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🐾 About Along the Road in New England and the Series Along the Road in New England marks the beginning of a whimsical children's series following Jack and Oscar, two adventurous Labrador puppies with itchy paws and bold hearts. Tired of the quiet monotony of home, they dream of distant places, thrilling escapades, and the freedom to explore. After months of scheming, they hatch a brilliant plan—steal their parents' jeep and leap into a magical wishing well. On the other side, they tumble into a world of delightful chaos, meeting quirky characters and visiting fantastical landscapes. From one mischievous adventure to the next, Jack and Oscar journey farther and farther from home—until they discover that the place they left behind holds the kind of magic they didn’t know they were chasing. This coming-of-age tale celebrates curiosity, courage, and the power of kindness. As Jack and Oscar explore new environments and cultures, they learn to see the world through compassionate eyes, embracing differences and forming lasting bonds. Their story is one of self-discovery, where home isn’t just a place—it’s a feeling. Follow their journey from New England to California, New York, D.C., Florida, and onward to South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Currently looking for the right publishing house... Jack & Oscar In the flesh In the flesh

A Gardener in New England - An Opera A Gardener in New England - An Opera 12.202 3 tick tock, tick tock One heart tough as bone, two feet on the ground shuffle. One parcel of land relieved, one clump at a time. Two hands fold out a blanket of gold, one heap of decomposed meals cycloned with cracked eggshell and a dozen warm winter worms. tick tock, tick tock Sun spills softly through shades, and green sprouts dance to grow, whilst clapped by wings of bees. Patience is a slow grant for hunger. tick tock, tick tock Two feet on the ground shuffle. They’re wandering at a loss. Mountains of water are falling, and gold is turning to green moss. roar, roar We want greens, we want tomatoes, carrots, chives, and potatoes. We want greens, we want tomatoes, carrots, chives, and potatoes. … crunch, crunch Upon the sun and rain, carnation blisses, crocus bulbs crush in chipmunk hands, sweet lettuce folds between deer kisses, cherry tomatoes burst in rabbit cheeks. roar, roar We want greens, we want tomatoes, carrots, chives, and potatoes. We want greens, we want tomatoes, carrots, chives, and potatoes. crunch, slurp She swallows slowly, her tears tie, whilst pooh bear embraces the hive, one queen, two feet on the ground, liquid gold guarded by no hound. … swoosh, shhhh Wind swirls about and dries the colors out. She mourns the leaves but dries the herbs. Defaced, her garden rests, left for pests. Perennials tucked in underneath a windowsill. crunch, crunch Numbers pressed, plans and seeds sifted. Total cost to grow at home vs total eaten, No, stop, cannot measure labor for love, or lust for reproducing, for playing god in dirt. … crunch, crunch Two feet on the ground pack snow, one heart tough as bone, one parcel of land relieved, two hands hold one warm winter worm. roar, roar We want greens, we want tomatoes, carrots, chives, and potatoes. We want greens, we want tomatoes, carrots, chives, and potatoes. … tick tock, tick tock

New York, New York NEW YORK, NEW YORK DF 05. 01. 2020 NEW YORK, NEW YORK CARS WHOOSHING BY AND ACROSS LIKE BLOOD IN A RUNNER’S VEINS WHEELS TURNING AND HORNS BURSTING LIKE A MELODY FROM ROOSTERS WITH CANES POP. AND THERE’S A MAN FINGERING A CHAMPAGNE CORK HE IS A DIRTY HIPSTER AND A BOSS BUT THOSE THREE WOMEN HOLD THE REIGNS LOCK, THEM UP. THEY KNOW OF DORKS AND OF THEIR STAINS. BUT. THEIR OWN GLOSS IS OVER TEETH IN ALL SORTS OF PAINS THEY DO NOT FLOSS EVEN FROM PORK ON A FORK OH! AT THE TOP OF THE ROCK OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Relieved Relieved DF 12.2022 Snap! With each passing moment, I leave behind the one place I knew I am looking up as I am falling down, becoming resistibly aware of separation, of the glue that bound while I sprouted and grew Then slightly changed and dew soaked, I am suddenly scintillating away Swoosh! I tumble through air waves from a butterfly’s flapping wings And re-find my balance on the crown of a golden rod, now gray Delicately rebloomed into a patch of puff balls on top of browning twigs I am looking down as I see their leaves fall, becoming resistibly aware of nature’s cycle, of the glue that bound while we sprouted and grew Then slightly changed and sun soaked, we are suddenly scintillating away Sway! Seed heads scattering, up then down, like falling stars, separating and falling like me. We sway together but apart, and the ground is near With every sway, my first encounter of separating and falling keeps fading In my journey of tumbling, I found others, and I found me, but not fear I am looking down as I near the sweet leaves of grass, becoming resistibly aware of the ignorance I once had, of the everlasting glue that bound them and me Then slightly changed and out of time, I am on the ground and of the ground, I am in peace. But I am only a leaf.

VEGGIES T'baftë mirë STUFFED PEPPERS with feta and rosemary Ingredients 4 Italian Green Peppers 2 cups of jasmine rice 2 eggs 3/4 cup of crumbled feta salt and pepper to taste Rosemary powder EVOO Directions Cook the rice thoroughly and while it is cooling, Cut peppers in half and clean out flesh and seeds. Rub peppers on the outside with EVOO and place in a roasting pan where they can prop each other up In a medium bowl, mix rice, feta, eggs, rosemary powder, 2 tbsp of EVOO, salt and pepper Stuff each pepper with the stuffing from the bowl Drizzle with EVOO and cook on 425F for 30 mins or until lightly golden brown on top. STUFFED PEPPERS WITH GROUND BEEF Texture: Soft but able to stand up on its own Serving size: 4 people Fun fact: Stuffed peppers are a popular dish around many Balkan countries. This recipe does not attempt to follow any traditional recipe, bu t it owes credits to many. Ingredients 4 green bell peppers ½ lb of high-grade ground beef (80%/20%) or ground lamb or a combination of the two I recommend you start with ground beef as your first recipe. You can substitute the meat with a combination of walnuts, mushrooms, and chickpeas. 2 cups of jasmine rice A tablespoon of high-quality dill 1 large potato 1 medium onion 3 garlic cloves 1 teaspoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon of high-quality relish 3 tablespoons of EVOO 1 heavy pinch of paprika powder Pepper as you like ½ teaspoon of sea salt (it seems like a lot but it will soak in the rice) Directions Reheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Dice onions and garlic and sauté in a pan with EVOO and the meat. Once the meat is no longer pink, throw in the rice, paprika, relish, tomato paste, pepper and salt. Then, dice the potato and throw it in. Mix well and lower heat to avoid getting the potato or rice stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cover with a lid and wait 5 minutes. Mix again. Wait 5 mins and turn it off and let it rest. Clean the peppers of the seeds by cutting out, in a circular motion, the top of the pepper where the stem is. You will not need to save the top so be as rough as you’d like with it. Gently place EVOO on the palms of your hands and spread it over the surface of the peppers and around the open rim up top. Place the peppers in a small baking dish so they are a bit snug with each other. Not too much, only enough to prevent them from tipping over as you maneuver the baking dish in and out of the oven. Take a teaspoon and fill the peppers with the stuffing from the pan. Press down so every nook is filled. Spray the top with EVOO. (If you have extra stuffing, place it with your spoon around the bed of the peppers, wherever there’s room). Place foil over the top (it’s okay if it touches the peppers) and bake for 1 hour. If you’d like to crisp them up, after 1 hour, increase the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, remove foil, drop 1 teaspoon of water in the center of the pepper, where the stuffing pops out and let peppers cook until they blacken on the sides. Serve with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt as a sauce on the side to help with indigestion. ROASTED PEPPERS These peppers are sweet and savory and buttery and yummy. You can use them as a snack, as an appetizer, as a side dish, as a substitute for avocados/guacamole (for example, toast, rice bowls, tacos, sandwiches). They taste great on their own, but it also pairs very well with feta cheese. Any sized sweet pepper will do but it is easier to clean the seeds and to peel the larger peppers. Ingredients Sweet peppers EVOO Rice vinegar Finishing salt Black pepper powder Fresh garlic cloves (1 medium clove to 4 large peppers) Directions Roasting: It is not recommended to cut the pepper open in half or at the top to pre-clean out the inner walls and seeds because then it doesn’t roast in its juices and dries out. Turn the oven on to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 30 mins or until the skin starts blackening and pulling up from the flesh of the pepper. Turn the peppers as they roast so they cook evenly on all sides. Don’t overthink it. You can get away with doing it once, half way through the roasting. Take them out and let cool in the baking sheet until you can stand to peel the skin off and not burn your hands. Cleaning out the skin and seeds: Place the first pepper on a large plate. P ull out the green tail to open the seed pod. Then start peeling the skin off. Once the skin is off, cut the pepper in half, then in half again to make quarters. Now, you may clean the seeds by gently scooping them out of the pepper with a knife or a spoon. Put the clean pepper quarters on a new plate. And continue doing the same with the rest of the peppers. Save the pepper juice on the plate with the seeds because you will need it later. Note: If you opt for using small sweet peppers, I don’t recommend cutting them at all, just scooping the seeds with a small knife or spoon out from the top. L ayering: Find an airtight container, glass works better than plastic, but whatever you have is fine. Cut the garlic into thin slices. Now you are ready to layer. First add a drizzle of EVOO to the bottom of the container. Then add the first layer of pepper quarters (try your best not to overlap peppers too much as you layer). Sprinkle salt and pepper. Then add a few garlic slices. Then a few drizzles of vinegar, pepper juice, and EVOO. Now add the second layer of peppers and repeat until you are done. Place the container in the fridge (wherever is the warmest area of your fridge to avoid crystalizing the EVOO, pepper juice and vinegar mix). Ready to enjoy in 15-20 mins. PAN ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH VINEGAR & EVOO Serves 3-4 Ingredients 4 eggplants 1 green pepper Garlic powder Black pepper Sea salt Apple cider EVOO Directions Cut the eggplants in one-inch-thick slices (longways or circular - as you prefer) Sprinkle salt on both sides and let sit for 30 mins Cut pepper in long thin slices because they will be added raw In an iron skillet, add 2 tablespoons of EVOO and roast eggplants on high heat Place one layer of roasted eggplants on a deep square dish (eggplant for this recipe needs to be squeezed tightly on the dish so use a large dish.) Add a layer of sliced green peppers on top - less of a full layer and more of a sporadic sprinkle Then, sprinkle layer with salt, paper, garlic powder, EVOO and apple cider (roughly once cap full of each per layer). The second layer of eggplants should be now ready to be placed from skillet. Repeat steps 5-7 When you are done with all the layers, push eggplant layers down with a wooden spoon to make sure they’re nice and tight together. You may eat them right away or to store for later, cover dish with a top and leave on the countertop if eating later, in fridge if eating the next day. Note: For high quality, use small Italian organically grown eggplants (they’re usually much smaller than the regular ones at the store), garlic powder from Penzeys and Italian sweet green peppers. ROASTED E GGPLANT Ingredients 2 eggplants 4 cloves garlic 1 Tbsp olive oil fresh thyme smoked paprika fresh basil 4 oz feta cheese salt black pepper Directions Half the eggplants Salt the halved eggplants and let rest for 15 minutes. Score by making square/diamond cuts into the pulp, every inch or inch and a half. Place them in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Space the eggplant halves so they don’t touch. Brush them with olive oil and season with black pepper and paprika. Fill the cuts with slices of garlic and feta cheese, then sprinkle fresh thyme. Bake at 180 degrees C (356F) for 25-30 min. Serve with fresh basil on top. EGGPLANT CA RPACCIO Texture: S oft, explosion of flavor, crowd favorite Serving size: a dip for 4-6 people Fun fact: Recipe was inspired by a similar dis h tasted at Nur restaurant, now permanently closed. The rose and eggplant combination is out of this world. Ingredients 2 Eggplants ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 Shallots (sliced) 5 cloves Garlic (sliced) 1 tablespoon Cumin Seed (toasted and ground) 1 Lemon (zested and juiced) ½ cup of crumbled feta ½ teaspoon Rose Water ½ cup Pistachios (raw and finely chopped) Parsley leaves Directions Char eggplants directly over the fire of a gas burner for 10 minutes, rotating every 3 minutes. Another option is to do this in a gas oven, on broil. Place eggplants in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for 1 hour. Peel charred skin off eggplants and discard with the tops. Reserve all liquid. Sauté garlic and shallot in olive oil until translucent and add cumin. Remove from heat and add to eggplant. Add lemon and rose water to the eggplant mixture and smash and mix everything with a fork. Lay eggplant mixture out in a thin layer on a plate and add tahini sauce, pistachio, feta and parsley to garnish. Serve with pita bread, pita chips, or toasted sourdough slices. EGGPLANT AND TOMATOE TAPENADE Texture: Soft, melts in your mouth, yummy Serving size: a dip for 6-8 people Fun fact: In a pinch, you can buy it canned from Trader Joe’s and it’s very close to the taste. Ingredients: 3-4 small italian eggplants 12 oz of your best virgin tomato sauce flaky sea salt (Maldon) EVOO 1 small onion garlic powder (penzey’s) or two fresh cloves Cracked pepper Apple cider vinegar Cast iron cooking pan For the sauce: ‘La Fede’ brand, Passata Di Pomodoro, Finely Sieved Tomatoes Directions: Cut eggplants in half longways and sprinkle with salt (leave for 20-30 mins) Sauté diced onion in EVOO Add garlic Add tomato sauce Add cracked pepper Add sea salt Bring to a slow boil Add eggplants (lay them down gentle as you dip them into the sauce) Let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour on low heat with a lid on the cast iron pan. Cool down completely. Serve cold or reheat. Drizzle EVOO, apple cider vinegar, and extra salt on top before serving. Serve with bread, chips, crackers, or over rice, couscous, veggies, mea t EGGPLANT PARM(IGIANO) Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard cheese made from unp asteurized cows' milk and aged at least 12 months but for best taste, 24 months. The cheese has a sharp, complex fruity/ nutty taste with a strong savory flavor and a slightly gritty texture. The best taste is acq-uired when cows are fed only on grass or hay, producing grass-fed milk. Only natural whey culture is allowed as a starter, together with calf rennet. The only additive allowed is salt, which the cheese absorbs while being submerged for 20 days in brine tanks satur-ated to near-total salinity with Mediterranean sea salt. 'Parmesan' is a marketing term for lower quality cheese, whether it be Italian marketed to the US or elsewhere around the world. Guanciale is an Italian cured meat product prepared from pork jowl (or cheeks). It is not smoked. Its name is derived from’ guancia’, the Italian word for ‘cheek’. Guanciale may be cut and eaten directly in small portions but is often used as an ingredient in pasta dishes such as ‘spaghetti alla carbonara’ and sauces like ‘sugo all'amatriciana’. It is a specialty of central Italy, particularly Umbria and Lazio. Pancetta, a cured Italian bacon which is normally also not smoked, can be used as a substitute for guanciale. Or bacon. Good quality ingredients will make this dish superb. Take your time choosing the right eggplant, cheese, guanciale, and tomato purée (aka passata). Ingredients EVOO (for drizzling) 2 large balls Fresh Mozzarella (thinly sliced) ⅓ cup Fresh Basil Leaves 2 Large Eggplant (cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds) For Egg wash bowl: 2 Eggs (beaten) ¼ cup Whole Milk For breading bowl: 2 cups Panko Breadcrumbs 1 ¼ cups Parmigiano Reggiano (grated) 2 teaspoons of herbs (Hand-mixed/rubbed, not ground, from dried: shallots, chives, green peppercorn, dill weed, basil, tarragon, chervil and bay leaf) 1 teaspoon Sea Salt ½ teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly ground) For sauce: 24.5 ounces tomato purée (aka passata) 4-5 small slices of guanciale 1 teaspoon Sea Salt 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder ½ teaspoon Dried minced onion ½ teaspoon Powdered Black Pepper Directions Make the sauce 1. In a saucepan, slowly fry the guanciale pieces on low heat, without burning them, to get the liquid taste out onto the pan. 2. Remove the guanciale pieces and discard them or eat them. 3. Add the passata. 4. Then fill the passata bottle 3/4 with water and shake, then add the liquid to the saucepan. 5. Add 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp of onion and ½ tsp of pepper 6. Let simmer for 30 mins, stirring occasionally. 7. Turn off heat and let cool Bread and roast the eggplant 1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit 2. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper 3. Cut the eggplants into ½-inch thick rounds, place in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and set to the side 4. Prepare two dipping bowls, one with the whisked egg and milk, the other with the breadcrumbs and herbs, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup of Parmigiano 5. Dip one eggplant slice at a time, first in the egg wash on both sides, then in the crumbs on both sides too. Make sure the eggplant is well-coated on all sides! 6. Arrange the breaded eggplant slices in a single layer on 2 parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. 7. Drizzle with EVOO 8. Bake for 20 mins or until the crust is golden brown 9. Set aside and let cool Put it all together 1. Cut the mozzarella into thin round slices 2. Spread some tomato sauce in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Add a layer of eggplant slices, more tomato sauce, and half the sliced mozzarella. 3. Add one layer of eggplant slices, and sprinkle left over breadcrumbs from the bowl in areas where eggplant is light 4. With a spoon, spread a layer of tomato sauce 5. Then a layer of mozzarella 6. Repeat the layers, finishing it off with any remaining mozzarella and Parmesan (1 cup). 7. Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is starting to bubble. Then, turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes, so the cheese starts to brown in places. 8. Let the hot eggplant Parmesan rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Then, top it with fresh basil leaves. In my opinion, it tastes better heated the next day! CARROT & GIANT WHITE BEAN SALSA 4 carrots diced 1 can of giant white beans 1 medium onion (chopped) 2 handfuls of parsley (chopped) 2 tbsp vegan butter (Miyoko's Creamery European Style Cultured Vegan Butter with a Hint of Sea Salt) 1 tbsp of paprika Pinch of cayenne pepper Salt to taste 2 tbsp EVOO Sauté onion and carrots in 1 tbsp of EVOO and 2 tbsp of vegan butter. Add the rest of the ingredients and 5 cups of hot water, mix, close lid, and cook for 20-30 mins in low heat. Before serving, drizzle 1 tbsp worth of EVOO on top and finish with a pinch of thinly chopped parsley. Serve with sourdough toast or warm pita bread. WHITE BEANS WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH Ingredients 1 can of white beans ½ a butternut squash 6 leaves of sage EVOO Garlic powder Chives Sea salt Black or white pepper powder Maple syrup Paprika powder Directions Preheat the oven to 200C. Peel and chop squash in ½ inch half-moons and throw in a bowl. Drizzle with EVOO, maple syrup, garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes or until they look caramelized and crispy-ish. Meanwhile, in high heat fry the sage leaves in EVOO until crips (but not burned) and set aside on a paper towel. Lower heat to medium-low, throw in the beans, cut fresh chives and throw them in. Mix and simmer until thick. Once thickened, place the beans in a plate, add the roasted squash on top, drizzle more EVOO and add the sage leaves on top. Best enjoyed on sourdough toast. ADDICTIVE CABBAGE SALAD Recipe was inspired by a similar dish tasted at Kawani restaurant in Westport. Ingredients 1 cabbage 5 scallions Sesame seeds – black and white Salt Pepper Rice vinegar Cayenne pepper Wasabi (optional) Hondashi (optional) Directions Cut cabbage and scallion into salad bites. Sprinkle seeds, salt, pepper, rice vinegar, hondashi and wasabi (if you have it) otherwise, cayenne pepper. Let sit for 1 hour, mix every 15 mins. KELLEY'S PEAR AND FENNEL SALAD For best results, make the dressing in the salad bowl then add other ingredients. Dressing 1 small shallot (minced) Salt 2 lemons (juiced) 1 tsp of honey 1/3 cup of EVOO Freshly ground black pepper Salad 4 stalks celery (thinly sliced) 2 bulbs fennel (cored and thinly sliced) 2 pears (peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced) 1 cup of arugula leaves ½ cup of pumpkin seeds (fresh or toasted) ½ cup of parmigiano-reggiano SWEET AND TANGY SALAD A crowd favorite! Inspired by a Rothbard Ale + Larder salad, a German cuisine inspired restaurant in Westport, that's now closed. For best results, once tossed, let salad rest for 10 mins before serving. Ingredients 1 cup of halved sweet grapes (color is your choice) 1/2 of diced champagne mango 1 cup of crumbled Roquefort cheese 1/2 of sliced shallot 1 short and crunchy cucumber, diced 1/2 cup of diced carrots For salad leaves, I recommend endive and/or Nappa cabbage A handful of pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds) EVOO Black pepper 1/2 fresh lime Dressing 1/3 cup of EVOO Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 of freshly squeezed lime juice Salad Chop the salad leaves to your liking and throw in a large mixing bowl. (If you haven't used endives before, I recommend you half the endive long ways, then dice each half in thin moon slivers. Endives are tough to take on any taste if cut too thick. Same goes for the Nappa cabbage leaves, you can be less strict with the green top part of the leaf, but the bottom white crunchy part will taste better if chopped in less than let's say 1 inch in size). Then hand-sprinkle in the ingredients with the cheese last. Then pour the dressing on top and mix gently with a large wooden spoon until the cheese and the dressing make a lightly creamy consistency throughout. Let rest and enjoy! Goes well with sourdough toast (but what doesn't). HUNGARIAN SOUR CREAM CUCUMBERS Can be served as a side salad or as a dip/spread. Ingredients 4 medium cucumbers 1 small sweet onion or 1 large shallot 1/2 cup of sour cream 1 tb of white vinegar A pinch of sugar 1/2 tsp of powdered garlic 1/4 cup of EVOO Salt and pepper to taste Directions Peel cucumbers and slice thin. Slice onion thin in half-moon crescents. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients then toss cucumbers and onion in. Gently mix with a spoon. Let sit in the fridge 1-2 hours. Enjoy! BUFFALO GRILLED MUSHROOMS Mushrooms are at their best when cooked over high, unrelenting heat, which makes them ideal for grilling. So that they crisp instead of shrivel, toss them with more oil than you think is required and salt them only after they are cooked. As the mushrooms’ moisture disappears, their earthy umami concentrates and their outsides brown. Top with parsley and blue cheese for crunch and taste. This method here works with most mushrooms, but avoid larger ones like portobellos, which, over such high heat, will burn before they’re cooked through. Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1½ pounds medium to large mixed mushrooms (such as cremini, shiitake or maitake, or a combination; not portobello), stemmed EVOO 2 tablespoons Buffalo-style hot sauce, such as Frank’s 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped Kosher salt and black pepper 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and refrigerated 1½ ounces firm blue cheese, sliced or crumbled A few sprigs of parsley, for garnish (optional) Directions Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking over high heat by pouring the coals onto one half of the grill. For a gas grill, heat all the burners, then off turn one of the end burners before cooking. (High is above 450 degrees. You should be able to hold your hand 4 to 5 inches above the grates for 2 to 3 seconds.) While the grill is heating, place the mushrooms in a large bowl, and drizzle them generously with olive oil (about 6 tablespoons). Put the hot sauce and garlic in a medium cast-iron skillet. When you’re ready to grill, bring the mushrooms, skillet, salt, cold butter, a tightly folded paper towel soaked with oil, oven mitt and tongs to the grill. (You want the butter to stay cold, so if you’re worried about it melting in the sun, bring it out in a cup over ice.) Clean the grates with a grill brush, then oil the grates with the paper towel. Add the mushrooms gill-side up over the flame. Cook the mushrooms, turning occasionally, until well browned and tender, 6 to 15 minutes, depending on the size and type of the mushroom. For a gas grill, close the lid between flips, listening and keeping an eye out for flare-ups. If liquid collects in the mushrooms while cooking, move them to an area of the grill without fire beneath to avoid flare-ups, then flip and return to direct heat. When the mushrooms are almost done, add the skillet to an area of the grill without flame beneath, so that there’s indirect heat. Add the mushrooms to the skillet as they finish. Season lightly with salt and add the butter, stirring to combine until glossy. Season to taste with salt, pepper and more hot sauce, then top with blue cheese and, if using, parsley. KELLEY'S MUSHROOM FRITTATA Cook in a 9 inch cast iron skillet or Dutch oven Sauté 1 tbsp of EVOO ½ large yellow onion (sliced) 3 garlic cloves (chopped) 8 oz mushrooms (thinly sliced) 3 cups of arugula Beat eggs then add the rest in 8 eggs 2 tbsp of whole milk Salt and pepper to taste ¼ cup of crumbled goat or feta cheese Chives, dill, parsley (chopped) Pour onto sautéed mix, mix gently, and close the lid. Cook for 15 mins in low to med heat. DITA'S SPINACH SOUP ( shrimp optional) Texture: creamy, delicate, filling Fun fact: Tastes just as good if served hot in cold winter evenings or served cold during the summer. Serving size: 4 bowls You will need a large pot, a large frying pan, and a blender. Ingredients For soup: a lot of spinach (800g) 1 small yellow onion 2 cloves of garlic Salt 100g grated Parmigiano Romano or Reggiano 1 cup of FAGE sour cream 4 cups of water 4 tablespoons of EVOO For shrimp & marinade: 400g of fresh (large to jumbo) shrimp garlic powder lemon juice 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 teaspoon of soy sauce A pinch of salt A pinch of paprika A pinch of cracked black pepper Marinade the shrimp In a bowl, add shrimp, garlic powder, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, a pink of salt and a pinch of paprika, 2 pinches of cracked black pepper. Let them in that marinade for at least 15 minutes but the longer they marinate, the better they will taste. Make the soup Clean the fresh spinach and drain the excess water Finely chop the onion and garlic cloves and sauté with EVOO in a pot until the onion is transparent and the garlic is a bit golden Add spinach, stir, close the lid and let it simmer and soften Pour the water and let it cook for about 10 mins Pour the mixture into a blender Add a pinch of salt Add sour cream Blend until you get a creamy consistency Add the grated Parmigiano cheese (Don’t go too heavy on it because you may oversalt and the soup does not need it for its creamy texture) Blend and let sit while you cook the shrimp Cook the shrimp Heat up the large frying pan with 2-3 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the shrimp from the bowl (try not to dump the extra liquid in the pan) and cook for roughly 1-1.5 min on each side or until they become nicely pink. (If the shape of the shrimp ‘C’ starts resembling an ‘O’, then you’re overcooking them.) Once you think they are done, pour a few drops of white wine and let it evaporate. Remove shrimp on a cutting board and let rest for 2 mins. Cut in slices and add on top of the soup. FOUR ONION SOUP ( inspired by Dilly Duck Cafe) Texture: creamy, delicate, filling Total Time: 55 minutes Serving size: 4 servings/cups You will need a large pot, a large frying pan, and a blender. Soup may be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely before being chilled, covered. Reheat, covered, over low heat. Ingredients 4 medium leeks 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 small onion (1/4 pound), thinly sliced 2 large shallots (1/4 pound), thinly sliced 1/4 cup of scallions (for garnishing) 1 1/2 cups water 1 large boiling potato (6 ounces) such as Yukon Gold 1 cup nonfat chicken broth 1/2 cup grated Gruyère (2 ounces) 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar Directions Chop enough white and pale green parts of leeks to measure 2 cups. Wash leeks well in a bowl of cold water. Lift from water and drain in a colander. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking, then cook chopped leeks, onion, and shallots with salt and pepper to taste, stirring frequently, until edges are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and deglaze pot, scraping up brown bits. Transfer mixture to the pot. Peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Add potato, broth, and remaining cup water to onions. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very tender. Purée soup in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) and stir into remaining soup. Season with salt and pepper. Serve soup sprinkled with cheese or chopped scallions and drizzle with vinegar. You've got special recipes to share? Please do!

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Art They've been punishing us for 2000 years for eating the apple. - Dea Shkupi Video Amy Sherald - It’s more than just the corrective narrative. It's gotta be about humanity first. Video Rose B. Simpson - I can stand in my femininity and still feel that power. Video Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn - We're taught history based on certain agendas. I'd rather explore it through my personal lens. Video Gorilla Girls - You can't stop artists. Even if they don't become superstars, you can't stop them from doing their work. Hello Hello Hello Hello Unleash Your Best Unleash Your Best Unleash Your Best Unleash Your Best The worst days can make the best art The worst days can make the best art The worst days can make the best art The worst days can make the best art Share your art today Got your own art or someone else's that you love? Please share!

Food Finding Inspiration in Every Turn If I were to pick one ingredient in the world, it would be Extra Virgin Olive Oil A Mediterranean staple for 6 millennia, olive oil is an incredibly tasty and healthy liquid. The best way to ingest it is raw, unrefined or processed with chemicals and olives pressed should be from one small region. The smaller, the better. For example: EVOO from Peruggia is better than EVOO from Italy and EVOO from Italy is better than EVOO from 'The Mediterranean'. because if it is advertised as from 'Italy' the olives are gathered from all regions in Italy instead of one; and if advertised as from 'The Mediterranean', the olives are gathered from multiple countries. The companies that produce EVOO from multiple regions do not uphold the small batch quality because that is often reserved/bought by the locals or those who are in-the-know (the aficionados). That's the special-ness of extra virgin. Plus, it has natural grassy/neon green color, peppery/spicy taste, and is best ingested within the first year of being pressed. The olive oil is alive for the first year then after that, it slowly starts dying. Aside from digesting it raw or cooking with it (recommend cooking only with over 1 year old EVOO), it can also be used for skin care, soaps, and various home remedies. T'baftë mirë Breads Pastas Veggies Savory Doughs Veggies Specials Meats & Fish Sweet Doughs Small Dishes Entrée Accompaniments You've got special recipes to share? Please do! Favorite Places to Shop NewPond Dairy Farm You've got any special store to share with us? Please do!

ILLYRIAN CUISINE T'baftë mirë Bread of Dasarets is among the many varieties of the Illyrian period. It was cooked in Autumn by this tribe who lived near the Ohrid lake, the current area of Korçë, Kolonjë, Mokër, Devoll continuing to Antpatrea (today Berat). Flour of wheat, oat and barley was molded with the seasonal flower aromas and was part of the art of living in beauty. Soup of Dardans is an incomparable treat, like Kosovo itself. A unique dish, the soup is representative of the impact of the continental climate on the Illyrian culinary arts. Meat boiled in milk, with wild cabbage and dried fruits, was the meal that gave color to the whiteness of the cold months where the tribe lived in the area of today’s Kosovo. Cheeses of Molosses are original variations of the hearty fare that fortified the Illyrian civilization across the Epirus region. The rich delicate mixtures were cooked with olive oil and the seasonal herbs and flowers that carpeted the rolling pastures. Meatballs of Penests are the delicious surprises of ground meats mixed with cabbages, leeks, onions and garlic. The Penests lived along the Black Drini Valley in the area of today’s Struga, Tetovo, Gostivar, and Dibra. Lamb of Chaons is believed to have invited attacks and invasions with its enticing aromas and extraordinarily strong flavors. Throughout the region of today’s Gjirokastra and Saranda, the lamb was cooked in a mix of olives, vegetables and dried fruits. Chestnuts with Meat of Taulants evidences the introduction of highland delicacies into the Illyrian culinary rituals along the Adriatic hills and coastline. Meat with Quince of Albans boasts the hues of dawn in the skillful artistry of one of the tribes whose diet included both Mediterranean and Continental influences. Meat with Prunes of Ardians is a perfection of fruit extracts (plums, pomegranates, apples, apricots, grapes) cooked with poultry. The Ardians uniquely enhanced the Illyrian cuisine with their original combinations of products from the surrounding lake, sea, fields and mountains. You've got special recipes to share? Please do!

A DIARY Across the Peaks of the Western Balkans The ambition: 7 countries, 700 kilometers of walking, love, history, unity, hard work, good food, great fjalë. THE ILLYRIAN WAY Get your copy today! Nina, Nana Lullaby In The Press Book Description Shortly after a life-shifting diagnosis fractured the silence of everyday life, the author set out with her husband on a three-month pilgrimage through the wild heart of the Western Balkans. The Illyrian Way is more than a travel memoir—it's a deeply personal journey of grief, healing, heritage, and discovery. Crossing seven countries and three legendary long-distance trails—Via Dinarica, Peaks of the Balkans, and High Scardus—the pair embrace mountain solitude, cultural resilience, and unexpected joy. Packed with trail maps, intimate photos, local recipes, and luminous vignettes of alpine meadows, Sharr dogs, wild horses, and warm family tables laden with raki and homegrown fare, this book is a love letter to connection: to history, land, and strangers turned kindred spirits. It’s a mosaic of encounters—world travelers, village heroes, ancient ruins, and a search for the author's own Illyrian roots. With quiet strength and playful reverence, The Illyrian Way invites readers into a tender expedition that celebrates nature’s drama and human grace. Whether you're a backpacker, a dreamer, or simply curious, this journey will awaken your wanderlust—and just might guide you toward your own version of home. Get your copy today. From the author The Illyrian Way is a physical trail along mountain peaks, forests, and the Adriatic Sea. There are three established long-distance trails that I have stitched together for the hiker enthusiast to experience 7 countries in the Western Balkans in one go. These established trails are called Via Dinarica, Peaks of Balkans, and High Scardus. Altogether they make up over 965 miles of hiking in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Albania. I personally walked 450 miles of it. The Illyrian Way is also a mental journey of discovering culture from the comfort of your own home through this book. It depicts a unique cultural blend of West and East, of Christianity and Islam, of communism and democracy, and of various ethnic identities, the larger two being Slavic and Albanian, that have shaped the region. It is so much more than a place you may associate with corruption, poverty, and conflict, due to mainstream media often focusing their reporting on grief rather than celebratory human stories. For me, The Illyrian Way is a spiritual journey , a pilgrimage into my own heritage. One in which I embarked on out of personal grief, history, and fear but that left me feeling hopeful, proud, and joyful. Read more... VIA DINARICA is ~1,000 km or ~620 mi trail system in the Dinaric Alps or Dinarides. The Dinarides are named after Mount Dinara (1,831 m), a prominent peak in the center of the mountain range on the border with the Dalmatian part of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The trail begins in Razdrto at the foot of the Nanos plateau in Slovenia, and roughly follows the Croatian mountains of Velika Kapela, Velebit and Dinara. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the trail passes through the Hercegovina region, and then through the mountains of Central Montenegro. The route ends in the Valbona valley in the Albanian Alps in Northern Albania. PEAKS OF BALKANS is a ~192 km or ~120 mi trail system in the Accursed Mountain Range, the southernmost subrange of the 1,000-kilometer-long Dinaric Alps range (Dinarides). The Accursed Mountains (in Albanian: Bjeshkët e Nëmuna; in Serbo-Croatian: Проклетије, Prokletije; both translated as "Cursed Mountains"), also known as the Albanian Alps (Albanian: Alpet Shqiptare), are a mountain group in the western part of the Balkans. The official trail extends from northeast Albania to southern Kosovo and northeastern Montenegro. It does not include the other half of Accursed Mountain Range in northwest Albania, nor the Sharr or Korab Mountain Ranges in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia. HIGH SCARDUS trail is a ~362 km or ~225 mi trail system which leads through the untouched mountain world of the Western Balkan countries of Kosovo, Albania, and Northern Macedonia. The start point is in Staro Selo in North Macedonia and the end point is in Sveti Naum at Ohrid Lake also in North Macedonia. When hiking the High Scardus Trail you cross the mountain ranges of Sharr, Korab, Deshat, Jablanica and Galichica - one more beautiful than the other. The best time to hike the Trail is from mid of June to Mid of October. The sea level stretches from 700m to 2.764m - so a certain basic physical condition is needed - especially when hiking the longest stage with 8 hours and a length of 26km (stage 8 "Brod - Radika") but boy, is it worth it! The longest stage by altitude meters is stage 10 ("Strezimir - Radomire") with 300m up and 1.600m down (you cannot miss this one either). Below is a journey that combines VIA DINARICA & PEAKS OF BALKANS & HIGH SCARDUS trails and includes official and unofficial trails. A portion of the VIA DINARICA official trail overlaps with the PEAKS OF BALKANS official trail. Th e northwest Albanian region of the Accursed Mountains (Malësia e Madhe region) is NOT part of PEAKS OF BALKANS official trail today; however, it is well marked and is not something you should skip, as it will offer you complete authenticity . Trails along the Sharr Mountain Range and Korab Mountain Range are part of the High Scardus trail . They are not part of VIA DINARICA because these mountain ranges are not part of the Dinaric mountain range. The Sharr Mountain system is about 80 km or 50 mi long and 10–20 km or 6–12 mi wide and does NOT have an official trail system. The Korab Mountain system stretches over 40 km or 25 mi and does NOT have an official trail system. These mountain ranges offer the best cheese in the Balkans, are arguably the world and similar can be said about the views and the trails. Remote, raw, barely explored, but the natives are friendly and will give you a wonderful experience, every step of the way. Our journey across the PEAKS OF BALKANS Slovenia/Slovenija Lake Bohinj Mt. Vogel Lake Bled Mt. Triglav Mt. Viševnik Mt. Snežnik Cro atia/Hrvatska R isnjak National Park Mt. Risnjak Northern Velebit Premužić Trail Middle Velebit Split Senj Opatija Pag Island - Star Novalja Bosnia & Herzegovina/ Bosnia i Hercegovina B lidinje National Park Jablanica Mostar Sarajevo Umoljani & Lukomir Sutjeska National Park Montenegro/Crna Gora Durmitor Mo untain s Prokeletije Mountain Range and National Park -Babino Polje - Plav - Mt. Talijanka (Maja e Vajushës) - Grebaj - Karafili Peak - Vusanje - Kolata Peak Kosovo/Kosova Pejë Accursed Mountain Rang e and Bjeshkët e Nëmuna National Park - Maja Hajlës (Hajla Peak) - Gjeravica Peak - Marijash Peak - Guri Kuq Peak Prishtinë Prizren High Scardus Trail - Sharr Mountain Range and National Park - Korab Mountain Range Macedonia/Makedonija Sharr Mountain Range Ma vrovo National Park Jance and Galicnik Korab Mountain Range A lbania/Shqipëria Kora b Mountain Range Korab-Koritnik National Park Theth and Valbona National Parks Accursed Mountain Range - Maja e Harapit (Arapi Peak) - Vuk ël - Tamarë - Vërmosh - Lepushë - Bogë - G rykë e Lugjeve - Theth - Maja Jezercës (Jezerca Peak) - Çerem - Dobërdol Bogë Shkodër Lake Shkodër Tiranë THE ILLYRIAN WAY DAILY ITINERARY Start Now EC ME LEZET! Peaks of Balkans & High Scardus Trails along the Accursed, Sharr, and Korab Mountain Ranges spanning Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia Accursed Mountain Range Accursed Mountains (Bjeshkët e Nëmuna in Albanian and Prokletije in Serbo-Croatian), also known as the Albanian Alps, are a mountain group in the western part of the Balkans that are the southernmost part of the Dinaric Alps. Maja Jezercë, standing at 2,694 m (8,839 ft), is the highest point of the Accursed Mountains and of all Dinaric Alps, and the fifth highest peak in Albania. Accursed Mountain range extends from northern Albania (Malësia e Madhe, Theth National Park, and Valbonë Valley National Park) to southern Kosovo (Bjeshkët e Nëmuna National Park) and northeastern Montenegro (Prokletije National Park). They are ethnographically and sociologically diverse with many tribes living in the region as sheep herders; primarily, Hoti, Kelmendi, Shkreli, Kastrati, Gruda, Dukagjini, Shala, Shoshi, Nikaj, Krasniqi, Gashi, Kuci and Rugova. It includes the highest mountain in Montenegro and second highest in Kosovo. - Zla Kolata (2,534 m or 8,314 ft) part of accursed mountain range - Gjeravica (2,656 m or 8,714 ft) part of accursed mountain range Accursed mountains are world renowned for its dense old growth forests and high biodiversity. The range was formed by the folding resulting from the collision of the African and Eurasian plates. After the Alps, these mountains are the most glaciated in Europe south of the Scandinavian ice sheet. They have very steep limestone slopes with abundant karst features. Its engulfed by active glaciers, glacier lakes, rivers, waterfalls, karst caverns, protected wetlands, wildcat, lynx, fox, deer, boar, wolves, chamois, falcons, brown bears, partridge, owls golden eagles, ancient black pine, hundreds of medicinal herbs, blue grass, glacial flora, beech, fir, maple, spruce, Petasites doerfleri is only found on the Jezerca peaks, and the Albanian lily Lilium albanicum and Viola ducagjinica are only found at the top of the Maja Radohimës slope, and last but not least, t he Accursed Mountains are also the only European area where the Tertiary relic Forsythia europaea grow. Fun Fact: Albania has 42 mountains that are 2,000m or 6,000ft and above . Sharr Mountain Range Sharr Mountains (Malet e Sharrit in Albanian) is a mountain range extending from southern Kosovo to northeastern Albania to northwestern North Macedonia. The sections in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia are national parks (Korab-Koritnik National Park in Albania, Mavrovo National Park in Macedonia, and Sharr Mountains National Park in Kosovo). These mountains are among the highest on the Balkans, with ~30 peaks higher than 2,500 m or 8,202 ft and 70 above the 2,000 m or 6,600 ft. There are 70 glacial lakes along the range. The dog breed Šarplaninac (aka Illyrian dog) comes from this area. Sharr Mountain Range is NOT part of the Dinaric Alp system and therefore not part of the VIA DIN ARICA Trail but part of the High Scardus Trail. Count on this trail to deliver arguably the best cheese you have tasted in your life - the Sharr Cheese. Korab Mountain Range Southwest of Sharr mountains, Korab Mountain Range is a mountain range around the border triangle of Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo. It’s across three national parks (Korab-Koritnik National Park in Albania, Mavrovo National Park in Macedonia, and Sharr Mountains National Park in Kosovo). Great Korab or simply Korab peak stands at 2,764 m or 9,068 ft and is the highest peak in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. A kind of double peak, that of Korab II is about 150 m or 160 yds northwest of the peak within the Albanian territory. On the same ridge are two other peaks rising over 2,700 meters or 8,900 ft: Shulani i Radomirës and Small Korab or Korab III. Korab-gate (Albanian: Maja e Portës së Korabit; Macedonian: Korapska Mala vrata) is another peak about 2 km or 1 mi to the southwest. A few hundred meters south is another peak, Maja e Moravës. Fun Fact: Korab is the highest mountain in Albania and the fourth-highest mountain located entirely in the Balkan Peninsula, standing at 2,764 meters or 9,068 feet. The official trail systems extend primarily from northeast Albania to southern Kosovo and northeastern Montenegro. It does not include the other half of Accursed Mountain Range in northwest Albania, nor the Sharr or Korab Mountain Ranges in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia. The information above is to promote the official extension of the current trail to include ther half of Accursed Mountain Range in northwest Albania, the Sharr and Korab Mountain Ranges in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia. List of top 60 Accursed peaks Maja Jezercë (2,694 m or 8,839 ft; in Albania) Gjeravica (2,656 m or 8,714 ft; in Koso vo) Maja Grykat e Hapëta (2,625 m or 8,612 ft; in Albania) Maja e Radohimës (2,570 m or 8,432 ft; in Albania) Maja e Popljuces (2,569 m or 8,428 ft; in Albania) Maja Briaset (2,567 m or 8,422 ft; in Albania) Maja e Hekurave (2,561 m or 8,402 ft; in Albania) Rodi e Kollatës (2,556 m or 8,386 ft; in Albania) Maja e Shënikut (2,554 m or 8,379 ft; in Albania) Maja Tat (2,543 m or 8,343 ft; in Albania) Gusan (2,539 m or 8,330 ft; in Albania and Kosovo) Zla Kolata/Kollata e Keqe (2,534 m or 8,314 ft; in Albania and Montenegro) Marijaš/Marijash (2,533 m or 8,310 ft; in Kosovo) Dobra Kolata/Kolata e Mirë (2,524 m or 8,281 ft; in Albania and Montenegro) Rosni Vrh/Maja e Rosit (2,524 m or 8,281 ft; in Montenegro) Žuti kamen/Guri i Kuq (2,522 m or 8,274 ft; in Kosovo) Maja Visens (2,517 m or 8,258 ft; in Albania) Maja Kokervhake (2,508 m or 8,228 ft; in Albania) Rops/Maja e Ropës (2,502 m or 8,209 ft; in Kosovo) Maja Shkurt (2,499 m or 8,199 ft; in Albania) Maja Reshkullit (2,496 m or 8,189 ft; in Albania) Maja e Malësores (2,490 m or 8,169 ft; in Albania) Karanfili (Veliki Vrh, Kremeni Vrh, Maja Gurt e Zjarmit) (2,490 m or 8,169 ft; in Montenegr o) Maja e Ragamit (2,472 m or 8,110 ft; in Albania) Maja Bojs (2,461 m or 8,074 ft; in Albania) Koprivnik/Kopranik (2,460 m or 8,071 ft; in Kosovo) Maja Vukoces (2,450 m or 8,038 ft; in Albania) Veternik (2,410 m or 7,907 ft; in Albania) Shkëlzen (2,407 m or 7,897 ft; in Albania) Maja e Thatë (2,406 m or 7,894 ft; in Albania) Pasji Peak (2,405 m or 7,890 ft; in Kosovo and Montenegro) Maja Bogiçaj (2,404 m or 7,887 ft; in Albania and Kosovo) Hajla (2,403 m or 7,884 ft; in Kosovo and Montenegro) Rusulija (2,382 m or 7,815 ft) Streoc (2,377 m or 7,799 ft) Tromeđa (2,366 m or 7,762 ft) Žljeb (2,365 m or 7,759 ft) Maja e Kakisë (2,360 m or 7,743 ft) Liqenat (2,341 m or 7,680 ft) Rrasa e Zogut (2,305 m or 7,562 ft) Hajla e Vëranocit (2,281 m or 7,484 ft) Junik (2,280 m or 7,480 ft) Maja Stogut (2,246 m or 7,369 ft; in Albania) Maja e Elbunit (2,231 m or 7,320 ft) Deçan Mountain (2,200 m or 7,218 ft) Maja Harapit (2,218 m or 7,277 ft) Maja Trojan (2,190 m or 7,185 ft) Pogled (2,155 m or 7,070 ft) Maja Dramadol (2,120 m or 6,955 ft) Beleg (2,102 m or 6,896 ft) Maja e Ershellit (2,067 m or 6,781 ft) Maja e Vjelakut (2,014 m or 6,608 ft) Hajla e Shkrelit (2,011 m or 6,598 ft) Maja e Madhe (2,011 m or 6,598 ft) Maja e Grebenit (1,864 m or 6,115 ft) Lice Mountain (1,799 m or 5,902 ft) Maja e Veleçikut (1,725 m or 5,659 ft) List of top 30 Sharr peaks Titov Vrv (2,747 m or 9,012 ft) Mal Turčin (2,707 m or 8,881 ft) Bakardan (2,704 m or 8,871 ft) Borislavec (2,675 m or 8,776 ft) Velika Rudoka (2,660 m or 8,727 ft) Bistra – east summit (Peskovi) (2,651 m or 8,698 ft) Bistra – west summit (2,641 m or 8,665 ft) Small Rudoka (2,629 m or 8,625 ft) Džini Beg (2,610 m or 8,563 ft) Lake Peak (2,604 m or 8,543 ft) Karabunar (2,600 m or 8,530 ft) White Lake Peak (2,590 m or 8,497 ft) Maja e zezë (2,585 m or 8,481 ft) Big Vraca (2,582 m or 8,471 ft) Guzhbaba (2,582 m or 8,471 ft) Isa Aga (2,555 m or 8,383 ft) Black Peak (2,536 m or 8,320 ft) Kobilica (2,528 m or 8,294 ft) Piribeg (2,524 m or 8,281 ft) Ljuboten (2,498 m or 8,196 ft) Maja Livadh (2,497 m or 8,192 ft) Zallina (2,493 m or 8,179 ft) Small Vraca (2,483 m or 8,146 ft) Kara Nikolla (2,409 m or 7,904 ft) Maja Koritnik (2,393 m or 7,851 ft) Tumba Peak (2,346 m or 7,697 ft) Gemitash (2,183 m or 7,162 ft) Kalabak (2,174 m or 7,133 ft) Crnkamenska Kula (2,117 m or 6,946 ft) Šerupa (2,092 m or 6,864 ft) tri-point List of Korab peaks Great Korab or Korab (2,764 m or 9,068 ft) Korab II (2,751 m or 9,026 ft) Shulani i Radomirës (2,716 m or 8,911 ft) Small Korab or Korab III (2,683 m or 8,802 ft) Korab-gate (2,727 m or 8,947 ft) Maja e Moravës (2,718 m or 8,917 ft) Daorson - capital of the Illyrian tribe Daorsa 300 to 50 BC Ošanjići Capturing beauty through unique perspectives A creative portfolio dedicated to showcasing the beauty of Albanians through photography. Click here to start on the visual journey. Capturing beauty through unique perspectives A collective of researchers from different generations, ethnicities, and backgrounds in Kosovo. OHI's main activity is its publicly available and researchable multilingual digital archive that presents life stories of people from varying angles. Albanians have a long and unique relationships with oral history. Curiosity may take you on a lifetime journey peeling the onion of intergenerational transnational memory one layer at a time. Capturing beauty through unique perspectives Balkanism is a dynamic digital platform and publication focused on Balkan identity, history, culture, diaspora experiences, and social rights issues.

[Fyah-l] [Fja:l] [Fjalə] noun Alba nian for ‘Word’ ‘Speech’ ‘Rumor’ ‘Term' A unit of language, consisting of one or more spoken sounds that functions as a principal carrier of meaning. Homo sapiens developed capacity for fjalë about 50,000 years ago. - speech or talk that communicates & preserves the spoken and unspoken of the times - the text or lyrics of a song as distinguished from the music - a promise, a disagreement, gossip, or news - a healer of the mind, body, and spirit - a short talk or conversation - a conveyor of facts and/or emotions Examples of stories passed down from one generation to another through fjalë are: history, language, profession, pride, lineage, lyrics, art, remedies, food growing and making, fabric or dress making, child-bearing and raising, land stewardship, shelter and safety, living in harmony with nature, other survival lessons and wisdom. These stories ultimately offer belonging. There’s no place in world that is better than another, if measured by the love natives carry for their culture and natural environment. This is based on my own experience of exchanging fjalë with natives of over 100 countries. I am dual cultured – born and raised in Albania and lived in the United States since a prepubescent age. My sense of belonging is split down the middle between both nations. And natives from each respectively attribute my sense of belonging to them or despite of them. I find it fascinating and human. It’s normal that a tribe often either claims or relinquishes its members. There’s hardly a middle ground drawn out unless you are in the middle. And if you are, this is the place for you. The middle exists in the eye of the beholder and being 'in the middle' offers a unique perspective, an addition by far, rather than a subtraction. I invite you to share your fjalë here . This site is a common place for anyone 'in the middle', a conduit for connection and following streaks of curiosity that promote healthy living and belon ging. How to become a member? Membership is free. Simply subscribe to the mailing list. Your free membership grants you access to have your content displayed on this site. How can you get involved? You may donate your time and skills toward creating more content for the site and/ or contributing to current projects. Regarding monetary donations, a donation is not expected, and no donation is too small. But the purpose of this site is offering connection, not exploitation. Does it interest you to get involved in current projects ? Do you possess a special recipe passed down that has a story within it? Is there a children’s story that you have been old many times but that you don't think has been written yet? How about a nursery rhyme? Or a story of belonging or immigration? How about a story about your grandmother’s knitting and quilting or your great grandmother’s handmade fabric or dress? Does your own art reflect a story of 'the middle'? What about proverbs and rules of society that are not necessarily written anywhere as you have heard them? Is there a special natural remedy recipe? How about a sustainable method or two for farming? Or ways of survival in the natural world that span generations? This is a feel-good space but does not mean that trauma cannot be shared. All I ask is that you find a path that can be healing when sharing. - Share you story with me - Ask your loved ones to share stories with you - Ask me to post your stories and related content here for free - And/or ask me for help with composition of your stories for a small fee - Contact me for a collaboration on a project or idea - Contact me with ideas on how to improve this site “ENI DJEM” V.Deda e grupi i vajzave 1988 00:00 / 02:18 “MALE FUSHE JA NJOHEM ZJARRIN” N. Buçi F. Mustafa L. Ndou 00:00 / 02:33 My Story, My Fjalë My second chapter of creativity shifted onto my mind; where I wove dreams of animals and loving them, for decades, and submerged myself into understanding their inner strength. During my first ever opportunity to splurge, I discovered my pleasure of frozen moments, and so moved from my fluid dreams into my photography phase. I walked for miles, up mountains and down rivers, across countries, and between conflicts, learning about the world, humans, myself, nature, identity and love. And when I thought I had something to compile, I wrote children's books about B E L O N G I N G. And this third phase happened to coincide with my third decade of life. After my mother left, my heart urged me to keep her garden alive. Not out of obligation, but because the timing felt right. I was in that tender phase of daughterhood where we seek to define ourselves apart from our mothers. If she could build her life, so could I—on my own terms. Ironically, tending the garden drew me closer to her. Through each sprout and harvest, I came to know the rhythms of nature more intimately than ever before. The soil connected me to her mother, my nanadaja, and to the women before her—those who waltzed and skipped across the Northern Albanian mountains, cultivating life with grit and grace. Gardening became a quiet revolution of belonging. It linked me not only to my lineage, but to humanity itself—to anyone who has ever sowed seeds and nurtured growth. Through it, I shared stories, built community, and deepened my appreciation for the simple, sacred act of growing food. As my fourth decade approached, I set out on a three-month journey through the Western Balkans, seeking clarity amid personal upheaval. My father's sudden cancer diagnosis prompted a deeper search—for my heritage, for understanding, and for healing. With my husband beside me, we left behind routines and responsibilities to hike through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Albania—carrying only what we needed and embracing everything we found. Upon return, I stitched together trail stories, recipes, reflections, and human connections into a tapestry of land, legacy, and love, culminating in The Illyrian Way book that made me a first-time published author. I proudly share it with my family, the resilient people of the Balkans, and you. And may it inspire a spark toward your own version of The Illyrian Way. Decades later, I remain an amateur enamored with words in verse. And the patient members of the Connecticut Poetry Society tolerate and nurture me. Poetry in the Preserve (wiltonlandtrust.org) Wilton-poetry-society-library-meeting And in between sessions, sometimes I record my voice, reciting. And in between everything else, I take nature walks, propagate plants, dry flowers, paint, host dinners, write lists of things I wish to do, shy away from superficial conversations, take baths, read, and rest. I don't claim to be someone special, and I appreciate the hard work it takes to be creative and to practice inner peace in a noisy world. I believe in working together to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. For more information about my experience, portfolio or to share ideas about how we can collaborate on an upcoming project, get in touch today. I am happily awaiting your fjalë. My earliest memory bleeds red into black, from my mom's typewriter ribbon spool of ink, onto my 6-year-old fingers. I wish I could remember what my first poem was about. I had help with it, but I kept the pride all to myself.

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