The tame village of Gluhi Do is located in Crmnica. It is about 7 km from Skadar Lake, and 10 km from the sea. The Ćetković family settled in this place almost 500 years ago. Although permanently settled mainly in Bar and Podgorica, today's descendants of this family are happy to gather at their ancestral home, which covers several tens of thousands of square meters of land and forests.
Our hosts, Mikica and Vesko, and their children, four-year-old Elena and two-year-old Nikola, welcomed us to a beautiful estate with an exceptionally well-kept yard, a new and an old family house, a vineyard with over 250 vines, about forty different fruit trees and a garden planted with all types of vegetables. 50 m from the property there is also a family spring, known as Dromnica.
Although their property is regularly maintained, this year gave them the opportunity to dedicate themselves to the work as much as possible, Mikica pointed out to us, saying that all the hard work has paid off, because now they have the opportunity to truly enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Due to his permanent stay on the property, there was much more time for regular maintenance of the vines, fruit trees, tidying up the garden, planting various vegetables, mostly potatoes and the famous Crmnica onions, which Vesko's mother, Mila, also produces on the same property. Vesko and Mikica have been in the village, with their children, since the beginning of March this year, when the first wave of the pandemic started. The perfect weather was used to prepare the vines, fruit trees, to sow vegetables, flowers... In addition, the children enjoyed playing in the yard as much as possible, but also in helping Uncle Peđa paint fruit trees, plant flowers, and water vegetables. And there is also what makes them happy the most, daily socializing with their pets.
"We had the first results of our work already at the beginning of May, when the first crop of cherries and early pears appeared," Mikica points out, adding that in addition to preparing various delicacies, pies and other delicacies at the Ćetković home in Podgorica, only this year she tried to make the most of it. all that this truly fantastic estate has to offer her. "It started with making cakes and pies from cherries, preparing apple juice, liqueur and pear juice... and continued with the other fruits that slowly arrived", said the modest Ćetković, noting that it was soon the turn of walnut liqueurs and cherries, jams, jam, sweet from several types of fruit, pies and various pastries made from apples, figs, plums, quince, pumpkin... It is interesting, says Mikica, that she found the recipe for quince jam in an old publication in the daily "News" list.
Our host Vesko proudly points out that this year they produced over 200 liters of top quality wine and about 50 liters of pure grape brandy, which is more than enough for his family's needs. He adds that in previous years, they could not, to this extent, use all that the village offers, precisely because of the fact that they did not spend this much time continuously in Gluho Dol. But he also points out that things will definitely change in the future and that he and his wife Mikica will try to spend as much time as possible in their rural paradise.
Primarily due to the fact that living on an expanse of several thousand square meters, in clean air, with healthy food, unrestricted movement of children, clean spring water and the possibility of independent organization of time is a cure for the human psyche, an ideal way for stronger family bonding and children's upbringing. And there is also the economic moment, a large amount of extremely high-quality and healthy products that can be grown here, which are purchased in the city at very high prices and whose quality is often dubious or, at the very least, questionable.
"After all, our host is categorical, this stay in the countryside brought us great benefits not only because of the physical stay here, but also because of the fact that with greater attention to the plants and their proper cultivation, we got a quality response through higher incomes, better quality products , domestication of the entire property... and therefore also through the financial valorization of our work and investments. All in all, although there was a lot of work in maintaining and tidying up the property, it was also very fun and interesting, both for us elders and for the children who enjoyed it every day. There is nothing that can relax you more than the fact that your child, from the moment he gets up, plays with his four-legged friend Jackie, that you have no problem with what and when he will eat, because appetite is such a natural thing in the countryside, and every fall, a blow or an accident has an incomparably lower intensity than is the case in the city. In addition, children in the countryside really quickly acquire resistance to some "city diseases" that are simply eradicated when they return to Podgorica, so we are endlessly grateful to the village and nature for that."
Mikica, with a smile, adds that a special attraction for the children was the fact that during their stay in the village they also received new pets, puppies and kittens, which the little ones were endlessly happy with and with whom they spent the whole summer playing and socializing.
"What is indispensable, when you are in the countryside, and when there is also a corona virus pandemic "out there", is a lot of visits from relatives, friends and godparents, which was a real pleasure for us", Mikica tells us, emphasizing that despite daily work, but also a lot of nice company, enjoying together tasting products and delicacies from her kitchen. With a smile, she illustrates her story with the words of her husband Vesko, who, during the summer and autumn, often used to jokingly say, "Even in the age of corona, all the capacities of Ćetković are full".
What is characteristic of this part of Crmnica is the fact that, thanks to the natural source of Dromnica, they never lacked water, even during the worst droughts. It's the same thing with electricity, but what is a striking problem is the fact that the last kilometer of the road to the property is still unpaved, which significantly hinders the approach to the Ćetković house, especially during the winter months, and thus almost makes it impossible to stay on this property during that part years. The situation is especially bad when it snows.
Nevertheless, Mikica and Vesko point out that the proximity of the Sozina tunnel brought them even closer to the sea, which they can now reach in just ten minutes. In addition, as Vesko is employed at the Sozina tunnel, the ideal option for him would be to live in Gluho Dol and arrive at work practically in a few minutes. However, as our housewife is employed at TPC Ražnatović, in Podgorica, it is almost impossible to travel to work every day, organize the care of two very small children and, in addition to eight-hour working hours, also lose additional time every day on transportation, purchasing necessities for the house... ."Additionally, adds Mikica, as my husband's working hours are 12 hours, even if we decide on a kindergarten in Virpazar, it would again be impossible to coordinate my working day, transporting and taking the children to the kindergarten, and picking them up in the afternoon, so we because of all that, in mid-November, they still returned to Podgorica".
Returning to the city was not easy for the Ćetković family, primarily because of the children who were very upset by the fact that they would spend at least "some time" in the apartment, play with "house toys" and stay outside only in controlled conditions and at a certain time.
"When we entered the apartment, daughter Elena started crying, persistently repeating "I won't leave, I want to go to Crmnica", Mikica told us with sadness in her voice, emphasizing that their plans for the future are related to Crmnica, rural tourism , the proximity of the lake and the sea and the possibility of offering healthy and tasty products to tourists.
That is why the Ćetkovićs are already thinking about this topic, planning future investments, creating a marketing strategy, and until the realization of their wishes and visions, this truly special family will continue to regularly come to their country estate and stay sometimes shorter, sometimes longer, but always in search of with peace and beauty that have a healing effect on their mood, energy, spirituality and the growth of their children.
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