And here we are again. With the hint of spring in the air – it was a perfect, sunny morning here in Zagreb today – I am back at summer Pruga thinking and doing.

Lists are written and re-written, handymen contacted to try and get Pruga time booked with them, garden centres visited! A tour of activities that ended last season follows.

It feels like blogging is a bit passé these days but looking back, it is great that we have this record of good times we have at Pruga. So I will definitely continue the blog, hopefully a bit more often than twice a year!

Six tree holes were dug in September and the trees will be planted in the next month or so! Two of each hopefully: linden, mulberry and mediterranean hackberry (ladonja). Ladonja is often found in Istria, sometimes it is even cited as a symbol of Istria – a gorgeous tree up to 25m high that gives lovely shade. It will be (one day long in the future) a lovely tree fence towards our neighbours.

We had soooo many plums on our plum trees last autumn. So there are jars of plum jam and plum compote to be eaten at breakfasts this summer. And some wonderful cakes and plum dumplings were had.

All the usual summer flavours were captured for the winter. The obligatory tomato sauce.

And even more obligatory ajvar. This time, it was made in Anna’s kitchen – peppers were grilled on the bbq and that made quite a bit of a difference to the flavour that, out of my laziness, I didn’t want to admit before. So, next September, I will definitely be grilling them outside!

I love these picture where you can make it so it looks like you had an abundance of something. Raspberries in this case. In fact, we had only this one branch, though a very delicious one!

I spent a lovely afternoon with Isabel in my favourite village in the whole of Istria – Draguć. Istria is known for many cute churches decorated with well preserved frescos. In Draguć, there is also a House of frescos where we went for a fresco making workshop. Above is my work – letter “A” in the Glagolitic script – the oldest known Slavic alphabet. Fun day out – I hope they continue workshops this summer.

A good reason to visit our neighbours Koquelicot winery in Gračišće – when Pruga is your honeymoon destination! Not that we need an excuse 🙂

Anarchy in Lovrinići.

Autumn turns from grey and depressing…

…to bright and glorious.

And eventually the day comes when you close the pool 🙁

Going for walks in the surrounding woods and fields is the best Pruga activity. You can, for example meet a goat. Those horns would look much scarier were there no fence!

And walks are always best when in the company of dearest ones!