breakfast

Went to Breakfast of Course this morning, and found the place being suitable for vegetarians. It is on Trade St in Downtown - go away from the bus station, pass Yoga Gallery, and former Mary's Of Course is on the right. They have expanded on all these horned devilish creatures on their walls. It reminded me why I went to their old place only once before and never came back.

The bare chested waiter David was wearing Mardi Gras beads.

Hawaiian waves

Planning our trip to Hawaii I run across these amazing pictures of Hawaiian waves by a photographer by the name Little. His first name is Clark. I don't know how he is still alive doing such pictures!

Here is the link to the pictures of him in waves so you can see HOW he does it. Very brave guy!

lake

Went to Hanging Rock Park this morning to swim in the lake. The temperature of the water was perfect! The lake is open at ten in the morning. If you can get into the water right after 10 am - you'll be having all the lake for yourself! By 11 am the 'main forces' start filling up the parking lot, dragging all these coolers on wheels and chairs to the beach. This is the best time to leave :)

today in the library

we live in a jungle!

Our vegetable container garden - look more like a jungle! :)))

Valaam in video

Valaam - the island and the monastery where I lived for 6 years:


Read more: click here

snow and ice

this is my car, copyright is also mine :)
how do you like my car plate?

Like any other Russian glamor lady in Moscow these days I went to ACE hardware to get a snow shovel! They only had plastic ones :( $15 each. "Do you have the metal ones?" - I asked. "The metal ones were sold out on Friday..." Logically! I should have listen to forecast and think in advance.

I came back and cleaned my car off snow with my red mitten. Than I cleaned the walkway to the door with a small metal shovel that I bought in the summer to plant my strawberries :))) But I can't use it to clean the driveway. How am I going to go to work tomorrow?

Neighbor folks have parked smart - front forward, with towels and cardboard on the front glass.



someone draw a cat by my door and curled the cat's wisks :)


neighbor's cars

snow in 2008

nadia and vegetables

Nadia is a very good cook! This is her my favorite vegetable - leak (i think).

nadia and cheese

nadia and a piece of chese copyright is
mine, of yesterday clickable

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balalaika live in my hands

I have learned my first piece on Balalaika - Russian folk song "In the orchid, in the garden..."

I always thought that an elephant stepped on my ear (as Russians say when you don't have a musical ear). But Nadia said it doesn't matter (who stepped on my ear) - all notes are written, and I can use music scores and play. It worked! :)

Nadia's father send a PDF file from Russia - texbook "Teach Yourself how to play Balalaika". It's an old guide, must be from 50s or older. It is very good! I have the instrument. It is a very special gift from one of the people who came to the Balalaika concert that I have organized in the library. It was in November. Almost 300 people came to hear Russian Balalaika musicians from Syktyvkar. After the concert I got a gift - it was balalaika instrument from Russia! Real one, with three strings, with corners... 'I have to learn how to play' - I told myself.

With Nadia's help I have learned 'perebor', "braiatzanije' styles, then played 'Andrew-the-Sparrow' for practice. Today I have learned my first 'real song' - Russian folk "In the orchid, in the garden"...

Irene, thank you for the instrument! Brings happiness!

Here is a great performance by Russian balalaika 'player' Arkhipovski "Sharmanka".

It is superb! Listen.

Peaks of Otter

Peaks of Otter are two mountain tops in Virginia. We claimed up the Sharp Top. Great hike! Strenuous. Enjoyable. There is a nice lake at the bottom of the peaks - Abbot lake. Nice lodge is awaiting for those travelers who want to see at all from the window.

Peaks

Besides great hikes nicest thing about Peaks of Otter is - wild deers. The hunting is prohibited, so the deers are very friendly and not afraid of people. They are everywhere, and they are so peaceful. Very nice place! Pictures of me:) made by Nadia.

All pictures are copyrighted
©natalia-tuchina-2009

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where wild horses are

Here is my attempt to make a little movie about nice place -
Grayson Highlands in VA - where wild horses are
(paraphrase of 'Where the Wild Things Are' :)

Hope you'll like it! I don't encourage you go there. The less people there actually - the better :) This is my forth time in Grayson Highlands, first with the video ...


click here to watch

Golden Key concert

Fall 2009 Golden Key Music Studio concert. Instructor Nadia Bakhireva. Salem Towne Recital Hall. November 14, 2009. Collaborative pianist Carmin Mann. Link to the studio www.goldenkeymusic.com

Click here to view the album.

wooden time

We had a great time at the reception for the wood-works exhibit in Reynolda Library. Boris Radovskiy, the Master, shared his secrets of the fine woodworking. I called the exhibit "Wooden Time". I think that clocks are Boris' specialty. I learned about the differences between wood carving and saw scrolling. Boris is an inspired person, his works just keep getting better, and finer, and more intricate in designs with each new piece he does. He brought to the reception a new clock that he had just finished. Look at the pictures of his art works and of the reception.

woodworks

raffaldini

click on image for a larger sharper view


The Raffaldini family dates back to the year 1348 in the town of Mantua, located in the Northern Province of Lombardy, Italy. They started growing grapes in NC years ago. We went to visit them. Very nice place on the top of the mountain, with the great view! Highly recommended for a small weekend trip. The climate in NC is very close to Italy. We had a wine tasting (Mr Raffaldini served the wines himself!) and a very nice walk on the ample grounds till it started raining :)

Raffaldini's website

crystals and diamonds

We went to Washington, DC. To the Smithsonian, National Museum of Natural History. To see the crystals and gems (diamonds!). Absolutely awesome collection! Including chunks from the space - meteorites, meteors (metal looking, shiny, strange surface...) - Very interesting!

In 1990, the world's deepest drill hole penetrated to a depth of 12.3 km (7.6 mi) beneath Russia's Kola Peninsula. More than 99 percent of the distance to Earth's center still lay beneath the drill bit. We don't really know what is down there. We know a little better what comes to us from the space...

pictures above are clickable for a larger view

Two large, pear-shaped diamonds weigh 14.25 and 20.34 carats respectively. They once were supposedly set in earrings that belonged to Marie Antoinette, the queen of France who was guillotined in 1793 during the French Revolution. The diamonds were later acquired by the Grand Duchess Tatiana Yousupoff of Russia. When jeweler Pierre Cartier puchased the diamond earrings in 1928, their authenticity was attested to in an affidavit by Russian Princess Zenaide Yousupoff and her son, Prince Felix Yousupoff, stating that they originally belonged to Queen Marie-Antoinette and have never been reset in the one hundred years that they were in the family.

More pictures of the trip
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Learn French

I have met a very nice person from Europe - Elesebeth Olsson. She agreed to volunteer at the library and conduct French Conversation Club for those people who would like to learn French language. The first class is October 3, 2009.

French

You are invited! Please let us know if you want to attend. Scroll down the flyer to see the information.

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turtles with expressions

I really like these two turtles! I think this is really cool! I can see their expressions, characters, and two different moods... The pictures were made by my friend James Lashmit from Winston-Salem.

baking pirogi in Shanevo

This is my friend, Russian artist Sveta Krotova". She is in the village of Shanevo for the summer. "Time is flying faster than the wind is blowing. Mushrooms, berries, fish, housework and digging in the garden, the weather is not great, but may be summer will stay a little longer. The skies are clouded with the different shapes and colors - I am making a lot of pictures and experimenting with oils".



Here is Sveta with "pirogi" and "pechka" (picture made today in the remote Russian village of Shanevo). Look at the murals on the side of the "pechka"! :)

happy birthday in Wilmington

We went to Wilmington, NC for three day weekend to celebrate my birthday. Had a great time! Ocean was absolutely beautiful. We were swimming a lot. Nadia swims like a mermaid. I used my board - waves were just right! We spend a lot of time on the beach, walked from pier to pier and to the inter coastal waterway. Went to the restaurants in downtown Wilmington. Nice sunsets by the river! Visited Arlie Gardens.

See photos (фотки) here (тут).
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