Fall poetry

There was a time when I hated fall because it meant going back to school. I also couldn't have cared less for poetry because we had to learn it by heart in literature class and read it out loud in front of the classmates (boy, was that embarrassing!).
Now I’m old enough to appreciate them both on my own terms. Here is a fragment of one of my favorite poet's poem:

A mournful time of year! Its sad enchantment

flatters my vision with a parting grace –

I love the sumptuous glow of fading nature,

the forests clad in crimson and in gold,

the shady coolness and the wind's dull roaring,

the heavens all shrouded in a billowing mist

and the rare gleams of sun, the early hoarfrosts,

and distant grey-beard winter's gloomy portents.

Aleksandr Pushkin, AUTUMN

Унылая пора! Очей очарованье!

Приятна мне твоя прощальная краса —

Люблю я пышное природы увяданье,

В багрец и в золото одетые леса,

В их сенях ветра шум и свежее дыханье,

И мглой волнистою покрыты небеса,

И редкий солнца луч, и первые морозы,

И отдаленные седой зимы угрозы.

Александр Пушкин, Осень

Making memories: fall anniversary

With all the beauty thriving all around I couldn’t not ask my friend and professional photographer,
Laura Stanley, to take our pictures. Especially since it’s been four years since we had a photo shoot together - when we were pronounced husband and wife at the Ottawa City Hall.
Time flies, for sure. I don’t feel being married this long. And yet I can’t imagine it being different.
We’ve had a lot to go through as a couple in these four years: settling in a new country, adjusting to new traditions, learning language, getting new education and jobs, I could go on and on. But when you share life with all its ups and downs, you get the support, comfort and partnership that help you overcome tough times and make good times happier.
In Russian tradition, four year wedding anniversary is believed to be a “linen anniversary”. Linen is a strong textile that's hard to rip and, supposedly, so is the marriage, at its fourth year. I'm not a big believer in things like that, but I do agree that we’ve matured as a couple. That our union became stronger.

 Thank you, Laura, for the beautiful job you did. Mackenzie King Estate in Gatineau Park never felt so romantic!

Happy belated Thanksgiving!

We are still in transition period in regards to North American holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Helloween – aren't the holidays we grew up with before we came here. They are close in meaning and significance, but still different. We are taking our time adjusting to new holidays and traditions. It takes time and patience. Believe me.
Part of my family, however, had a longer adaptation period and became accustomed with new traditions a long time ago: my dear sister. She makes the best turkeys, pies, baked ham, ginger bread cookies and other yummy seasonal/holiday dishes that I still feel foreign to. So yesterday, we got to enjoy the delicious pear and pumpkin pies she made from scratch. Yum!

Supporting local farmers

It’s official – I’m in love with fall.
Even though it is rainy, moody and unavoidable cold prerequisite to winter, I can’t help but enjoy all the goodies it has to offer: those pumpkins, red squashes, apples and all kinds of root vegetables that are in full swing!
So this Saturday I paid a visit to our local “Veggie Trail Farms” stand to stock up on all those treats that summer produced but fall has to offer:

The stand is run by the lovely Tammy, who does an amazing job growing all these vegetables and providing west-end community with great produce at a very convenient location: 1757 Woodroffe Avenue.