Windows to Russia

Up at six a.m. and walked until 7 a.m. Then went back to bed, Boza agreed and we both slept until 9:30 a.m. and Boza is still sleeping, off and on. I am going to write a post and Boza just sneaked upon the bed and is hiding in the blankets, hoping I do not see him… 🙂

It seems that Boza and I wore each other out yesterday; yesterday we walked in swirling snow and sleeting rain for 3 hours plus. We found three new old lake areas and one more cement pond. We both fell down more times than we could count and skated on iced ponds in joy, more times than we could count. But it seems to have taken a toll. Today Boza and I are tired, just plain worn to the bone tired. Boza is getting old and for that matter, so am I and yesterday let us know just that fact…

The two explorers…

I took a selfie with Boza and normally I do not like the way I look and I really never look good for any photo, but something about this photo has grabbed me…

I have grown up all my life with dogs as companions and life to me is kinda empty without a dog. But, I have never had a buddy like Boza, a buddy that will go anywhere with me and not question why we are being stupid…

Boza is getting gray around the muzzle and in the photo is the realization that I am gray around the muzzle also. I took this picture and when I put the camera away, Boza immediately leaned up against me and sat next to me as we looked out over the lake area, in the photo below…

(That is another ice skating pond and we need to get Sveta down here to ice skate…)

The selfie image seemed to be a milestone in time for Boza and I. We are about the same age in human and dog years and we are partners in crime, be that whatever it entails to be. There is a bond between Boza and I that transcendences life as a whole and as much as he needs me, I need him…

I remember like it was yesterday; Boza was new to our family and literally in shock from the transfer of a gas station dog to a family dog. I was worried that he would not be capable of the change. I had him out walking and he collapsed and would not could not walk. I remember he was still a puppy (6 months old) and was laying on the ground shaking, like a leaf…

I picked him up and went back to the flat, but the elevator was dead and we lived on the 14th floor. Boza looked bad and I started to walk up the stairs. 14 floors to our home at that time. I finally got home and kept him warm and dry. In about 4 hours he woke up and was a different dog after that. I chose to believe that he remembers me carrying him and the realization that he was not alone and that the Alpha member of the family cared if he lived or died, sank into his brain. Boza realized that he was amongst family now and not alone and not having to fight the world by himself. Boza became family and our kid in many ways…

Boza has now stepped out of the kid mode and is now an elder. He has earned his position in life and leads me by his nose to interesting things to investigate, just as much as I lead him to spots of interest that I see with my eyes. I follow him and he follows me and he stays near enough to me to be there, if something is wrong…

Boza is that once in a lifetime dog; that dog that transcends the boundaries between just a doggy and companion. He is a male dog and I am a male also, we have our moments of who is boss and Sveta (being a female) does not understand why we do that? I understand and he understands, but we both know that in the end we are a team…

If all the world would be like a Boza, the world would be a better place…

I see the age in Boza and when I look at the image above, I see the age gathering its wings in both Boza and I… 😉

Have a nice day…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia (WtR)

My favorite words right now are, “Silly Rabbit!”

They upset Boza and he can smell them when they get into the yard. We had three and now there are two. One white one and one brown one. The third decided that he did not like a dog chasing him all the time and left for the brown home’s yard. I had a good idea for these rabbits?

I suggested to Sveta that I could make rabbit stew. That sounds so good and these are fat and sassy rabbits. What a stew I could make…

Of course that suggestion did not go over well, for Mrs. Sveta, the one who carries mice across the village to save them, did not like my suggestion. It was kinda equivalent to; “No Way Jose!”

So I walk around and say, “Silly Rabbit!” all the time…

Boza does enjoy the chase and he keeps them out of the yard when he is on patrol, but like any good doggy, he likes to sleep and eat, within his life of leisure and “Silly Rabbit” chasing……

Life goes like this; Boza barks, I let him out, rabbits run for the hills and Boza after checking the yard trice or more, comes back in. Then we start over again and again and again… 🙂

This morning at 5 a.m.

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Boza and I just simply love walking all over the frozen died lake bed. We find all kinds of neat stuff and as big as it is, we will be walking for a long time, checking it all out…

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Sveta is talking about coming for Christmas, she literally has to work at the New Years holidays, for her servers need work and the only time is when the banks are shut down. Thus the western Christmas time is what she has in mind. Sounds good to me…

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Trees to cut up!

Wrap this all up for today; I have been cutting on the huge trees that were brought by friends of Vova. They smashed the neighbors fence and I started with that area. I cut the logs away from the fence and then repaired four fence posts. Lucky for me, they are steel pipe and all I had to do was pull them straight and repack the ground around them. Then a few wire twists and all was as good as new…

The wood is oak and tough as shoe leather. I need to sharpen the chainsaw blade in the next few days and when i go to town, I need to buy a backup chain for it. This wood is tough and hard, but it will make great firewood. I bought a splitting maul not long ago and once cut, I will split and stack…

I also will be able to get my stumps for working stations from these trees. I will cut two table stumps and four seat stumps to have as a place to work in the summer time on projects. The problem is that I have 18 inch saw and the biggest stump is over 24 inches across. Just will take longer to get my cuts done… 😉

Tidbit of information; All the equipment that I buy in Russia is Russian made. I buy it that way on purpose and I am here to tell you that Russians have very good manufacturing standards and like the brush cutter I used all summer, the chainsaw is excellent and a very quality product…

Have a nice day…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia (WtR)

Sbiten is a hot drink made from spices and herbs with honey or sugar. The drink they say goes back to about 1100 AD. Sbiten is considered a Russian national winter beverage. In Russia, sbiten is often poured from a large shining copper urn called a samovar. The same device used to serve hot tea. You can find it in Moscow at the busy areas such as metro stations and bus stops. But when traveling through the smaller villages of Russia, it can also be found on the roadside being sold by a babushka with her samovar…

Read about the Samovar – (Russia: Tea or Chai as Russians Call It!)

Ingredients:
5 liters of filtered water
800 g berry jam
200 g honey
2 g ginger
2 g cloves
1 g cinnamon

Method:
Bring the water to a boil.
Then turn heat to low and add honey and jam.
Then 5 minutes later, add the spices to the water and let steep for 5 more minutes…

Then Serve in mugs, steaming hot… (Enjoy)

Note: This is a great New Years drink and can be made alcoholic by using red wine in place of the water…

PS: Wine Sbiten

To make Wine Sbiten you need:
1L red dry wine
150g honey
0.1g each – cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg

Add honey to wine and bring to boil. Take off the heat. Add cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and leave for 30-40 min. Strain and serve hot.

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!

• The Christmas Eve, Sochivo recipe… (windowstorussia.com)
• Coffee Thinking’s in Russia… (windowstorussia.com)
• Fresh Vegetables in Russia… (windowstorussia.com)
• Coffee and Teaching in Russia… (windowstorussia.com)
• In Russia We Will Be Civilized! (windowstorussia.com)

I am going back to bed. I walked Boza at 6 a.m. and he is sleeping again. I tried to feel better, but I am hurting, so I will sleep and relax. Maybe read for awhile. No words of wisdom today…

Have a good day…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia (WtR)

It is cold, the ground is hard as a rock and the wind keeps tearing up everything in its path. The Big Village had a bus stop blown away and over and a bunch more damage. We were lucky it seems…

Had to use plastic to cover the roof of the outhouse, after the wind destroyed the other roof. It also was falling over and I installed three braces on the outside to hold it up. Would not be funny if it fell over while in use! 😉

Picture of the home as it is right now, I was lucky, I was able to keep this roof from being ripped off…

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Fat Rabbit!

This morning at 8 a.m. Boza was barking and having a fit. Him and I went out and I was expecting a fox or something equivalent; instead we found two huge fat rabbits, Vova’s rabbits, in our yard. Boza looked at me and I said, “Getum Boza!” Then the chase was on…

Two fat rabbits almost as big as Boza, exploded over the fence. No lie they jumped over a meter high and ran, then Boza decided if a rabbit can do it, he can do it and over the fence he went. All I could do was watch, because I would not be jumping that fence. I went to the gate and as fast as I could followed the three running animals. I got to the hill above the lake and down on the frozen lake bed, was Boza running as fast as he could with two fat rabbits trying to outrun him…

Then from out of the cattails came a fox and he decided to join the three and it became a foursome. Boza and fox chasing two rabbits. I was at the mercy of nature at this point. I was not sure what Boza and fox would do against each other, but Boza being a good boy, decided that since he was not gonna eat the rabbits, to come home. The fox lost his step by twisting suddenly away from the path, thinking Boza was going to go after him. Then caught the trail again quickly after realizing that Boza was stopping. Boza stood in the middle of the lake and I watched the two rabbits literally leap in one bound across the road and a red female fox like a rocket behind them…

I yelled at Boza to come home and he came running. He was so happy, Boza is a good dog, one of the best I have ever had the pleasure of having as a companion. I gave him an extra treat this morning and he is sleeping now as I type this…

Oh to end this story; the rabbits are back and I can see them out the window right now. They seem to have found a home in our yard. Looks like they live under the brush pile outback. I will be nice and teach Boza to endure their presence. He just likes to chase, Boza is fed well. To be honest, I know rabbits and these rabbits are so big that neither Boza or the fox could whoop them. Rabbits are tough when cornered and rabbits as big as these, could and can fight like a pro…

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The name of the Tiny Russian Village is Zarya Svobody; which translates to (Dawn of Freedom,) thus I translate it as Sunrise to Freedom. The locals all call it Kommuna. I use that name when talking to locals, but I will always, as I walk the village, think of it as Freedom and it truly is freedom. This morning the sun was struggling to get above the horizon and I thought, “Yes, it is Sunrise to Freedom!”

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I am not sure why God blessed me with coming to Russia? I am far from an angel and far from a perfect man. I have struggled with the wisdom behind allowing me to find peace and quiet and to have found a life that is worth living. I have much family back in the states and they all are befuddled as to why anyone would go to Russia and find it comfortable and pleasant. That is a shame, but it shows the propaganda at work in the west and it shows to me how full of lies propaganda is…

Therefore, I must live without ties to the states anymore. I can not worry about what my family does and or is doing. They refused to communicate after I left and even my son, has decided to ignore all e-mails I send. I fought a hard battle to try to stay in touch with my family, but they resisted all attempts and I found that to stay sane, I must get on with my life. I was sexually harassed at work and my family treated me as the one who instigated it, mindful that if they do that, guess what the rest of the world does?

I found all around me in America a country that while it still pretended to be what it use to be in the old days, it was fast becoming a cesspool of contradictions. Contradictions intentionally instigated to stir the muddy waters and create conditions to ultimately allow undermining of the moral structure of the country…

My family is a perfect example of what America has become; scared of the government, scared of life, scared of religion, scared of individual thoughts and most of all scared to get involved with anything, but immediate self-satisfaction…

Simply put; I got on with my life and decided to use my wings instead of hiding them under fear and guilt…

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Life is really simple: Life is a good as a toaster oven…

For 1800 rubles ($26) we bought a toaster oven for the village home. I used it to make Sveta garlic cheese bread and this morning I made the same for me. Except mine has black pepper on it…

Life really is as simple as a toaster oven. We just make it more complicated than it has to be…

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The sun is shining and Boza and I have a meeting with Mrs. Sunshine! We need to walk and see life! It is that simple…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia (WtR)

http://ryazpressa.ru/news/articles/saraevskiy-amerikanets-kayl-kiton-rossiyane-ne-khotyat-voyny_03-12-2015/

In Sarai area there was an unusual lodger. An American Kyle Keeton masters the Ryazan hinterland.

– “I grew up in the west of America, Missouri, where, too, are frost and cold. Only the winter there is much shorter than in Russia” – says Kyle. – “So I am not afraid of Ryazan province.”

Kyle calls the outback village “Dawn of Liberty.” It was here that he lived in a small house, bought his wife, Svetlana, 25 years ago. Generally Svetlana originally from the area, but her parents’ home at the time became dilapidated, and then collapsed. So I had to buy a new one because it would not let small homeland. Initially, Svetlana went here with her son, and now with her husband Kyle.

They met through social networks. But soon the virtual communication has grown into a whirlwind romance. By the way, as is often the case. And for the first meeting in the United States, more and more … And ended up bad in that … Kyle decides to move to his beloved Russia. Since then, it has been 9 years they are together. Neither one nor the other, almost, did not know the language of the partner. Svetlana although I could understand something at school and university education, and Kyle never even studied Russian. But they understood each other perfectly. True say, the language of love is clear to all. 🙂

A biologist by schooling, but not trying to find a job in his field. Kyle knows very well the restaurant business, so once a hobby has now become his job. Again with the help of social networks, he earns his living from the comfort of home.

– What did your family say when they learned that you leave America and move to live in Russia? – I asked Kyle. He looks at his wife, who quickly puts him my question.

– “Unfortunately, they did not understand me. Son still can not come to terms with this. Most likely, because it just Russia, which surprises me with its simplicity” – says Kyle.

When asked of Obama: – “I have never understood Americans who admired him, nothing in this case, of not presenting themselves. In Russia, much more intelligent, talented, intelligent people. And again, good. The Russians want war neither, unlike Western countries, which are due to swaying of economic policy under different pretexts want to unleash it. You know, there are policy leaders, that is, their country is in their heart. They do and will do everything for their homeland. That those I consider Vladimir Putin. And moreover, I would say right now what you probably did not expect to hear from me. Many Americans would like to see their president was not Barack Obama but Vladimir Putin. Personally, I have never supported the policy of the current US president.”

– Kyle, you probably will not be easy to live in the countryside? Get used to agree, after the city life to life in the periphery is not just? After all, as I understand it, to go to Moscow, Svetlana?

– “I think that I will have no problems. Svetlana, really leaving, she had to work, I was left alone. But people quickly adapt to any situation. There I met a wonderful friend, Vladimir Polyakov. We somehow found the right understanding. And, despite the fact that I almost do not speak in proper Russian, except okey, yes, no, we understand each other. I consider him a true friend, this I was not even in America, where I have lived most of their lives. This once again underlines the fact that in Russia, very good people, with an open mind and a big heart.”

And Vladimir Polyakov joins the conversation and slaps Kyle on the shoulder: – We’ll survive the winter, don’t worry, and then you and I will fly into the space in the spring.

Kyle blinks in surprise, but, when all around are starting to laugh, joined in.

Eugene Zhigovets

Vova loved the article and I understand that the whole area loves the same, I will not question the accuracy, nor the facts. What counts is that everyone has a feel good story of love and an American who loves Russia. That is needed right now in a country that is being abused by the USA…

I liked it and am proud to have talked to the paper about a few things. Let it be what may, I am accepted in the community and that is what matters to me the most…

Have a nice day…

(and yes. “We’ll survive the winter, don’t worry, and you and I will fly into the space in the spring.“)

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia (WtR)

3 a.m. in the morning is when the image above was taken. It was as Boza and I went for our first walk and it never gets any darker than what you see. It is dark, but the horizon is always lit up and I think that is really cool and neat.

But I took the picture for what the moon and a jet vapour trail looked like. It is not a good image, because it is so dark, but hey I use what I got! Right? I think it came out okay.

It is better than this shot of a fox running in the dark. Boza and I saw him at the same time as he saw us. I should say Boza smelled him and I saw him, but to a dog the nose is all seeing and the fox noticed us at the same time with his nose. I just have good eyes and cannot smell a thing. 😉

Actually blurred from tons of swirling snow. But that is a fox…

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Last night was rough…

A storm came up and brought snow, sleet and rain with it, but that was okay, it was the North Wind that came along for the ride that tried to do our home in. Old Man winter wanted to de-roof our home and in fact he did de-roof the outhouse as the roof exploded in a thousand pieces of shrapnel like a bomb hit it. But at that time, I was hanging onto the front roof of the village home and trying to keep it from disappearing like the outhouse roof…

One of my wood piles was torn apart, but I got it back together last night, to keep it dry. I will work on the outhouse today, need a new roof and plastic sheeting will do the job.

Basically I won, except I hurt like crazy this morning and will take it easy today. It is times like last night as I am hanging off the roof, on a ladder, with snow blowing, sleet whipping and wind trying to tear me away: That I am glad I have a guardian angel. It works overtime with me and must be a tough angel to keep up with the things I do. 🙂

At one point I had a foot on one roof panel, hands on another two panels and one foot on the ladder an old hand built ladder, but I am here to write today and I kept the roof on the home. A few new nails and rubber washers and we are as good as new.

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The walks are easy for Boza and I, the ground is frozen hard now and we can walk just about anywhere without getting mud or bugs on us. Yesterday, Boza and I walked around the lake, completely around. It sleeted the whole way and we discovered many more new areas that we have not been. I will say that our lake is huge and they really only utilize 5/8 of the actually lake for filling. Yesterday Boza and I found the actual boundaries (dams) of our lake and walked them in complete. I understood why they do not fill the lake to its fullest; one of the dams is almost rotted away and would not hold back a full lake. So lets fix it people.

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Well you all have a good morning and or day! Boza and I have some naps to take, walks to walk, food to eat and things to fix. Plus we have a ball in the yard to toss and play with; Boza’s favourite game to play.

Have a nice day…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia (WtR)

“Fifty years ago Leningrad streets taught me one lesson; If a fight is inevitable, be the first to hit!”

Simple and a fact…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia (WtR)

Yesterday allowed me to get a grasp once again on what Russian people are all about. The men who now claim to be my bestes friends on earth and Vova leading the way as my bestes – bestes friend and he made sure they knew that. Are from all walks of life in Russia. Several of them are extremely rich. One has a girl half his age as his wife, one is a starving artist (so he says,) one works in the armament industry, one is a writer, one is a factory worker, one is ex-military, one is from Afghanistan and so on and so on… (Actually two were not in the picture and they refused, too shy, as the others put it!)

I do not get much hate when I meet Russian people and the few that I meet who hate, would be slapped down by the ones who embrace me. I am welcomed and made to feel at home. For Russians are a curious, trusting and loving group by nature…

I feel blessed to have the ability and means to meet such wonderful people everyday of my life and I seriously am blessed for having such a wonderful girl by my side, even if she is in Moscow right now. Russians are still able to understand that temporary separation of the opposite sex from each other is important and guys have to go be guys, even if it kills them; for life to be smooth and stable. Russians believe as we (I) did many years ago and I remember the horror I experienced when I put my daughter in college and the dorms were coed. It was a nightmare and accepted by society as Okay! It is not and is just a small example of how I feel and why I think Russia is on the right path. Girls are girls and boys are boys! Oh My!

A country is no better than the morals, curiosity, love, porosity, abilities and many thousand other things that its people allow and do themselves. A government is an extension of the people and when a government has gone rogue the people have gone wretched and allow it to be the way it is. We are what we sow…

These guys will come back, for hunting is important, even if you kill nothing and for these guys, hunting is the excuse to get away from all the pressures of life; including the wife. 🙂 I have been told that I do not have any choice in the matter, I will go with them hunting next time and that is that. I can be excused from drinking vodka, but from hunting; No Way!

Russia is about the people…

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I am debating going to the Big Village, but, I do not want to and really there is nothing I need to get. I have tons of food and other supplies. The need and desire is not there, so why go? I will not and Boza and I will walk in the upcoming snow storm.

Sunrise, so rare and it is 9:30 a.m. By the way, that is as high in the sky as the sun will get. Maybe just a little higher, but just a little. We are lucky; we get a sunrise, much farther north and there is no sunrise to speak of…

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My new razor…

This is my new razor for the village. I decided to buy a razor like what I started shaving with many years ago, many more than I care to think about. It shaves like a dream and is simple, but simple for a simple life. I even have a brush and extra blades, all made in Russia…

It is what life is about and what life should be about; what makes you happy…

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Boza and I found a spring, Sveta had mentioned such a spring for water, if there was no where else to get water. I found it yesterday and it use to be a major source of water for fingerling ponds. The ponds I found the remains of yesterday. So it has been proven to me that our end of the pond system use to be self-sufficient and had its own breeding system and such. Makes sense, and now I know exactly where the fresh water source is to get water if need be. The cement pond is huge, but one end is blown away, thus no water collects anymore. It use to service a series of three smaller ponds and also was used for water for the village at one time. I found the remains of several small pumps and pipework for running water to a water facet. I just love finding history and really wish that history was not always decaying. Oh well…

Have a nice day…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia (WtR)

These are the Russian guys I have to put up with…

Bunch of guys out hunting, Vova and I are in the middle back row and the guys are from all over. One is an ex military from the Afghanistan war and his buddy is the littlest guy crouching down in the front. That guy is from Afghanistan. (No hat very bald and dark hair!)

They shot 44 times at many Wild Boars, never hit a thing… Not a thing, but they scared all the boars away for the rest of the year and the deer and the rabbits and the humans left in the area…

But they do not care and are happy as happy could be.

They were so excited and they all want Vova to get a copy of the newspaper when and that is an “IF” the article is printed in the local paper…

Have a nice day and they want me to go hunting with them next time they come…

Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia (WtR)