a confederate in Svinisce

Jordan is the name, and no, I am not a relative of that other Jordan (Michael).

If live a bit above the author of this blog, overlooking their piece of land, and I used to be (and never forgot) a welder and ironworker.
So whenever somebody needs some job done in steel, I am the man to call for, as whatever the job, I'll create a solution that not only looks perfect but is perfect, lasting for ages.

Together with wife and sons I live an easy going retired life on one of the higher slopes of this valley called Modris (part of Svinisce).
And lucky us, we see a bit more of the sun, even in wintertime, but that's the benefit of living a bit higher on the ladder :-)

One of my sons serves as a waiter on a cruiseship, which brought him to the States once, where he bought me this confederate cap, and being a present of my son, I proudly wear it !
(And I could'nt care less about north or south, east or west, it's just a great cap and a great gift).

put on your singing shoes and sing !!!

Yesterday we visited our best friends in Podstrana, a village between Split and Omis.

They had their summerparty there, with lots of people, lots of food and drinks, lots of music, sining and dancing.

These gatherings take place in any vivid town or village each year, specially in summer, when the weather is fine.

Podstrana is somehow a special thing, as the town is divided in two pieces, one along the coastal road, more up to date, with lots of appartmenthouses, lots of tourism, lots of modern life, noisy and busy.

The other part of Podstrana, high up the mountainside, is the original settlement, going back centuries, and even in the old days part of the very first documented republic in this area.
The Repuplik Poljica was founded hundreds of years ago and managed to stay untouched by invasions from all sides, among which the Ottomans, one of the strongest invasions in the Balkan in history (but there where many more).


Each and every group manifested on this gathering, the fishers, the hunters, the youthclubs and the elderly folks, and they had a great night together, while the skies where clear, temperature just perfect (for another cold beer) and the food truly perfect (not for tourists but themselves, so it was excellent).

The traditional shoes in the picture where on the feet of a traditional singinggroup that performed that night.
Times change, even in Podstrana, but traditions are not forgotten here, as they are on the basis of this and every society.
Even when Croatia enters the European Union, because respect for traditions is what makes life here unique, even in modern times.

put it in the ground and take it out (after a while)

One of the small delights of living in Croatia is growing your own organic food.
Anything you put in the ground here, after a while (and some tlc) gives a nice harvest.

Not being experienced in agriculture at all, I sometimes ask my neighbours how and waht to do, the rest is just "wait and see".

Were we already eating our own cucumbers, tomaties and melons, this seems to be the right time to take the potatoes I planted out again.
A bit late in the planting season while we arrived a bit later than planned, there are a lot of smaller ones, but also an excellent amount of bigger potatoes, and the smaller ones will be eaten as well, either by us or by the pigs of our neighbours.

Nothing gets thrown away, everything has its value.

Already the ground is being prepared to plant cabbage, so even the winterseason will provide us with genuin quality vegetables, and still the sugarcorn, carrots and lots of fresh kitchenherbs are growing and rewarding us for their daily splash of water.
Chemical stuff is hardly used (not because I am anti), just in case it looks some additional help is needed to kill the coloradobeetles, I help mother nature a bit with some minimal cropprotection.

Not a farmer, I am (we are) pleased to see things pop up out of nothing, kissed by the sun we also like, so while the plants are growing, we drive down to the beach or the borders of the river, to jump in either warm seawater or nice clear cool riverwater.

Living up here in our hidden valley behind the mountains, I keep repeating over and over, is just fantastic.
Our air is clean, our skies are wide, our only noise is from crickets and birds, we see foxes and rabbits (not many), and still we are within reach of anything we like or need from outside our hidden paradise.

Advise to anyone planning to visit Dalmatia:
rent something on the backside of the coastal mountains, and enjoy this unique country at the Adriatic from both sides.
You won't regret it, trust me !!!!!

(Anyone in need of some additional information, see my mailaddress in the header of this blog)