Snow Snow Oh & More Snow, Spring is Still Around The Corner

This years Sveti Trifun ( wine day) was slightly different from last years, as our weather is poles apart from the same day last year, but I'm sure the Bulgarians did not let the snow stop them! You can read about the Bulgarian tradition of Sveti Trifun on last years blog entry, just click on the link  below....  http://bulgarianvillagelife.blogspot.com/2011/02/sveti-trifun-vino-rakia-nastrave.html
We went to friends to celebrate Sveti Trifun again this year, I really wanted to show off last years vino we think its the best yet but I know our Bulgarian friends think it is very strong. The reason for these differing opinions, we added more sugar! Personally we prefer the sweetness but the villagers, although they like the taste, believe it to be "extra" meaning it will be very much stronger, I am not at all sure about this.  We got the seal of approval from Yovo though who said it was FANTASTIC!  I have an English friend though who prefers our previous years wines which are drier, but on the whole the 2011 has had a good response. Wine really is all about personal taste, I guess the way to go is, make one barrel sweet & one barrel dry, that way everyone is covered ;-D


This is Hoppie, our little wounded village stray that Nigel feeds

The weather is getting better, but we are still having snow & the build up of the last months snow falls have gone no where yet. In fact we had more snow last night, again this morning & a mini blizzard this afternoon, at the same time the sun was going in & out, as I type this the sun is out. 
 I was due to go & see my friend today but with the snow I freaked out, those of you who are regular readers will know why. Nigel went to help with a problem & I have stayed home.
At first, when the sun came out, I was regretting my decision & could  have kicked myself. Then I looked out of the window & saw a whirlwind of snow, I had to go outside to check it was real,  it was! So I know I made the right choice as I would have been in total panic all the way, then spent the day worrying & panic all the way home. Such a horrible feeling. I really don't think this fear will ever go away now :-(((((
We managed to get into Polski on Wednesday It was great to get out, my first time in a whole month!!! . We have not seen Sue & Arthur for a month, Facebook & the phone just do not hit the spot where friendship is concerned. Also our friends Irene & Dave have moved here permanently & I had not seen them since they arrived, Nigel has managed to see then a couple of times when he has chanced the drive out, but the roads were too bad for me.
It was really lovely to catch up with them all over a bowl of soup, perlenka with off course a lovely rum & coke. Mind you I do feel like I just got verbal diarrhoea, from non socialisation lol, so I'm not sure my conversation made much sense ;-D

So, so, so, so, so looking forward to Spring now. Not because of being at home, but through missing my friends, not socialising, oh & seeing nothing but white everywhere, that gets really bo-or-oring after a couple of months!
I am yearning for the beautiful scenery of my Bulgarian countryside. The greens of many varying shades, the purple, lilac & pinks of the lilac tree's, pink & white blossom of the fruit tree's & the many varied colours of the unknown bushes & brush of the hedgerow, Gawjus ;-D
Loving Spring here, first exchanging Martenitsa brings the excitement, then looking out for the first Stork, knowing that soon we will be seeing them everywhere in their huge Easter bonnet nests. Starting to eat in the garden & having morning coffee in the sun. I am also very fortunate that I have an area which is sheltered & gets very hot with direct sun, I can be starting my tan in May, GREAT!
So as you can see nothing much has changed, we still are surrounded by snow, though I am snowed in through fear Nigel has been, out & in fact is in Peychinovo as I type.Yesterday he took our friend to Strajitsa. She is a teacher in the school here, & had to go in to do a computer course on a new subject to teach the children. Her husbands car is not snow road worthy, so Nigel took them in & then home again. He was stuck waiting there for a few hours so he busied himself doing a bit of shopping for woodworm treatment & a few other bits along with a bit of food.
I am really hoping we can get some proper food shopping done tomorrow, as although there are many different meals I can make with mince, I would like something different now. A joint of Pork roasted would be nice :-)