wife's brother on his dad's side. There was a cocktail hour outside and the bride and groom arrived via horse and carriage followed by fireworks and then we were ushered inside to the ballroom. The first time we came to this venue I didn't know that the middle of the ceiling came down but that is exactly how the couple entered the ballroom after the groom's family and the bridal party were announced and entered the dance floor. The party started off at full swing and the music was loud and intense with a live band. The food was similar to the first time we came and the beverage selection the same. After the groom's grandfather gave his thanks and blessing to the couple another family member did a traditional call song, it was done back in the Ottoman Empire, shepherds would sing this call until he heard another shepherd and so on to pass word that there were enemy soldiers approaching. The couple did have a pair of traditional Albanian dancers perform but the bride and groom didn't dance until the end of the reception after the cake cutting and the dollar dance. They also served ice cream instead of cake, no complaints from me. Cheers and congrats to all the happy couples!

We are finished harvesting our fruits and plants for the year so now we are working on the clean up. We are pruning and trimming the vines and trees. Pruning is crucial for most fruit producing trees and can effect production the following year. Our olive tree had not produced any olives for almost three years but last year we trimmed it back before spring and were able to harvest nearly 6 kg. The vines are trimmed back to a Y shaped form and the supporting trees are trimmed back as well to create a distinct path or the vines to grow with room to produce. Art has worked on winterizing the plumbing that runs from our reserve tanks to the house and the water pump. He also worked on cutting more wood, we installed a small wood burning stove in the kitchen for non-windy days. We had used the fireplace last year but decided the amount of wood for the fireplace compared to the wood stove consumption was a better alternative and less of a mess. Our fireplace now holds the firewood for the wood stove and blocks any kind of draft. The rainy November and December was not so kind to our chickens we lost two to illness and out of the 13 baby chicks we had five roosters plus our head rooster Jack so the garden has become battle ground of dominance and we sacrificed one rooster to start to decrease the hostile environment. We also have a few new hens laying eggs so that is a positive. Our two piglets, Stewy and Chewy are fenced in various areas of the front garden with the vines and I hope their rooting will lessen my dig time around the vines come spring. So we are down to 2 pigs, 5 roosters, and 12 hens. Weather wise we are holding near 50 for the high and mid-30 for the low and the rain seems to have disappeared from the 10 day forecast. We definitely have some super windy days, the two major wind patterns come from the south Shiroku winds, usually very warm but makes the air dusty and the northern Mulani i Hotit winds are cold and strong but clear the air and make our views crystal clear. A few peaks that surround our valley are barely showing some snow and so far no snow or flurries in the valley so far. We are working on our garden plans for next year as we now know what to expect and what needs more love, attention and WATER. We have a very dry and hot summer so if it requires vast amounts of water it will be planted in smaller portions. We will not be planting nearly as many potatoes, squash, peppers or beans as we could not eat, can or freeze fast enough to keep up with harvest. Eggplants were probably the most disappointing crop from this year, my mother-in-law grills and then pickles these in large quantities and our garden barely produced five good size ones from about 15 plants. Watermelons are a staple in this house and our seedlings only produced small round watermelons so we will be planting different seedlings and a lot more of them! Projects for 2020 include waterproofing the cellar for wine and food storage, tear down and rebuild of the back stone building for tools, livestock and possibly living quarters on a second floor so we can host again via AirBNB and paving the driveway and parking spaces. And adventure agenda includes the Theth to Valbona pass, possibly cycling from home to the starting point in Theth and further exploration of the caves and trails in the surrounding areas. We hope to have more visitors in 2020 as well, are you adding travel to your budget in 2020?? Because if you haven't maybe consider joining us for a week or two next year. Did I mention I LOVE ALBANIA!

We finished harvesting the persimmons last week and are saving a three crates to eat and a large barrel of cut and smashed for fermentation. We will make Raki in the late spring from the persimmons. What are persimmons? Persimmons are a late fall harvest fruit here in Malesi e Madhe, the fruit flowers from green to ruby orange when ripe. We have two varieties, one has a seed and the other seedless, the texture mushy like a tomato and honey sweet. Great for baking and topping to rice pudding. The key to eating a persimmon is patience. If you pick and attempt to eat too soon your mouth is invaded by a filmy tannin. You have to wait for the entire fruit to change from a golden orange to a dark ruby orange and soft exterior. You can eat the peel with both varieties but I prefer without a peel. A second option is to pick them before they are a ripe, wipe them down with raki and store in a plastic bag in a dark place for a week, they come out ready to eat without the tannin and some even slightly firmer like a peach. Also the worse they look the better they taste! Liquor from persimmons, we have a small batch of ripened persimmons fermenting with sugar and raki in small jars and will strain in about 10 days. The large batch featured below is for the Raki. Stay tuned for the outcome in 2020. Why do we eat Persimmons? Persimmons are rich in dietary fiber and many nutrients such as manganese, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and iron. They also contain several other health-promoting phytonutrients, such as catechin (a natural phenol and antioxidant), gallocatechin (also an antioxidant) and betulinic acid. Betulinic acid has been shown to have antiretroviral, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as potential as an anticancer agent.

We awoke in the early hours to a 6.4 earthquake rumble. We are about 2 hours by car from the center of the quake so no physical damage to our home or the town but others did not fair as well with casualties and injury numbers climbing each hour. Please pray for the families, the workers and the Albanian people as the recover from this event. It comes only a few months after a large quake hit the coastal town of Durres. Many buildings damaged in and near the capital city of Tirane which is the epicenter of the population of Albania, so a lot of frightened people and a lot of tall buildings. Our family here has all checked in and so far so good.

We are on day 10 of rain, with another 10 days in the forecast. Benefits of rain our winter garlic and onions are already pushing up, cabbage and leeks are thriving and squash still blooming. Our pig, Sausage, escaped the back yard to the front garden this last week which happened mid rain shower, funny but messy. He went for the beets and the okra. The fall colors are popping through more and more each day. The quince trees only have about 6 left in the tree and the rest are picked up and we have even starting canning some for the winter. The persimmons are starting to ripen, small tip to reduce the tannin aka that filmy covering the inside of your mouth, wipe the fruits down with raki, store in a plastic bag in a dark cabinet for a week and they are tannin free and delicous! The pomegranates are still very sweet and juicy, Art squeezes fresh juice for us about every other day (yes I am spoiled). We did make a day trip to Laç . A small town with an infamous cave, Cave of Saint Vlash Martyr, and church, Kisha e Shna Ndout or St. Anthony's Church. The church was first built around year 1300, and dedicated to St. Mary, then renamed after Anthony of Padua in 1557. In 1971 it was destroyed by the communist regime, and eventually was rebuilt in the 1990s. During the communist era there was a priest that lived in the cave below the church site that was destroyed in 1971, many stories of miraculous healing from his blessings he provided to the ill. We have been there once before in the evening hours so this was my first trip to truly take it all in, very peaceful and beautiful. We drove to the coastline in Laç after leaving the church to explore a bit more as the rain had cleared. As we crossed the marsh lands we found a few restaurants with mini huts on the water in this area, bunkers and even a small island with a restaurant. The road dead ended with a new restaurant, large in ground pool and small cabins, it could be a great stop for anyone wanting a seaside stay away from heavy beach traffic. What questions do you have about Albania or our homestead? Leave a comment below.

We are nearing the end of fig season with a few trees still producing but the quality has decreased with added rainfall we received in September. Art's tree pruning early this spring has shown results, The olive tree had not produced in the last two to three years and we have black olives, pitted and soaking, close to 4 gallons worth so far. The pruned pomegranate trees also turned out some large, sweet and very juicy poms this year. We juice a few about every other day. Great source of vitamins C and anti inflammatory which are great for the fall in this household. Jujubes are still coming in and ripening and we have picked close to 50 pounds worth so far and the tree is still full. Persimmons are getting closer to picking but only one so far this season has been ready to eat, it was pretty tasty. Quince tree is heavy and full this season, I have even peeled and poached a few they were very tasty. Plenty more to come with how we process for canning, jam and possibly quince butter (like apple butter). Our herb garden has been very generous with basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary and mint. No shortage of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and climbing vine beans, they are still going strong. We have cabbage starting to fold in, beets and leeks coming up and even got one very good size sweet potato. We have started to prep the ground for the winter garlic and onion where we grew watermelon and cantaloupe this summer. The vines have a few fall grapes coming in post grape harvest. We are still in the process of fermentation for this year's wine and raki. We will have another updated post about this once we start the transfer of the wine from barrels to smaller containers, saving the mush for raki and how we prep for bottling. Below is one shopping trip for additional containers for raki and corks for the bottles. Do you have recipes for any of the above? If so please comment and share below, I will need all the suggestions.

We have explored many trails and paths around the back mount of our homestead but today we found a new cave entrance, new path to us and ended up with some rock climbing. Thankfully the fall temperatures have arrived and we are starting get the cool evenings and the sunny days without the blistering heat. We collected some kaca, a fruit we dry for tea, along the way. I have a challenge, the small green mounts in the video below, we would like to climb but want an additional hiking partner(s), first come first hike to claim your peak. Pictures from today's discovery and climb. And an update on the September harvest, we are collecting jujubes and kaca, the olives, persimmons and pomegranates are starting to ripen, fig season is slowing down, cabbage and beets are coming in nicely and our beautiful grapes are nearly ready for harvesting!

We had made plans to attend the annual Rec Music Festival on Sunday September 1, it's about a six mile drive to Rec but we decided to ride our bikes. Beautiful sunny day, it was HOT, little shade on the gradual incline on the trip there but we made it one piece. The festival had several areas set up near two restaurants in the chestnut tree forest. Carnival ring toss games, stage, tents, trinket vendors, roasted lamb and chickens, and beverage stations set up around the area and loads of picnic style tables and benches. We parked our bikes and ourselves in the shade to take in the festival and catch our breath from the ride. We ended up with a beer each and split a roasted chicken and each took a stroll around the festival to take it all in, performers were playing traditional music in one area and down on the main stage was a famous artist Fifi, she drew the largest crowd. We took our go pro along for this adventure and it's a little shaky in spots but it captures our trip from our home to Rec and the beautiful scenery. Enjoy!

Many generations share stories with their descendants and like the telephone game played in primary school the story changes or evolves. A small project I started to piece together a few years ago was the Old Untold series starting with my grandma Rex and after hearing the stories that my husband's grandfather Gjeto shared with my husband's generation sparked this series to life again. Most likely you or your parent's have had a family member pass away and a question or comment is made in the years that follow "I wish I would have asked that when...., oh well I guess we will never know." Sadly this comment is repeated with out much thought but what if you sat down with the loved ones you have left and fill in the gaps now. My beloved maternal Grandma Rexena is my last living grandparent. She is 85 and fiercely independent, strong spirited, happy, fun loving, adventurous, best dressed, beautiful soul, honest and the air that fills my lungs. I hold her legend and spirit tightly because she is worthy but also because she is the last thread to my old untold. We have weekly conversations about her week, she is a busy lady with card parties, luncheons, ladies breakfast groups, TOPS, Red Hats, and more, and my week's activities on the homestead but we also discuss old untold stories. In one of my latest conversations we discussed the passing of her father. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in May and passed in October of 1974. When he was initially told about his diagnosis and prognosis he shed tears and was nearly sobbing when he whispered, "I am scared I gave this to my buddies I went hunting with last weekend." He had no idea that this disease was not contagious and couldn't be spread by sleeping in close proximity to others, unlike diseases that plagued his generation tuberculosis (TB), smallpox, flu and cholera. The doctor and my grandmother explained the disease in more detail and he calmed down but was still aware of the seriousness of his prognosis. My great grandfather Rex Bridger was the father of four beautiful daughters, one charming son, husband to the magnificent Twyla, coal miner until the Elmira mines closed, roofer for Fry Roofing in Kansas City, hunter and overall hard worker to provide a life for his family. His youngest daughter, MarBeth, was born with down syndrome, she still lived at home due to his hard work and Twyla, she wouldn't have it any other way, which was rare in this time period, most were institutionalized at an adolescent age. My great grandmother Twyla was the family genealogist and historian keeping a record of past family members, burial sites and dates, she also was an artist, painter, quilter and brilliant dedicated mother. She met Rex while attending a secretary school and when introduced this hard working man to her father Earl he disapproved and never spoke to Rex for as long as my grandma can remember. When they would visit Twyla's parents, Rex never came inside and only Twyla's mom came out to speak to to her father. My grandma never really understood why her grandpa Earl disliked her father Rex but just assumed it was because of his blue collar status and then she chuckled "He was always a cranky old man." Our conversations about the past always make my grandma Rexena nostalgic, usually leave her laughing and even make her curious about some details she can't recall or questions she never thought to ask. I challenge you, take the time to ask, listen and document the stories of your loved ones, embrace the knowledge and hold it for the next generation.

Spring is my husband's favorite time of year here the garden comes to life. He walks the garden each morning and comes in grinning like a Cheshire cat. Below are some of my favorite shots of the garden and all things pretty from February to current day. And for my husband the aspect of wine in the future =

Last fall my husband planted cabbage, garlic, and onions. Cabbage never really took off, we planted it a little late in the season but we had success with garlic and onions. After a very wet January and the temperatures starting to rise we started to prep for spring planting. We spent a few days researching, discussing and gathering seeds and bulbs. We started with two new rows for more garlic and onions and eventually a third row. This was manual shovel to earth dig, wacking aka tilling and weeding, sweat equity times 1000. His mom and our neighbor helped with the planting of the first two rows of onions and I had the first experience shoveling poo aka fertilizer. At the end of the third row we planted spring lettuce, spinach and arugula. My husband created a mini green house for the greens, temperatures where still low at night Next we dug out a small herb garden for dill, oregano, basil, lavender, and chamomile. And then our potato project began. THIS DIGGING TOOK FOREVER! And just when when I thought we were close to done, our neighbor showed up with another 10 kg of baby potatoes to plant and then 5 kg two days later. In total we planted 15 kg of baby potatoes and 30 kg of regular potatoes. While we were digging our potato garden my sister-in-law was visiting and her husband's aunt decided we needed three chickens, so we had 30 minutes to figure out a coop. We had discussed chickens for the spring when we fixed our out building but plan B, the old outhouse. My husband is amazing as always, he built a roost out of bamboo sticks, yes we have a random cluster of bamboo, and when the chickens arrived. We did clip their wings, we have rogue chickens from the neighbors jumping the fence so we wanted to prevent their wandering. And of course I named them Red, Henrietta, and Josephine. We cleaned out the failed cabbage and planted bush and climbing beans, carrots, leeks, pumpkin, and corn. Also started an extension of the winter onions along the back of the garden for strawberries, tea, cucumbers, egg plants and extended the herb garden to break up the spring lettuce. And then we moved on to a larger garden for zucchini, tomatoes, variety of peppers, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, more bush beans, and then we moved to the front of the garden. We planted two peach trees, two cherry trees, three blueberry bushes, four blackberry bushes, and three different apple trees along the side and front of the garden. We dug out in front of the peach and cherry trees for additional cucumber, watermelon, cantaloupe and corn. We also gained a few additional animals during this time, we found a turtle in the garden we named her Juliet and when cleaning the field next to our garden we found her Romeo and brought him over to our garden. And received three additional chickens Juanita, Joy and Barn and two roosters Jack and Captain. And my wonderful husband installed a swing on the large mulberry tree. Are you tired yet, because I was exhausted after all the digging for the garden but we still had to dig out the vines, one foot on either side of the vine is good maintenance. When I first arrived at the home it was pink inside and tan outside, I ask to paint but husband simply said "Spring". So for my birthday he painted the interior and exterior and I painted the gate.

December of last year was a difficult transition for our home. We started off on a high, we finished planting and weeding the garden of garlic, onion, and cabbage, tested and enjoyed the fireplace (literally roasting chestnuts on an open fire), explored the mountains on the other side of the lake via Montenegro on our anniversary and prepared our pig Bacon for St. Nicolas. We had dinner before leaving Montenegro and the owner whom was Albanian was boasting about how healthy he was and he looked twice as old as Art's dad who had just turned 75, the owner 55. On our way home from Montenegro we were discussing his parents, their good health and the fact that they had just moved in to an apartment. We knew that eventually they would retire, his dad was still working full-time, yes at 75, and they would relocate from Michigan to our home in Albania but what we didn't expect was that the following morning we would receive a phone call. Shock doesn't even describe our household over the next 20 days our house was transformed into grand central station. His father passed in the middle of the night of a sudden and life ending heart attack that no one saw coming. This is still gut wrenching to talk about but I do because this was my first crash course in Albanian culture and traditions. We live near his extended family and they stepped in right away to assist because we were both at loss as to what to do and how to do it. By that afternoon we had some idea of what to expect and house full of family. Now if you have been following my journey, I had only been here two months, so my language skills were very minor and I was now surrounded by family and strangers coming to pay their respects from early morning until 11 pm. Overwhelmed. Tradition - When a family member passes, the family home is turns into grand central station. Visitation - When guests (family, friends, strangers) arrive you greet them outside with the males first and then the females, usher them inside the family home or large reception tent where they sit in chairs at a table with a photo of the passed family member, the grieving family remains standing, the guests are offered cigarettes (still shaking my head), a shot of raki, and offered a turkish coffee. The guest then states their condolences via a scripted salute with raki and some will go immediately following this and some will stay and share stories of the passed loved one. The Wake - The wake typically follows the visitation, this is where they stay all night with the body in the home or tent outside the home, roasted lamb meal at midnight and this is typically immediate family. Day of Burial - Following the wake, another visitation is held in the morning at this point the family divides, the men greet the guests, the women are placed around the casket and the lines of guests are greeted then ushered through the line with the women around the casket, then the men go to the tables with raki and cigarettes and the women sit on benches and are offered some refreshments like bottled water or coffee, the priest will then come and do a short service and then the graveside service and burial. 3 Days post Burial - Then on at third day after the loved one is buried there is a visitation, another meal served to the grieving family at noon and they go back to the graveside. Sunday post Burial - The first Sunday post burial is another reception in the morning followed by a meal at noon. This is typically immediate family and the last gathering for out of town family members before they depart. So all in all this process should take about a week tops, but that was not the case for us, we had almost 11 days of visitation, they had a service for him in Michigan before transporting him here, and the rest of his family from the states arrived, then the wake followed by the rest of the above and an extra week of visitation post since Christmas fell in the middle of all of this. We had two large tents erected in our driveway to accommodate the massive amount of people and family. His mother and father were both the eldest of their siblings and my husband has 38 first cousins so this was a massive undertaking for just immediate family and his father was also a pillar of society and very well respected in this tiny town and so it was non-stop every day the entire time. Side bar - It was December and part of this tradition was leaving the door open during the day until late around 11ish pm. Our only source of heat at the time was our wood burning fireplace and the temperature that had been very mild dropped literally the day we received the call from a nice mid 60s to mid 40s. We did have two heaters put in the tents as well the night of the wake because the men had to stay outside to greet the guests and the women were inside with the casket. Other notes, there was never knock at the door with a casserole to just reheat, every meal was stressful we could be feeding 4 to 16 to 40, dress code is simply all black no exceptions during this period (some family members carry this on for a year), if you are the widow it is all black for the rest of your life by tradition, and did I mention I still could barely understand or speak the language. And last but not least when I would go to town before all of this people would just stare (I don't look, dress or speak the part of a typical Albanian woman), now I go to town and people know that belong to the Malaj family and to my husband Chop (C, often greeted with smiles and greetings. Pretty sure now I have shook hands with every adult in the Bajze community. Our family from the states were departing on December 31 and they left me a small token of love with a live full grown turkey (somebody ask me what I missed about home, my response "my dad's smoked turkey"). My mother-in-law unpacked and made herself at home here and the extended family departed. Work - I was working up until the day of his father's death, my contract ended December 31 and we had previously discussed not renewing before this event so at this point we were sad, tired, overwhelmed and I had officially retired. 2019...please be kind and squeeze your parents a little tighter.

I grew up in Missouri where tornado warnings were a beacon to go to the front porch to gaze at the sky. In Florida, hurricane season come with both the ones that stay and ride it out and the others that flee north as quickly as possible buying out all non perishables from every store on the way. My first hurricane came as Hurricane Irma and we chose to stay and ride it out with my husband's brother and his family. We learned the art of hurricane shutters and the ghost town syndrome when a storm threat is near. We had power and internet during the storm and it was that week while we were watching the news in the evening that I found an opening with a New Zealand company that I knew could be a great fit so I applied. Post hurricane no damage and the next week I left my career in Health IT in the US. I chose to stay home and work on my other passion in real estate. By the end of 2017, we had reached our savings goal, I had my real estate license, started the interview process for New Zealand and we were actively looking at business opportunities for my husband in New Zealand. Fast forward recap: Plan A - Savings and debt goals achieved Plan B - I got the job, I moved to New Zealand in March 2018 without my husband his visa pending Plan C - To live in my husband's family home in Bajze, Albania

It started with an impulse to move to a warm, sunset worthy, non-stop flights, sand beneath my toes location in a quest to take back one thing, TIME. I was a fly warrior spending my Monday and Thursdays flying to and from my small college town Springfield, Missouri. The airport is tiny which means the planes are tiny and required a layover in Chicago, Atlanta or Dallas to get to most destinations. I was spending 18 to 22 hours a week in my commute to and from work, I was over it. I wanted my time to be mine so after spending the first half of the year traveling for pleasure outside of my work commute to New York, Florida, Hawaii, California, and Ireland, I decided to move. My short term lease started in August of 2015, it was a charming craftsman bungalow near Treasure Island in St. Petersburg, Florida. My first weekend was busy, I had to furnish the entire house including dishware, linens, furniture and more. And by more, I mean eat...over breakfast in a small beach cafe on that first damp Sunday morning I met a man whom I now proudly call husband. Yes, I said breakfast, I met my husband over an omelette and french toast. It was this day that Plan C was planted. The conversation started with where do you see yourself in five years, my response, "I want to live and work abroad before I am 40." His response while gesturing to me and himself, "Well if this doesn't work out, most likely living in my family home in Bajze, Albania or to live in a house on a hill over looking a body of water off the grid." Fast forward recap, we were married in December of 2015, bought a charming home in Apollo Beach, Florida Plan A - Payoff debt and save Plan B - Live and work abroad before 40 Plan C - Live in family home in Bajze, Albania

After the New Year and with the recent and sudden loss of my father-in-law we set a few goals for 2019. Number one, our health. So settle in and sit down before I give you this play by play. My first experience with Albanian healthcare sent chills down my spine for the wrong reasons. Art had to update one of his immunizations for his visa back in February 2018 and we went to this small shack of a clinic. The scene was not pretty for someone that had spent the last 20 years working in healthcare. The immunizations were kept in ice cream coolers, the were no gloves in sight or hand soap or hand sanitizer, no sharps container for the needles (just threw them in the trash near the door), and the bathroom pretty sure had not been thoroughly cleaned in years (no toilet paper, no toilet seat, and no SOAP). I wanted to bathe my husband in rubbing alcohol upon exiting the clinic. So going in to this years health goal I was a little on edge. Health Insurance coverage for both of us for a year cost $278. It covers two annual check-ups, emergency coverage (ambulance and visit to ER) and some specialty visits. It is for one specific private hospital but healthcare in Albania is socialized so citizens can go to any public hospital for care. We weren't sure of how to schedule so my husband made a call, the answer blew my mind. It is open Sunday-Saturday 8-6 walk-in, no appointment required. We live two hours north of this hospital, we fasted the night before and left before 8 am. When we arrived we checked in filled out a single form, took copies of our insurance card and ID, and then we waited maybe 10 minutes and were called to do our labs. Quick, clean and painless, next we were escorted to another floor where we both had EKGs, a consult with the cardiologist and complete History and Physical. I was able to go and complete my yearly gyn visit and even received another order for an ultrasound, old softball injury to the left chest. We followed the instructions to the basement and made the appointment for the same day just a few hours later which was great because we were HUNGRY. We left and went to his sister's for lunch and came back received the ultrasound, all good by the way and then we met with another doctor to discuss our lab results. I also received a Dermatology consultation again SAME DAY. We left the hospital with the only bill which was for the Dermatology consultation $20, results and peace of mind. The staff for the most part was able to speak English so my visit was a breeze, the facility was clean and up to current standards. Healthcare abroad not so scary after all. So January is the coldest and also wettest month to date for me in Albania. We received the first real snow accompanied by loud thunder, yes THUNDER SNOW, I initially thought it was an avalanche. The amount of snow that typically falls in this valley town is a dusting at best but this was an exception, it snowed for three days. We made the most of it via snowball fights with the kids next door, a true and honorable snow queen of the vines and snow angels. After the snow came almost two weeks of rain, our yard was a giant mud pit until mid February. Other year goals to grow what we eat, spend wisely and when only necessary and explore every nook of this beautiful country.

We have had my husband's family visit from the states but this spring I had my first visitor of non family origin visit from San Francisco, Lauren. We have been friends since freshmen year of college (19 years ago), we were proud residence of Freddy's 3WW. We have had several adventures through out the years but this was very special, showing someone my forever home for the first time. It started with a two night stay in Rome and then short puddle jump flight to Tirane, the capital of Albania. My husband played the chauffeur/tour guide to this adventure. On our way from the airport to our homestead we stopped at two castles, Lezhe and Rozafa and had lunch in a small but beautiful beach town Shengjin on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The next day we spent exploring one of the most scenic drives from Bajze to Vermosh, a small valley town tucked high in the northern mountains of Albania. The drive includes a large overlook of a canyon, beautiful river, bunkers, snow, wandering animals, waterfalls and little picturesque towns along the way. One of my favorite routes to wander so far in Albania. Lauren could have spent hours wandering a trail we found along the way, next time my dear, next time. The following day we explored my town of Bajze from the mount behind the house, garden, the lake to the small cafes and shops in our small city center. We made our way back south stopping in the city of bikes, Shkoder to walk the main strip of shops and even found an artisan jewelry shop ran by the same family for three generations (Lauren is a master craftswoman in the art of jewelry) right across from a restaurant called San Francisco. And we spent the last night of her visit in Tirane since she had a very early fight out in the morning and had a feast at my sister in law's home. In true Albanian tradition she was fed until she literally could not chew any more. Next trip for her will hopefully be for much longer and with her husband and the college family, we would get to explore much more like the southern coast and even a few days hiking. My next visitors were from New Zealand hailed via bike all the way from Greece. They are on an epic bike trip from Greece to Scotland. My friend Johan and his beautiful wife Deborah stayed with us for just one night, they share the dream of one day homesteading in New Zealand and living quite similar to Art and I. We had amazing conversations and laughs through out the evening. To read more about their amazing bike trip check out their blog: https://tourtheeurope.blogspot.com/

Our small town borders a large lake called Lake Skadar. It shares borders between Montenegro and Albania. It is a fresh water lake fed by many springs and surrounded by mountains. It is a 15 minute bike ride to the lake's edge from our front door. Unlike the crowded lakes back in Missouri, when we visit the lake to fish or swim we are met with surreal silence with the exception of nature or a bird's call. It is peaceful and wonderful to relax and enjoy the scenery. The lake can be cold especially near the spring's eye but otherwise very refreshing on a hot day. We have had some minor success fishing. At one of our favorite spots there was an abandoned building that is now being converted into a restaurant and the other is a abandoned restaurant that was destroyed by a flood some years back but both locations are ideal for both swimming and fishing. Spring's Eye View from Montenegro looking back across the lake to Albania.

In total we had 27 baby chicks, 2 baby turkeys, 6 hens and 2 roosters in our poultry department this spring. By midsummer the count is 11 baby chicks, 2 roosters and 5 hens, loss to predators: two feral cats and either a hoot owl or hawk. The mother hens left their chicks about 6 weeks after hatching to fend for themselves. We left their shelters near our bedroom window so we could hear of any distress and several went missing without a sound, enter hawk or owl. Others we heard the distress but came to late to the rescue, enter said cats. The decision to move them to the larger coop with the hens and roosters in the back was made when we were losing a chick nearly every other day/night and the grapes are starting to ripen (the chicks like to roost on the vines). Let me set the ambiance of this scene. My husband has his big toes wrapped two days post op and can barely walk let alone run, it's dusk and light is fading fast and our yard is anything but level with lots of obstacles (random holes, fences, bricks, rocks, trenches, tree roots, etc). So we (my husband, his mom and I) gathered and corralled the baby chicks with the hens and the roosters towards the larger coop (shiny one on the right above) all good so far, but then it was like a game of tag. One would walk the plank almost into the coop and another would tag it, it would then a. fly and roost in the nearby fig tree or b. run flat out to the front yard. This ensued for an hour, dusk had faded and trip hazard increased by 100% we had only managed to get three of the baby chicks inside at this point and we were forced to start catching each chick one by one and placing them in the coop. Have you ever tried to catch a chicken? Have you ever tried to catch one in the dark without putting pressure on your big toes? It was MAYHEM. We managed to catch four more and place them in the coop, one decided to find shelter in an old coop so we secured and resigned to leave it there. We still had 5 on the loose, four had fled to the front yard to roost in the vines, we found and caught three but couldn't locate the last one in the front but did locate and caught the last one in the back. We walked the vineyard with flashlights twice trying but no luck. So 12 out of 13 were secured but as our luck would have it the night predator won and then their were 12. The following night we started the corral again as thunder was rolling in, the storm broke into a heavy rain storm so they were left to seek shelter or else. Well at around 2 am we hear a break in the rain and then the worst sound of distress. We saw the cat but were too late to save the chick so we are now down to 11 baby chicks. Free range chickens are a wonderful but it is a deadly game of chicken. Rest in peace my dears.