A slow week

We had a slow, quiet week, since we all came down with colds. That wasn't any fun, but it did seem easier put up with not feeling good when we could be outside all the time. The children and I spent a lot of time resting on a blanket spread on the grass behind our garden. I think we ended up with more nature photos from the week than anything else. None of those are spectacular, since our camera is more for taking pictures of cute children than snakes and bird nests. I did add quite a few garden pictures over on the side here.

Yes, I said mentioned a snake! (Wildlife is pretty rare in Russia, so I get even more excited about it here than anywhere else. Did I tell you that Jaan and I saw a musk rat at the camp site last week?) One night when we were eating dinner outside, I saw a snake in the woodpile by our outhouse. It moved on too quickly for anyone else to see it. But then, when we were finished eating, I saw it coming out of the other side of the outhouse. () From there we chased it all over our neighbor's yard and back into ours. Jaan and Raia got great views of it, and so did our five-year-old neighbor boy. They were all so excited! (So was I!)

And I mentioned Bluethroats, my new favorite birds? They built a nest in the lot behind ours! So far, there are two little eggs in there.

Other than that, here are just a few more random bits:
-We found out when gooseberries ripen. . . now! And we're also enjoying raspberries, the last of the strawberries, red currants, black currants, and white currants.
-Jaan and I discovered the pond. I think there should be a note added to The Care and Feeding of Pregnant Women, if there is such a book. It should go like this: "Be sure to have a cold pond nearby, for any discomfort from hot days." The water is so cold that we can only stand it for a few minutes, but now that I know how nice it is, we're going to be jumping in a few times a day. (I know, I know, not what we should have been doing with colds. I made sure that we kept our heads out of the water, though.)


Strawberry shortcake!
Originally uploaded by fylliska.

This was before we got sick. Last weekend Raia and I baked shortcakes, which we took with us and enjoyed at the dacha.

The other kind of strawberry
Originally uploaded by fylliska.

I was weeding the radishes. Raia came up to me, pointed to them, and asked for "that kind of strawberry." I asked, "Strawberries that grow underground?" She nodded, so I gave her a radish, and she happily ate it.

Chicken soup
Originally uploaded by fylliska.

Bathing beauties
Originally uploaded by fylliska.

I thought I had gotten a system set up for once a week online time. I bring the computer with me to the Saturday morning prayer meeting for young mothers at the church apartment, then set up and use the phone here after everyone leaves. Last week Will came and fixed the phone so that I could do that. So, everything is set, right? This week I got online, got most of the way through checking email, and the internet card ran out. Once again, Will has to get the children dressed, and come over to rescue me. . . .