a Quilt for Marina

Marina and Vasily

Great Friends

Vasily and Marina holding their new quilt.

Me, Linda, Aliene, and Marina

A message that was placed on the quilt.

We have a wonderful friend. Her name is Marina. She is so thoughtful and kind and always willing to help and do anything for everyone. Linda, the EEA doctor's wife, wanted to do something for her before she went home in September. She decided on doing a pieced quilt. I told her I would be happy to quilt it with her. First, we had to find quilting frames in Moscow. If anyone would have them it would be someone from the International Branch because they have their home belongings shipped, not brought in a suit case like all missionaries. Quilting frames were found but not the ones we were used to. These frames were made from PVC pipe. They were easy to put up and take down and one person could do it. We didn't have to "roll" the quilt, use metal clamps or thumb tacs. They worked great! (I figured the man that created them for his wife, and packaged them to sale retail, must have been related to my dad.) So...Linda, Aliene and I spent a few days quilting.

New Jerusalem

We decided to go an another adventure to a place called "New Jerusalem". It is a Monastery that was founded in 1656 by Patriarach Nikon. Jim and Don just bought tickets for the train. See the long line? The line usually goes fast but there was some confusion about the tickets when they were buying them and the line grew very long! Oh well, Russia is known for lines!
It is Saturday morning and everyone is on their way to their dacha's for the weekend so....the train is crowded and warm! I am sitting about halfway back on the left and Aliene is on the right.
Never a dull moment! Our ride is over an hour so someone will come by with a cooler full of drinks or icecream or things to buy...someone was selling duct tape! This man is playing a song and singing. If we like it we can give him some money.

Entering New Jerusalem. The site was chosen for its resemblance to the Holy Land. The River Istra represents the River Jordan, and the buildings represent the 'sacral space' or holy places of Jerusalem.

Gate and Resurrection Cathedral built 1665 - 1685, identicall to a cathedral in Jerusalem with the same name.

Stone wall with towers (1690 - 1694)

Inside the Resurrection Cathedral...we tried not to disturb the service that was going on.

Stop for some fruit (nectarine) and a drink of water.

This place has a special bridge too but I an not sure it is for newly married couples. Instead of locks (I counted only 2 locks), fabric is tied on the bridge...maybe with a prayer?

This was Patriarch Nikon's residence (hermitage).

This is the River Jordan. Notice the cross, it has three boards that cross the main pole.

Jim has his hand in the River Jordan in Russia! There were many people by us getting ready to get in the water....changing in the bushes...some were already in the water.

Russian wooden building.

This is an old Russian home. It looks quite big and I don't know if all houses were this big. On the left is the shed and on the right is the house. A cute young man translated for us all of the things a babushka was telling about the house. It reminded me of a pioneer houme. The windows were made out of maple to keep the bad spirits away.

This was a special room for weddings and special occasions. There is a loom in the middle of th floor, a special dress, and benches all around the walls.

This was heavy!

That is a cradle hanging from the ceiling in the bedroom.

This is an eating area. Notice the special religous picture in the corner with the scarf around it. This is a very common look (the scarf around a mirror or picture) for old Russia.

Babushkas and Dadushka and children would sleep on top of the stove (behind the curtains). Notice the boots stuck in the holes on the side for drying.

Beautifully carved shutters.

Fun sledge with a beautiful and very common design painted on it.

Toboggan and old wagon wheels in the back.

There was a windmill on the property for grinding grain.

Wooden parts to the windmill.

wooden parts

This is the beautiful view out the front of the windmill.

June 21, 2010

This picture was taken on June 21, 2010 at about 10:20 pm. You can just see the sun setting above the buildings. Look how much sun is in the sky! WE LOVE IT!! It will stay really light for almost another 40 minutes. This is out our NORTH window. We see the sun set and the sun rise like this out the SOUTH window at the office in the MIDDLE of the day in the winter time...but that is another story for another day and right now we are loving the SUN!!!

To celebrate the longest-day-with-the-most-sun (and because it was our 38th wedding anniversary) we went down to Arbat street. We had a mikshake at the Hard Rock Cafe and then walked the street and saw all of the artists and their paintings. Great evening! A few weeks back we bought two water color paintings of St Basil on this street and as we were coming out of Starbucks with our pastry, an artist stopped me and started sketching my face. We started to walk away because we were not interested in a portrait, however....he just kept drawing...and now I have a self portrait! Yes, it does look like me!

Suzdal

One Saturday morning we left early and drove (we hired a driver) to the town of Suzdal. We were told it was an important town to see on the "Golden Ring" around Moscow. It was 134 miles out of Moscow and it should take about 3 hours to get there, alowing for traffic. Well, it took us 6 hours to get there because of traffic! However, the ride was great because we weren't driving and we could visit and see the beautiful green trees and the creative way the Russians drive...they make 5 lanes out of 2! They pass on the shoulder! The return trip was only 3 hours.

We loved Suzdal and felt like we were going back in time. It is always good to out of the city!

We are on our way to Suzdal, this is what the name looks like in Russian.

Old brick sidewalk through town.

It is a beautiful little town. It reminds me of a little pioneer town but it has cathedrals and an old Kremlin (Kremlin means fortress in Russian) wall around it. Not a lot has been refurbished so we can see buildings as they really were. This town has written history from 1024.

Sweet little babushka that makes little boots (the size of a finger). She prayes while she makes the boots so they will bring you safety, health, or happiness.

Alene and I by an old gate.

(digital moment)

Quilt Sale

These ladies are dressed up in their native costume and selling their quilts and other bazzar items.

Cathedral inside the Kremlin

The white wall is the Kremlin wall. I love this quaint little road with the pink peonies and the horse at the end of the lane.

The Nativity Cathedral inside the Kremlin.

Jim, Don, Jack

Beautiful countryside with a Russian building on the left.

A beautiful Russian wooden building.

Lunch in a Russian Restaurant

Jim, Aliene, Frances, Don, Jack

Daches and gardens on the river.
Daches are summer "homes" and most don't have water (plumbing) or electricity.

cathedrals in the background

BEAUTIFUL countryside and river

cathedrals

A Lunch to Remember!

It is so fun being in the mission field because General Authorities are always coming to visit! There are 14 missions in the Europe East Area and something exciting is usually happening. The Moscow Mission was having a special conference and all of the members were invited. A convention hall was rented at a hotel that was big enough to fit everyone. Elder Perry and Elder Rasband came for that meeting. Both of them spoke along with their wives...EXCELLENT! We (the missionaries) were able to have a special meeting with them the day before and introduce ourselves and shake their hands...MORE EXCELLENT!! It is a blessing to be able to be in their presence and exciting to see how they have meetings with the missionaries. They are constantly asking questions and having missionaries respond! They were "here" for a week, along with Elder Scott, flying to different missions. At the end of the week the Area Presidency was having a two day meeting with Elder Perry, Elder Scott, and Elder Rasband. I was asked to prepare a lunch for them on those two days. YES, OF COURSE I WILL! To be able to visit and have a "digital" moment with two apostles and 4 members of the seventy...PRICELESS!!!

Elder Scott, Me, Nancy and Hyrum Hall, Elder and Sister Rasband, Elder and Sister Perry, Lydia, Linda Rees,

President Schwitzer, President Paul, President Manzhos

Just visiting...with Elder Scott!

More visiting.... with Elder Perry!


Yes, we are loving every minute!

Elder Scott, Elder Rasband, President Schwitzer, President Paul, President Manzhos, Elder Perry


Marina, Acia, Elder Perry and Sister Perry, Lidia, Me, and Linda


President Paul, President Manzhos, Elder Rasband, Elder Hall, Elder Perry, Elder Scott, President Schwitzer

another view

Linda, President Paul (President of Europe East Area), Me

On Thursday we served chicken salad croissants, strawberries, fresh pinapple, grapes, veggies, and chocolate cake with ice cream for dessert. On Friday Elder Perry and Elder Rasband had their wives for lunch. It was served in the conference room and not on this small table. Elder Scott said to me, "my wife is here, you just can't see her". We served broccoli salad, homemade rolls, fresh fruit salad with pudding on the top, and a peach dessert.

Clean up crew:
Steve Rees (doctor for the Europe East Area), Jim, and Linda, I helped too but someone had to take a picture!