Visiting Neighbors

 

This past week, the weather being exceptionally nice for garden work, we went to visit a neighbor.  Doamna Tatiana's (on the left) neighbor is Doamna Zoia.  She is a retired school teacher and in fact was one of Doamna Tatiana's first teachers for Romanian.  She was glad to have us thin out some of her perennials around her back yard.  You can see Domnul Sergiu going to work here with the "lopata" (shovel).  Before we could leave, she invited us in for a visit or course.  Here are some pictures from inside her house.  First there is the wall heater, or "soba"  which is a beautiful tile piece.  Some examples of her needle point are framed on the wall.  And of course some real flowers in the window.  Wall coverings are popular types of decoration in the homes as you see by this example of a brown "covor" or rug.  Being a teacher, she loved books.  And of course an icon or two of important saints.  What was most spectacular though was a collection of her own crocheted work.  Table clothes and decorations, place mats and other pieces of fine detail that I haven't seen since my grandmother's time.  And she did it all with her string and two needles.

 

Spring Update...First Buds

 

Spring is finally underway here in Moldova.  I wanted to share with you some of the breathtaking first buds of the season.  The apricot trees are some of the first ones to blossom.  I was standing by a blossoming tree and it was humming.  I actually could hear the honey bees working like crazy to pollenate those flowers.  It was like the hum of a high power line.  Director Sergio had the troops out in force this week around the center planting flowers.  Everyone was glad to be outside in the sunshine a new warmth.  We did some planting at home too in the house flower garden.  A couple of new cherry trees and some extra grape vines and of course the trandafirs (rose plants).  Oh, I included a close up of an actual Moldovan dandelion.   Hmmm.  Pretty familiar, eh?  The ducklings have hatched.  And the chicks of a few weeks ago were ready for the outdoors now.  And I have finished my second 500 piece puzzle here in Moldova.  April showers will bring more flowers.

Getting Ready

 

Getting ready for what you may ask.  Well the Orthodox Moldovans are still getting ready for Easter.  This large Cross monument next to the well that is behind our house reminded me of that today.  And the Valley is getting ready for cow traffic as the herds are coming out of barns now and going to pasture every day.   The wooden door in the stone wall is where our cows go in and out.  If you look to the right of our neighbor's blue house, you can see the start of a garden.  People have been out planting onions, garlic, and potatoes.  Too early for tomatoes.  Oh, that's my clean laundry hanging on the line.  Meet the dogs of the house.  Mama Pica who has her own spot reserved.  Her pup junior who is starting to grow.  And tiny who just followed Ilie home one day.  You see our official Community Center Universul building sign.  Now we have a slick new welcome sign on the street corner at the local bus stop.  The kids have been helpful this week getting ready for spring.  Sort of.  I guess they do need a little supervision.  Thankyou, Doamna Ecaterina.  But they are hard little workers.  They all want to be "Campionii Saptamani"  or  Weekly Champions.  And of course, they all are.