Backyard Barcelona

The usual menu in BB


Hawley at the table in BB


When my plans for a vacation in Spain fell through in July Boki invited me over to his place and he, Dave Bloss and I had a consolation dinner in the backyard under the grape arbor. The grapes were tiny, hard green balls then. We ate delicious olives, cheese, hard bread and wine until the sun set over the pear and apple trees. I christened it Backyard Barcelona. BB for short.

Over the summer and fall that overgrown garden untidy with roses, irises and day lillies has become one of my favorite places in Sarajevo. I coax invitations out of Boki whenever I can for me and others, and I notice enviously when he leaves work during the day to sneak home for a lunch in BB. He's got just a simple card table and plastic chairs on a little cement platform under the grape leaves and that view.

The grapes are lush, juicy purple now and have joined olives on the regular menu. The roses are overblown, the rest of the garden more weedy than ever. Winter is coming fast. It won't be beautiful for much longer.