Toshe Proeski

Today is also a very special day for all Macedonians and it's diverse communities.  They still remember that tragic day two years ago when they lost -Toshe Proeski a singer and pop star in a tragic car accident at the age of 26.   He was an overnight sensation when he released his debut album in 1999 -" HeKade Bo Hokta" (Somewhere in the Night).  Everyone loved him not only for his beautiful melody and songs but also because he was one of the rare persons who dedicated their talent and lives to help others and at the same time representing Macedonia, it's people and culture in its best light through songs.  You should download and listen to him.

This week also gave us a taste of what to expect for winter.  It was one miserable Tuesday this week. The sky was overcast - the wind whistling and whining through the windows bringing in the cold air from the mountain a little west of us, which were covered with snow. Time to bring out those winter garments.  Yet at the same time, the mountain views are awesome and like a picture postcard real good to look at but not so much fun to live in without the right gear. I have started dressing in layers, put away my dress shoes for sturdy boots and the ever ready raincoat to ward of the rain. Ughh!  

The classroom remains pleasantly warm with the heater, so it is easy to forget the cold air outside, though the metal screen keeps rattling. The lessons this week were a little difficult, as we have started on future and past tense. Though it has made present tense feel and sound easy in contrast.

Even cold days have a bright side! With the windy days I don’t feel guilty picking up one or two walnuts fallen from the trees the night before. I have done this only on the way out as my host family has a container full of them inside. I enjoy using a random stone from the path to crack open the walnut just picked up with the seed cover barely fallen off. It had never ever crossed my mind that I will be living in an area where the black walnut trees are so abundant, that no one here has a “plantation” of trees, ready to be made into a cash crop or cares a lot about fallen walnuts. One or two trees per family take care of their yearly needs and more. One evening, my host mom crushed two cups of walnuts in a 21st century plastic mill most likely made in China. She made a batter with eggs, sugar, sunflower oil, a packet of baking powder, some water and approx 3 cups of flour with a pinch of salt. No measuring cups were used. She mixed in the walnuts and poured it in a large lightly greased and floured pie pan – the same pan used to make the traditional “burek”. She added handfuls of the apple-peach-pear-plum marmalade (made last month) to the batter – not mixing it, just left it to sink in some spots and baked the mix for approx 15 minutes! When she served this moist walnut cake-like bread for supper, I could not resist that extra piece or two I had watched carefully and hope to recreate many of these dishes without using recipes and measuring cups and spoons.

Though I promise myself I will not talk about food, it is inevitable that as long I live with a family and don’t cook myself, I have a lot to say about the meals. After a long day of class and site visits, it is so welcoming to walk into the parlor to find it heated with a space heater and my lunch. One day it was fried local fish (much like lake Michigan whitefish in taste but only 7-8 inches long), slices of lightly battered and fried eggplant, fresh tomatoes and cucumber salad. A slice of freshly baked bread finished the meal, with a dessert of fresh sliced apple. 

When the sun is up and the day is at it’s warmest, I like walking about the many village streets. I have yet to find one that is not a cul-de-sac or that disappears into the field. None appear to connect to others, so one can walk in a grid like or criss-cross pattern. Each one comes down to the main street. This must be true of all villages nestled in valleys as this one it. From the main road these side streets look so inviting so I just take the plunge going up and down – often running into people I know, who don’t seem to understand what I am doing walking randomly up and down. This week I came across my first totally abandoned property – the main house had only one wall standing, ravaged by the changing seasons. One could make out the outline of what might have been the fire hearth. The house was made of stone and clay. On that same street up a couple of houses up stood a newer structure with a beautiful green lawn and what were riotous flower beds that the previous night’s frost had killed the plants, turning them black. I wonder if it is owned by the same family…..?????