Farm Animals

 

We live near the city center and let's just say there are NO farm animals but in August we have had to travel outside the city several times.  On the side of the very busy highway we saw cows!  They just hang around and feed.  Sometimes they are even sitting very close to the highway!

My Addiction

    Oh how I love you Pepsi!   The can says it all "JOY"!!!!!

My Addiction

 

My name is Nat and I'm a notebookaholic!  I love, love buying notebooks or "tetradi" (Russian for notebook) and I use every single one of these in the picture.  

Stranger in Cali

    Mr. Lifeguard was very attractive, this is as gutsy as I get taking a picture of a stranger!

Strangers

 

I love taking pictures of strangers but I wish I had more guts to actually approach people and ask for a straight on shot.  I think it's the language barrier that keeps me from being so brave.  I love this

picture because it is not common to see older couples together.  Usually it's just the woman alone because the life expectancy for men here is so low - it's currently at 57 years of age.

Shadows in the Valley

     It says "LOVE"

Shadows

 

I wish there were nice bike paths for the boys to ride their bikes!

Sunset in the Valley

Sunset in Russia

 

Sunset on the Volga!

   

Refreshing in the Valley

Even thou its' not my favorite, there's something about an ice cold slice of watermelon when the temperatures are soaring!

Refreshing in Russia

Wherever there's a high traffic of pedestrians.............you'll see these portable kiosks. 

Hot Hot Hot in the Valley

The 4th of July was hot and humid but the fireworks were even hotter!!!!!!!!!

I do have to give props to my youngest who took a couple of these very cool pics!

Summer Time in The Valley

Summer is the perfect time to take on the trails that are right in my back yard.  Its' crazy how you can find nature in a big, busy valley!

Summer Time in Russia

 

On the shore of the Volga!

My Hobbies

 

I love to bake!  I also love trying new recipes.  

 

I also love scrapbooking except that lately I haven't had the time! 

Both of these hobbies require me to be a bit more creative in Russia

since a lot of the "tools" for these hobbies aren't sold here or if they

are sold here they are super expensive.  As you can imagine when we

return to the States you can usually find me in the baking and scrapbook

sections of most stores!

My hobbies

I wish I had more time to spend doing the things I love.........

Photography is my passion, I wish I could do more of this, there's something peaceful about taking pictures!

 Knitting is more of a winter hobby, I must have over 15 scarfs by now and one of these days I want to knit a sweater!

Cooking is not a chore for me!  I love to cook and that's my way of relaxing when I get home from work.  On the weekends I go through all my cookbooks and plan my menu for the week, I consider that a hobby!

My Town

These are the basic postcard snapshots from my town!  My initial plan was to go to an observation deck at the train station but the weather has been gray, cloudy, and rainy.  Plus the one time we went it wasn't open to the public!

 

Russian Orthodox Church in the background and the site of 

Samara's eternal flame.

 

The local train station.

 

The big "slava" statue.

The Valley

I have lived in the valley since 1978, in Granada Hills, and even thou I have moved away a few times, I've always come back!  Lately it seems like the city has been fixing up neighborhood and its' looking great!

 A view of the valley soaked in fog, normally June is known and June gloom in the valley and it feels more like Seattle!

 A tribute to the Veterans

A newly built addition to Chatsworth St.

Upside Down in Russia

We kidnapped Woody from my mom's daycare years ago.  The boys love him.  The other day my youngest put Woody in this position:

May Flowers in Russia

 

And I love tulips!

 

 

These lilacs have been driving my allergies insane though!

April showers bring May roses in the Valley

I love roses!!  And my olest sisters has the most beautiful roses around!

Water in the Valley

Hmmmm....water in the valley? I  can't think of any fountains but we do have a "lake" in the middle of the valley!!  Its' Lake Balboa and come summer time I think the whole valley flocks there so for now its' still a pretty quiet place to go!

Water in Russia

 

The Volga

 

Fountains

Nature in Russia

Nature Around The Valley

     Beautiful flowers................

    Birdies..............

   

Mother's Day in Russia

 

 Mother's Day is not celebrated in Russia but I am so thankful to be a mom!

Mothers' Day in the Valley

There is nothing more rewarding, frustrating, satisfying, harder than being a mother!

Signs around the Valley

Love these, always great quotes!

Keeping the kids safe on their way to school