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To poletje This summer

To poletje je bilo neobičajno … Ali je sploh bilo poletje?

This summer was unusual … Was it even summer?

Vrtovi so bili zaradi dežja zeleni in s tegale bohotnega

sosedovega lepotca smo redno prejemali priboljške.

Because of a constant rain, gardens were all even greener

and this lush neighbouring beauty gave us many goodies.

Občutek frfotajočega in spogledljivega poletja sem doživela samo na začetku in sem ter tja

kak dan tudi kasneje, vmes pa sem se spraševala, če sem padla v jesen ali april.

The only time I had a feeling of a fluttering flirting summer was at its beginning and then

only here and then for a day or two and in the meantime I was wondering if I fell into autumn or April.

A se nismo dali, o, to pa ne! Pikniki in praznovanja so padali kot običajno, tudi tisti,

tradicionalni, julijski, z golažem, za katerega je spet, navzlic nevihti, poskrbel tast.

But we have not surrendered, oh no, we haven’t! Picnics and celebrations were scored

one by one, as usual, even the traditional one in July, with goulash,

which was organized by my father in law, despite a storm.

To poletje je prineslo veliko sprememb. Radostno-melanholične.

Tudi tiste, več-tisoč-kilometrske.

Pogrešala bom posedanja pri sestri, kadarkoli in ob katerikoli uri,

v njenem kraljestvu slik, šivanja in okusne hrane. 

This summer brought many changes. Joyfully melancholic changes.

Including the more-thousand-kilometres ones.

I will miss coming to my sister at any time, at any hour,

in her kingdom of paintings, sewing and delicious food.

Ampak, kdor ima rad, ima rad tudi na daljavo, kajne?

In kdor ima rad, tudi v kislem poletju uzre krasne nebesne trenutke.

Žalostne, dramatične, sive, nore, polnokrvne in živahne.

But, the one who loves, can love even on a distance, right?

And who loves can spot gorgeous celestial moments even in the sour summer.

Blue, happy, dramatic, grey, crazy, full-blooded and lively.

In prav to poletje sem ujela svoj najljubši, radostno-melanholičen, filmski trenutek v živo.

Tole v vetru in med listjem poplesujočo vrečko, biti sredi že videne scene,

mravljinci na koži, sredi Radovljice, vam rečem!

And it was this summer when I caught my favourite, joyfully-melancholic, movie moment in live.

This plastic bag, dancing with the wind and leaves, to be in the middle of a familiar scene,

shivers down my spine, in the middle of Radovljica, I’m telling you!

Kakor v posmeh, ali za ravnotežje?, vznemirjenosti naših src

se ob pogledu na dedkov vrt spočijejo oči,

nežne, umirjene slike kakor da blažijo ta krut prehod,

ko si plodovi poznega poletja podajo roko z nežno rožnato pomladjo,

slovesa kot da ne bo, bo samo pričakovanje, ki že diši po ponovnem zelenem.

As in mockery, or is it for a balance?, for our excited hearts,

our eyes relax by the sight of grandpa’s garden,

gentle, tranquil pictures ease this cruel transition,

when fruits of a late summer give a hand to a soft pink spring,

it is just like there will be no farewell, only an expectation that smells of a re-green.

Kot otrok z iskricami v očeh prehajam v sladek popoletni čas,

topim se v rumeno-oranžno-rjavo.

Sončno. Sočno. Rodovitno. V darežljiv čas.

Like a child with sparkles in the eyes I breeze through into sweet after-summer time,

I melt into yellow-orange-brown-gold.

Sunny. Juicy. Fertile. Into generous time.

Letošnje ubogo poletje torej …

This poor summer then …

… letošnje poletje … v mojem srcu boš bogato cvetelo za vedno … hvala ti.

… this summer … you will blossom in abundance in my heart forever … thank you.

Kraljevski zajtrk A royal breakfast

Miro je po dolgem, predolgem času spet spekel kruh. Štiri štručke. Iz polnozrnate pšenične in pirine moke, vsako s svojim dodatkom: eno s kaprami, eno z inčuni, eno s čemaževim pestom in največjo, ki jo je zaradi nastalega vzorca kasneje sicer poimenoval kar potica, z lanenimi semeni.

Naslednji dan sva tako, skupaj z jabolki z dedkovega vrta, imela kraljevski zajtrk, nekaj pa ga je ostalo še za pokušino za obiske.

Mimogrede, ste prebrali tale zanimiv zapis o kruhu?

After long, too long time Miro baked bread again. Four little loaves. From wholegrain wheat and spelt flour, each with own addition: one with capers, one with anchovy fillets, one with wild garlic pesto and the longest one, which, because of the pattern that reminded of the traditional Slovenian desert, he later named potica, with flax seeds.

Therefore, together with apples with my grandpa’s garden we had a royal breakfast the next day, but some left also for visitors later.

Krasti poletje Stealing summer

Ko sva se vzpenjala proti razvalinam smledniškega Starega gradu, sva si domišljala, da živiva poletje. Tako zelo hrepenim po njem, tako zelo mi je manjkalo pretekle dolge tedne, da se, pa četudi z jopico namesto klobuka in sončnih očal, oprimem vsake še tako male svetle, izza oblakov kukajoče modrine, še tako sramežljivo mlačnega dne, ki vsaj malo diši po soncu.

Kakorkoli, z vrha se odpre krasen razgled daleč naokoli za opazovanje pokrajine, ki izgleda kot škratkova dežela.

As we were walking up towards the ruins of Stari grad [=Old Castle] at Smlednik, we were imagining living the summer. These past long weeks I have been craving for summer so much, I have been missing it immensely, so that I, even though with a cardigan instead of a hat and sunglasses, grab to any yet so tiny bright blue sky, I grab to every yet so shy and mild day with at least a touch of sun.

Anyway, when at the top, there are gorgeous views all around to watch the landscape that looks like an elf land.

Mimobežne scene Fleeting scenes

Iz avta. To poletje. Dihjemajoče.

From the car. This summer. Breathtaking.

Lep trenutek Beautiful moment

Krasno sveže jutro! Nenačrtovan zajtrk z mami v Stanu blizu Zbiljskega jezera, enkrat prejšnji teden.

Ko si srečen na tisti najbolj prvinski in nezapleten način in je pred tabo še ves dan.

Gorgeous fresh morning! Unplanned breakfast with mum at Stan, one day in previous week.

When you're happy in the most basic and uncomplicated way, knowing there's a whole day in front of you.

Pripravljeni na zimo Ready for winter

Tako, na zimo smo pripravljeni! :)

Tole je sirup iz komaj kaj več kot prgišča smrekovih vršičkov, ki sva jih nabrala na enem najinih spomladanskih gozdnih pobegov.

We’re ready for winter! :)

This is a syrup made from not much more than a handful of spruce shoots that we picked on one of our forest escapes this spring.

(simple: just put layers of young spruce tips combined with sugar or honey in a glass jar, cover it and put it on the sun through the summer, then you drain the liquid into a bottle and have a spoon of it when you cough or catch a cold)

Sladko mesto v jesenskem avgustu Sweet town in autumn-like August

Ah, Radovljica je krasno mesto! Četudi še ne v drugi polovici avgusta, ki bolj spominja na jesen kot kaj drugega, je sladka in ti ogreje srce. Lahko bi šla večkrat tja.

A vidite, kako posrečeno so speljali pot na prosto čebelicam, ki si jih lahko ogleduješ v Čebelarskem muzeju, ha!

Ah, Radovljica is gorgeous town! Even though visited already in the first half of August, which looks more like an autumn than anything else this year, it is sweet and makes your heart warm. I should go there more often.

See, how clever they led the way to the freedom for the bees that you can admire in the town’s Museum of Apiculture, ha!

[more info about our rich beekeeping tradition; plus my previous posts including traditional beehive panels: here, here and here]