Photography

Back in the USSR

~ MaryG ~ 3 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.
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I traveled to Russia (then called the Soviet Union or USSR) in January 1987 with a group of students and professors from my college. It was a Winter Break trip. We left just after New Year’s Day 1987. It was led by two professors of Russian History with whom I had taken classes. We went to Moscow and St. Petersburg (then called Leningrad), as well as some smaller cities–Suzdal and Vladimir.

I’m sure it was a fascinating trip, but my main memory is of how cold it was. It was really F***ing COLD.

This is the United Press International archives (UPI.com) report from January 8, 1987:

MOSCOW — An Arctic cold snap with temperatures lower than minus 40 degrees has gripped most of central Russia, slowing life in Moscow to a frozen crawl. The daytime temperature in Moscow is now almost four times colder than the average home freezer. A record low of minus 45 degrees hit Leningrad overnight and Moscow recorded minus 39, close to the 1940 record of minus 44. The official Tass news agency said the first week of January 1987 was the coldest recorded in Moscow in 35 years. Auto traffic in Moscow was virtually non-existent as a frozen mist, triggered by the snow on the ground being warmer than the air, rolled over the city. Ice fishermen tried their luck in the frozen Moscow River, but few others ventured outside unless absolutely necessary.

I remember we were warned to keep every inch of skin covered while we were outdoors so as not to get frostbite. We kept bottles of vodka in our chilly hotel rooms which we slugged for warming purposes (mainly). Other memories include eating coarse brown bread with butter and caviar, the museum-like Moscow subway, and fur hats. We all bought fur hats.

Leningrad in the frozen mist on a frozen river
The Moscow Metro
Our group playing outside in Vladimir – very briefly!
A bit of sun in Suzdal

Related post:

Thursday Doors—The Kremlin

Budapest 1987

Swimming pools, movie stars

~ MaryG ~ 4 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What does your ideal home look like?
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GenXers will recognize “swimming pools, movie stars” as the last line of the theme song from the Beverly Hillbillies, a TV show that was popular when we were young children. Basically, some poor people find oil on their property in Appalachia, get rich, and move to “Cally-phonia” in a dilapidated truck. It was pretty dumb. The theme song was definitely the best part of the show.

From the Beverly Hillbillies to Downton Abby to the Kardashians, I’ll admit to being fascinated by the lifestyles of the very wealthy, particularly their homes. Honestly, most of them do not look that comfortable. They’re too big. Everything is so spread out. Kim Kardashian is basically living in the Louvre. She has to walk miles just to get to the back of her own closet.

BUT, it would really be cool to have a big swimming pool and a view. Those are the two features I would have, if money were no object.

Here are a few photos from a visit to Newport, Rhode Island in July. We toured Marble House, one of the Gilded Age mansions. And yes, of course I watched “The Gilded Age” on HBO and am eagerly awaiting Season 2 starting on October 29. My husband likes to count the number of times the word “luncheon” is said per episode.

Marble House (Newport) – one of the filming locations for Julian Fellows’ The Gilded Age
Marble House dining room – the very definition of “gilded”
Lest you think Mrs. Vanderbilt and her friends didn’t discuss serious things at their luncheons, here are her Women’s Suffrage dishes.

Summer is our Glory in New England

~ MaryG ~ 4 Comments

Why do you blog?

These prompts are starting to feel repetitive. Here’s an old post I wrote called Why Blog?

We’ve had so many rainy weekends in New England this summer. It’s great that we’re ending on a high note!

Summers are short, but glorious in New England. I know some people really love autumn, but it does not hold a candle to summer. Winter is horrible (unless you like skiing) and “spring” is not a thing. There’s like one warm day in May (if we’re lucky, it’s Mothers Day).

So here’s to New England in the summer.

The “Farm Coast” – Rhode Island/Massachusetts border
Quicksand Pond, RI

TGIF

~ MaryG ~ Leave a comment

How are you feeling right now?

I’m glad it’s Friday. I work in Boston and things get hectic in late August when all the students move back to the city for the fall semester. We call this time of year “Allston Christmas,” when you can pick up anything from a toaster oven to a Bob Marley poster for free on the curb. Traffic gets MUCH worse. Occasionally, it comes to a complete standstill when some poor parent from the Midwest drives a too-tall rental truck under one of our too-low underpasses and gets stuck. This is called “getting Storrowed” and it happens every year.

Anyway, Labor Day weekend is the calm before the storm—or perhaps it’s the eye of the storm. I liked I.V. Greco’s post about sharing our super moon photos from Wednesday night. It’s so hard to get a good photo of the moon, but I like the sky in this one that I took. Peace.

Moon Sky, 8/30/23

Coffee is King

~ MaryG ~ 5 Comments

What’s your favorite time of day?

I like the morning coffee hour, but only if it doesn’t start too early. If I’m up at 5am drinking coffee, I consider that a sleep failure.

A couple years ago, my nephews gave me an Ember smart mug. I didn’t know if I’d like it, but I do. It keeps your coffee at the right temperature, so you can sip it slowly and not have to reheat it in the microwave.

Mornings are all possibilities, no regrets, as long as you slept well.

My set-up. Cute little cactus and candle were gifts from my thoughtful daughter. My sister-in-law crocheted the coaster.

Monthly delights

~ MaryG ~ 4 Comments

Tell us about the last thing you got excited about.

For Christmas 2019, my husband got me a 3-month subscription to BloomsyBox, a monthly delivery of beautiful flowers. By the end of the three months, COVID had hit and we were stuck at home, so I kept the subscription going. It was just so nice to have these gorgeous blooms to look at, especially in the winter.

Three years later, I still get these monthly deliveries. Each one is different and quite stunning. And I get excited about each one.

Here’s this month’s. Yellow is such a great color.
July’s were exotic – hot and tropical
June’s were really gorgeous. My birthday month.

TIP: I ordered and paid for an entire year of deliveries on Black Friday and saved hundreds of dollars.