"April showers . . ."

April showers bring May flowers, or so goes the ancient wisdom , , , Well, May is almost here, and so far, RAIN, RAIN, RAIN!

Chickpeas!

Marash Girl was raised in a culture in which chickpeas played a very important part . . . roasted salted chickpeas (eaten as one would roasted, salted peanuts ), and (beginning with dried chickpeas), soaked chickpeas that were later cooked into a "soolu" which contained fried onions and stewed tomatoes.  Delicious!  But chickpeas played an important in the aphorisms of the Armenian people as well. One in particular that Marash Girl will always remember:  "Lep deyersin, leplebou anliar."  Marash Girl has written the expression here as she heard it.  Unsure about the spelling . . . but to continue . . . the meaning of the expression is the important thing, since it was always spoken and she has never seen it written.  Meaning:  'When they say "chick", chickpea is understood.'  In other words, do I have to spell it out for you?

Let Your Lawn Go Wild!

Marash Girl let her lawn go wild.  And look what she got?
A yardful of vinca.  She never has to mow the lawn again! And to add to the joy, the neighborhood kids can pick flowers to their hearts content and never have to worry about destroying the garden!

"If it weren't for the Turks, not one Armenian would be alive today."

Commemorating the survival of Marash Girl's father and his family was painful, and so he would always speak in irony.   Peter loved irony, and when it came to the Armenian Genocide, a Genocide which he survived, he was particularly witty:

 "If it weren't for the Turks, not one Armenian would be alive today," he was wont to say.

What did he mean?  Aside from irony, he was so appreciative of the help given him and his family in escaping the genocide of the Armenian people, a genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish government against their Armenian population between 1915-1920, that Peter always quoted the above, to his dying day at 98 years old.  That was Marash Girl's father!

On April 24, remembering the family that survived

Front lower left: Peter Bilezikian, standing behind to the left, Gulenia Bilezikian (Sulahian), To right of Gulenia is Yepros Kurtgusian Bilezikian, standing behind Yepros is Paul Bilezikian, to the right in photo back row is Mary Kurtgusian Pambookian.

The Way We Were c. 1961

Back row, l.to r.:  Nevdon Kupelian, George Bedirian, MJ Githens;
front row, l.to r.: Pauline, Bethel, Martha, Raffi Yeghiayan

Photos compliments of Nevdon Kupelian

One Word Out Of Me . . .

Marash Girl's dad used to love to hear his friends brag about how they could make their children behave . . . he would always counter with a grin and the following:  "My children?  Just one word out of me  . . . and they do as they please!"  Do you believe it?

First Signs of Spring: Chives for the Tasting!

Growing wild in Marsh Girl's front yard are wild chives . . . and all the neighborhood children love to come by to take one chive sprig and nibble at it until it is finished.  But they know they can come by tomorrow for another taste treat . . . as long as spring . . . or the chives . . . last!

"IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE!"

At Claflin Elementary School in Newtonville, insults would fly, but so would the rejoinders!  Though she doesn't remember the insults, Marash Girl still remembers the favorite response to the insults that would hang loose and free at Claflin: "It takes one to know one!"  And that shut the hecklers up!

Another Dreary New England Day!

As Marash Girl's father used to ask on such a day, "What do they do in Boston when it rains?"  After many fruitless efforts by his assembled entourage at coming up with the correct answer, her father would laugh and say, "They let it rain!"

Bashladu!

When the roar of the street repair vehicles fills the early morning airwaves, Marash Girl's mind goes back to an old Armenian expression, an expression that she heard throughout her childhood . . . Bashladu!  What does it meant literally?  "It's begun!"  But more figuratively, it means aggravation of the speaker: "Oh, no, that's begun again!"  It could refer to a complaining child, or an unpleasant request, miserable weather, the repeated request of a cranky child, or simply what's happening today:  the unending roar of street repair vehicles! Here it goes again . . . it's begun!

"Good Enough For The Poor People!"

Every time anyone in the house would complain about anything, suggesting that what was happening, or what was a part of daily life, was not good enough, Peter would say, somewhat ironically, "Good enough for the poor people!"  Which he once was!  In fact, growing up in North Brighton in a three story walkup, during the Great Depression, he would see drunks happily hanging on to the lamp posts.  His conclusion?  "When I grow up, I want to be a drunk!"

The Boston Marathon: Snow, Wind, Rain, or Shine!

Looking out the window at the grey skies dripping with rain, tree limbs shivering in the wind, Marash Girl (for the first time in many a year) has decided to stay home and wait for the results of the Boston Marathon to appear across her newly gifted television screen.  Marash Girl, for as long as she can remember, whenever she was at home on that wonderful Monday (as a child or as an adult), would walk up to the corner of Lowell Avenue and Commonwealth to  cheer the runners on their way to Boston.  Now, hovered at her computer, keeping a wary eye on the wind and the rain, she continues to cheer the runners on to victory!  And the wonderful thing about victory at the Boston Marathon is that you are a victor whether you are first to come in or last to come in!  You've made it!  Bravo!

What is a ring donut?

For years, Marash Girl understood donuts to be a sweet circle of dough with a whole in the center, or as some dieters used to call doughnuts, a big fat zero.  But yesterday, Marash Girl met up with a new concept . . . that of the ring donut  . . . as opposed to a cruller?

A friend from the Past

Marash Girl's best friend from Day Junior High School called her last month.  Or rather, she returned Marash Girl's call.  What memories that call elicited!  Back in the day, Marash Girl's parents could never understand how Marash Girl could have just left school and still,  upon her return home, have enough new information to share with her friend for an hour on the telephone.

ART AND SOUL at the New Rep

A Rock and Roll enthusiasts celebrate at the Reception and Concert at the Mosessian Theatre in Watertown:  Art and Soul

Rock 'n Roll historian, acclaimed author, & prolific storyteller Peter Guralnick (photo below) was honored yesterday evening at the Mosessian Theatre.  "The Art & Soul exhibition features  professional and emerging contemporary art, as well as fan art, that is inspired by, pays tribute to or otherwise celebrates musicians, bands and music culture."

Below, Peter Guralnick signs copies of his new book, SWEET SOUL MUSIC:  RHYTHM AND BLUES AND THE SOUTHERN DREAM OF FREEDOM.

 

Above photos by Marash Girl

Friday, April 13

No black cats in sight, but still, ya gotta be careful!  Tomorrow is Friday the 13th!

The Roar on Maple Avenue

Methinks Marash Girl has Spring Fever (do you know what that is?) or could it be the construction vehicles on the street in front of her house, vehicles that drive up well before 7 AM and get to work exactly at 7 AM.  The roar that emanates from these vehicles eradicates any sense of rest that the folks on Maple Avenue may have experienced during the night!

When will this all end?  Do we really need new sidewalks on the other side of this little dead-end street?

Ear plugs, please!

My Daddy Is Not A Liar!

Driving along Route One the other day, Marash Girl remembered a long ago occurrence; in fact, an event that took place when she was 8 years old (not telling how long ago that was!)  Marash Girl was going fishing with her father . . . her father was driving along the old Route One when a policeman on a motorcycle pulled out from behind a large billboard that was installed on the side of the road and pulled my father over.  As they argued about the speed at which Marash Girl's father was driving, the policeman accused her father:  "You're a liar!"  Marash Girl immediately intervened into the discussion:  "My father is NOT a liar!"  At that point, both the policeman and my father burst out laughing, and, as they say, that was the end of that!  They bid each other farewell with the shaking of hands and the policeman's parting words, "Slow down!"

One Day Left from the Old Days

There's an old Armenian expression that refers to a moment in the present that takes you back into the past.  It translates, "One day left from the old days."  That was the phrase that entered her mind when the neighborhood children gathered at Marash Girl's front door with their cymbals and triangles and horns and voices singing songs to the spring day!  Marash Girl ran inside, grabbed her cymbals, and joined them in the celebration welcoming spring to New England.

Marash Girl Meets Limoges China

Marash Girl walked into the living room where her mom was visiting with Auntie Agnes.
"Hi, Auntie Agnes." As Marash Girl picked up a small china box from the fireplace mantel, Marash Girl waved to Auntie Agnes who was sitting on the sofa across from the fireplace.  "What's this ugly thing?" Marash Girl asked her mother in a loud voice.

Marash Girl's mom cautioned Marash Girl.  "Oh, that's a gift . . ." but before Marash Girl's mom could finish her sentence, Marash Girl interrupted, "It's so awful.  Why do you have it here?"

"Auntie Agnes just gave it to us as a gift. She brought it from Paris. It's a piece of Limoges          China . . ." Marash Girl's mom said in a low voice.

Yogurtlu yumurta!

Mommy, Marash Girl can hear you singing its praises now!  When Marash Girl thinks of yogurt yumurta, she hears hear mother's voice, she sees her mother's smiling face!  She checked the internet to see if the recipe was recorded anywhere, but she could not find any hint of such a recipe.  So here it is, dear reader, in memory of Marash Girl's mommy!

Yogurt (in Marash Girl's childhood, it was her mother's homemade yogurt!)

Scrambled eggs (You know how to make scrambled egg, right?)

Crack a bunch of eggs.  Beat up the yolks with the whites.  Heat butter on stove and cook the eggs somewhat loosely scrambled (but not HARD scrambled).

Serve hot with cold yogurt spooned over the hot scrambled eggs, and there you have "Yogurtlu Yumurta", a perfect Saturday night supper!

Driving Down Lowell Avenue

And driving down Lowell Avenue today during the snowstorm reminded Marash Girl of her elementary school days, days when she would walk a good mile or more -- often in the snow -- from her house to Newtonville Square to the old brick Claflin School . . . passing the houses of classmates, friends and relatives . . . and after school, walking down Walnut Street and turning down Bowers Street to her daddy's store, Newtonville Electrical Company, to get a ride home . . . good memories.

Get Rid of the Bad!

Marash Girl has probably written about this advice that her dad's friend gave her many years ago, but she's going to write the advice once again.  Why?  It's advice that works well in many a circumstance.  The advice was given her by Johnnie Vaich, the owner (many years ago) of Vaich Camera Shop in Newtonville, Massachusetts.  When Marash Girl first ventured into photography (again, many years ago), she would take many photos of the same fence . . . (in those days, she loved photographing fences, especially old dilapidated fences, fences falling to the ground . . .)  Vaich's advice?  Don't try to choose the best photo; just get rid of the bad ones!  You'll end up with the best!  

Good advice to use in whatever realm you choose!

Put Up or Shut Up

Whenever kids in Marash Girl's elementary school (Claflin School) would get into a heated argument over something mindless (can't even think of an example), one kid would say to the other, "Put up or shut up!"  meaning, "Put up your dukes or shut up!"  Dukes?  Fists.  The disagreer usually shut up!

The Return of the Easter Baskets

This Easter Sunday mystery gets curiouser and curiouser.  When we returned home on Easter Sunday early evening, we went up to work on the third floor, and when we came downstairs for supper, there were the two Easter baskets full to the brim with Easter goodies -- nothing missing -- inside of our house on the front hall table.  Yikes!

Who Would Steal Easter Baskets?

A desperate Easter Bunny must have stopped by Marash Girl's front porch yesterday morning, soon after she had put out a grocery bag full of treat-filled Easter baskets in preparation for her trip to her grandchildren's home for Easter dinner.  "Old Marash Girl went to the porch to gather the baskets of treats; But when she got there, The porch chair was bare, And so the poor grandkids had none."  Not so, however; Marash Girl would never allow her grandchildren to be disappointed on Easter, and so Marash Girl and Marash Boy scurried around to the local shops to gather up whatever Easter goodies and baskets they could find on Easter Sunday morning, and yes, they found baskets, and filled them with those Eater goodies.  But who would take a bag of treat filled Easter baskets from a small dead-end street in Newton Corner on Easter Sunday morning?  Only an April Fool!

P.S.  And speaking of April Fools, it's snowing outside -- the trees and grooves of the houses on the street all covered in white as I write this P.S.

Krisdos haryav y merelotz -- ohrnyal e haroutioun Krisdosi!

Krisdos haryav y merelotz -- ohrnyal e haroutioun Krisdosi!

Christ is risen and conquered death . . . blessed is the resurrection of Christ!

So Armenians greet each other with joy on this holiest of days.

Playing the Armenian Easter Egg game in Southern California on Easter morning!  Photo by Marash Martha