Home sweet home

This is the name of our village its pronounced Syelilovichi.

 



 Our house. Its reminds me of a cabin in island park.

 

 Zac's russian pickup.

Its funny it has heated seats but only the front windows are powered.

 

One of the many tractors around the place.

They clean them everyweek.

 

These are some of the cars that bring the workers.

 

The veiw from our back window.

 

 We came out to check on some of the cows as they were getting fed.

 

My russian hat.

 

This picture turned out cool.

 The feeder was trying to get through all of the cows.

 

 

 

In the mornings the horses all have frost on them even though the barn is heated. 

 



Saturday

 I went for my first ride on the Russian ranch!

 

It was freezing but I found a horse I like, I named him Prancer.

 

Zac with his two new best friend... horse and rope.

 

We went and explored a shop in town and found treats.
 Mine looked better then it tasted.



Zac's was actually pretty good.

 

Fire station.



A cool looking church.

 

Graffiti on a boarded up building.

We found an old collective farm. It was dated 1957

 

 

All the buildings were falling down.



This one could make a great spook alley.

 



Driving around

Abandoned building near our house.

Whenever you leave a town it has the red line
which is really nice for following directions.

We see stuff like this all over.

 

Cement apartments.

 

These are fruit boxes the guy had perched on his car without tie downs.

 

 

Not sure what these are but they are just on the side of the road sometimes.

 

This means no stopping or parking.

 

 

Ranching

 Another day at the office.
All the American horses have collars on them for quarantine.

Zac showing how to rope a sick heifer.

Icicles on the horses.





I rode around for a minute with Zac in the pickup and got a few pictures of why we are over here.
 It feels a lot like Idaho once you are out with the cows and horses.

Shopping

.

 

This is the store we go to for food items. I guess it is a chain store so it has alot more then the little shops.
 It is about one fourth the size of an Albertsons.

This is from our first trip to the store last week. It is only about 30 dollars. Kind of strange geting use to rubles.

On the way into the ranch our house is on the left. I really like it and the area is very quiet.

 

 

YesterdayI drove to the store to pick up things for lunch tomorrow at the Knights. I have never driven here before and town is about ten min away but since we have been there a couple times now I figured I could find my way. It wasnt to bad and I even explored other stores in town. I tried to ask where I could find a big bowl and the lady laughed and took me to another girl who I guess thought she spoke english but I couldnt understand anything. She finally took me outside and pointed to another store where I went in and found the bowl.  The funny thing about the people is even after they know I dont speak russian they still go on and on as if I will magically understand.

Winter walk

 

 This is the sign at the entrance to our ranch. The top says Miratorg which is the company name.

Black and white dog is the one I found and the brown one is a friend we met.  

Random phone in the snow.

Yesterday I finally got a full nights rest which felt good. As I was cleaning the house I opened the blinds and saw a sobaka (dog) outside. I opened the door and it came in. I was so excited to see a dog, it totally made my day. After lunch I saw the dog was causing problems with the guards so I took it for a walk. We  found a cemetary and some guy stopped and offered me a ride home. Haha the only english words he knew where boyfriend, baby and business. He seemed to think trying to talk to me was funny and most likely I am the first american he has met. We are really rare in this part of the country. He kept saying something about boyfriend and I dont know if he was asking if I had one or wanted one. I didn't know how to tell him I was walking for fun and didn't need a ride but he just kept insisting I was going to get sick... well at least thats what I think he was trying to say. After a good half hour of both of us looking like crazies trying to sign, act out words and using every russian word I could think of I finally said one of the few words I know dasvidana (good bye) and walked home. Sobaka had gotten bored and left so hopfully she comes back another day.

Driving through Moscow we saw a Mazda dealer. P.S I'm glad we dont live here it was pretty crowded and ugly.

We finally made it!! After our plane was delayed a day, three very long days of airports, crazy bus rides and not to mention being dropped off at the wrong ranch we are now at our ranch which feels good. The area is fairly nice and I think in the summer it will be really pretty. We drove to the grocery store last night and got a laugh at how nervous we make everyone here. I am actually hiding out in the house right now because the security guards outside have never had a wife on this ranch  before so they think they need to get permission for me to be on the ranch. Before they said anything I did get a chance to hang out in the horse barn and once I get clearance I will probably spend alot of time brushing the twelve horses that are here. Next time we go out I will take a picture of name of the town. 

Our plane tickets came we leave Saturday morning