Trees in Japanese Garden

Posted by Irina.
www.irinapaints.com

Marriage Locks Trees.

Marriage Locks Trees Alley.
They believe that metal lock will keep the marriage, so on wedding day they go to Bolotnaya square to place the lock..

Posted by Irina.
www.irinapictures.blogspot.com

Ashberry

Posted by Irina.
www.irinapictures.blogspot.com

Mmmm... Mushrooms

Posted by Artem
www.artemtarasov.com

Lungs

Posted by Artem.

Fluff

Posted by Artem

Inside the Greenhouse

 I made this photo, head up, inside the greenhouse, in the far corner of the building, where this plant proved the power of life and need for light despite the winters' darkness and coldness.

Posted by Irina

Trees

Posted by Irina

October in the City

The end of October was usually the time when we see first snow and change our autos into winter boots. Latest several years are exception. Sunny, green, and full of delicate aroma of autumn.

Posted by Irina.

WTC

Did you know what Moscow is very green city?
So much so that even the modern building as the World Trade Center is adjacent to the beautiful and silent park.

Posted by Artem.

Happy New Year!

Valenki - is the best winter footwear for centuries in Russia. Made of felted lamb wool it is the guatantee of warmth and comfort in cold winter days. Best in the snow, rubbers added during wet weather. Still very popular in the country and around Moscow.

As you see, can be used as Christmas tree decoration  too. I made this photo in October, waited for the occasion to make a post)))

Happy New Year! 

Cutting the trees

That's what I saw from the window today. Though it is still snow and night temperatures are around zero, the city decided it was time to cut the trees.
The idea is to cut them to the 1/3 of the height, so the poplars (they are the only target, because of seed tufts, which are very allergic and annoy citizens, Ahira's summer photo of poplar "snow" is here (link)) will become seedless and very crown rich.

I do not know if they are sure about this result or the poplar 2/3 height cutting for good is the theory of some botanist, but I know that these trees saved us from sun and rain and gave the yard its silence and fresh air in heavy Moscow ecosystem.

Posted by Irina.

New Year Decorations

The New Year tree near Kievsky railroad station (you can see the tower of the station in the background).

Behind the tree to the right you see the corner of new shopping mall, very special architecture (link to the site of the mall where you can see it in full beauty).

Few days ago they asked us here why we called this tree New Year tree, not Christmas tree. Very simple. During 70 years we did not have religion (well, we had the H-o-l-y but his surname was Lenin, and most of our problems now are because 7 generations of Soviets did not believe, to my point of view).
That is why it was logical to call it New Year tree.

Google map.

Posted by Irina

Weather Challenge

Today the city is crusted with ice. Yesterday the temperature was changing quickly from -7C(19F) to +3C(37F) and back, which resulted in frozen rain drops all over Moscow. Trees, roads, fences, everything looks lovely and feels very dangerous.

I hope the trees will survive this heavy challenge. I hope our legs and backs will survive the slippery paths too.
Posted by Irina.

Trees Crib

This tree's names and types crib I have seen in the park at Vorobievy Gory. Every tree trunk has the green tag with the name of the tree it belongs to. I like the idea, as I am the one who is far from strong in trees recognizing.

These days the heat is unbearable and there is almost no wind in the city. The increasing fires around Moscow and the smog make the idea to breath sound like not good idea at all. Last week the maximum temperatures records ever were broken. And they promise that heat will last...

Troitsa

Last Sunday there was the Christian holiday, Pentecost, when all churches were decorated with birch branches. I did these photos inside the church of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Old Simonov.
Google map.
Photos from the church's site (RUS).

Posted by Irina

Following my post about the chess players in the park: no, I am not a chess fan, I am more a Tetris person :-)) . By the way, I have just realised that tetris was born in Moscow.

Trees of Hope

This is new tradition which quickly became popular in Moscow on almost every bridge. The young just married couples come to this bridge to leave the lock with their names as the symbol of long and strong love forever.

Looks like Ashira still needs time to settle down in Moscow, so I will keep posting every day untill she appears.

Snow

Heavy snowing today, feels so fresh and good after long period of grey colors in Moscow decoration.

Sun-lit

For a while I will post no comment with my photos since I'm permanently running out of time these days. But hope it will not last long.