We have a saw, a sander, a drill, tons of scrap wood and brand new giant speakers so let’s crank the Ukrainian folk music and activate the Echo Luna carpentry shop! Naomi makes a toothbrush/toothpaste holder; I sand and stain a little trivet for cast iron pans direct from the stove. There are also grape vines to tie to our new rebar arbor which will someday shade our fabulous outdoor dining area but which right now doubles as a fantastic al fresco midnight cinema!
Later on, we ride bikes over to the Hideaway which is situated in a very sweet location beside the lake where we swim in warm weather. It’s my first chance to see inside the house, built before the 1918 revolution by a kulak family. The kulaks were affluent, independent farmers who, because they refused to hand their grain over to Soviet authorities in Moscow, had their property confiscated before being deported to labor camps. The house, (re?)purchased by Ded Vitya’s family in 1973, has unusual features for this area including a stone foundation and a wooden door containing the image of a domovik. Look carefully and you will see the Hideaway’s very own household spirit dedicated to protecting the dwelling and its inhabitants!
