Tuesday, December 16, 2008

A day at our DACHA!

You all are slave drivers!  I wasn't deliberately teasing.  So it would be better not to mention anything at all when I don't have time?  And then you have fits because I didn't tell you earlier? At least this way you knew something was up.


So, the exciting news is that WE BOUGHT A DACHA!  It was all very sudden.  We've kind of asked around and looked some, but there is just not much (nothing!) available here.  It seems that, even more than in Kovrov, everyone here has a dacha and uses it.  Maybe that's because the city here was built so recently?  People haven't had time to inherit them and end up with more than they can use?  Or maybe it's just because everything grows so much better here?

Anyway, last week we were walking through a dacha area, and Will asked a man walking by if he had heard about anyone selling there.  He said not there, but that his neighbor in another area was selling.  We walked over with him, and he showed it to Will.  He thought it had probably already been sold, though.  We got in touch with the owner, and now--a week later--it's ours!

We spent all day there yesterday (and almost froze).  Our camera wasn't being cooperative, but we still got some photos:

Letting down the ladder
This is the entrance to our property. It's like a fortress.

Climbing up

The house
This is what you see once you get up the ladder: a little house, (the weeds), an apricot (?) tree, and a greenhouse.  There's also a chicken coop behind the house.

The "garage"
If you go to the right of the house, you see these stairs, leading up to a collection of little buildings, where the former owner kept his motorcycle and turkeys and such.

Looking down from the garage
I know, you can't see much.  Our little house is straight out, but you can actually see the neighbor's better than ours here.

Cooking lunch

Finally asleep!
Asya was not happy with us for dragging her out there, sick and all bundled up.  While the rest of us enjoyed exploring, she spent most of her time screaming.  She finally fell asleep for a little while.  I'm sure she'll enjoy dacha time, when it's warmer and she feels well!

We have been kind of talking and thinking and praying about getting a dacha here, even since we had to leave our other one in Russia.  It makes apartment life so much more bearable!  Actually, it's about the perfect life for me.  I would be lonely in a real house, all the time; I'm used to having neighbors above and below and all around me and people to talk to when I go outside.  But I miss having a place to let the children run free and to grow plants.  Now I have both.

Will says that he was thinking he needed to really start searching for a place soon, because he wanted something before spring and thought it would be a long, drawn out search.  Instead, he just had to ask this one man!  We're so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who blesses us with even extra things like this.

12 comments:

Mrs said...

Praising God for His marvelous provision! Were you able to sell the dacha in Russia?

In our study of Russia, we saw the dacha of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia. Basically, you could fit my house into it.

I can't wait to show Glenna yours!

Anonymous said...

As Don would say: Wowzeedoozle! and Praise the Lord! What a great provision. I was thinking the news might have something to do with a different apartment or other place to live, but never thought about a dacha. What a promise of fresh air, fresh veggies and fruit, and lots of fun for one and all!

An early Christmas present!

much love, D/B/G

Anonymous said...

We are so excited for you and are praising the Lord for this huge blessing and the amazing way it all happened.

How early in the year do people actually move out to live in dachas there? Is the building habitable? How far is it from your apartment?

Much love....

Anonymous said...

That ladder looks fun! I love it! Will I get to see my first real dacha when I'm there or is it a springtime thing? I am getting more and more excited to see everyone (I know it's still months away)!
love you all!

DaDaHaZaReJe said...

Wow! How wonderful!! That is so like God to provide for all our needs and then heap a giant blessing on top!

I must admit I was one of the seriously curious when you alluded to big news...

Lindy Johnson said...

How exciting to know you have a place to garden and get some country air! The children must be so excited since they enjoyed the one in Russia so much. A great way to look forward to Spring. Love, Aunt Lindy

Alissa Maxwell said...

Hooray!

I completely relate to your your feeling of balance having the closeness of apartment neighbors and the space of your datcha. Scott wants a bigger property, but I want a small one with close neighbors and a patch in the community garden to grow tomatoes...

Jill Willeke said...

I love your dacha!!! I am so sad that we have to leave ours. We have had so much fun at ours and it was such a good outlet to go and rest and relax. Enjoy!!! Hotdogs are standard dacha food for us!!!

Baba Julie said...

I am SO excited for you all! I was very sad when you had to leave the one outside of Kovrov. But, it is nice that the young woman from the Kovrov church could use it. The Lord has certainly provided, AGAIN! Love you all! Baba Julie

Anonymous said...

um...what's a dacha?

Anonymous said...

Hurray! Space for garden & chickens! The planning during winter will be so much fun. My crew would check our chickens so often they ended up shooing the hens off the nest to get the newly laid, still damp egg. What an experience. Hopefully yours will have such a time too.

Please tell the story of what happened to the old dacha.

Anna said...

So exciting!! I want a dacha!! So, what I'm wondering is why was it constructed as a fortress? That's the only entrance? Do you climb up and then jump down? It seems a tad inconvenient. =-) Though quite lovely. I'm so happy for you!