Stories happen to be shared
For many years now, my life’s calendar revolves around the three seasons: fall semester, spring semester and the summer. The Fall semester starts when everything is still green, full, warm, blooming. Slowly the leaves begin to turn yellow, then orange, then red or gold. The air is soothing with the sense of abundance, beckoning the … Continue reading Three Seasons
Getting off the plane in Geneva, I expected to encounter a city that reigns international affairs, business, and education. My first impression was instead of a seaside resort. The air was warm and inviting. The relaxing atmosphere seemed to order the visitors to take it easy ‘there is plenty of time,’ it seemed to say, … Continue reading From Geneva to Montreux
Autumn-- leaves of all colors are everywhere. Still on the trees, on the grounds, on the bushes, cars, chairs and benches. I was walking on campus one day, towards one of my favorite spots, surrounded by beautiful trees. Under the old, gorgeous yellow-golden maple, a young woman was sitting on a bench. I couldn’t see … Continue reading Autumn
It started as an innocent story—romantic, even. At the beginning of July, I discovered a meticulously built, beautiful nest with three gorgeous turquoise eggs in the shrub below our bedroom’s window. After some Googling, I figured out that the nest most likely belonged to an American Robin. I marveled at such a wonderful gift of … Continue reading Angry and Other Birds
In the south of the Appalachian Mountains, about two hours’ drive north from Atlanta, lies a magical forest. The mountains are becoming higher and steeper than around us in Pennsylvania, the mixed forest is becoming denser, the creeks are faster and larger. A wooden deck on the third floor of the old building served as … Continue reading Magical Forest
San Francisco was a bit underwhelming this time around. The city vibrated at a frequency that I could not connect to; not the way it happened on previous visits. The encounters, personal and professional, were meaningful, and at times moving. But my relationship with the place felt stuck. We got in the car and an … Continue reading The Gems of Northern California
Окна моей комнаты в отеле Нового Орлеана выходят на Миссиссипи. Река плещется всего в нескольких метрах. Паром отчалил от берега и пересек реку. Ему на встречу движется баржа, в противоположном направлении идёт прогулочный кораблик. Огни на реке, на другом берегу, на мосту сбоку, как когда-то. Странная машина времени, будто улыбка Судьбы, приоткрывает завесу прошлого или … Continue reading Реки текут
When I was a young girl (maybe 8 or 9 years old), I watched a play in one of the Moscow's theaters named The Blue Bird. I may have even seen it more than once. I really enjoyed the story line (based on a French fairy tale), in which the children were searching for the … Continue reading The Blue Bird
The train from London took a little more than an hour but it felt like we had gone back two hundred years. Exiting the train station, we stepped onto the streets, purposefully preserved from the 1800s. Yellow-beige buildings, cobbled streets running up and along the hill. A river casually flowing under the bridge. I was … Continue reading Bath
Little amethyst flowers are slowly opening up to display their purple glory. It’s been a while; an entire year with its cold winter of waiting. Waiting for the sight, the scent. The most impressive view is from my bedroom window, under which purple and white bushes present a regal appearance. But not for long; their time … Continue reading Times of Lilac
