souvenirs & garden update

certain someone doesn't like shopping, which kinda sucks because i love to go and browse grocery stores abroad. i had some things in mind that i wanted to get, but there always are so many other interesting items...like a saw a peka that i absolutely wanted but with luggage limitations and its odd shape i didn't get one. it would have been perfect to use at the cottage. wonder if dad could fix something similar...

anyways, here is some of what i got. gotta buy vegeta, and paprika, and the ground poppy seeds, there is a recipe i want to try with it







oh, and ajvar! it goes with anything (i think) but is excellent with grilled meats. i also got a tiny jar of ground truffles. i'm shamed to admit that i haven't ever had truffles before...







and...what did you think, would i not get some chocolate? i happen to think it is a sin if you don't bring any "foreign" chocolate home from a trip







when this stuff is good, oh boy, is it very good! and i'd like to add that i take it purely for medicinal purposes... my former landlord in vukovar made some mean rakija, might have to go and visit them one of these years







before our trip i fixed support "a la martha" for the precious peonies







martha calls this a cradle







it's amazing how much they grew in 5 days even in the cold and rainy weather







i so hope sun will soon start to warming the weather, this bud seems awfully tiny







i planted this one last summer and was amazed to find out that it survived winter







however, it's not growing as fast as the big bush. i dare not move or even dig too deep for weeds in fear of disturbing the plant so that in revenge it will not produce the big pink flowers i so love. it remains to be seen whether this tiny plant will bloom this summer







rhubarb is doing great. will need to bake some pies soon







took this picture a little over week ago as i had no idea what this plant is (still don't)...







...in a week it has grown this much and it still doesn't look something i've seen in the garden before. certain someone thinks it's something that produces red poisonous berries, but he doesn't know the name either







the apple trees then...one of them (the one on the right) is on full bloom and looks like it didn't mind our pruning. the one on the left then, the tiniest...i might have to make good on my word to buy two new apple trees for each one that died. hopefully it won't snow whilst the trees are blooming, i'd really like to be able to make some apple sauce in the fall







the blooms in the tree on the right are big and plentyfull...







...while the ones in the tree on the left are tiny and few in between







i'm not sure which one bums me more, these temperatures?







or this pouring rain?







on the other hand, i managed to get some kitchen cabinets cleaned today while it was raining cats and dogs. if it turns out to be a wet and cold summer, the shack might actually once in this century be spotlessly clean!