We have introduced before to our property manager, Emil. Last week he asked us to give him a ride to Deae, to take a few bags of seed (alfalfa I think) to his father's farm, since he does not have a car. We said sure, we would love to. We have learned here, though the language barrier and various other reasons, that when you committ to something such as this, you never really know what it will entail. Melanie had the boys for the day so me, Karen, and Emil were off to Deae. Before we left Emil asked if we could take a few other things, keep in mind our car is not very big. I had some old tires that he asked if his father could have for his caruta, I said sure, so we threw them in the car with the two large sacks of seed. Then we went to Emil's house and he asked if we could take their dog from their house to live permanently out on the farm, so we loaded it in the car. Then Emil asked if we could take the dog house also, we said sure. We also added a shovel and some various other tools. In the end it was good that the boys were not with us, because the car was totally loaded. Then we were off for the 40 minute car ride.
Deae is a small village in the middle of no where, accessible only by a very seasonable dirt road. When we arrived we meet Emil's father, who lives alone, is in his mid-sixties, and runs the farm with the help of his neighbor. They were in the process of plowing the potatoe field with a horse drawn plow. Karen immediately asked if she could try, they said sure without hesitation. I have no idea what they must have thought about this crazy American woman.
We then got the tour of the barn and various animals. We saw the cows, chickens, sheep, turkeys, pigs, and rabbits. Karen especially loved holding a new little lamb, until Emil informed her that this lamb was the one we would be eating together for Easter, when Orthodox celebrate Easter next month. She thought he was joking with her at first, but he was not. 
Were then invited into the small farm house for some food. They sat me and Karen down at the only two spots available at the small table and found us some dinnerware. They put a bowl of liver and onions in front of us and insisted that we eat all of it without them. They also pulled out the biggest slab of slanina, raw pig fat, that I had ever seen. We also had bread, and they brought a honey comb, literally straight out of the bee box. We looked at it a little unsure, so they took the knife and scraped the honeycomb back and exposed beautiful honey in the middle for our bread. It was a great day, one that I will remember for a long time. It was a snapshot of how people in the heart of Romania live their daily lives on a small farm in small farming village. It is one of the many moments that I have had here when I can not believe that I would ever in my life being there. It is very surreal in a great way. Here are some pictures. In my next entry I will tell about the next day, Sunday. Maurice
Deae is a small village in the middle of no where, accessible only by a very seasonable dirt road. When we arrived we meet Emil's father, who lives alone, is in his mid-sixties, and runs the farm with the help of his neighbor. They were in the process of plowing the potatoe field with a horse drawn plow. Karen immediately asked if she could try, they said sure without hesitation. I have no idea what they must have thought about this crazy American woman.
We then got the tour of the barn and various animals. We saw the cows, chickens, sheep, turkeys, pigs, and rabbits. Karen especially loved holding a new little lamb, until Emil informed her that this lamb was the one we would be eating together for Easter, when Orthodox celebrate Easter next month. She thought he was joking with her at first, but he was not. 
Were then invited into the small farm house for some food. They sat me and Karen down at the only two spots available at the small table and found us some dinnerware. They put a bowl of liver and onions in front of us and insisted that we eat all of it without them. They also pulled out the biggest slab of slanina, raw pig fat, that I had ever seen. We also had bread, and they brought a honey comb, literally straight out of the bee box. We looked at it a little unsure, so they took the knife and scraped the honeycomb back and exposed beautiful honey in the middle for our bread. It was a great day, one that I will remember for a long time. It was a snapshot of how people in the heart of Romania live their daily lives on a small farm in small farming village. It is one of the many moments that I have had here when I can not believe that I would ever in my life being there. It is very surreal in a great way. Here are some pictures. In my next entry I will tell about the next day, Sunday. Maurice 
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