Chickens Had A Good Life

Village life is now a reality for Kamila as the way of living here in Bulgaria has got a hold of her. Survival is all-important here and no time for sentiment.

It wasn’t long ago that Kamila made friends with many chickens on the farm last year on her holiday, they were subsequently slaughtered and frozen for winter feed. This is normal and part of village farm life. They had a good life free range and the kill was quick an painless. Kamila knows all about this even though she is a vegetarian. She is wise for her years and understanding to a great decree.

Kamila know that villagers are poor and survival is based upon practical living. Vegetarian practices are extremely rare if not non-existent in Bulgarian villages. Livestock breeding and killing is a normal way of life here, perhaps more normal and natural than town and city living in the western world.

Today we had one of the chickens for the pot in a stew. Kamila helped with the cooking and felt no qualms about how this chicken ended up. It is a case of knowing that this is the way of Bulgaria and village farm ways. Kamila knows that supermarket chickens have had no life at all before slaughter and are full of chemicals. At least her old chicken friends had a good and natural life considering that chickens have been bred away from being wild.

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Skalitsa Healing Stones

"What's that rock you're sitting on Kamila?" is the inevitable question that will be asked looking at the photograph.

Well, Kamila knows that this is no ordinary rock. She has been told the full story behind the stones and knows full well what powers this stone has. Kamila, being a sensible camel, was rather confused when we told here the story about some healing stones in Skalitsa. It was only when a kind of miracle happened that Kamila realised that these were special stones that had 'magical' healing qualities.

The story is told on another blog in full, but basically, the stones heal many types of illnesses, from rheumatism to hangovers, if laid on for a while. They are a phenomenon that Skalitsa holds and only one other place in the world does this phenomenon happen, somewhere in Mexico.

Kamila is quite happy now that we have one of the healing stones in the house, both in the Skalitsa village and in our Yambol house. As Kamila now says, "Gone are the days of illnesses."

Well the stones have only been in place for a few days and everyone is fine right now. Galia did have a bit of flu until the stone was brought in the house and it cleared up the very next day. Kamila was witness to this and many other healing that the stones have brought.

Yet another surprise that Kamila has experienced here in Bulgaria, we had known about these healing stones for years, but this was all new to Kamila.

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All Smiles This Week

It was all smiles this week as Kamila looks back over last weekend. We promised her as a Birthday present a trip to Skalitsa to see all her friends that she made there on her holiday in the summer. She was in a village dream world again as she met everyone and caught up with all the news.

Unfortunately a few chickens she used to be friends with her were no longer here. They had been slaughtered and eaten. When Kamila found out, she said that she totally understands that this is how things are here. She went on to comment that they were probably the luckiest chickens in the world with the life they had here. They were totally free range and enjoyed an outdoor life without stress.

Kamila also found out that she may have the opportunity to spend more time here in the spring as many things have to be done here on the land at the beginning of the growing season where her help would be needed. the countdown to spring has already started for Kamila, but she still has to experience a winter in Bulgaria for the first time. We might have to get here some more rugs to sling on her hump soon!

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Picture on a Book

It has been two weeks now since Kamila returned to Yambol an she was missing being surrounded by the wonderful nature and the Skalitsa countryside. She caught a glimpse of a sight she had seen a few time on the cover of a book. It was a picture of a sunset taken from the garden of the farmhouse and used as the cover of the book.

"I remember beautiful evenings like that." she said with a sigh. "We just don't get sights like this in the town." she went on to say.

We tried to explain by saying "Well Kamila, there is no work it the villages that why we have to live in the town, to earn money."

"I understand" said Kamila. "But it is a shame that people can't make a living from living in the countryside."

"That's the way of the world Kamila, the cost of living always rising and the country folk struggle to make ends meet." we added.

Kamila was in deep thought after this and walked off slowly to sit down on the sofa. We all wanted to know what her thoughts were.

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Lots to Talk About

It's been a while now since Kamila got back to Yambol and the best moment was seeing Eli again. She had missed here so much and there was so much to talk about.

So that's exactly what they did, everyday another sotry was told by Kamila about her time in the Skalitsa village. She explained about all the differences between living in the country and living in the town. Eli couldn't get a word in most of the time.

They both are still the best of friends and Kamila promised that Eli could come along with her next time she goes on holiday.

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Storks in Skalitsa

Kamila was feeling quite sad today. The reason was quite simply that tomorrow was the last day here holidaying on the Skalitsa farmhouse. She will be very sorry to go, but at the same time be happy to get back to here friends she left behind in Yambol.

She wondered into the street and saw at the end of the road a stork's nest with three baby stork there. We told her that they will be flying away very soon and will return to nest again next year in the same spot.

Kamila was quite taken with these birds as they were very large and graceful as she saw them glide over her head on occasions.

"Do you get Storks in Yambol?" was the question on Kamila's lips.

"No, just int he villages where they have peace and quiet and lots fields of hay and straw to search for food." we replied. "You can come back next year and see them again Kamila," we added.

To this Kamila turned towards the storks and shouted out, "See you next year storks!"

They didn't hear or understand Kamila, but we didn't tell her that.

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Barbecue to Come

Inside the summer house we keep out little barbecue set. Kamila was used to barbecues but she had never seen one using a kit, it was always with a couple of stones and dead wood in Egypt.

"Can we use this one day so I can see it work?" Was the request Kamila put in.

"We are due to have one this weekend before you go back to Yambol, you can see it working them Kamila." we replied

Kamila wanted to know what we were going to cook on it, but we didn't know yet. We normally don't decide until the day before we told her as sometimes food just turns up here from neighbours without warning, so we can't really plan ahead that well.

Kamila did notice that we did get a lot of visits with people carrying food and dead animals, now she know why, they are gifts.

"People here must really like us," Kamila said with a smile on her face. "They are so poor but give us so much and I don't understand why." she went on to say.

"That's just how the people in Skalitsa and other villages are are," we said, "Kind and generous to the bone,"

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Water on Tap In Skalitsa (sometimes)

Another spot on the farm and another interest as Kamila looks now at the watering system in the garden. She know about this from Yambol where water is on tap in the garden.

We told here that there are many times when the water is cut off and we have to use water from the well.

"I'm okay," Kamila says with a smile, "I can go without water for up to 10 days, I'm a camel."

"You will do very well living in Skalitsa then." we agreed, "A regular water supply for the taps are a major problem for many people here."

"But there is always the water from the wells" Kamila argued.

"Yes, but there is but not all people in Skalitsa are happy with the water from the well it is a little inconvenient!" we said.

"That's shouldn't be a problem at all," Kamila confessed, "After all, we are living in an outback Bulgarian village, this is normal here isn't it? If they went to outback parts of Egypt, everyone would count themsleves as very lucky for water here" Kamila understood exactly what this was all about.

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Too Much Farm Work

Every day in Skalitsa, Kamila learns something new. She now knows that it is totally different from the town life. Things here are much slower, but at the same time there are far more jobs to be done.

"I don't know whether I could move here and live here." Kamila suddenly said.

"Why's that Kamila?" we asked.

There is far too much work to be done on the land, then there is the yard and all the animals you have to see to at least twice a day. You have to clean them out and take all the rubbish to the tip. The work is never ending and then there is the crops to look after!"

"You're right Kamila, the work never ends on the farm, it's not a holiday at all for most. You're very lucky to get time here and not have to work" we said.

Kamila is a very lucky camel as she sat on the table thinking about all the people who live here and have to work all hours to make a living.

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The Linden Tree

It was in the garden by the side of the Skalitsa Farmhouse that Kamila caught sight of a big tree. "What tree is this?" Kamila asked.
"It's a linden tree Kamila, the type of tree that we can pick the flowers in spring and make tea with them, you saw the tea in Yambol." we explained.
Kamila climbed up the tree and nestled herself between the junction of the two main trunks.
"I like it up here." she said as she gazed over the garden wall into the street. You can see all that goes on from up here."
"Yes, Kamila, you can keep guard in your lookout post while I go and make a cup of linden tea."
Kamila kept post and the tea was made, perhaps she'll like to taste the tea now after knowing where it came from.

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Kamila in Skalitsa

It had been a whole since Kamila had a holiday, in fact when we asked her she didn't know what a holiday was. We had to explain that sometimes it was called a break or a vacation and was something you do when you have time off work.

It seemed that Kamila hadn't ever had a holiday before so we decided to take her to the Skalitsa Farmhouse for a two week break.

When Kamila found out she was all excited and couldn't keep still thinking about what she would find there. She had heard so much about our time there and now she could see for herself.

So, we went and Kamila was fidgety throughout the 35 kilometres car journey. She watched with amazement the fields and animals as we whizzed into the country side.

"I can't wait to get there!" Kamila kept saying every five minutes.

We finally arrived and Kamila saw for herself how beautiful the farmhouse was and countryside around it.

She sat by the living room window just taking all these new things in.

"Tomorrow will be another adventure for you Kamila" we said. "You will be a village camel for two weeks."

Kamila didn't say anything but was just in deep thought, she didn't know what to expect tomorrow.

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Free Tomatoes

Tomatoes from the farm we proudly announced as we brought them in the kitchen to show Kamila. These are our own home grown tomatoes and there's more where they come from we went on to tell her.

Kamila was very familiar with tomatoes, she sees them being prepared for salads every day in the kitchen here so she was a bit mystified why we were so excited.

These are our own tomatoes Kamila, not from a shop of from someone else's garden, our own produce, and they didn't cost us anything.

Kamila though for a while then said she understood now, they didn't cost any money so that's why you are excited.

Well that wasn't the full reason we were so up about it, but you know really why. Kamila has a little more to learn about Bulgaria yet. She has spent far too long in London away from gardens growing tomatoes. Perhaps we'll take her to Skalitsa to find out where the excitement comes from

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