SPRING IN OUR BACKYARD, "VISITORS", LETS MEET CATE BLANCHETT AND POSTCARD FROM SYDNEY or 6th to 13th June 2014 – 365 DAYS OF PHOTOGRAPHY

27 October 2014

Mornings in springtime are delightful and we are finding any reason to be in our backyard with the young hens and watering the fruit trees.  The apricot and almond trees are already full of fruit and if the rainbow lorikeets are merciful, we might have some wonderful fruit to pick this summer.
School holidays are wonderful for sleeping in and for the time we have to go and see places.  I took the girls for a day-trip with the ferry to Opera House.  Initially I promised that I'll take them to meet Cate Blanchett, because Apollonia and Amadea wouldn't agree to do anything until I cross my heart and give them my word.  However, the trip and the kids exhausted me and we ended up relaxing, eating and enjoying the breeze under the umbrellas of The Sydney Cove Oyster Bar where we were waited and spoilt by the handsome Marcello.  Ah, this time we missed to meet with Cate, but who cares -  Marcello gave a kiss on the chick and a hug to Apollonia and that made our day!  Don't forget, there is always another time and I am sure Cate wouldn't mind to wait just a little bit longer...


6th June 2014

7th June 2014


8th June 2014


9th June 2014


10th June 2014


11th June 2014


12th June 2014


13th June 2014



Until my next post!
Ciao,
Sophia




© 2014 - sophia terra~ziva.  all rights reserved

BOOKKEEPING, NEW CHICK IN DA HOUSE AND MY LATEST ODE TO BREAD or 29th May to 5th June 2014 – 365 DAYS OF PHOTOGRAPHY

25 October 2014

Bookkeeping has been haunting me with lots of procrastinated work sating in piles waiting to be sorted.  My time was marked with working on few blog posts that are closely reflecting my passion on snacks, baking and bread.  But lets not forget our new chick in da house.

 29th May 2014




30th May 2014



31st May 2014



1st June 2014



2nd June 2014



3rd June 2014


4th June 2014


5th June 2014

Until my next post!
Ciao,
Sophia

© 2014 - sophia terra~ziva.  all rights reserved

LETTERS TO GARIBALDI; REVOLUTION, PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS or GRANDMA'S SIMPLE BEAN SOUP

24 October 2014

* Each month I share my virtual meal with Ilva and Simi.
This month we are inviting you to eat with us some soup.
Come in.  Please, come in!
Sit down and get comfortable.
Here is some bread.  Here is some soup.  It is not much, but is from my heart.  And it is very wholesome and good for you.  Hope you like it.
This is my grandma Nitsa’s bean soup, just as she used to cook it.  Poor thing, I remember her with her arthritic knotted fingers chasing the beans around the tray, always making sure she checked for any tiny pebbles or dirt that could've possibly mingled with the rest of the beans.  And that was a lengthy cleaning and checking, as we were big family she was cooking for.  It was her staple food for many reasons.  She was deeply religious and following holy fasting more often than I can remember.  Her essential meal was dry bread with few marinated dried olives and a plate of plain bean soup.  So plain and so simple, that we colloquially would call any guileless thing “easy as a bean soup”.

She believed that we have to love and respect the little thing we get in life and her food was an echo of the life the way she saw it – humble and genuine.
We grew up hearing and reading the classic books about our national heroes at the sundown of the 19th century, living in exile, fighting the oppression of the Ottoman Empire.  They were young, brave, passionate, desperate.  With every gathering for concocting a national upheaval, amongst the revolvers, firearms, barrels of dynamite, sables and many passionate letters written to Garibaldi inviting him to fight for their righteous cause, there were few copper pots, with simmering bean soup inside.  “Freedom or Death” was their oath and as they crossed their rebellious hearts with one hand, they would sip a warm poor’s man bean soup with the other...   It became unofficial and inseparable symbol of the hard life rebels and expatriates had.

Now you are sitting here with me – an expat with no much to rebel about and with no government to tumble, but very much ready to move the earth and change things with words and vision.
It tastes nice, isn’t it!
Lets sip some hearty bean soup... lets enjoy its simple and humble taste... (can I get you some more?)
…and lets hope it keeps me close to the pulse of my beginning.

GRANDMA NITSA’S PLAIN BEAN SOUP
Ingredients:
½ kilo of dried white beans
2 medium brown onions
Olive oil
Salt to taste
Method:
Clean and soak the beans overnight.  The next morning strain the water and change with fresh one.  Bring it to the boil and discard the boiled water.  Rinse well and cover the beans with fresh water.  Cut the onions finely and add three tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of salt.  Cover with a lid and bring to gentle simmer.  Let it cook for more than two hours or until the onion has melted down and completely dissolved.  The salt in will keep the beans intact and will prevent from getting mushy.  Just before serving add more salt to taste.
Thank you for visiting!
Ciao,
Sophia

*Soundtrack from the acclaimed Bulgarian movie "Exiles"

© 2014 - sophia terra~ziva all rights reserved

BERTOLUCCI, REMBRANDT, JAPANESE CHERRY BLOSSOMS AND FOUR-LEAF CLOVER or 18th to 28th May 2014 – 365 DAYS OF PHOTOGRAPHY

23 October 2014

My inspirations were feeding on my old love for classic - classic movies, classic paintings, Japanese tradition and impulsive gesture of love from my husband in a shape of a bunch of four-leaf clovers.  My fascination with Bertolucci's movie The Conformist translated in a series of images about rice pudding which in late September was awarded in International Photography Awards, LA - 2014, category Advertising : Food - Professionals.

18th May 2014

19th May 2014


20th May 2014


21st May 2014


22nd May 2014

23rd May 2014

24th May 2014

25th May 2014


26th May 2014


27th May 2014


28th May 2014

Until my next post!
Ciao,
Sophia

© 2014 - sophia terra~ziva.  all rights reserved

CHICKENS, FIRST EGG, THIRD BIRTHDAY AND A NEW TOOTH or 7th to 17th May 2014 – 365 DAYS OF PHOTOGRAPHY

20 October 2014

Welcome to the latest update of my daily visual inspirations.  A gallery of young hens, first egg, third birthday and a new tooth are here to entertain you.


7th May 2014

8th May 2014

9th May 2014

10th May 2014

11th May 2014

12th May 2014

13th May 2014

14th May 2014

15th May 2014

16th May 2014

17th May 2014


Until my next post!
Ciao,
Sophia

© 2014 - sophia terra~ziva.  all rights reserved

SUNFLOWERS, CITRUS AND "THE NAME OF THE ROSE" or 28th April to 6th May 2014 – 365 DAYS OF PHOTOGRAPHY

20 October 2014

These nine days were marked with the sign of flowers, citrus and clients' projects - few floral études, kumquats and lots of rose water infused sweets.  The tea party shot was part of a book cover project for a publisher in UK.  The rose water sweets were for my latest collaboration with the magnificent pastry chef Daniela Forzosi from Dolce Mia Pasticceria.
Of course I managed to indulge myself in a day dedicated on chiaroscuro and glass refraction.



28th April 2014

29th April 2014


30th April 2014


1st May 2014


2nd May 2014


3rd May 2014


4th May 2014


5th May 2014


6th May 2014

Until my next post!
Ciao,
Sophia

© 2014 - sophia terra~ziva.  all rights reserved


Proudly designed by Mlekoshi playground