Signs of Spring

Spring is a welcome relief in Russia. The winters, even with global warming, are long, cold and dark, and the first signs of spring brighten even the gruff characters of Russians. The first rumblings for me seem to come around Women's Day or March 8th. Flowers are purchased for the women in your life and those bright bunches are tucked under many a passerby's arm. Spring is also for planting. Babushkas take the first weekend opportunity to check on their dachas and get the first plantings in the garden taking advantage of the short but precious growing season.

Spring is also the season of cleaning. Chisty Chetvergk (clean Thursday), or Maundy Thursday as it's known in the Protestant and Catholic calendars (the Thursday before Easter), is a day for cleaning out your house of the winter air and dust in preparation for the Easter Feast.

In Moscow, Spring is painting season. A peculiar practice of painting over anything, usually rather sloppily by young men, metallic in sight--iron fences, siding, trash bins, archways, curbs, etc. I've actually watched them paint trash. This is usually accompanied by a failure to put any notice that mentions wet paint. Just ask Katherine who sat on wet yellow paint at Patriarshy Ponds a few weeks ago. The guy who sat on the yellow bench next to her didn't know he wanted stripes on his suit either. Thanks to former neighbor and Hot Tipper JC for this picture from the Val near our old apartment in Moscow.

Look closely at the fence (click for larger view). HT JC adds, "BTW - now that the fence is painted, they were out washing it this morning. I'm not sure, maybe they mixed up the schedule and painted the fence 3 weeks before washing it? No, I think its just stupidity and low standards!"

Kak obichno, v Moskve! Many things still stump us daily! But isn't that the fun of living abroad??!!??

Easter Bells in Yekaterinburg

Happy Easter from Yekaterinburg!

Today, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate the coming of Christ. Easter in Russia also means the coming of Spring, a welcome relief from the long winter. As I write this, I'm listening to the Easter bells of the church next to our new home in Yekaterinburg. Poised on the continental divide, Yekaterinburg is in the Ural Oblast or region and is home to former President Yeltsin.

We arrived on Monday and are settling into a slower pace of life. Moscow was fascinating and lively with much to offer, but often drains the life out of you with its noise, traffic and general aggressiveness. The expat community is small here in Yekat, but so far we like the folks we've met and it seems easy to break in.

Yesterday, we took a walk around town and checked out the market and then met up with Emily who knows an old friend of mine from High School. Very small world we live in.

Tristan at the Market

Babushka checking her eggs as she leaves the Egg Store!

Outside Market area.

Carolyn in front of an old building in Yekaterinburg.

Once I figure out how to manipulate the video, I'll put the Easter bell ringing up from last night.