Cooking up 100kg of tomatoes in Akyurt! That was some good sauce!
Photo of the Day
This Man Will Walk 1305 Miles Across Turkey | Turkish Travel Blog
This is a must read story of an American man who is about to set off across Turkey - on foot! I really wanted to tell them about how people are just the same. Living in Turkey had reminded me of this but human nature forces us to focus on the differences. It makes us... Continue Reading →
Life in the Fast Lane
Did you ever have one of those days where everything seems to fly by but nothing really happens? That's what I am experiencing right now, day after day. I've been back visiting Mom. She of course had a few things she wanted my help with. "No problem!" I wrote them down so I wouldn't forget.... Continue Reading →
Meet Kemal, my 9-year-old friend who spent a year living in the States
Today's guest blogger is the son of dear friends. Kemal is a 9-year-old "almost typical" Turkish boy. He's typical in most ways but one, he spent a year living in the United States, learning the English language, going to school, and making new friends. Reading this, it will be obvious that he had a little... Continue Reading →
Ode to the Porch
People are always asking me what I miss from the States while I am living in Ankara. My answers are always the same. Family. Friends. Food. This week, I realized there are other things. I really miss the greenery everywhere. In Ankara, we have beautiful parks. And we can drive outside of the city to... Continue Reading →
Photo of the Day – Memorial Day
Today is Memorial Day, a U.S. holiday devoted to celebrating those men and women who fought for our country and lost their lives in doing so. My Dad's "Uncle Pete", Private First Class Walter J. Archer, was one of them. He fought in WWII and was killed in action on November 13, 1944 in Italy. He was... Continue Reading →
Photo of the Day
Having a million siblings means I have about a billion nieces and nephews. Actually, there's only 29. (And almost as many great nieces and nephews.) The eldest is 44 and the youngest is in the second grade. Yesterday, the youngest made her First Holy Communion. What a big girl and a beauty! Congratulations to you... Continue Reading →
Easter in Ankara
I apologize for the misleading title. There is no Easter in Ankara this year, at least, not for me. Naturally, there is little celebration of this Christian holiday in a Muslim country. This morning, after wishing my cat a Happy Easter, I got out of bed and checked Facebook. I found photos by "friends" in... Continue Reading →
Kids and Social Media
I am far from being an "authority" on parenting skills. Fortunately, this post is not really about that. From what I have seen in many parts of Turkey, children are raised differently from those in the U.S. - for the most part. Of course, there are exceptions. But most children are treated like little gods... Continue Reading →
The Hardest Thing About Being an Expat
One of the hardest things about being an expat is not being there in a time of need. Since I have been in Turkey, many of my friends have lost a parent. My friends may not have felt like they needed me at the time, but I sure needed to be with them. It puts... Continue Reading →
“Junking”
It's an interesting thing that in this land of great history, there is little room for "junking." Junking is a term I recently picked up from my niece. That's her way of describing her love of antiques, or anything else that can be picked up at a flea market or yard sale. I honestly can't... Continue Reading →
Valentine’s Day Story and a Lemon Meringue Tart!
Another Valentine's Day has come and I decided not to celebrate it. We have two anniversaries this week, 9 years since our first date and 3 years since our wedding. It's just two much to have 3 days to celebrate back to back. We have somewhat of a tradition where I bring up the story... Continue Reading →
Meet the Author, Jack Scott: Perking the Pansies, Jack and Liam Move to Turkey
You may remember a little while back that I wrote about my new friend, Jack Scott, author of the blog, Perking the Pansies. He had written a book by the same name. Jack was kind enough to share a copy with me. I am only about half way through it - but I have decided... Continue Reading →
Adventures in Ankara 