Monday, May 23, 2016
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Ordinary Mondays
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Ordinary Mondays: Yet another Monday came and gone. Looking back and reflecting (as an over-achiever it is a natural thing - overanalyze everything) I do n...
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Ordinary Mondays
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Ordinary Mondays: Yet another Monday came and gone. Looking back and reflecting (as an over-achiever it is natural thing I do - overanalyze everything) I d...
Ordinary Mondays
Another ordinary morning to rise before my husband and daughter to make their breakfasts and send them off for a day.
Another ordinary morning of giggles with my son over breakfast that I still feed to him while he watches "Masha and Mishka" cartoons.
Another ordinary morning of Grigory discovering that all three lawn mowers are still in the yard waiting for him to add gas into( that's why they are not moving!).
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| Seems like this mower needs gasoline.... |
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| Looking for other mowers needing gasoline.... Another ordinary Monday filled with ordinary things that make me feel extraordinary and exceptionally grateful. Wrapping up this day preparing Lenten pastry to start Another Ordinary Tuesday...  |
Monday, April 18, 2016
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Daily "must do's" at our house
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Daily "must do's" at our house: A daily "must do" - he walks in everyone's shoes....literally. Our lives definitely took a turn into different direct...
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Daily "must do's" at our house
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| A daily "must do" - he walks in everyone's shoes....literally. |
Despite the fact that I evolved, as Germans would say, into a women of three "K's" ( and Americans say "bearfooted and
pregnant", but into "pregnant" part I no longer fit), I cannot admit that does not bring me happiness.
Happiness from living moment like this:
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| Daily morning book review |
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Spring welcoming
I am a little late with this post, however ( and it at time is my favorite saying) - better late than never...
March 20 ( the date varies depending on the year and the region) is a day of spring equinox. The day when spring takes over. This particular Russian traditions to welcome spring on that day goes back to pre-Christian times when we were pageants. Because back then people didn't have calendars they referred to nature and were able to recognize seasons by observing it. Larks were the first birds returning back home with coming of spring. Small and not brightly colored, the larks are known for their triumphant songs.
March 20 ( the date varies depending on the year and the region) is a day of spring equinox. The day when spring takes over. This particular Russian traditions to welcome spring on that day goes back to pre-Christian times when we were pageants. Because back then people didn't have calendars they referred to nature and were able to recognize seasons by observing it. Larks were the first birds returning back home with coming of spring. Small and not brightly colored, the larks are known for their triumphant songs.
The coming of spring in Russian Orthodox Church is marked by the Feast Of 40 Martyrs Of Sebaste or "Sorokovitzy" ( from Russian "sorok" - fourty).
Sorokovitzy in Russian families started with attending a feast church service - Liturgy. Since this day fall on a period of Great Lent no major festivities are allowed.
However, there is still a way to celebrate! Traditionally, in Russian families small buns in shape of a bird ( lark) were baked and given to children to play with and later to enjoy eating later. Since everybody in the family ( except for infants) adhered to strict fasting rules, the larks were baked using flower, yeast, sugar and salt only. A simple recipe that is also used to bake prosfora bread ( the bread used for Holy Communion).
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| The golden color of buns is achieved by adding carrot juice into the dough and by brushing ready buns with some strong sweetened black tea. |
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| Add caption |
Children in Russian village playing with larks.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Doubts
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Doubts: This must be something that comes with a certain age. I started questioning a purpose of my existence. The first two decades of my adult ...
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Sorrow, sorrow…Russia has always been a land of ...
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room:
Sorrow, sorrow…Russia has always been a land of ...: Sorrow, sorrow…Russia has always been a land of sorrow. Perhaps, it is history or maybe just an ethnic feature of people. Whichever ...
Sorrow, sorrow…Russia has always been a land of ...: Sorrow, sorrow…Russia has always been a land of sorrow. Perhaps, it is history or maybe just an ethnic feature of people. Whichever ...
Sorrow, sorrow…Russia has always been a land of sorrow. Perhaps, it is history or maybe just an ethnic feature of people. Whichever it is, sorrow has always been a vast part of Russian lives. It manifests itself everywhere.
Until I started my life here in US, I didn’t know the difference. Many may disagree with me by pointing out that no other nation celebrates like Russians (since we are known for our excessive drinking), or how brightly-colored and amusing Russian land is… and they would be right. Russia is indeed a place of many contrasts. Overwhelmingly exaggerated sorrow is one of them.
How do I begin to explain this? Let me compare the differences of dealing with a loss. Since I only have experience living in Russia and the US, I will be drawing my examples from these two countries.
As a child, I feared death. Now that I am an adult and an Education professional, I realize every child goes through this. I’ve come to understand, however, that it was not my own death that terrified me, but rather a loss through death and the mystery of what comes after it. All attributes associated with a person’s dying were scary and dark and made life seem so meaningless, as death was the final result.
I recall burial services in Russia that were filled with yearning, sorrow and the fear of the unknown. It’s mystically tragic and very depressing sight of graves in cemeteries, music, keen and hysterical crying to the point of passing out. The loss of a loved one is being further cultivated, as families continue focusing on the dead, rather than living.
This was the norm until I attended a viewing and burial service of someone I knew here in the US. The drastic difference struck me like a lightning bolt. It was also filled with sorrow and sadness; an inconsolable loss for the family and friends, but it was not death - the departed life was celebrated! The end of his life here on earth, and his beginning of eternal life in Heaven. This is what made all the difference. There was hope! And there was faith.
You see, in the time while I was living in Russia, we lacked that. How could this be happening in a country with overwhelming christian population, in a country that once was called a 3rd Rome because of its dedication to Christianity? Where did we all lose that? Perhaps, it is the result of decades of a Socialist life style, when God was forbidden and the bright Communist future replaced it? I can only speculate, but as I look back at my life, I no longer have a place for continuous sorrow. We come to this world with a purpose and only for a period of time before we can go home. It is not a place to feel sad and dark; our lives are precious gifts from God and we must celebrate them every day by doing great things!
Doubts
This must be something that comes with a certain age. I started questioning a purpose of my existence.
The first two decades of my adult life were spent running in a survival mode. School, college, work, moving across the world, building the family and starting a career in a completely strange country. All these came not without a struggle. And this struggle, this every fight was nothing but an accomplished long list of "to do's".
These are not the words of regret or remorse of my past, but rather a summary, and end result.
"Faith, instead of cases but reckoned me, O my God..." - from the 8th morning prayer. These words of wisdom have been hunting me. How do I live Faith?
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Adventures
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Adventures: So, every morning by the Grace of God I wake up to an adventure. But, most mornings I don't even realize it. Most mornings feel like be...
Adventures
So, every morning by the Grace of God I wake up to an adventure. But, most mornings I don't even realize it. Most mornings feel like beginning of another day full of routines and things to be done. Most mornings start with a wish to go back to bed, with pushing myself up facing aches and pains, with thoughts rushing through my mind of challenges to face in the upcoming day.
And then I stop myself. I stop and listen to Him. He speaks to me. He shows me what this life is really all about. With the view of morning sky from my living room window. With the breath of crisp morning air. With that special serenity only early mornings bring.
My new adventure begins...
And then I stop myself. I stop and listen to Him. He speaks to me. He shows me what this life is really all about. With the view of morning sky from my living room window. With the breath of crisp morning air. With that special serenity only early mornings bring.
My new adventure begins...
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: July 21 - is one of the most important feast days ...
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: July 21 - is one of the most important feast days ...: July 21 - is one of the most important feast days in Russian Orthodox Church as well as in Russia in whole. It is a commemoration of a mrac...
Monday, July 21, 2014
July 21 - is one of the most important feast days in Russian Orthodox Church as well as in Russia in whole. It is a commemoration of a mracle-making icon of Holy Mother of God of Kazan.
Historically, many icons of Holy Mother of God were discovered to be making miracles such as protecting and healing. Here is some history....
The year of 1579. White mercilessly scorching sun, cloud of dust on the roads of city of Kazan. Dust and ash from a recent fire - a week ago here reigned a terrible blaze. It started near the church of St. Nicholas, then spread to the Kazan Kremlin. Long hours of blazing glow, wailing women, crying babies - and many laughing mischievously - "where is your God now?" Many in those days doubted Christ teaching and faith.
In that fire many families were left homeless with little prospects to rebuild their homes in time for winter. In a hurry with the construction, among other victims of the fire was an archer Daniel Onuchin. Daniel had a daughter named Matrona. As to many young children her age the fire was not much of a grief, but the time for discoveries - here and there children found a beautiful piece of glass or an unusual stone . And only at night time they realized that the blaze took their homes and changed their lives.
One of those nights Matrona was awaken by a strange dream - Holy Mother Of God presented in the front of her. Not only she was there, she ordered a little girl to uncover an icon from under the ground. "Dreams are from God, but visions only come to holy people" - said her parents, and they were right. But Holy Mother of God appeared to the little girl the next night and the night after that. Then the parents decided to believe their little girl.
Matrona and her mother went to to look for place from Matrona's dream as she remembered it. They began to dig the ground deeper and deeper - and, was that She? Indeed - they uncovered the icon of Holy Mother of God, they carefully cleaned dirt and dust from it... But how did She get there? Perhaps, a while ago the secret followers of Christianity did this to hide Heavenly Queen from infidels.
The news of a new icon of Holy Mother of God flew faster then the fastest bird. And now, the Priest of surrounding temples - Archbishop Jeremia - reverently takes the icon and solemnly carries to the St. Nicholas cathedral. From there, after the prayer service, with the holy procession the icon was taken to the Cathedral of Annunciation - the very first Orthodox cathedral in Russia erected by Ivan the Terrible. From the very beginning of the procession it became clear that the icon is a miracle-
making. Two blind men that joined procession - now we know their names: Joseph and Nikita - gained their sights.
These miracles were the first in a long list of miracles and healings. They so impressed Ivan the Terrible, he commanded to erect Kazan Cathedral and founded a convent. There's some time later took monastic vows Matrona and her mother.
The icon of the Holy Virgin of Kazan type refers to the icons of Hodigitria-"the one showing the way" - and indeed She was.
After a while She found Her home in Kazan Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow, one of the most famous churches in Moscow that was build in and now the image is stored in the Epiphany Cathedral.
On many occasions Russians appealed to Holy Mother if God of Kazan for protection and guidance -
and many miracles were granted. Before the Battle of Poltava, in 1812, Peter the Great and his army
prayed before the icon of Our Lady of Kazan for help to defeat French invaders. The image of Our
Lady of Kazan overshadowed Russians troops. On October 22, 1812 Russian troops led by Miloradovich and Platov pitched rearguard Davoust. It was the first major defeat of the French after the departure from Moscow; the enemy lost 7000 people. On that day it snowed greatly and the strong winds brought frigid temperatures. It was as if the nature was fighting on Russians side. This was the beginning of the end of conqueror of Europe - French army.
One of the miracles of Our Lady of Kazan icon refers to the year of 1943. The German Nazis surrounded Moscow for the last battle preparing to defeat Communist Russia. Russian troops are outnumbered and exhausted. Joseph Stalin - the Commander-in-Chief and a General Secretary of USSR (Soviet state that denied religion and lived the way of atheism) - ordered for the icon of Our
Lady of Kazan to be place onto the airplane and to be flown over City of Moscow. Once again
Russians ( though "Soviet") were pleading to their Mother for protection. Despite all the reasonable
expectations and prognosis the 1943 battle for Moscow became the turning point of WWII - and beginning of defeat of Nazi Germany invaders. Fascists lost this fight.
Prayer before the icon of Our Lady of Kazan
Oh Holy Lady Theotokos Theotokos! With fear, faith and love pripadayusche before the icon of thy honest, we pray thee: turn not away thy face from resorting to you, begging Mother of Mercy, Thy Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, but retain our peaceful country, establish His holy Church yes u will keep inviolable from unbelief, heresy and schism. Not imams bo inyya assistance not imams inyya hope, except Thee, O Virgin Immaculate: Thou art the Omnipotent Christians Hostess
and Mediatrix. Deliver all of you praying with faith from falling sinful, wicked people from libel,
from all temptations, sorrows, troubles and from futile death; grant us the spirit of contrition, humility of heart, purity of thoughts, correction grehovnyya life and leaving sins, that they all sing praise votes greatness Thy heavenly kingdom, and be worthy customs with all the saints glorify most honorable
and majestic name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Translated from the source:
http://www.pravmir.ru/
Images from: http://www.pravmir.ru/kazanskaya-ikona-istoriya-chudesa-molitvy/#ixzz386Aty9PM
Источник: http://www.pravmir.ru/kazanskaya-
Historically, many icons of Holy Mother of God were discovered to be making miracles such as protecting and healing. Here is some history....
The year of 1579. White mercilessly scorching sun, cloud of dust on the roads of city of Kazan. Dust and ash from a recent fire - a week ago here reigned a terrible blaze. It started near the church of St. Nicholas, then spread to the Kazan Kremlin. Long hours of blazing glow, wailing women, crying babies - and many laughing mischievously - "where is your God now?" Many in those days doubted Christ teaching and faith.
In that fire many families were left homeless with little prospects to rebuild their homes in time for winter. In a hurry with the construction, among other victims of the fire was an archer Daniel Onuchin. Daniel had a daughter named Matrona. As to many young children her age the fire was not much of a grief, but the time for discoveries - here and there children found a beautiful piece of glass or an unusual stone . And only at night time they realized that the blaze took their homes and changed their lives.
One of those nights Matrona was awaken by a strange dream - Holy Mother Of God presented in the front of her. Not only she was there, she ordered a little girl to uncover an icon from under the ground. "Dreams are from God, but visions only come to holy people" - said her parents, and they were right. But Holy Mother of God appeared to the little girl the next night and the night after that. Then the parents decided to believe their little girl.
Matrona and her mother went to to look for place from Matrona's dream as she remembered it. They began to dig the ground deeper and deeper - and, was that She? Indeed - they uncovered the icon of Holy Mother of God, they carefully cleaned dirt and dust from it... But how did She get there? Perhaps, a while ago the secret followers of Christianity did this to hide Heavenly Queen from infidels.
The news of a new icon of Holy Mother of God flew faster then the fastest bird. And now, the Priest of surrounding temples - Archbishop Jeremia - reverently takes the icon and solemnly carries to the St. Nicholas cathedral. From there, after the prayer service, with the holy procession the icon was taken to the Cathedral of Annunciation - the very first Orthodox cathedral in Russia erected by Ivan the Terrible. From the very beginning of the procession it became clear that the icon is a miracle-
making. Two blind men that joined procession - now we know their names: Joseph and Nikita - gained their sights.
The Icon of Holy Mother of God of Kazan
These miracles were the first in a long list of miracles and healings. They so impressed Ivan the Terrible, he commanded to erect Kazan Cathedral and founded a convent. There's some time later took monastic vows Matrona and her mother.
The icon of the Holy Virgin of Kazan type refers to the icons of Hodigitria-"the one showing the way" - and indeed She was.
After a while She found Her home in Kazan Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow, one of the most famous churches in Moscow that was build in and now the image is stored in the Epiphany Cathedral.
Kazan Cathedral. Moscow
On many occasions Russians appealed to Holy Mother if God of Kazan for protection and guidance -
and many miracles were granted. Before the Battle of Poltava, in 1812, Peter the Great and his army
prayed before the icon of Our Lady of Kazan for help to defeat French invaders. The image of Our
Lady of Kazan overshadowed Russians troops. On October 22, 1812 Russian troops led by Miloradovich and Platov pitched rearguard Davoust. It was the first major defeat of the French after the departure from Moscow; the enemy lost 7000 people. On that day it snowed greatly and the strong winds brought frigid temperatures. It was as if the nature was fighting on Russians side. This was the beginning of the end of conqueror of Europe - French army.
One of the miracles of Our Lady of Kazan icon refers to the year of 1943. The German Nazis surrounded Moscow for the last battle preparing to defeat Communist Russia. Russian troops are outnumbered and exhausted. Joseph Stalin - the Commander-in-Chief and a General Secretary of USSR (Soviet state that denied religion and lived the way of atheism) - ordered for the icon of Our
Lady of Kazan to be place onto the airplane and to be flown over City of Moscow. Once again
Russians ( though "Soviet") were pleading to their Mother for protection. Despite all the reasonable
expectations and prognosis the 1943 battle for Moscow became the turning point of WWII - and beginning of defeat of Nazi Germany invaders. Fascists lost this fight.
Prayer before the icon of Our Lady of Kazan
Oh Holy Lady Theotokos Theotokos! With fear, faith and love pripadayusche before the icon of thy honest, we pray thee: turn not away thy face from resorting to you, begging Mother of Mercy, Thy Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, but retain our peaceful country, establish His holy Church yes u will keep inviolable from unbelief, heresy and schism. Not imams bo inyya assistance not imams inyya hope, except Thee, O Virgin Immaculate: Thou art the Omnipotent Christians Hostess
and Mediatrix. Deliver all of you praying with faith from falling sinful, wicked people from libel,
from all temptations, sorrows, troubles and from futile death; grant us the spirit of contrition, humility of heart, purity of thoughts, correction grehovnyya life and leaving sins, that they all sing praise votes greatness Thy heavenly kingdom, and be worthy customs with all the saints glorify most honorable
and majestic name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Translated from the source:
http://www.pravmir.ru/
Images from: http://www.pravmir.ru/kazanskaya-ikona-istoriya-chudesa-molitvy/#ixzz386Aty9PM
Источник: http://www.pravmir.ru/kazanskaya-
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Inspired by my grandmother - "Babushka Masha"
Russian Orthodox Moms tea room: Inspired by my grandmother - "Babushka Masha": Making crapes from scratch tonight. A healthy and inexpensive way to feed family in the morning (make them the night before). My guys also ...
Inspired by my grandmother - "Babushka Masha"
Making crapes from scratch tonight. A healthy and inexpensive way to feed family in the morning (make them the night before). My guys also like it as a desert with various toppings .
I've been making crapes for some years now and it is one of family favorites.
Here is a story ( of course) behind it...
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| Grandma's breakfast crapes: - water at room temperature - 3 cups - 2 eggs - 1 tbs of slightly melter butter or oil - pinch of salt - 1/2 tbs of white sugar - all-purpose flower - 2 cups - oil for frying Choose a heavy frying pan for making crapes. Combine eggs, salt, sugar and butter and mix well together. Add water ( you can also use milk of desired). Gradually add all the flower and mix well ( the batter should be a consistency of buttermilk).Heat a frying pan on med-high, add some oil (just a coating). Pour a 3/4 of soup ladle onto a heated frying pan - turning pan around spread evenly. Fry until golden. Turn over and fry the other side, |
Early 80-s in Soviet Russia. I am about 7-8 years old. Spending summer at grandparents in a countryside. Grandpa - dedushka Misha - is a superintendent at a local collective farm construction, and grandma - babushka Masha - took an early retirement to take care if us kids. Kids are - my cousin Alesha and I. We practically live here all summer.
Babushka and dedushka live in their own house with attached acres. They grow potatoes for sale as an extra income ( tax free). There is a cow, couple of pigs , all types of domestic birds and of course a dog and cats as pets for us kids.
We sleep in one great room, in brass or stainless steel beds on duck feather beds and pillows. We sleep through early morning and hear grandmaster tip-toeing into the room to check on us.
As we rise - breakfast awaits for us on wooden table painted with green lead paint and covered with an acrylic cloth with flowered print. Breakfast is usually many things. Today it is crapes. Grandma makes them very thin and lacy - just as we like it. We have it with honey, sour cream, jams or just like that - with a glass of whole unpasteurized milk. Needless to say that honey came from a beekeeper couple of houses over, sour cream is made of milk from out own beloved cow Lyska, and jams - they are made by grandmother from variety of fruit and berries my cousin and I gathered ( black and red currants, raspberries, gooseberries, bing cherries).
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| Bottom row, second from the left - is grandma "babushka Masha". She is 19 years old. It is a year of 1933. |
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| Village Chuevo. My grandfather Misha. It is 1963 - he survived WWII and time of Soviet repression. |
Re-living these moment 30 years later I now started to realize how happy and free we were.
We did not have many things. Grandparents didn't have a phone - we used our neighbor's; no car - the bus was always on schedule and the fair was symbolic; we didn't have a room for each child or a number of bathrooms in a house. But what we had was so much greater! We had a future, security, confidence that tomorrow will be better than today; we respected our elders and trusted our leaders. We believed that we live in the best time and in the best country in the world!
We were truly happy!
Friday, June 27, 2014
New beginning...
Orthodox moms tea room
New beginning...
Today I am returning to my blog writing. It's been interesting 3 years since the last post has been produced and posted.
Pursuing a professional career I dedicated most of my time within those years to a JOB.
Today I am writing this sitting on a floor in the smallest room of the house that my husband and our daughter are working on converting it to the nursery. The reason for need of a nursery is the final deciding point for me to leave a "professional" world and to be become a full-time mom/wife/writer. Yes, the wisdom finally came with a small human growing inside me waiting to be presented to this world. We are going to be parents again, at age 52 and 40.
As many other couples out there waiting for years for a miracle of becoming parents ( or parents again) we have been waiting for our little miracle for over 4 years.
Unfortunately much time was spent trusting in science and modern medicine that caused many disappointment and produced no desired results. What I was missing all those years was The most essential aspect of any human being: faith.
I was born into Russian orthodox family and baptized into a Russian orthodox church. I was indeed more fortunate than many people as I was brought into faith early in my life. But that was it. For many years I never questioned my purpose of life and destiny. For many of years I was drifting with the stream, not living, but coping.
Until one day I was given a proof that my soul is worth saving, that He loves us and believes in us event if we don't. He showed his presence in the most beautiful way - He gave me a chance to start over. With this new life inside me that based on medical reasonings should not have been there.
So, here is my new beginning.....
New beginning...
Today I am returning to my blog writing. It's been interesting 3 years since the last post has been produced and posted.
Pursuing a professional career I dedicated most of my time within those years to a JOB.
Today I am writing this sitting on a floor in the smallest room of the house that my husband and our daughter are working on converting it to the nursery. The reason for need of a nursery is the final deciding point for me to leave a "professional" world and to be become a full-time mom/wife/writer. Yes, the wisdom finally came with a small human growing inside me waiting to be presented to this world. We are going to be parents again, at age 52 and 40.
As many other couples out there waiting for years for a miracle of becoming parents ( or parents again) we have been waiting for our little miracle for over 4 years.
Unfortunately much time was spent trusting in science and modern medicine that caused many disappointment and produced no desired results. What I was missing all those years was The most essential aspect of any human being: faith.
I was born into Russian orthodox family and baptized into a Russian orthodox church. I was indeed more fortunate than many people as I was brought into faith early in my life. But that was it. For many years I never questioned my purpose of life and destiny. For many of years I was drifting with the stream, not living, but coping.
Until one day I was given a proof that my soul is worth saving, that He loves us and believes in us event if we don't. He showed his presence in the most beautiful way - He gave me a chance to start over. With this new life inside me that based on medical reasonings should not have been there.
So, here is my new beginning.....
Monday, September 26, 2011
3x5 Folded Card
Little Girl Pink Thank You Card
Elegant thank you cards and notes by Shutterfly.
View the entire collection of cards.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Some of Russian Easter celebration traditions.
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| CHRIST IS ALIVE! Russian Easter doesn’t always fall on the same dates as the Western Christian Churches. It is explained by the differences in the calendar used by different countries. The Russian Federation, (Russian State) as well and other Western States follow the Gregorian Calendar, however the Russian Orthodox Church uses Julian Calendar that is usually 2 weeks after. And since the Easter does not have set day, but rather varies by the Equinox, Russian Easter celebration is almost always on the different date (unlike Russian Christmas, observed on January 7th, that constitutes 2 weeks difference from the date the Western Churches celebration). In the Russian Orthodox Church Lent covers the 40 days before Easter. As explained in dictionaries, lent is an annual season of fasting in preparation for a certain religious event. It involves certain types of restrictions, mostly culinary. The allowed diet could be simply explained as vegan: any food items containing animal products (including dairy and eggs) are not allowed. Lent is merely a time to restrict things one may enjoy: parties, celebrations, alcohol. On the Thursday before Easter Sunday every Russian family would spend the day tidying up their houses, dying the eggs, and preparing special Easter treats called: “KILICH” and “PASKHA” .  |
There are many explanations for the color and ornaments of Russian Easter Easter Eggs. The curve means Eternity and the Sun cycle, the grate and the fylfot symbolizes the Sun. The red color has the meaning of joy and love, the yellow color means the moon and stars or the crops, the bronze color stands for Mother Earth .
There is no Easter Bunny or Easter egg hunt in Russia. Children receive painted eggs (wooden or hard boiled chicken) and Easter sweets. This painting ( Nikilai Koshelev, "Children Rolling Easter Eggs", 1855) of Russian children playing Easter eggs game: every child takes a turn to roll the egg down a wooden ramp, and the winner is the one whose egg rolled the farthest. Another game Russian children enjoy playing on Easter is this: children pair up each holding hard boiled egg in ones hand. Then they hit one egg off the other to see whose egg breaks first, then the “tougher” egg is the winner!
С Праздником Светлой Пасхи!
Happy Easter!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Getting Started
So here I am, starting the "Russian Tea Room" blog.
What I've had in mind for its purpose is to carry the culture and the language of the nation I was privileged to be born in - Russian. I must stop here and explain...
Being an immigrant from mentioned country for over 10 years, I've come to realization of how natural it is to loose the sense of who you were "before".
So, I am using this as an opportunity to keep on remembering where I've come from, and pass it on to those who share my concern (or just simply curious), including my own 7-years old daughter.
What I've had in mind for its purpose is to carry the culture and the language of the nation I was privileged to be born in - Russian. I must stop here and explain...
Being an immigrant from mentioned country for over 10 years, I've come to realization of how natural it is to loose the sense of who you were "before".
So, I am using this as an opportunity to keep on remembering where I've come from, and pass it on to those who share my concern (or just simply curious), including my own 7-years old daughter.
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