Last day of April 2009 in Azerbaijan...

Sometimes we think that certain things can never happen to us or that on a beautiful spring weather only good things can take place...wrong assumption...terrorism can happen towards anyone and terrors may take place on any day...

Unfortunately 30 April 2009 in memories of many families in Azerbaijan will stay as the day when their children went to university and never returned home. Today gunman shot to death at least 13 people in Oil Academy of Azerbaijan in Baku and many are heavily wounded. We don't know the reasons yet...and no reason will return those innocent victims (Allah rəhmət eləsin - Peace be with all victims).

I think any parent and not only would share this grief...how come some children grow into monsters? why there were/are people "thank" to whom there are words like terrorist, sadist and maniac?...why would someone go and kill everyone he meets in the corridor?...for money? revenge? due to mental sickness (when the person does not do anything to himself but to others for some reason)...why there is so much hatred in some people towards other people?...

Today I am not posting any photos...enough elaborating on hatred and violence...it looks like it has never been and it is still not enough just to wish for peace...countries and people are fighting for their safety and peace...I hope as civilians we could help the planet at least by "spreading" love and by bringing up happy and loving children...I am writing this and I am not sure if only this is enough...I am not sure...tragedies like today make one doubt everything...

Be well...

Unknown Azerbaijan...First female opera composer in the Orient - Shafiga Akhundova...

I was brought up in a family where praising yourself was considered as impolite and inappropriate…one of the most common things that I remember is my father saying “one should not praise herself in front of the others, let others do it…” the same applied to praising once children before others etc…I call it humbleness and modesty that hopefully will be still existent in lets say XXII century...currently they are under big "pressure"...

Years passed…I grew up…saw other people…started analysing…now I can draw almost a clear line between what my dad used to say and what my country was doing…never phrasing its children in front of others and waiting for/expecting others to do it…and that does not happen very often…

Lately thankfully Azerbaijan started working on its PR and if I may say “marketing” but we are very behind and historically have missed the opportunity of creating THE image of Azerbaijan…left it to others to do???

To prove the above I have a rhetoric question: how many people around the world know that first (!) female (!) opera composer (!) in the Orient is lady named Shafiga Akhundova who is actually Azerbaijani and who is actually from Sheki...

Ms Shafiga Akhundova was born in 1924 in Sheki. She graduated from Baku Musical School and Azerbaijan State Conservatory. In 1972 (!) she composed opera "Maiden Rock" thus becoming the first woman to create opera in the East. Shafiga xanum is the author of wonderful songs "Leyla", "Happy Land", operetta "Our home, our secret" (1965), pieces for string quartet, dramatic plays "Aydin", "Farewell to India!" "What do you live for?" etc and music to children's plays such as "A tale of a clown", "Birthday of a rabbit", etc.

One might argue who cares about who knows/who doesn’t...but if we recall Maslow's hierarchy of needs then I guess everyone cares...

Today’s post is devoted to Shafiga xanum who turned 85 in 2009, to her amazing talent and to her contribution to not only Azeri culture but if I may say to world-wide one...

below photo was taken around two years ago in Sheki when my father-in-law, Aslan Rustamov (another gifted Shekili), went over to visit Shafiga xanum in her summer house...

Childhood - spring of ones lifetime...

Last three years or so Novruz is celebrated during quite a long time in Azerbaijan…around a week. Working mothers like I have a chance to spend more time with their little ones (what sometimes might seem more tiring than working:), to make amazing, funny and sweet discoveries…There is a saying in Azerbaijan “Uşaq olan evdə qeybət olmaz” what means “there is no gossip in homes where there are children”…it implies that children keep everyone so busy that women do not find time for gossiping (hopefully :)

Childhood is definitely spring of ones life time. Like spring...by the time you realize, notice and appreciate it, childhood is gone…the same thought comes to me when I observe the child, time flies and babies change so quickly…everyday they do something new and here the next day yesterday's something new is gone...spring in Baku is also very short...every day a new flower, another green tree and one wonders - when did all this happen...where was I looking...and then one day it is already summer...

In Russian they say “погода шепчет…” meaning weather is whispering me…I can not convey how beautiful the weather was for a couple of days this week in Baku, nature was definitely whispering beautiful songs of blue sky, warming sun, gentle breeze, bird songs and children laughter…song of awakening nature...spring…it was whispering “take a moment, notice me…”

Below I am posting photos that I believe will better explain what I mean above...these photos are taken by people who do notice spring :) These are my niece, Fatma Giyasova, who not only enjoyed but also took photos precisely for my blog while in Sheki during Novruz (let me thank you in public, Fatma) and Fakhriyya Mammadova whose eyes catch miracles easily and thankfully she shares her photos with us...

Shortly these buds will open up, tree will blossom, bear fruits...this will happen very quickly...do you know what I mean?...courtesy of Fakhriyya...
Bees are getting excited :) ...courtesy of Fakhriyya...

Springs in Absheron peninsular (where Baku is located) are so short...courtesy of Fakhriyya

This isn't snow...this is apricot tree in blossom..isn't this amazing...courtesy of Fatma...

Apricot tree blossoms...closer view...courtesy of Fatma