Holidays & Cemeteries…

Today was another one for great memories in Ukraine.  And with each weekend and new experiences comes increased feelings of integration and being settled into my life in Ukraine.

The day began with some light cleaning of the apartment, which always makes me feel better.  By 12N I was headed out the door to meet Yuri and his mom for some afternoon adventures.  Our first stop was to the cemetery to visit his grandparents and great grandparents.  The Sunday after Easter EVERYONE takes paska bread, Easter eggs and candies to the grave sights.  We also had a same meal at each grave sight and shared family stories.  It was highly emotional and oddly peaceful.  The cemetery was PACKED with people and cars.  I was very appreciative of Yuri and his mom for sharing such a treasured part of their lives.

We visited a cemetery in Lugansk and one about 8 miles north of town in a small village.  We made a stop at a cousin’s house in the village and talked with him for a few minutes.  He gave me some beautiful red tulips.  Red tulips are my new favorite flower and I will treasure them always.  They have become a symbol of spring in Ukraine for me.  Red tulips can be found everywhere right now and they are a welcome bit of color after a long winter.

Then we continued to venture north to Petrivka.  Yuri’s mom, Lida, has a close friend, Svetlana, who lives in Petrivka and we were going for a late afternoon visit and shaslik.  I felt absolutely honored to be invited along.  It was sweet of Lida to include me. Svetlana has a beautiful home and it was fun to see something so American like. 

Svetlana had a wonderful and huge garden.  But first this amazing teapot greeted me.  I could have moved into this place and been perfectly content.  Maybe add a cow, horse and a couple of goldens…and then I would have had perfection.

   

Yuri and I went for a long walk through a planted forest.  The forest was planted about 50 years ago.  The rain came and went while we walked and the sky made for some wonderful photos.

The forest was mostly made of pine.  The ground was sandy and soft with pine needles and moss.  It was just like the forests at the sand dunes along the Oregon Coast.  Seriously awesome!

   

    

Of course, having a boy along means looking at bugs, snails, creatures and cool looking moss….

   

The boy wanted to find something really cool.  And I found a jaw bone.  Cool, right? Nope, not cool enough.  Then we spotted this entry to what was likely a fox den.  I pointed out the foot print at the entrance and Yuri was suddenly REALLY EXCITED.  He was convinced he could lure the animal out, but we quickly moved on.

    

It was another great day.  We came home exhausted and it will take days to recover, but it was a great weekend.