Evening stroll

Вечерняя прогулка

8 PM. Gorgeous skies with clouds like chips of cotton wool.

Восемь вечера. По небу раскидана разорванная вата облаков.

And ten minutes later...

И десять минут спустя...

And five minutes later...

Ещё пять минут спустя...

And three minutes later...

И ещё три минуты спустя...

And then I decided, as kids except Marge left me alone for this evening, that nothing stops me from getting outside right at this late time and hitting a supermarket for a circular needles for knitting. And it's a shame, I didn't find them there. Though I bought a little bit more supplies for kindergarten as I ran into some serious discounts...

А потом я решила, что раз уж дети меня на этот вечер покинули (кроме Маргоши, разумеется), то ничто мне не мешает прямо в это позднее время сходить в ближайший супермаркет за круглыми спицами. Жаль, конечно, что их там не нашлось. Зато я купила по большой скидке ещё немножечко канцелярских принадлежностей для сада...

Before entering the store:

Перед входом в магазин:

After exiting the store:

После выхода из магазина:

Oh what a marvellous evening! No, summer definitely is not done yet! The air that smells like a bit of countryside meadows and a bit of a fireplace. The skies have these pastel shades before the sunset. Midges dancing a waltz around street lamps.. Two bicyclist went by me -- this is a long forgotten feeling of riding home by bike under the dusking skies and listening to the singing cicadas when there is no sign of a wind and it's already got chilly.

Какой чудесный вечер! Нет, лето ещё не всё сказало, это точно. Воздух пахнет немного деревенскими лугами и немного камином. Небо в пастельных тонах перед закатом. Вальсирующая мошкара под уличными фонарями... Смотрю на проезжающих мимо велосипедистов -- это давно забытое чувство, ехать домой через безветренные сгущающиеся прохладные сумерки под ор цикад...

And look, it seems that a man seen in the top left window is taking a picture back!

Гляньте, вам не кажется, что тот человек, что виден в верхнем левом окне, фотографирует в ответ?

Off to a yarn shop

В город за нитками

Now that Anastasia's school adaptation days are over, and she is starting to have longer classes, I have a little bit more time for myself. Today I spent this time getting downtown, having a stroll through Riga parks and visiting a yarn shop.

Потихоньку заканчиваются Настенькины дни адаптации к школе, уроков становится больше, а у меня освобождается время для меня самой. Сегодня оно было потрачено на поездку в Центр, прогулку по паркам Риги и поход в магазин пряжи.

Summer life outdoors

"Живём" на улице.

July rewarded us for our patience with a lot of sun and we finally got some really hot weather here after a rainy June.

Не зря мы упрямо ждали лета, провожая неотступно шедшие друг за другом дождливые июньские дни. Наша вера в лето была вознаграждена июлем по-настоящему жаркой погодкой.

When the REAL camera steps in

Когда НАСТОЯЩАЯ камера идёт в ход

I have a pleasant morning ritual. As people drink their coffee and read newspapers in the morning, I enjoy a cup of hot black tea and reading blogs I follow. Those are mostly craft themed.

У меня есть один приятный утренний ритуал. Иной, просыпаясь с утра, за чашечкой кофе читает свежую газетку, а я наслаждаюсь обязательно горячим чёрным чаем и чтением блогов, за которыми слежу. Все они в основном по рукодельной тематики.

Actually, the reality is a bit different now. After our Marge arrived, it's more like I'm drinking my tea while watching Marge hanging out on the floor and reading new blog posts while feeding Marge in the bedroom. Frankly speaking, my morning tea time is something I miss very much, but I know that Marge will get older in the blink of an eye and I'll be back to normal.

Правда сейчас всё происходит немного иначе. После рождения Маргоши это скорее просто питьё чая (и как можно быстрее), наблюдая, как Марго тусит на полу, и чтение блогов на планшете во время кормления Марго в спальне. Честно говоря, утренний чай -- это то, по чему я довольно сильно скучаю. Но придаёт силы знание о том, насколько быстро растут детки. Что значит, что моя жизнь войдёт в прежний ритм, не успею я и глазом моргнуть.

Ligo in Riga

Citizens of our country have one day in a year when all big malls are closed all day long. It's a day of a summer solstice that is celebrated by latvians nationwide in the midnight between 23d and 24th of June and is called "Ligo".

Despite the fact, that we all love the idea of a big summer holiday here, it is the meanest holiday of Latvia. It rains here every Ligo day!

Our holidays were also saddened by Veronika's illness. She got sick right before four vacation days. Actually, I don't remember her being ill so hard and for so long anytime before -- high temperature, ache in the ear, throat and stomach for at least 4 days and 5 nights.

During daughter's illness we watched all our home collection of movies for kids. I think they won't ask me for more for it for weeks. Personally I had discovered Pocahontas movie to be a very beautiful, wise and filled with positive messages and positive role models tale (yes, I had never seen it before).

Me with my husband and Marge visited downtown thanks to my mom, who came to babysit Veronika a few hours. The Centre of Riga was almost deserted, because most of the citizens prefer to celebrate this holiday in a countryside.

Not long after our arrival it started raining.

We hoped to find some of a festive action at the Dome Square, but sadly there was nothing to see too.

Just puddles after rains and some passersby with umbrellas...

The square near the Liberty monument didn't look festive either.

Pour tourists under umbrellas -- I wonder how did they like cold, rainy and nearly empty Riga with all malls closed celebrating Ligo.

Though our Riga looks beautiful even covered with water.

And of course, the sun went out of clouds right when we arrived to a bus station and were ready to leave the downtown.

Marge's two month and night rains

The time has come when I have to be very careful while walking down the street under a lush green roof of leaves. Here and there are caterpillars ready to become butterflies hanging down from trees right in front of my eyes. And nothing can scare me more than caterpillars and dragonflies. I don't know why these insects have such a strong impact on me, but every time I see them I get at least goose bumps. I would even scream in some cases. And today me and Marge met three caterpillars on our way to a scheduled two-month-visit to a pediatrician. I'm sharing a few photos taken on our way.

All these reflections just fascinate me!

Yes, our little baby girl is two month old already! She grew a lot, we spent past month under a sunshine of her smiles. She likes to talk and also learned to cry when she desperately needs something. It's not like she hasn't cried before, but this cry is somehow different from the one she did in her first month. So this is also a sign that she is getting older. Past few days of her life are also remarkable for Marge's discovery of her fists. She stacks them into her mouth and intently munches her fingers with a unconcerned look. It seems that I have to hurry with a mobile I wanted to make for her, or I'll miss the right time.

As Marge grows her sisters change as well. Their intention to help me with Marge is so huge that I can step aside and just watch their energy flowing in a right place. I haven't seen so much initiative for months! They wash dishes (even though it has been my prerogative before), help me cook, hang clean clothes, through away used diapers. They even don't mind entertaining Marge for a little bit if I need to leave the room for a moment. I am really proud of my girls!

I've started a new crochet cardigan for Marge lately. I've searched for a nice and not so common pattern for it, but haven't found any. So it was decided to make one by myself. I actually have already started bringing to life my idea and crocheted four rows, but then realized, that I had made a mistake in the very first stitch of the first row! Can you imagine my disappointment when I had to rip it all out and start over my project!

Though May is almost over, it is still enough time for mayflowers to bloom and May thunderstorms to moisturize the air through nights. I saw a great thundercloud through kids room's window yesterday. I hardly had time to take a picture, the cloud had covered all of the skies and it started pouring. However, it didn't rain too long, not more than a few minutes. Now i'm looking at my daughters' paintings of a rainy day from their art class and feeling really inspired to paint one by myself. I wish I had a time for this!

Oh, I love summer rain with it's warm puddles!