It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Summer was slow and lazy — we spent plenty of time at the house, but mostly just soaking in the stillness, enjoying long quiet mornings and late golden evenings. Sometimes, doing nothing at all felt like the most productive thing we could do...

Watch episode #19

This episode is all about cozy comforts and small wins around the house. We start the day with homemade pancakes topped with our own quince jelly from Episode 16, then finally get around to planting our long-planned herb garden—14 different herbs in total. Later, Eli bakes mamuli, a soft, traditional bread her grandmother used to make, and Ivailo brings our wooden chopping boards back to life with some food-safe mineral oil and a bit of care...

Watch episode #18

The cold is finally behind us, and we’re back at the house. We’ve got big plans for the year ahead, but first things first — our yard is so overgrown, it needs urgent attention. It also happens to be Easter, and this year Eli decided to make a traditional Bulgarian Easter kozunak. On top of that, we experimented with a fully organic approach to dyeing eggs. Meanwhile, Ivailo is wrapping up his third book...

Watch episode #17

This episode was originally set to be released at the end of December, but Ivailo wasn’t happy with how it turned out—he felt like something was missing. So we decided to postpone it… for what turned out to be a little over two months. In that time, we only managed to visit the house a couple of times, as life got busy and winter hit hard. Still, we spared no time and effort to decorate it accordingly...

Watch episode #16

We decided to plant a green fence to separate our otherwise open yard from our neighbor’s, mainly to spruce up our side a bit. What we thought would be a quick one-hour task turned into a five-hour nightmare. While the soil seemed soft at first, we quickly discovered a dense network of roots spanning the entire yard just 5 cm below the surface. And these weren’t just any roots—they were tough. It took endless hoeing just to carve out a narrow trench for our planned 30-meter-long ditch...

Watch episode #15

Autumn is in full swing, and it's absolutely beautiful. We've had fantastic weather and made the most of it. The pomegranates and walnuts were ready for harvest, along with the last of the apples and a few late pears. The quinces still need a bit more time, but we'll pick them on the next round. We're also preparing our rainwater tank to make the most of the upcoming rainy season...

Watch episode #14

As summer comes to an end, our apple trees yielded over 100 kilograms of fruit this year. Unfortunately, most of it went to waste since we couldn’t harvest in time. We did manage to donate what was left to our neighbors, who make apple vinegar, and next year we’re thinking of trying our hand at it too. In the meantime, we had an "aha" moment—the old beer crate could easily be repurposed into a stylish side table with minimal effort...

Watch episode #13

Piñatas aren’t exactly traditional or widely known in Bulgaria—or at least they didn’t use to be. But we thought it would be a fun way for the kids to let loose in the yard! To give it a local twist, we managed to find some nostalgic treats from our childhood: classic Bulgarian sweets like Caramel MU and Lakta, two of the few options we had back then. And of course, if there’s one Balkan specialty known around the world, it’s rakia. Eli’s father makes small batches from a variety of fruits, including fig, grape, apricot, and persimmon (or paradise apple, as we call it in Bulgaria)...

Watch episode #12

Unlike last year, our once-neglected orchard has finally produced fruit we can enjoy! We’ve been able to pick early pears, cherries, sour cherries, and several varieties of plums. Later in the season, we’re expecting figs, apples, quinces, walnuts, and a few other surprises. Meanwhile, our battle with the 30-year-old ivy continues—it’s spread across the property, and as we cut it back, we’ve uncovered six hidden pots beneath the growth so far...

Watch episode #11

While we were painting the exterior walls, a friendly stray cat showed up, and we named her Kometa. She’s been by our side day and night, even bravely chasing off a large male cat that wandered into the yard. With Kometa’s companionship and our newly painted walls, the house is really starting to feel like home—especially with all the little touches we’re adding inside to make it extra cozy...

Watch episode #10

As we approach the end of our first year here, we can finally call the second floor finished, furnished, and fully livable! Over the Easter holidays, we spent our first comfortable nights upstairs, and we have to say—it’s simply amazing. In this episode, along with the usual sounds of hammers clanking and power tools whirring, get ready for a slightly indulgent but incredibly tasty traditional breakfast, a hearty meat dish, and some unorthodox egg-dyeing techniques...

Watch episode #9

Winter was a quieter season, with fewer activities around the house. We managed to install the flooring, complete the electrical work on the second floor, and bring in some furniture. But with the house still too cold and missing essential comforts, it isn’t quite ready for cozy winter stays just yet. So, we decided to hold off on major projects and wait for winter’s end before continuing our work...

Watch episode #8

Our goal is to finish the second floor by year’s end, so we’re making every effort to push forward. With the floors and stairs now leveled and prepped for flooring (though we didn’t film much of that part), we moved on to priming and painting the walls and ceilings. We’ve also stocked up on laminate packs, letting them acclimate over the next couple of weeks. Along the way, we picked up a pair of vintage wooden lounge chairs from the socialist era—beautiful finds that just needed a bit of restoration. Now, there are only a few things left to wrap up before we can call it a year!..

Watch episode #7

With the cold season on its way, we're pushing to complete as much as possible on the second floor—a project that sat unfinished for 35 years with the previous owners. We’ve replaced all the woodwork, plastered the walls (with a bit of help from a hired team, as it was too much for us alone—though they left a few patches for us to tackle ourselves). Now, we're down to the last big job: the floors. We used 400 kilograms of self-leveling mixture to get them ready for covering. It was exhausting but incredibly satisfying to see the transformation take shape. The stairs remain unfinished, but we’re saving that as a "dessert" project. Who knows? It might even turn into a fun, creative exercise!..

Watch episode #6

With autumn approaching, we’re finally getting to enjoy the fruits of our orchard—and it’s an incredible feeling! While the yard overhaul is still underway, we’ve made some serious progress indoors, too. We installed the shower, put up light fixtures, and completely rewired the second floor. But it’s the little personal touches that make a place feel like home. We hung up some of our favorite artworks, polished up our silverware (with toothpaste, no less), and even got a bit crafty, making a batch of our own artisanal soap and soy wax candles. A quick word of caution! Working with lye in soap-making is extremely hazardous. If you’re inspired by the simplicity shown in the video, please take the time to understand all safety measures and always wear protective gear. The same goes for handling hot soy wax when making candles—safety first!..

Watch episode #5

While still trying to bring our overgrown yard under control, the intense heat has put a pause on our outdoor efforts. So, we decided to focus on the kitchen and living room instead. The last shelves are finally mounted, and although the 40-year-old fridge gave out and needed replacing, it’s all coming together. We were also lucky to inherit some beautiful traditional Bulgarian pottery left in the house—a perfect touch for both decoration and use. For dinner, we decided to go with something easy, tasty, and familiar (recipe below). It was only our second night here, but sleeping was a challenge with the lingering heat. And to add a bit of excitement, we had an unexpected visitor: a big rat emerged from the fireplace, giving us a true countryside surprise!..

Watch episode #4

The heavy rains not only knocked every last fruit off the trees but also turned our yard into a jungle in less than a month. Now we’ve got quite a bit to tackle: a 30-year-old ivy that’s wrapped itself around the house and choked out the grapevines (where a friendly grass snake, now named Smookey, has taken up residence), enormous wild rose bushes blocking the paths, a couple of dead trees, and an entire decare of waist-high weeds. Transforming the yard is going to be a serious project, but we’re up for the challenge. Our vision is to repurpose it completely—though that’s on hold until we finish and furnish the second floor. Still, we had the time to invite first eager friends over for a proper grill!..

Watch episode #3

It seems our families were just as excited about the new house as we were. They rushed over to help clear the yard and lend a hand wherever they could. Working in the countryside is tough but incredibly rewarding—especially when the day wraps up with a grill full of delicious Balkan meatballs. You’ll see that the BBQ setup came together in just about a minute, crafted from bricks on the spot. The best part? It can be built as big as you need, tailored perfectly for any gathering...

Watch episode #2

Hi, and welcome! We’re a family with urban roots, but for the past eight years, we’ve been dreaming of a quiet, magical country home. After a long search, we finally found it just a month ago, nestled in the heart of the countryside. In this first episode, we dive into the early stages of transforming this house into our sanctuary. Join us as we tackle the initial cleanup, paint fresh colors onto the walls, restore and assemble furniture, and get a taste of the unpredictable country life—including an impressive thunderstorm!...

Watch episode #1