Ah - it's a country kind of life

Animals - everywhere. Damnest thing I’ve ever seen. Goats, cows, chicken and sometimes a dog - last night there were rabbits running around! Apparently these animals know when it’s time to come home because they go home every night. I am going to video tape this spectacle if I can.

This is our first night at the country home. I will write more about it later - right now i”m going to bed - it’s 11:00 - we just had dinner at 10:30 b/c we got here late and one of the cousins that live in the village brought over the best green beans I have ever eaten and I’d like to find out what she did to them, and then she made hamburger with tomatoes, peppers (I picked them out) and olives I think. Then some spices and it was pretty good too! Of course - you guessed it cucumbers and tomatoes, feta with flat bread - that is a staple I think. I think it’s like our salad.

Life is very simple here - we are staying the summer home that Ayten's Father built on his family's property. It is in a little, tiny village nestled in the mountains. Again - most of my pictures are on my camera and I will update later. To get to the bathroom you have to go outside - that is kind of a bummer - especially when it's in the middle of the night and you hear some kind of animals in that direction, but "Buck up" and get on with it.

This is the scene outside the gate of our house.

The kitchen

That small stove produces some mighty fine food!

another view

Cabinets

Dining room

Chifferobe in living room - very old 

and beautiful

China cabinet - they only come here once a year

but they keep beautiful dishes and linens

on hand.

The kids with an uncle picking Hazelnuts. 

There are no lawn mowers here, nor weed eaters

or leaf blowers - they just let the grass grow - when and if

and animal comes to eat it then it will get cut! 

This is gate - every home has one in 

the country and in the city.

Upon entering a home you remove your shoes

and put on slippers. I was enamored by the broom and 

the mop. To use the mop you just put a clean, damp rag

over the bottom and wipe the floor. The floors aren't that

dirty because everyone leaves their shoes at the door

I really like this idea - we need to institute

it in America.

This is one of Ayten's Aunt's that lives in the village

Lots and lots of women wear scarves - this 

lady had 5 kids - all of them live

in the city now. She lives alone, but goes

and stays with a daughter in the winter when

it's too hard for her to light a fire everyday

to keep warm. She liked to come over and just 

be near me. We were always looking at one

another smiling. She seemed like a very nice women.