"Swimming"
Originally uploaded by fylliska.
We finally got back out to our dacha last week! It seemed like it had been so long. After our week at home, we had planned to return to the dacha on Monday, but I just couldn't seem to recover from the heat and exertion of going to church. (Nothing serious, just very weak and tired.) Monday and Tuesday I felt too bad to get up and get going. I started myself on a no sugar, no white flour diet, and it seems to be helping. (That's easier said than done here, without well-stocked American health food stores. The average Russian diet is refined sugar, starches, and white flour. . . well, almost.
) Once I got moving again, we were able to spend Wednesday through Sunday morning gardening. It took almost that much time for Will to catch up with the weeds! 
Everything is growing beautifully, though. We spent Sunday at home, and once I'm done here, we'll be going back to our dacha.We're having fun getting to know people out there. When we arrived, our sandbox was FULL of old toys. We still don't know who they are from, but the children thought it was Christmas morning, and they've been enjoying them ever since. This week our five-year-old neighbor was visiting his grandmother, so it's been a little quieter than usual. We're glad that Jaan has a friend to spend so much time with, but we're also working to balance that outside influence. You can pray that more of Jaan will rub off on Pavlik than the other way around. Up until now, Jaan had usually only played with children of our close friends, neighbors we know well, or much older children. Now we're getting our first taste of more typical little boy play, where everything comes straight from TV and movies. Instead of hurting feelings by absolutely refusing to let Jaan go over and watch TV in their dacha, we try to invite Pavlik over to spend time with us more often. The poor kid has had to try some pretty interesting meals! I wonder what he tells his Mom about us?
Подорожник
Originally uploaded by fylliska.
Funny story: one day I noticed that Jaan and Raia were chewing something green, so I rushed over and asked what they were doing. They replied that they had gotten into nettles, so they were "making подорожник." What? Подорожник is a common weed, that is used to treat stings. But how do you make it? It turned out that they thought when I picked подорожник, chewed it and stuck it on them, I was making some kind of medicine. And further, they thought that it could be made with any kind of leaf! Needless to say, we had a little nature lesson, and now they can identify and use подорожник on their own.
Raia's подорожник
Originally uploaded by fylliska.
4 comments:
Hello! It's so good to hear from you all! We're glad the dacha is such a summer retreat for you all! Lots of work, too, it sounds like! But, also lots of fun!
Our garden is growing well, too! We've gotten a little squash (summer and "zucchi" as Pop says), a few black eyed peas and the tomatoes are just getting ripe! Love to all! Baba Julie
Oh, how I remember those days. Torn between wanting to be friendly and wanting to protect my children, I confess I was much more likely to isolate. Inviting Pavlik to your home is really the best option, though it takes the most energy!
Even today we say that as long as YOU are influencing THEM, it's fine. Not the other way around. I will be praying for you in this area! We tell visiting children they may stay as long as they are kind to each other. The minute sibling fights or any fights break out, everyone has to go home for the day.
I set up the feedburner as requested. I'll do the birding one now, though that one's not as active.
Sounds like everything, including the kids, is growing well. I had to make similiar diet changes and though there are more choices here, old habits are hard to conquer. The nutritionist said to avoid most carbohydrates at breakfast--mostly protein with perhaps 1/2 slice of bread & small amount of milk. No fruit at this meal. Eat about every two hours and if you eat a fruit eat either a protein (hard boiled egg) or complex carbohydrate--oats, graham crackers, or for you perhaps an ethnic dark bread. Corn, sweet peas, and cooked carrots are startches that need care. (too bad because they are so good this time of year). Most raw veggies are fine--eat all the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and squash you'd like. Take care.
They should have some Rye flour, don't they? My FIL was here and a friend (both from Russia) and told me how children need sugar, and the health of it. Just as long as they eat salads too, they said!
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