Summer 2026 - Ivana's Alphabet

Hello dear readers! For the last day of Summer, I have prepared my Summer alphabet. Well, actually it took me so long to write it that I actually published it on the first day of Autumn.  I know that for some of you Summer ended some time ago, but for me the end of Summer was yesterday. Apparently, there is more than one way to calculate the last day of Summer. The last day of Summer depends on whether you use an astronomical or metrological calendar. Meteorologically, Summer ends on the last day of August. The three warmest months being June, July and August. Culturally, the Summer ends on 31st August for most people. September usually means the start of the school year, and the end of Summer vacations. 

Astronomically, the Summer ends of the 22nd or 23rd of September. Moreover, the Mediterranean climate is a bit different that the continental one. Perhaps that is why I personally opt for the astronomical option when it comes to measuring seasons. For some of us (living in the Mediterranean), Summer does not really end in August climatewise. In fact, the warm weather and sunny days can linger for months to come. September and November tend to be quite warm months here. For me, Summer ends in late September. That is usually when I feel the first cold in the air. The northern wind is blowing today, so it definitely feels like the end of Summer.

I haven't blogged as much this Summer as I did during some previous Summers. However, I tend not  to blog as much as I did anyway.  Sometimes I might simply have too much on my hands to make time for blogging, and sometimes I feel like there isn't anything really meaningful for me to contribute. I don't always feel like sharing my life. I shared a lot of my life on the blog in the past and it is nice to be able to look back on it. I don't regret sharing stuff, but I don't feel like it all time time. Plus, I also don't want to repeat myself. 

I guess that right now the plan is to blog either when I really want to share something or when I feel like something should be shared.  There were many moments I didn't share on this blog this Summer, for a variety of reasons. I often felt overwhelmed this Summer, and I had fever for a month straight.  Perhaps that is why I decided to do this little alphabet recap of my Summer.  I did this alphabet recap a few times in the past, for example in Summer 2018 and Spring 2024. This Summer 2026 alphabet will be a mix of topics. I'll write a word for each letter of the alphabet and talk a bit about why I choose that word. I'll write about books I've read, films I've seen and places I have visited. 

A 

A is for Atila horse club

We visited horse club Atila and restaurant Sovići a couple of times each Summer. I really enjoyed our visits. If my math is correct, and I think it is, we visited Atila horse club and restaurant Sovići at least three or four times this Summer. We didn't go riding horses, because it was not an option in our books. Can you imagine forcing the horses to move in this heat? I'm sure the horsies were not feeling enthusiastic about being ridden.  As I'm sure you know, this Summer was extremely hot. If we were hot, so were the horses. I had no intention to go riding, but I did admire the horses from afar. I will probably want to go riding some other time. Not that I had much practice riding horses growing up (donkey are more common that horses on the islands), but I did try and enjoy it in Goranci. I worked on some horse paintings, and I took a few videos of the horses. While we didn't go riding with the Atila horse club, we did dine at the restaurant Sovići that is located at the same place. The food was delicious on every visit. Highly recommended! 

Restaurant Sovići is located in vicinity of Mostar. Do you remember my posts about Goranci? Well, when you drive from Mostar to Goranci or Planinica, you'll see Sovići. Basically, Sovići is a small village just before Goranci. We visited it a couple of times in the past, and we always enjoy our visits. My husband is very fond of it as well. I remember how we once went to pick wild blackberries there. They were delicious. We also picked some wild blackberries in Goranci this Summer. However, I'm digressing. 

My husband wanted to visit restaurant Sovići because it is actually located in an old stone house that he was familiar with and he wanted to see how it looks like a restaurant. This old stone house used to belong to a cousin and family friend of his. It was bought and turned into this gorgeous restaurant. If you want to escape the heat of Mostar's Summer, this is the place to go. We spoke to the owner and he's a really nice guy. My husband was really happy to see this house come to life again. It was always a big stone house, and the restaurant made use of its spaciousness. I think the lady who used to own it was a godmother to one of my husband's sisters or something like that. Anyway, the lady did not have kids, so it is fantastic that somebody bought and preserved this beautiful old stone house. It really is a beauty. My favourite part of this house and restaurant is the one with big windows that allow you to enjoy a view of horses while you dine. I also made another four legged friend. 

Served on the table: a meat platter, boiled potatoes, flatbread (also known as Somun bread, a traditional bread communly served in Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina) and an onion and tomado salad. 

As I said, we visited it more than once. The first time we just stopped for coffee but we decided to have some organic cheese and snacks. That was really nice and delicious. The next time (and you can see the photographs I'm sharing, we had a proper lunch there. It was also delicious.  We had a meat platter with a salad and flatbread (somun bread). Somun bread is a traditional type of bread often served in Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina. I believe a similar type of bread is named 'pita' in the Middle East. However, 'pita' is usually thinner while somun bread is thinner and has a signature grid pattern on top. Every country might prepare it slightly differently,  I think this kind of bread is present in many Mediterranean and Middle East countries. I've always liked it and of course I will order it whenever an opportunity presents itself. 

There was another visit to restaurant Sovići that included some dining if I recall well. Finally, we went to have a cup of coffee again, and I also had some pancakes. I feel like eating something sweet, and the cook made me pancakes even if the pancakes were not on the menu. The staff is  and always was very friendly. As I said, I can really recommend this place. It is beautiful and peaceful. My husband also went there on his own with some friends, if I recall well. The more I write about this place, the more I realize it really does deserve a special mention in my Summer alphabet. This was a place I went to escape the Summer heat. 

There is also a dog. The dog is question is a Croatian Sheppard. I don't know how much you know about this breed, but basically it is a middle sized dog with a black coat. I fed the doggie during one of our visits and the next time it remembered me and came to cuddle. We will definitely visit Sovići restaurant again. 

Outfit details (sustainable files): the white tunics, the black shorts, the beige loafers

I shared one outfit I wore for Atila visit above, and one below. Both are comfy Summer outfits. Both are examples of me shopping my closet. The outfit below features a white and blue tunics plus beige loafers. This tunics (or a mini dress?) is quite old. I must admit that I sort of forgot about it, so I was really happy to find when I cleaned my closet sometime in July. I don't know if you are regular reader or not, but if you aren't- your girl moves a lot due to work and stuff. I don't travel for a living, but I work in different places and countries, so I'm often on the road. It was only in July that I managed to clean my closet in Mostar, and it took me whole two days to do it. However, I managed to find lots of cute stuff, so all was good.  The shorts I packed with me. Honestly, the shorts under dresses is such an easy outfit formula, especially if you don't  feel like wearing shorts on their own. I don't  really wear shorts on their own, unless they are Bermuda shorts or something like that. The combination of shorts and dresses is a wonderful choice for the hot Summer months. 

The second outfit is also an example of me shopping my closet. As you might know, I'm no shopaholic. In fact, I'm always writing against consumerism and stuff. I try to shop my closet and that's that. In the second outfit (shot in front of the restaurant), I'm wearing a white t-shirt paired with a striped mini and tropical print sandals. If you've seen my Summer in Mostar outfit 1& 2 outfit report, you might have noticed this skirt and sandals. I wore both items a lot this Summer. The white blouse (or t-shirt) is an old piece I bought to wear to a job that had a black and white dresscode. This t-shirt is kind of falling apart, so I don't expect to get much more wears out of it. Try as I may, I couldn't find outfits with it on my blog. I know I have worn it for work every other day, but as I tend to forget to take photographs of my work outfits, I'm struggling finding a photographed outfit with it. Anyhow, I don't feel like going through all my blogging archives, so I might get back to add links when I find them. 

Sustainable fashion files:  white t-shirt paired with a striped mini skirt and tropical print sandals.

B

B is for Blidinje

I visited Blidinje once this summer. I blogged about my visit, and I even illustrated and shared my outfit.  However, I did not show you all the pictures and outfits taken there. I actually wore two different outfits. I wore a long white floral dress with light green trousers (Ozz brand), but later on I changed into a navy mini dress. 

Sustainable fashion files: A navy print dress (brand Mana), light green trousers, (Ozz) pink Nike sneakers and a red bag. 

I feel like that whatever I say about the beauty of Blidinje, it won't do justice to this place. Perhaps you should all just come and see it for yourself. 

C

C is for Cats

I parted with some cats this Summer, reunited with others, and then parted again and reunited again. I remember thinking to myself how cats are important. Home is where your cats are. If that is true, my home is definitely in more than one place. I don't actually have my own cats, but I have cats that I coparent with other people, mostly my neighbours. There are so many cats in my life. I should really write Cat Diaries some day. 

D

D is for Drawing

I tried to do a more drawing this Summer, especially en plein air drawing. I picked up my watercolours again, so often my drawings were turn into illustrations and paintings. If you are a regular follower, you'd know that I feel more comfortable painting then drawing. However, drawing is also very important skill, so I push myself to do it more. I draw with regular coloured pencils, watercolour pencils and pencils. I also sometimes use a fountain pen or a ballpoint pen. I use all kind of stuff. One of the things that has helped me draw more was getting into a habit of carrying my sketchbook everywhere. 

Sustainable fashion files: one of a kind handmade bag by a Croatian seamstress from Jelsa

At the image above, you  can see me holding up my sketchbook. I also have a shorts video with this sketch. As you can see (and perhaps guess), I made this sketch en plein air while in Goranci. You can see that I'm wearing the same outfit I wore to visit Sovići. That's because I visited both Goranci and Sovići that day. I did add the link for this gorgeous indie designer bag above. Isn't it a beauty? 

E

E is for an Exam, more precisely an English exam

Yesterday I held five English exams (via Teams) with a private European University I occasionally work for or perhaps better to say collaborate with. I get some English students with them from time to time. This exam that took place yesterday was for five students I have been teaching this past year. I was very moved by what one of them said, and that is how he learnt more from me in one year then in all of his life learning English. That was really sweet, especially since we did not have that many classes together in total even if they took place for about a year. We only had around ten classes (lasting a few hours) this year, but they were all well prepared for their exam. It made me reflect a bit on my journey as a teacher, and more specifically as an English teacher. It made me remember all the exams I took and that I will still have to take. It made me wonder if life was not a sort of an exam. There are definitely moments in our life when we feel like we're being tested. Perhaps our life is an exam for the afterlife. Who knows? I actually failed one exam last year, or better to say a part of exam. I don't know how much you know about the teachers in the public educational sectors, but we have to take exams as teachers. We are also often observed. That's the difference between working in the private and the public sector. I mean you can get observed in the private educational sector, but it tends to be less formal and rigid. Anyway, last year  they (meaning the official examiners) were happy with the class I was teaching and that they observed, but they were not happy with my written essay. They told me that my Croatian lacked elegance. As you can imagine, I was surprised to hear that. Considering that I teach Croatian, writing an essay in Croatian should be easy for me. I teach writing essays (in both Croatian and English). So, how is that even possible? Nevertheless, perhaps they are right. Perhaps writing predominately in English has done something to my Croatian. Maybe there were some changes in the Croatian essay writing in the decades I was teaching students to write in English. Last year was a big shift for me. After working as an English teacher for more than a decade, I started working as a Croatian teacher. Curriculums change, sometimes year to year. So, I had some studying and some exams to do as a teacher as well.  However, I ended up doing English teaching as well. Mostly, it is freelance stuff. Sometimes there is also some school stuff, having fill in for coworkers and so on, but mostly freelance. There are a lot of people who want me to teach them English. This all has got me thinking. I choose to study Croatian, and if I recall well I only choose English because I had to. You had to choose two languages to study at the University I enrolled in, and I remember that it was kind of ridiculous because it was double the work. Croatian was my first choice, but I ended up teaching English more. Honestly, looking back on it, I did have some great experiences being an English teacher. So, I'm not really complaining. Both subjects are enriching to teach. Both require work and preparation. Both require me to use my braincells. Here is to a new school year of preparing both myself and my students for exams!

Sustainable fashion files: The grey dress I designed and made myself
The grey heeled sandals
The red bag

F

F is for Funerals

After a happy alphabetical reflection and  moment, here is a sad one. This Summer I felt troubled by the funerals I didn't manage or could attend. Not being able to attend funerals, it can make the grieving process more difficult and complex. With the pace of life we have today, we sometimes don't manage to grieve properly. What happens there is that when you do have some time off, you can feel inexplicitly sad. This might feel odd, feeling heartbroken on your days off, when you're supposed to be having a blast. However, it actually makes perfect sense. I think that these days we often grieve during our vacations and off days, sometimes wondering what is wrong with us. As if there is something wrong in grief. As if there is something wrong in not being happy. However, there is nothing really wrong with us. There does not exist an on and off button for happiness. When you don't have time to feel the feelings, those feelings find their time sooner or later. Grief....yes, it's a sad word. And a necessary one. I know that I have much to be thankful for in my life. Many good things. However,  I also have reasons to grieve. One does not exclude the other. Human emotions are complex. We can be happy and sad at the same time. I try to be thankful for all the challenges in my life. Some are harder than other, but what can be done. Anyhow, I'm mentioning this in my alphabet because nobody ever plans for grief. However, death is a part of our life. It is something we have to live with. We will all die, sooner or later. We will all have to face the loss of loved ones, sooner or later. It cannot be avoided. Still, it is worth remembering that it matters to love. It is always better to have loved and lost, then to have not loved at all. If we don't love, than we are really at a loss. Dealing with a loss of a loved one can be a complicated thing. Even attending a funeral will not always be possible. Employers might not be understanding and work might not allow us to attend an  actual funeral. However, we must remember to attend in our heart. We must remember to try to connect with those that share our loss. People sometimes try to avoid sadness by avoiding talking about it. When it comes to the loss of an actual person, talking about them can make us feel like they are actually there. The pace of modern life can be quick, but we are not completely powerless against it. We do have the technology that can allow us to connect to others, but this will depend largely on how we are going to use it. 

G

G is for Green

One of the things I realized this year is how much I need green in my life. I love spending time in nature. I love thinking about the environment and things we can do to live in harmony with the environment. I also like wearing green. Isn't green such a calming colour? 

Sustainable fashion files: The blue jumpsuit, the white heeled sandals, the Lujka clutch bag, the maxi blue scarf

H

H is for Heeramandi: the Diamond Bazar

Seeing the  Gangubai K.  film adaptation and reading about her, made me remembered how much I like Indian literature and film. It made me want to see what Indian masterpieces I have been missing. So, when I saw this Indian TV series trending, I knew I had to see it. I don't have Netflix and I don't plan to get it (mostly because with my schedule, I hardly have the time to watch anything), but for this one I made an effort. I watched this TV series while staying at my parents' place. Some aspects of this series I loved, some I did not appreciate as much, but all in all, I would recommend it. The outfits themselves would be enough to merit a viewing on their own, not to mentioned the extravagant sets, the gorgeously talented actresses and the amazing music.  The costumes are so beautiful I could just cry watching them. Often it seems to me that nobody can hold a candle to Indian folklore dress. Of course, there are many beautiful folklore dresses, and every country has its own beauty when it comes to traditional wear. However, the long historical tradition and amazing diversity really put traditional Indian attire aside from others. The richness of Indian national costumes is astonishing. So, Heeramandi is definitely worth watching. If you are interested I can write a longer review. Basically, this series is set in 1940s, and it chronicles the lives of tawaifs at the start of and during the Indian independce movement. Tawaifs were very successful courtesan singers, poets, dancers and artists. Tawaifs were and are considered important for the development and continuation of musical and other art forms in India. Not all of tawaifs were courtesans, their main purpose was to entertain aristocratic guests with poetry, music and art. Tawaifs would also traditionally teach aristocratic children etiquette. Some even called them the makers of kings. However, they also suffered because of their courtesan status and were subjected to judgement. This series captures all of that. This made me think of a famous novel that H. Balzac wrote- The Splendour and Misery of Courtesans. This series captures both sides of the coin. Glory and misery go in hand to hand for courtesans. 

An outfit I wore this Summer in Split city 

I

I is for Indian culture

This Summer I have been learning about Indian culture a bit again. I listened to some songs, watched some films, did a bit of reading and research on things that sparks my interest. It was nothing planned, it just happened that way. When it comes to music, some things were on my repeat list, for example the soundtrack to the above mentioned Heeramandi. I also listened a lot to the soundtrack for Bajirao Mastani, a film I haven't watched, but some parts from it caught my eye. The music numbers from this film are certainly a work of art. I plan to watch the whole film some day. 

There is another Indian production I watched this Summer and it is a 2024 film titled Maharaj. The film wasn't bad, but I feel that I could have gotten the gist of it just from just watching the the trailer. Still, I don't regret watching it. Maharaj is a story about a young journalist who fights against a religious figure and leader, and it is based on true events that is a true court case from the 19th century. The actors have done a great job in this one. Jaideep Ahlawat in particular is fantastic in his role as the main villain. He really embodies the character of a man drunk on power, a master manipulator.  My main criticism is that the film is not well paced and that it feels too predictable. Things seem to go too easy for the main protagonist- the young journalist early on. He manages to fight against an established religious figure too easily at the start on, and while this provides some comic moments, it does not add credibility to the plot. There are some twists and turn, but too few and too spaced in-between to make a difference. This film was initially criticized for targeting a certain religious group, but the criticism was mostly misplaced. The film is very clear in establishing that it was a case of one individual who was in the wrong, not the teaching of a certain religious group. The journalist who fights against the problematic religious figure is a religious young men himself and belonging to the same religious group. So, the message of the film is not set against religion in general or a certain small religious group in particular. This film is a critique of misuse of power. I think the message of the film is very clear, just the pacing is off and that makes it a bit boring to watch at times. It feels a bit too predictable. However, it is still not an ok film. 

J 

J is for Journey

Life is a journey and every day I'm made aware of it more. In literal sense, last Summer has seen me taking a literal journey from island Hvar, to Split city, to Mostar city a number of times. I also stopped and explored some places in Herzegovina. The journey between Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina is a continuous one. I might always live between these two countries. 

Sustainable fashion files: The mustard dress

K 

K is for Kino

The end of Summer always makes me think of a famous song by a Russian rock bend Kino titled The Summer is Ending (released in 1990). I have been listening to Kino bend for about seven years now, and I always enjoy their music. The music is simply timeless and the song lyrics are so profound. I don't know how I wasn't familiar with this bend  before, as it is one of the most popular rock bands to ever exist in that part of the world. If Tsoi did not die so early and tragically, Kino would perhaps be the best known rock band to exist.  Anyhow, this Summer I found some documentaries about Viktor Tsoi, the lead singer of the group. I also watched some documentaries. The first thing that fascinated me about Kino songs were the lyrics. They are so poetical. So, it was nice learning more about Tsoi, who wrote all those famous lyrics. For example, I learnt that (according to his teachers) Victor Tsoi did not just loved reading the classics, but that  he also enjoyed reading about  philosophy, religion and Taoism. It certainly sheds some lights on the profoundness of his writing. 

L

L is for La fine fleur

La fine fleur is a French 2020 film. English  title is The Rose Maker.  I really enjoyed this movie. Often it is described as a comedy, but I think it is actually quite profound. On surface it is a comedy, and there are certainly many funny moments. However, this French film actually talk about many serious subjects. It is about a woman  named Eve Vernet who was once a famous rose maker/creator (i.e. rose breeder), but  is now facing bankruptcy due to corporations taking over. Basically, the corporations are the reason for the destruction of independent rose breeders. Eve is also grieving the loss of her father, and sometimes she forgets about others in her grief and the pursuit of her interests. The film possesses a moral debate. Should she keep to her principles or accept a prestigious job at a known corporations (that goes against anything she believes in). Moreover, the film focuses a lot on human relationships. Eve hires three helpers without previous experience to work on her decaying rose farm. These three all have their own stories to tell. One of them is a young man abandoned by his parents as a child, parents who still refuse to contact him. The film The Rose Maker explores human relationships, alienation, grief and even ecological dangers of corporation's monopoly on plant breeds and  seeds.  It is a more serious film then it seems. The Rose Maker made me think about the language of flowers. Language of humans and plants is a fascinating subject. I spent a lot of time thinking about language this Summer. I mean I think about language often as a language teacher, but this Summer I thought about it even more. Anyhow, I would really recommend this movie, especially to those of you who love French film. It embodies everything I like about French films, from the actors who act so naturally, to the French humour to the food for the thought. Let me know if you'd like a more detailed review. 

M

M is for Mia (I am Mia/ Io sono Mia) 

This Summer I watched an Italian film about Italian signer Mia Martini. I learnt some new things watching this biographical musical drama about a singer I simply adore. Mia Martini was an extraordinarily talented singer. I really enjoyed this movie. The actress did a great job. My only criticism is that the film seems to fly over some aspects of Mia's life. It felt rushed at times. I feel like it missed an opportunity by not devoting any time to Loredana Berte, Mia's famous sister. It would have been nice to have a view into the relationship of these two talented sisters. Still, this film really moved me. I have always loved Italian music. Mia is one of those singers that have always stood up for me. Let me know if  you want to read a more detailed review for I might just write it. 

Sustainable fashion files: The floral dress / The handmade bag / The grey heels

N

N is for Nazor

Vladimir Nazor was a Croatian writer active in the 20th century. This Summer I caught myself often thinking about him and his works, especially in the terms of reception and interpretation of his works. To explain what I mean, I'd need much more space, so I'll just leave it at that for now. 

O

O is for Ogniem i mieczem

Ogniem i mieczem (English translation would be With Fire and Sword) is a Polish historical film based on a historical novel . I tried watching it a few years ago, but I couldn't get into it because the version I found was dubbed and I'm not used to dubbing. Films are never dubbed where I'm from, for me it is a very alien idea. Anyhow, I tried watching this film again this Summer, and after I found the version with the subtitles I really enjoyed it. The film also motivated me to read about the history of that time.

P 

P is for Peasant's Revolt

This Summer I reread the historical novel The Peasant's Revolt by Croatian author August Šenoa. This novel is based on a real historical event, a Croatian-Slovene Peasent Revolt lead by Matija Gubec of 1573. The rebellion ended with the aristocracy brutally killing the peasants. Matija Gubec, the leader of rebellion, was mockingly proclaimed a king and allegedly killed by a burning crown being put on his head. Now, I have already read this novel but I wanted to read it again. I have to say that I was both impressed and moved. Sometimes I forget how deeply touching the work of Romantism can be. This bring me to our next subject. 

Q 

Q is for Quantifier

It happens to be the lesson I taught yesterday.

R

R is for Romantism

I read a number of books belonging to the literary epoch known as Romantism. For example, I read Lermantov's Demon. I also read Gogol's Taras Bulba- and I watched the Russian film adaptation. Again, if you want the reviews, let me know. 

S

S is for Split

Split is my hometown. I was lucky to have spend some time in Split this Summer. I had a lot of plans of blogging about Split this Summer, but I couldn't summon the energy to put in the time needed to finish those posts. One of the posts that I'm planning to do is about the Split music scene. I feel like sharing the works of some iconic singers and groups from Split. The other  posts idea is writing about famous people from Split. If I'm lucky, I might end up with enough free time to finish it. However, life is impossible to plan. I was sick a lot this Summer. I think it was just tiredness and stress catching up with me. Lot of people get sick when they stop working. However, that's a topic for another day. 

T

T is for Torac. 

A bay on island Hvar I spend my childhood in. I spend a few days there following the end of school year and then some time again last weekend. 

U

U is for Uniqueness

I was in search of uniqueness this Summer. I feel like uniqueness is something we are missing these days. What do I mean? Well, I feel like we're using uniqueness is every aspect of our lives. Corporations and the modern market seem to reward sameness. There is so much sameness everywhere, and of course AI is making it worse. However, the uniformness of our lives was a problem even before AI. When we started to have mass produced goods, we started to loose uniqueness. Unique crafts are dying out. Unique breeds of plants and animals are dying out. Vegetables and fruits are using their unique shapes. Everything is starting to look the same. Architecture is starting to look the same. Everything made in Hollywood lacks any uniqueness. 

V

V is for Victor(y). 

May we meet again. May victory smile upon us. 

W 

W is for Work

The old talent vs. work debate. I worked on my art this Summer. I'm not really happy with where I am with my art at the moment. However, I think that's normal. Creative work of any kind is always marked by struggled. It is never easy, but not everything needs to be easy. The same goes for all work. Besides my creative art work, there is also just regular teaching work, that is also creative. Work can tire and challenge ones, but it can also enrich us. 

Y 

Y is for  YouTube

I discovered some new artists to follow on YouTube, so that's always good. I also posted some of my own art there through YouTube shorts. I don't have the energy to try the longer format yet, but I post Shorts occasionally. There is a lot of art I made this Summer that I haven't really shared with you, so I hope I'll get the chance one of these days. I feel like my art progress is slow, but I suppose that's normal. 

X 

X is for Xylography

Xylography is the art of making engravings on wood. Engravings on wood can be made for a variety of reasons, including printing. I kept thinking about an unique artistic floral carvings for benches I saw in one church in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Every bench was unique and had a different design. It was really beautiful. Maybe some day I'll get into Xylography myself. 

Z

Z is for Zdrozheni do szabli & Zalone (two film recommendations)

I included a few film recommendations in this post, and I have two more before we wrapped this post up, one is an Italian film, the other is a Polish one. Let us start with Checco Zalone, a known Italian comedian and the film he starred in. This Summer,  I watched and enjoyed this  2025 Italian film Buon Camino starring Checco Zelone. It is basically a film about a rich playboy father who goes in search of his missing teenage daughter and ends up joining her on Camino de Santiago. The father is described as an absent father and basically a horrible superficial person, but his sincere desire to connect with his alienated daughter changes him. The film had a lot of funny moments, and it also offered some food for the thought. This Summer,  I also watched Born for the Sable, a Polish 2019 historical documentary-drama film focusing on the life of one knight in the 17th century Poland. If you're interested, I might write a longer review.  I  enjoyed some reading on Slavic history this Summer. Of course, I'm generally familiar with it, but it is always good to learn more. The more you read about history, the more fascinating it all becomes and the more you can see the links between different eras and countries.  Without planning it, I read a couple of Slavic literary works from the Romantism era. This has also inspired me to do some research and reading. It is really fascinating to examine the different time periods and their reflection on literature. 

So, that was that. A little Summer alphabet to say goodbye to Summer. I was sick a lot this Summer, and the heat felt so oppressive that it often tired me out. This was the hottest Summer that I personally remember. There were fires and tragedies, and all kinds of things going on. It was not an easy Summer, but who ever said life was meant to be easy? I still managed to get some work done, so I'm satisfied with it more or less. 

Today it is the first day of Autumn, and I'm looking forward to it. I wish you all a happy Autumn!