Ease Your Mind

   My week has been a bit more hectic than I expected it to be. A little twist in my mood didn't really let the first half of it to pass on a good note. Perhaps it happened because of extremely hot weather this May . It's been more than +40 for the entire week and no hope for a tiny drop of the rain. Nevertheless no one left their duties and continued doing what was supposed to do. Me too, with loads of struggle with my laziness and even some apathy, managed to do a few things at home during the week. One of them was replanting of this Sansevieria leaf:

   We have many of these plants back at my parent's home, so I also wanted to have the same here in India. I love this plant and I picked this leaf from a kind of a nursery in front of our house may be about 6 months ago. It was sitting in water for a long time before it finally gave tiny white roots and when I finally decided to plant it into a pot. It started growing in it but I didn't like how the soil's look: it was all light brown and clay like, becoming so hard after watering. So 2 days back I made a decision to replant the leaf into the same soil mixed with an organic one:

I hope that now Sansevieria feels more comfortable and will be growing even better. I placed it in our room for the time being until this heat outside will decline a bit.

 Day before yesterday as soon as I came back from office, I picked the camera, went out, walked a few meters away from our house and captured this beautiful tree called Gulmohar. Isn't it charming?

  The tree is very tall and I love so much these bright orange flowers and unusually structured leaves which make some kind of lacy pattern if you look through them:

      Magnificent tree!

 To finish my post: these pink roses growing in the neighbourhood - such a beauty!

I can say that flowers and  plants help me to fight with bad mood by just when I'm looking at  them. It eases my mind for sure :)
     **Have nice weekend and watch more of beautiful things around!**

The Day of the Slavic Script

Cyril and Methodius

    Today is a day that is close to my heart not just because I am Russian hence belong to a Slavic culture, but also because I was studying the history of the Russian language and literature in the university. Through this study I got to know about the whole Slavonic world.

   When you say "Slavic Script" you also say Cyril and Methodius. They were brothers who had a great mission in their lives, because they were those to whom all Slavonic world owes the precious system of writing used  for almost over twelve centuries! Later on the brothers were canonized and named Saints Cyril and Methodius. You can refer to Wiki to know more about them.

   This day, 24 of May is the one out of not many when we, Slavic (or Slavonic) people can feel unity and belonging to a world heritage.  I was studying the ancient church and Russian languages at the university. The early Slavonic alphabet, invented by Cyril and Methodius, was called Glagolitic. In a modern world we use a Cyrillic one which is believed to be developed later on and named Cyrillic in honour of Cyril and Methodius. Here you can see early and modern versions of Cyrillic alphabet:

Early Cyrillic Alphabet

Modern Cyrillic alphabet

  This is really incredible how the script's shapes changed just a bit over centuries. In different Slavic languages you can find slight differences in alphabets used for writing.  I guess that in my Alma Mater, in my university there will be nice celebrations today at the Philological faculty especially!

   I'll also celebrate this day  by teaching Russian to an Indian girl, who is so much eager to learn the language as well as Russian culture. It warms up my heart and gives me more reasons to be proud of my Language.

                  ** So, Happy Slavic Script day to all the world! Let's be united.**

New Road Ride

In spite of the hot weather which established itself in our region, we managed to spend our Sunday on a trip-like note. Thanks to my D who initiated a small ride along the newly built road, called Zirakpur-Pinjore road. He had heard somewhere about its launch and since then was keeping in his mind that we could go and see it.
So yesterday afternoon, around 3 pm we left from home and headed towards the Himalayan foothills.
before we used to go to the nearest hills through a very jammed city on the way, what used to make our trips less enjoyable. Now you can reach Timber trail, hill stations like Kasauli and Shimla, in much lesser time, saving at least half an hour.

   The new road is indeed awesome: smooth and wide, with not so many cars going along it. My D was more than happy to drive all way to the place we like to stop by and have some snacks and tea. However, yesterday we preferred to have cold drinks :) This is the view from this place on the foothills and the timber trail cabins going up and down:

Here you can see that the road was constructed through the hills, what thrilled us when we were passing them by:

On the way back we also noticed some fields in the valley. This view is fascinating me:

 The same view but a Hindu temple in the shot:

 I really appreciate my D took me  for this ride yesterday, it made my day. I was honestly getting bored at home and wanted some change in surroundings. Sometimes I wish we had a small dacha (a country house) somewhere in the hills so we could go there on weekends and rest from a busy city life. Let's see, may be some day this dream comes true.

White Amigurumi Cat in Russian Attire

       What a good evening! Though I was so tired after office and was about to take a nap, I said myself  to get up and finish what I have started. This lovely start was my first amigurumi project! I enjoyed so much to crochet a toy. First I was thinking of making a Russian doll, but I changed my mind and decided to learn basics. I took the pattern from here, it is called "Baby chick". However, I followed only the pattern for a head and then carried on myself. What led me to my first crochet cat!  I called her Lyalya (means "baby" in Russian). It took me a while to finish up the details of her body and then her costume, which I first wasn't planning to make a Russian one. But then I though I wanted a Russian doll anyway, so why not to combine this idea with a cat? ;)

   Here she is waiting for her dress  and kerchief to be crocheted.

 Now she's got her wrap, and her dress I finished up later, on a ready toy, and attached stripes from both the sides.

 I came up with such cute and sweet white cat wearing  a kerchief called "platok" (Russian) and a dress called "sarafan". 

I liked that the kerchief came out to be of a proper triangle shape.

Though it was already getting dark outside, I took her at the back yard clicked this cute picture with a tiny flower and aloe vera.

   So now she is resting beside while I am making the post about her :) I hope my first amigurumi try was successful enough. All I need now is to show my first crochet toy to my D when he comes back home :) Hope he also likes this white cat, as he has been witnessing making of it for the past few days. Thanks, D!

The White Cat in Russian Attire toy linked to Crochet Boulevard.

P.S. No pattern is available, because I wasn't counting the stitches and rows at all :)))
P.P.S. My D liked the cat, may be, because he (and me too) likes cats :)

Hot Summer Days

  The days in India are more than just sunny, they are very very hot. We can now rely only on air conditioners and fans, which work almost all day long. I was craving for some glimpse of rain, but no hope. Two days back I got up in the morning, went out on the back yard, lifted my hand up and ... saw fluffy clouds gathering above! I was so happy that rushed to take the camera and made these pictures:

Clouds were rain-promising. I have never seen such here before, so magnificent view!  However by the time I got ready to leave for office, the sky was clear again and sun started spreading its' heat.

Everything seems to be wishing for a drop of rain. Remember those green plants I was so proud of? They have become dry, no matter that we water them regularly. Poor tomatoes and beans, just a look at them makes you feel hot. Perhaps we should have planted them a bit earlier or we have to invent some tent in future to provide some shadow.

Some of the plants are struggling so hard to stay alive... and tomatoes are still growing!

 Our curry tree I described in another post, gave berries! The three's also feeling hot and its' leaves drooped, while berries are becoming red.

What about us?  Me and my D had been busy for the whole week and we are not eager to go out anyway today as it's hot. So I got busy into some house deals by cleaning the place around. We had been having quiet few dust storms over here, so the house stuff was covered with sand.
I cleaned shelves in our drawing room and now I can show a small collection of the books I have with me here.  Some of books I got from home, like these: rather shabby Goffman and Russian writers and poets Bunin, Gumilev and Pasternak.
Other books I have already purchased here like Coehlo and Tarot. Amanda Brooklyn was given to me by my friend  and awaiting to be read. "Soviet Literature" I took from the library of the school where I used to work (still need to give it back, lol).  And my dear Bram Stoker's "Dracula" which I bought in Moscow 3 years back! That time I also bought that thin book of Fitness yoga while I was already in thoughts about my D. This small library has a small history :)

 Today, just like last Sunday, I also gave time to myself and did home facial. I used this sandal pack mixed with Rose water, a great help in purifying your skin and making it gentle.

 I was also planning to do yarn shopping as I ran out of few colours.. Let's see. The heat is declining now, by six o'clock, so the evening will be more fresh and will give a relief till tomorrow's morning.

 Wishing everyone a nice weekend. Thanks for all the comments and your support :)

9th of May - Victory Day (9 мая - День Победы)

      I couldn't not to make this post. Today is the 9th of May, one of the most significant days in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and many other countries. 9th of May of 1945 was the day when the world was freed.
    My grandfathers were fighting in the World War II  and I have to say big thanks to them as they provided better future for us and our children. The World War II was not easy for many countries. The whole world was alarm, different parts of the globe couldn't stay calm. However we were united that time.
   But today is a Victory Day ( Russian - День Победы) which we have to celebrate with happiness.
So I am wishing the whole world to have peace and friendship. Let's be more kind to each other, love each other!
    The cards below say: " "I remember, I am proud" Victory Day - 9th of May 1945"

9th of May Victory Day

The Super Full Moon, Beans and Teeth

  The title of this post is likely more related to another blog of mine, but it's not. I am just simply going to tell about our weekend.
  Our weekend wasn't that pretty as the last one and the one before it. Saturday went under the sign of my husband's dental operation. He had that root canal stuff. I was really so much worried for him, because any kind of such interventions in our body frighten us. Nevertheless, his treatment went good and he will need to come for the final treatments as well. I hope that my husband won't need any dental help for many more years ahead. God bless!
   You might say, what is the relation between full moon and beans then? There might be some, however in my post they are related by Sunday we spent all day at home. I don't know why but sometimes we just don't go out anywhere, it's not surprising now as it's very hot here these days. All you need is AC and lie down and no activities.
  But of course you can't keep yourself in your bedroom for the entire day and you want to know what is going on outside. At least, outside your own room. So when we went out yesterday afternoon my D discovered that our beans were ready for harvest.Well, not so many as we expected as those with red flowers plants refused to give any pods at all. So we collected only the ones which gave them, white with maroon patches on them. I say to keep them for the next year for planting, as they proved to grow well in our soil.
   The pods dried very much in our Indian sun.

Our first Kazakhstani beans in India

   In the evening I had my Russian class because I shifted it from Saturday. My D had some meeting again at our home. So it was like we just wanted everything and everyone to come to our home themselves yesterday. 

  To tell the truth, I was planning to photograph The Super Full Moon. May be I am a poor photographer, but I couldn't convey the Moon's beauty, the way its disc shines on the night sky and makes you think about flying there, so high... All I got was this shiny dot. Still if you zoom the picture you can see seas on the Moon's surface:

Another experiment with the camera and try to take the most natural view of the Moon yesterday:

It was a slow weekend, but I was happy. You need to slow down your life at times... it anyways goes so fast.

  

Owls - I like so much!

     I have never done any post featuring very well known Etsy. I created an account there just because of curiosity more than one month back. I haven't put my items there yet and may be I am not going to. I like different small items made with owl figures in them like pendants, statues, crochet owls (I want to make one so much) and other stuff. In a search for some cute things I just looked recently into forgotten by me site and searched for an "Owl". And OMG, there are so many of them (links are given in captions)! Just look at this napkin holder:

owl letter or napkin holder

      Or this vintage owl pendant. I like that clockwork inside :

owl pendant

       These little owls are so adorable!

felt owls

        Oh wow, Owl Piggy Bank!

owl piggy bank

        I liked this small wallet too:

owls and blooming sakura coin purse

    There are many more items which deserve your attention.
    By the way I am myself an owner of two owl figures, one I got from Russian city Rostov, another one was bought in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. I might show them in my blog too :) May be I will create series of posts about owls. Who knows? Or may be I will have to start one more blog then? ;)