Project RuSu 365
Henri Cartier-Bresson said, "Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.", so bear with us...
The little Snow Maiden ~ Snegurochka. (12.25.2011)
Santa, known as Grandfather Frost here, doesn't have elves to help him deliver presents. Instead, he & his grand-daughter, Snegurochka (from the word for snow) ride in a horse drawn sleigh delivering presents on December 31st.
Snegurochka originated in a Russian fairy-tale in which a childless, elderly couple build a snow girl who comes alive and is known as The Snow Maiden. Sadly, in true tragic Russian form, Snegurochka melts & turns into a white cloud in the Spring.
If interested, you can find the tale of Snegurochka in English courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh here:
http://clover.slavic.pitt.edu/tales/snow_maiden.html
I hope Santa fulfilled the dreams of all good boys & girls & that the joy of Christmas remains with you & yours throughout the coming year. Merry Christmas to all!
Снегу́рочкаSnow MaidenSnegurochkaSnegurochka ornamentrusurusu photography
![Yes, I've been MIA [again]. Have been very busy of late & don't like to post knowing I haven't time to comment. Wanted to get back on track this month, so here's one of construction workers at Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. (2.1.2012)](https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Project-RuSu-365/i-3DBSkPz/0/b9cb1069/Ti/P1050770A-2-Ti.jpg)
![Ice maze under Lenin in Chelyabinsk. (12.29.2011)<br />
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Thanks for your [undeserved] comments yesterday - looked at it on another computer this A.M. & was really upset by how bad it was - yikes!<br />
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Just back from my last shopping of the year - what a nightmare! Unbelievably crowded at the supermarket & the prices were more obscene than usual - you don't even want to know my grocery bill, though they still keep the price of vodka low. Meanwhile our expensive Danish holiday tree has become petrified - just a bad day all around. Hope you're having a good one. <br />
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FYI, Moscow has dropped from the #1 most expensive city in the world to #4. To give you some perspective London's at #18 & NYC at #32.](https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Project-RuSu-365/i-7rPT6Sm/0/f268d534/Ti/img_2799a%28CROP%29-2_edited-2-Ti.jpg)
![Happy New Year [Russia]! (12.28.2011)<br />
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Just can't seem to get a decent shot today maybe because my ever- expanding 'to do' list has me distracted. Saw an article on NPR's blog about Russian New Year (link below), so thought I'd show you how even New Year's can become a national or nationalistic event. :-) This ornament says, Happy New Year Russia. In anticipation of the New Year, we wish all our friends around the world, a happy & healthy one.<br />
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<br /> <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/12/27/144326826/for-russians-new-years-eve-remains-the-super-holiday?ft=1&f=1001">http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/12/27/144326826/for-russians-new-years-eve-remains-the-super-holiday?ft=1&f=1001</a><br />
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Thanks for all your comments & feedback yesterday.](https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Project-RuSu-365/i-5m6Vfj8/0/84e27f1b/Ti/IMG_9254F-8-Ti.jpg)
![A gift from Visa - we'll be off to Rome! (12.24.2011)<br />
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We didn't enter nor have any knowledge of this Visa sponsored contest - just kept using the card, but it's now been confirmed that Rustem's won a trip for two to Rome. We take off on January 3rd for 4 nights at The Savoy. Not a bad holiday present :) Thank you Visa International!<br />
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Wondering about the dates? Well, Russia basically shuts down from December 31st to January 10th. New Year's Eve is like Christmas - a family event typically spent at home watching holiday classics on TV. January 7th is Orthodox Christmas, now a State holiday. January 13th is old Russian New Year [by the Gregorian calendar] &, though most people celebrate the Old New Year, it's a work day none-the-less. <br />
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Many of you know this was a tough year for us so I hope our trip to Rome sets the tone for 2012! <br />
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Merry Christmas to all! May your Christmas be magical.](https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Project-RuSu-365/i-MCLQQNC/0/b85b2f88/Ti/P1070045B%20copy-2-Ti.jpg)
