Samovar!
Originally uploaded by fylliska.
Jaan's favorite book right now is one that starts with a poem about a samovar. He was thrilled to arrive at the camp and see a real samovar! The Petrash's samovar is a real, real one, too. 
Not one of these modern ones that plugs in. Jaan got to help with building the fire in it, and then he served tea to everyone once it was hot.
Happy baby
Originally uploaded by fylliska.
Raia loved crawling around the old camp, just like her brother did two summers ago, when we were working with the children there. She did have a terrible adventure, but it didn't seem to bother her one bit. A tick bit the inside of her eyelid! 
She just held on to her flowers and waited for us to take care of it. I think it was the first bug encounter that has upset me for twenty years or so! (Mom, how old was I when I ran into that bombardier beetle?)
Tallest to smallest
Originally uploaded by fylliska.
Ivan had all the kids, big and little, lined up to explain the rules for Capture the Flag.
Deaf friends
Originally uploaded by fylliska.
Recently several deaf people have started attending the church in Viazniki. Quite a few of them came and brought their families to the picnic. It took a little bit of writing in the dirt and lots of guessing, but then we got to communicating, and had a great time together.
We missed our train back, because the schedule changed for the holiday, so Ivan brought our group all the way home. It was great to hear all his stories and impressions from his visit to America. I thought the funniest thing that he said was that the public restrooms in America are like something out of a fairy tale.
Maybe that was so funny to me, because not too long ago I said the best word to describe beautiful, old Riga under a fresh snowfall was сказочый, and we couldn't come up with a perfect translation. And then Ivan used it to describe bathrooms?!?
4 comments:
Honey--
Your glimpses of the time hint at the overall richness of fellowship on all levels. From Jaan's intensity in serving from the samovar to Ivan's descriptions of America, from Raia's explorations to conversations with the deaf around the campfire, your words and pictures communicate. Thank you!
I am trying to remember the year of the bombardier. I think the time was May; I am guessing you were seven or eight. The Langers may know exactly. Is Raia's eyelid OK now?
Love to each precious one....
It was such a pleasure to host Ivan! Sometimes the look on his face and his expressions were like that of a child on Christmas morning! He played games with my Maddie and they taught each other their languages as they played.
It is so fun to see evereyone at Tourist, former site of Camp Gloria! I have so many good memories there and only three bad ones (Daniel slicing open his head, being interogated by the city officials with Elizabeth and Nathan, and last year being told we couldn't have camp there).
Is the camp being kept up or is there some vandalism since there isn't a live in caretaker?
Thank you for your concern! Don't worry, Baba Julie, there's no Lyme disease in Russia. Yes, Mom, her eyelid is fine. . . maybe slightly bruised, but really the adults were the ones traumatized, not her. :-) So I guess it's been a little less then twenty years since my last upsetting insect encounter?
Linda, the camp is in pretty good condition. There hasn't been any vandalism. The caretaker comes up every night to turn on a light and make it look like someone is there. The buildings are missing Sasha's care, but at least no one is trying to destroy them.
I'm SOOO jealous that you were out at camp! I always wondered about ticks while we were there. The inside of the eyelid- what an odd place!
Post a Comment