Winter continues...

At this time of the year, with the holidays now past, we enter that long period before spring.  Whoever chose the end of December to be a time of reflection and rest was wrong.  Up in this northern country, holidays should happen at the end of January.  There is still so much of this season to get through!

I repotted some of the plants I picked up in the grocery stores last month.  They want to keep growing, so they have brand new pots and soil.  I am curious to see how they will do, because usually they only last a few weeks, and then wilt away. 

I reread Memoirs of a Russian Lady; a book a purchased back in the 80's.  I see it has been put back in print recently.  I love the pictures in this book.  As my own ancestors lived in this country three or four generations ago, I like to imagine what it would have been like to live there.  This book depicts the lifestyles of the people then.  And winter, well, winter has the same flavour in Russia that it does up here in northern Canada.

A  snowy laundry day.   Washing, ironing, mending, folding, and storing in the linen cupboards.  Look at how large the windows are! 

Imagine those long winter days, and then the evenings lit up with the soft glow of these lamps.

 The living room? in the apartment has a large round table for tea.  Many comfortable seating areas.  The ceilings seem to be quite high in all these homes and apartments.  What a wonderful place to read all afternoon.

 Another winter afternoon,snow falling,  with the ladies engaged in quiet pursuits.  Note the small lapdog on the armrest of the chair.

 

A priest's home in the countryside.  The servant is barefoot.  The tea from the samovar is served in glasses, rather than cups.  

 

It looks like spring is on its way. What a rough ride for these passengers.  Still, it must have been an invigorating ride, what with winter gone!

Canadian and Russian climates must be very similar.