Granny's Garden

Grandmother Jordanka between her strawberries

My Grandmother Jordanka Zvetkova Simeonova is a real trooper. She is the kind that can only be associated with perfection and simplicity. She is the iron lady, the one that started from little village near Sofia riding water buffaloes, to find herself in big city studying and becoming guarded person working for the criminal police department. She was prosecutor once and later became department advisory for the patent agency, while taking care of her daughter and granddaughter-me. I never saw her angry, sad or misbehaving. Whenever she experienced one of these feelings, she was just silent. I remember her wearing night hair rolls, leaving to work in the morning with the most perfect hair-do and slightly high heels. Her style was simple, descried. I never saw her wearing jewelry or make-up. Later in life after eye operation added sunglasses to her daily look, which earned her the name "mafiosa". She had her way of being very humane with people. She never sad too much and never gossiped or discussed other people business. She lived hard work life with many shortcomings, but her prudent, humble way and success at work and the party of course, granted her with great respect within her society group.

But this is not the reason why am I writing about her. Her life was of course great sample for me. Especially the part when she and my grandfather retired and with their saving were suppose to live very well off. This was unfortunate moment for many, the system had changed, their party was collapsing and the inflation went like 300 % crazy. They lost all their money and managed in last moment to invest in old village house, which they renovated another 10 years to come. Living through this illusion break down, witnessing the system collapse and the many more systems to collapse... well, she was still believing in the party and her way of living alternated drastically, but her behavior was still the same. She never really changed, just became smaller and smaller and while her mind dissolved with the history of good old Bulgarian days, she still believed in the old party, while degradation was eating the society and their believes, her principles remained solid. Life is a survival and there is no place for the weak, she would tell. She came from the village, but adopted fast the city roles. Now that she is back in the village her only love and fight (besides her family) remains the Earth. Walking whole summer through her garden barefoot, never with hat against the sun, her strong hands would merge with the branches. Producing her own food, fruit liquor rakia and her garden, which was always in par excellence state, like the Queen of England is about to pay her a visit.

In her house, rolling fermented cabbage leafs into sarmi, Bulgaria 2014.

Granny's table book "666 advises for the hobby gardener"

Her way of living since my grandfather passed away, which is exactly 21 years now, has been rather ascetic. She suffers just like her mother from dementia. But she was never the kind who likes to go around and make trouble. She lives simply in her garden, pulling daily things, watering, spraying, turning the raw big chunks of dirt and talking to the birds. The birds would love to eat her grapes and she would find all tricky ways to keep them distant. My grandmother follows principles. These are old principles, strict and dry. The principles of the nature. What you nourish, will be the one that feeds you in return. Everything in moderation and with consistency and patience, things will eventually evolve for good. Just like every tree needs care and love, she gave and shared all with us. Never instigated, stole or fought for greediness, she had to be hard in her decisions, but light in her heart. Lightly, lightly my child. She is an atheist, but some times I feel her common sense and soberness, make her more literal and godly than many spiritualists. Every time, she makes me realize, that life is not for complainers, that everything you do has to be worked for it...or deserved if I may. Her way of balance has been my guide in achieving what I wish for. Never too much... just enough. Well, I dedicate this chapter to her, because obviously she inspires strength and fire in my soul. Women from her generation are precious stones. I have enormous respect for them and feel so grateful to have learned directly from their simple life ways and observations.

Granny and me celebrating life, 2017