London, England, November 2009

Maple leaves near my cousin's house, Canada Water Underground

Georgia

Top: a hand-stitched panorama from the Imereti province of Georgia, near Tqibuli

2nd: near Stepantsminda (Kazbegi)

Bottom 2: Khevsureti in the fall a few years ago

Kakheti, Georgia

Grape picking, a leaf in a fence, readying pears for making compote

Kakheti, Georgia

Top: grape sorting at Lali's sister's place (she, Dali, is front right)

Middle: tomato on the vine

Bottom: Zura's 50+ year old car and a Soviet decorative pillar - someone needs to record these before they're all gone

Kakheti, Georgia

Blackberry, corn, persimmon: autum and spring both, with their dramatic changes, are my favourite seasons.

Kakheti, Georgia

Signs of autumn everywhere: grapes, landscape, aubergine (eggplant)

Kakheti, Georgia

Blackberry leaves and landscape through grapevines.

Kakheti, Georgia

Autumn leaves

More churchkhela drying

Hot peppers

Persimmon leaves

Kakheti, Georgia

Corn drying in a surreal setting, Lali's family's house

Churchkhela - a string of walnuts dipped in thickened grape juice paste, then left to dry; also called the Georgian Snickers

Geese at the water pipe

Persimmon leaves

Let's Keep this Civil. Tbilisi, Georgia

November 24, 2008. It was a nice warm day, and indeed a civil ceremony - neither objects nor sharp words were thrown. Tony and Lali were married (in the eyes of the state) in Tbilisi, and retired with their witnesses to Prospero's Books shortly thereafter, where the latter had recently built up a hefty credit in used books, with their witnesses to celebrate on sandwiches, coffee, cheesecake and Bagrationi champagne. They were presented with a delightful gift book by the bookshop's half-owner, Tako, and a good time was had by all.

Church wedding to follow in May 2009, once I return from my 2nd, afore-promised winter of English teaching in Ushguli, ra!

Yeah, so she's 2 fingers' width taller than me, so what?!

Dad, I'm starting to look more and more like you, I think.

Lali, you looked like a million bucks. Your cousin might be Miss Georgia at the moment, but you are my Mrs Georgia any day of the week, and Mrs Hanmer now to boot. Miqvarkhar, ra.

Kakheti, Georgia

A cross of vines, beloved ancient Georgian symbol, first used by St Nino in the early 4th century

More grapevines and persimmon leaves in the sun

Kakheti, Georgia

Vineyards and mountains

Me using a mortar and pestle on walnuts: with flash and without (blurred handheld long exposure)

Fall colours: marigolds, used for food colouring, and grape leaves

Kakheti, Georgia

Grape leaves in fall colours

Cross outside a village cemetery church

Grape harvester children in bronze

Hand-embroidered St George icon

Persimmon leaf