This Rose Fearlessly Confronts The Arrival Of December!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Pizza Knots!

Having a lovely conversation with Enila just before Thanksgiving, Marash Girl learned of "Pizza Knots", a tasty treat Marash Girl had not experienced. Enila encourages all who are making homemade pizza to prepare extra dough and to save that extra dough for making Pizza Knot treats. As Enila explained, you simply take small pieces of the pizza dough, roll the dough into (approximately) four inch lengths, tie the dough into a knot, and place the knots on a baking sheet to bake with the pizza (baking the knots for far fewer minutes, of course, than it takes to bake the pizza)! Enila suggests baking the knots for about 20 minutes (depending on the size of the knots) in a preheated 375°F oven. Enjoy!

It's Sunday!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Gandering Along The Charles River At Sunset

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

DO YOU HAVE ALL OF YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW?

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Broadleaf Wood-Sorrel ( Oxalis Latifolia Kunth Oxalidaceae) Wishing All Of Marash Girl's Readers A "Happy Thanksgiving"!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021 N.B. These flowers couldn't wait until Thanksgiving, so they bloomed last week on the eastern side of Marash Girl's abode.

On Visiting A Book Store In Bermuda

Photo by Nisha©2021

1 PLUS 2 EQUALS 12?

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

This Wild Rose Brightens The New England Autumn

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Churches In A New England Autumn

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

One Day From The Old Days . . .

Photographer Uncertain but probably Anthony Lepore of Brooklyn, New York Back Row Left to Right: Pauline, Martha, Bethel Front Row Left to Right: John, Carol, Mary Lepore, James Photo circa 1952: front steps at 474 Lowell Avenue, Newtonville, Massachusetts With thanks to brother James (front row, right) for sending Marash Girl the photo.

Christmas Cactus Blooms Before Thanksgiving To Remind Us That Christmas Is Coming!!!!

It may be autumn, but the Christmas Cactus is blooming to remind us that . . . yes, Christmas is coming!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Autumn in New England

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Dreamcatcher In Autumn

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

"Allah sana akīl versin, bana para."

"Allah sana akīl versin, bana para. . . " In old Marash dialect, above was pronounced,"Allah sanga akīl versing, banga para..." "God give you brains and me money . . . " The above statement was often made by Grandpa Peter when, during an intellectual discussion, a friend or colleague said something or did something that Grandpa Peter deemed idiotic. (The statement in quotations above was made suggesting that the person who had just spoken was in need of brains as much as the person commenting on the idiocy was in need of money.) Marash Girl checked with Boursa Boy who was born in Istanbul (NOT Marash) a half century after Grandpa Peter. Boursa Boy's version follows: "Allah sana akīl, fikir versin. . . " And Grandpa Peter might have said exactly that if his neighbors proudly announced that they had attended a pumpkin smash! (See yesterday's blogpost for more on this subject.)

Lost something?

When Marash Girl was a kid, and she was unable to locate something, she would wail, "I've lost my favorite . . . " (You fill in the blank.) Whenever her father would hear her make that statement, he would comment, "If your head were not attached to your body, you'd lose that as well!"

A Sunday's Walk Along Church Street

Living in Newton Corner, folks have lots of choices as to where to worship.

Note The church designed by H.H.Richardson on the left, and on the right the brick replacement for the original white wooden Eliot Congregational Church (which burned to the ground in the 1950's) . . . bordering Church Street in Newton Corner . . . oh, and in the center, the steeple for the Newton Presbyterian Church . . . Above Photo by MarashGirl©2021

A Pumpkin Smash???

A Pumpkin Smash??? Really? When there are people going hungry throughout the Commonwealth? The old Marashtsi ladies would be crossing themselves and uttering, "Günah," after which they would pray for God's forgiveness! N.B. Günah,pronounced gunakh by the old folks! English translation: transgression, evil, wrongdoing, iniquity, sinful!

Shnorhavor Daretartz, Anoushig նիշա!

Շնորհաւոր տարեդարձ, անուշիկ նիշա!

Dear Reader, If you can't read or understand Armenian, look at the image above . . . or, better yet, ask an Armenian friend to translate for you!!! Then join us for the celebration! Սիրով, Marash Girl

Notice To All Who Walk/Run/Skate/Bike/Drive Past Underwood School

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Ducks Saunter Up From The River's Edge . . .

Photo by MarashGirl©2021 Ducks saunter up from the shores of the Charles River to check out what's happening in the 'hood.

A Distant Memory . . .

When Marash Girl was attending Claflin Elementary School, the kids (not Marash Girl, of course,) would often say to one another, "You're a jerk." The reply given in response to that accusation was laughter and the following: "A jerk is a pull, a pull is a yank, a Yank is a good American."

The Story Behind The Quilt!

As Marash Girl crawled under the covers last night to join her husgand,she remembered where she had purchased the beautiful blue and green patchwork quilt that covered their bed . . . Here's the story . . . Marash Girl was at a yard sale several years ago, (well before COVID), where she found a beautiful, apparently brand new, handmade patchwork quilt constructed with lovely green, blue and yellow patches. The price tag? $5.00. Figuring that the price of $5.00 must have been written in error, Marash Girl asked the woman selling the quilt if the price was, in reality, $5.00. "Yes," answered the woman brusquely . . . "That's the price!" Curious as to why such a lovely piece was being sold so inexpensively, Marash Girl queried, "Well, why are you selling it inexpensively? Is it really brand new?" Her answer? "Yes, it's brand new . . . But would you want to sleep with your husband under a quilt that another woman made for him? Need I say more?" And that, as they say, was that!!! Marash Girl bought the quilt that another woman had made for another woman's husband, washed the quilt carefully, hung it out to dry (yes, in those days Marash Girl had a clothesline in the back yard), and Marash Girl and Marash Boy happily crawl under that beautiful handmade quilt nightly!

November Along The Shores Of The Charles River

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Dead End?

"Dead end is just a metaphor . . . " or so states this street sign! But a metaphor for what?

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Turkey Saunters Across The Avenue . . .

A turkey saunters across the avenue after checking out the fire hydrant . . . heading north, searching for "The Lake"!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Remembering A Favorite Quip Of Grandpa Peter's . . .

Grandpa Peter used to loved to cite a favorite quip from the 1930's: "Call me whenever you like . . . just don't call me late for dinner!" N.B. Sundays were the only days Grandpa Peter could say this, as he was ALWAYS late for dinner during the week, when he would be out late every evening cleaning and repairing refrigerators and oil burners, leaving little time for him to engage in his favorite activities. . . reading AND (in the spring, summer and autumn) fishing!

And . . . Christmas Is Coming!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

The Sound Track From West Side Story . . .

\Marash Girl's college classmates would love to blare the sound track of West Side Story throughout the corridors of Cabot Hall Dormitory . . . especially the second verse (see below)! A boy like that will bring you sorrow You'll meet another boy tomorrow One of your own kind Stick to your own kind! "Stick to your own kind?" Of course, that was the last thing the girls in the college dorm were interested in doing . . . But their parents? Oh, yeah! In fact, all of Marash Girl's friends in college (not one of them Armenian) would never miss a meeting of the Harvard-Radcliffe Armenian Club! Just saying . . . .

"Are you ARMENIAN?"

And, appropos of yesterday's blog, another memory on "being Armenian"! One day, after the conclusion of her kindergarten class at Claflin School, Marash Girl was walking along the sidewalk paralleling Walnut Street heading for her daddy's store in Newtonville Square. Along the way, as she passed the "Five And Ten", she looked up and saw a woman who looked just like one of her aunties. Excited, she asked the woman, "Are you Armenian?" Offended, the woman whipped back, "I beg your pardon!" That was the last time Marash Girl ever asked that question of a stranger!

Turkeys Leaving Newton City Hall . . .

Turkeys cross Homer Street after voting at Newton City Hall . . . they confided in Marash Girl that they had voted against the serving of roast turkey for Thanksgiving dinner!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Flowers Fearless In The Face Of The Coming Frost!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Looking East From A Second Floor Window . . . No Snow Yet!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Gladiolus Murielae Kelway Iridaceae Acidanthera Bloomed In October In Newton Corner!

Photo by MarashGirl©2021

Get This Straight!

Get this straight! Christmas is coming!

American Indian Heritage Month

Today is the first day of American Indian Heritage Month. Let us honor the Native Americans on whose land we have settled for centuries.