Indeed they are, Linda. I've lost so many 'friends' over the years and while I'll always be a foreigner (which I actually like) I was embraced by the villagers and feel a part of it, I feel their loss as mine.
Thanks so much, Nigel. I feel somewhat privileged to have been able to film her and record many of her stories. While we fell out of favour sometimes with each other we always made up. I am happy to say that we were good friends the last time we spoke just before she died.
I am so sad as I view this. Many of us who have followed your progress in the village have come to know and love this place ourselves. But what REALLY saddens me today is the thought of the village as a tree, with the villagers as branches. Another branch has now been lost. The tree is looking bare. It won't be long before this whole tree is gone and with it a way of life that the 21st Century will not embrace, or in many circumstances, compromise with. As viewers, we stand humbled and honoured, to have become part of this final chapter, only possible through your personal involvement, Andrew. Bara certainly was a personalilty. I wonder how many in Bukovlje realise just how much she will be missed by many who are nowhere near. There are many cows in heaven this morning who have been eagerly waiting for their "voice" to sing to them again. Their patience has now been rewarded. RIP Bara.
That is such a wonderful tribute from you, Bernie, and somewhat ironically the last cows at our end of the village left a few months earlier. The village is certainly so much quieter now and there seems little to fill the huge gap. However, I try to remain optimistic that in the future village culture will take on a greater resonance. Its going to take me quite sometime to adjust to her not being with us. Thank you my friend. I really appreciated your kind and considered response to my video.
She is certainly missed by me. Its a curious atmosphere in the village. I've experienced so many 'friends' die here and it is upsetting. I feel blessed that I managed to record many of these people.
"But since those days are long gone, the meadow has become wild and overgrown" as our village, our lives..."what is grief but love that has become homeless?" Thank you Andrew for remembering a life well lived.
Thank you so much. Yes, Bara was certainly 'old school' and thankfully she was. I learnt much from her about village life and I have many audio recording of her in my archive, I hope one day it will be of value.
She looked a lovely person Andrew - a real character. Someone who sings songs about how nice it is being young has got to love life eh? A wonderful tribute. Mark
She certainly was a lovely person in many ways but sometimes could be a bid difficult. We fell out fairly often but always made up in the end. Its very strange I still feel her presence and really expect her to come round the corner, pull up two crappy, broken chairs and invite me to sit for a few minutes. She stayed in the village all her life and I have many great recordings of her story telling, those are priceless.
