Easter Gifts from Russia

A wooden Matryoshka doll, height 17 cm.

Matryoshka set in a row. One Matryoshka includes a set of

wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside the other.

I've been a little bit sick for the past few days. That's why my Easter update is late – but better late than never. I regret that I did not have the opportunity to visit Church this Easter at all. >< Here is no Orthodox Church in my city. The closest church is quite far, in Vaasa. So this was very different Easter to me. In the spiritual sense, my Easter was a poor. I haven't "skipped" the Easter Church for years...

On the other hand, my Easter was a very rich. Before that setback, I had a very pleasant surprise last week. I received two (!) huge parcels from my dear Russian friend Nika!

The parcels included many kinds of beautiful items: Matryoshka doll, two porcelain icons, three Russian T-shirts, a dark Russian chocolate, chocolate fondant, traditional Khokhloma folk art (a painted wooden bowl, scoop, and cutting board), a Matryoshka pencil (crayon), stickers for Easter eggs and decorative stand for Easter eggs, a refrigerator magnets, Moscow postcards, Easter bags, keychain(s), a cute oven mitten... (Please see the pictures on this article.)

Wow – so many lovely gifts that made me happy! Thank you very much, my dear Nikushka! Большое спасибо, ангел мой! （＾—＾）You are too kind to me. I feel that I have not deserved this... You yourself are Heaven's gift to me – a real treasure! ♥

Still a few things about Easter. Finland's Orthodox Christians mark Easter on the Western date, and this year it was April 5. Most of the Orthodox churches base their Easter date on the Julian calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar. So, for example Russian people will celebrate Easter on 12 April. Belated Easter greetings to all my friends! And I'm going to celebrate another Easter together with Nika. Праздником Пасхи! ^^

Teisuka

P.S. A Prayer Request. A father of a dear friend of mine is a very seriously ill. It's a horrible disaster and shock to this family! Life is so unexpected, indeed, and that's why it's very valuable, too. I request all my friends to pray for my friend's father. May God ease his suffering, and may God heal him! We all should to remember this: Cherish your loved ones as long as you have them!

Two porcelain Orthodox icons.

Matryoshka pencil (crayon), a refrigerator magnets(Muscovite church, Gagarin, Putin),
cute keychains, e.g. The Olympic Mishka, and wonderful Khokhloma folk art.

Stickers for Easter eggs and decorative stand for Eastereggs (all this has a pattern of
traditional Russian crafts).

Moscow postcards and a cute oven mitten.

A chocolate fondant and a dark chocolate with a specific taste, 72 % cocoa.
 It is very high-quality chocolate called «Победа» (English: "Victory").

These days, Putin T-shirt is trending worldwide. It is very cool
and I am proud to own it. :)

A beautiful Gagarin T-shirt. Gagarin was a Russian Soviet cosmonaut,
and the first human to journey into outer space in 1961.

One more T-shirt with the slogan "I love Russia" – and so I do! ^^

Becoming a Member of the Patriotic Association

The Finnish dragoons in the city of Lappeenranta, in 1999.

Just a short update this time, since I have some news to tell. One week ago, I became a member of The Dragoon Guild (Finnish: Rakuunakilta). The Finnish Dragoon squadron exists in conjunction with the Army Academy in Lappeenranta and continues the tradition of the former 1. Squadron of the Uusimaa Dragoon battalion.

The Uusimaa Dragoon battalion was formed during the Finnish Civil War in 1918 at this city where I live. General Mannerheim (1867-1951) called it "my regiment". The Dragoon Guild is a proud traditional association for the patriotic men. You can find their website here (click the blue word).

Well, I have no horse and I am not even a cavalryman (my military rank is a jaeger or light infantryman), so I think I am more like a supporting member in this association. Anyway, I am glad to be a member in "Mannerheim's regiment"!  (￣ー￣)

By the way, my ancestor was a Swedish sergeant  who came to Finland in 1721, after The Great Northern War. In that war, Finnish dragoons were usual. The first Finnish dragoons (also called as hakkapeliittas) were in the service of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden during the Thirty Years' War (1618 to 1648).

Teisuka

A legendary Finnish General Mannerheim was a cavalryman
all his life. Before he returned back to his homeland, he served
a long time in the Chevalier Guard regiment, in Russia.

An old drawing of the Finnish "hakkapeliitta"

or cavalryman in the 17th century.

From Russia with Love

A crystal angel bell made in Gus-Khrustalny (handmade Russian

rock crystal). All photos by Teisuka.

On this week, I had a birthday (February 11), and I received a big parcel from my dear Russian friend Nika.

The parcel included many kinds of lovely gifts: a crystal angel bell made in Gus-Khrustalny (handmade Russian rock crystal), Matryoshka doll, a wooden scoop (traditional Khokhloma folk art), a tasty Russian chocolate called «Бабаевский», a lollipop (lol), a refrigerator magnets with a beautiful images, a keychain (a little Matryoshka doll), a Russian doll with a national costume, and even Russian stamps (when I was a little boy, I collected stamps, and she knew that).

Oh my God, what an amazing and wonderful gifts! I was really touched when I saw all those gifts. My dear, thank you for making my birthday so happy and special in many ways! Crystal angel bell is the best – it is really lovely! As I have said many times before, you really are an angel sent to me by God. And once again, you made my day!

Большое спасибо, ангел мой! Милая моя, ты всегда в моих мыслях. Я люблю тебя! （＾—＾）

Happy Valentine's Day to all my friends, and thank you for being here! Love above all! ♥

Teisuka

A Russian wooden scoop (traditional Khokhloma folk art)
and a beautiful birthday card.

All kinds of lovely little stuff: a lollipop, a refrigerator

magnets with a beautiful images, a keychain (a little

Matryoshka doll)...

A tasty Russian chocolate called «Бабаевский». I just

ate it, before I wrote this article. See... ahem... I'm mad

about chocolate. :D

A collection of Russian stamps.

A traditional Russian Matryoshka doll (left)
and a Russian doll with a national costume.

That We Become Snow

Tonight, after a long time, I wrote a poem. It's my first poem this year. I had a very inspired feeling: I felt that I was surrounded by winter, snow, and love. Besides, I felt the presence of God – that someone very dear was praying for me. Forgive me, I'm a an incurable romantic. (￣ー￣)

O, my love – Snow Maiden of mine!

Our pleasure is to enjoy winter together

just by walking around the snowy streets,

taking pictures and building snowmen,

laughing and playing snowball fight,

smile on cold lips, warmth in hearts

just walking so far that we become snow.

Now two floating snowflakes rise up to the sky.

Oh my – so far below us is the restless world!

This fragile dream might be the place we belong.

A poem by Teisuka (January 23, 2015)

Winter Update

Arctic morning, January 5. Photos by Teisuka.
(Click the pictures to see them bigger.)

Hello again, my friends! This is my winter update. First of all, I want to wish a Merry Christmas to my dear Russian friend Nika. Again, thanks for your lovely Christmas gift (a video on YouTube)! Let this winter article be my little Christmas gift to you. С Рождеством Христовым, мой Снегурочка! （＾—＾）／

Just for information to all, Christmas in Russia (Рождество Христово) is celebrated on 7 January and marks the birthday of Jesus. Christmas is mainly a religious event in Russia. 6 January is the Christmas Eve. A Russian Christmas is so "late", because the Russian Orthodox Church use the Julian Calendar. The Finnish Orthodox Church celebrate Christmas on December 25. Thanks to my Russian friend, I have two Christmas (or one very long). Ура! ヘ( ^.^)乂( ^.^)ノ

During the long Christmas holidays, I've been watching old cartoons: Disney classics and Soviet animation films. I love them both. Here is one of my favorite – I found it through Nika: Umka, an old Soviet animation film from the year 1969. A length is only 10 minutes, and it has the English subtitles. (Click the video below.)

Umka, the little polar bear, and his mom.

The last few days, I have met my friends Mr. Doyle and Mr. Proletarian (both are nicknames, because they are shy and suspicious guys, haha). Seriously speaking: thank you, guys – we had a lot of fun together. :)

Yesterday morning, I was walking with my camera and I took some pictures again. Thank God, we have a real winter here. Right now, air temperature is -17 °C (1.4ºF) and snow depth is 15 cm. I really like this kind of weather.

By the way... if YOU like winter and snow, I would recommend you a great novel called Winter's Tale written by Mark Helprin in 1983. It is one of the best books I have ever read! The book is also translated into Russian and Finnish. Winter's Tale is very imaginative and fabulous novel, and wonderful love story as well. Genre is "magical realism". The film adaptation was released in 2014. Here is a description of the book, which I found from the web:

Set in New York at the beginning and the end of the twentieth century, Winter´s Tale unfolds with such great narrative force and beauty that a reader can feel that its world is more real than his own. Standing alone on the page before the book begins are the words, I have been to another world, and come back. Listen to me. In that world, both winter and the city of New York (old and new) have the strength and character of protagonists, and the protagonists themselves move as if in a vivid dream. Though immensely complicated, the story is centered upon Peter Lake, a turn-of-the-century Irish burglar, and Beverly Penn, a young heiress whom he encounters in robbing her house, and who eventually will die young and in his arms. His love for her, and a gift of grace, will allow him after the most extraordinary and painful explorations and discoveries to stop time and bring back the dead. To follow him, his predecessors, his inheritors, and his companions is to experience one of the great stories of American literature.

Again, a Happy New Year to all my friends! ＼（＾ ＾）／

Best greetings from cold and snowy Finland,

Teisuka

This is one of the best books I have ever read.

A winter moment in the park.

The old water tower in my neighborhood.

A view from my balcony.

Frozen trees.

OMG, one of these is my bike! Maybe it's better to walk. :D

Christmas Greetings to My Friends

The snow covers the ground – finally!
(Click the pictures to see them bigger.)

Few days ago, we finally got a little bit of snow here in my area in Western Finland. Today, I took some pictures in my neighborhood, but the fact is that landscapes are not so beautiful yet. No snow enough. I want more. Haha. Well, anyway we got a white Christmas. Air temperature is about -4 °C or 24 ºF.

Otherwise, I have no special news to tell. Just the same. I have read a lot. The last two books were 'Uncle Fyodor, His Dog and His Cat' written by Eduard Uspensky and 'The Long Goodbye' written by Yury Trifonov. Both very good stories.

This year, it seems that I'm going to spend Christmas alone. Well, "so it goes like it goes". At least, I have time to read. Today, I started 'Doctor Zhivago', a huge Russian novel.

I am an Orthodox Christian, and for us, Christmas is the celebration of joy that light up the whole world. On Christmas night, the angel said to the shepherds, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (The Gospel of Luke 2:10-11).

"Christ is born, glorify Him!" This is Orthodox Christmas greetings.

I wish a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2015 to all my friends! May there be peace on earth. （＾—＾）

From Finland with love,

Teisuka

A later addition (December 24): Nika's Christmas video, filmed in Moscow and dedicated for me. I really like it and it makes me smile! （＾—＾） This is my best Christmas gift. Thank you very much, my dear Nikushka! Большое спасибо, мой ангел, мой Снегурочка!!! ❤

My photos (below):

Welcome to my home. :) A view from my living room.

Please note an old tube television (lol) and the painting
of Marshal Mannerheim (the Finnish military leader)
on the wall. A picture added on December 24.

A wintry view from my balcony.

The park in my neighborhood.

 Trees in the park.

One more picture from the park.

'Nativity of Our Lord', icon of the Orthodox Church.

Christmas is the Birthday of Christ.

The Danger of a New World War Still Exists

People are too smart to create killing machines.

Frankly, I am very depressed at the moment. I am worried about the world situation and a new Cold War. World is such a crazy place currently. Peaceful people turn aggressive and warlike and stop treating each other as human beings. From time to time, millions of people shout everywhere, "Kill them, destroy them, kill them all!" Kill or destroy who? Someone says Muslims, someone says Ukrainians, or Russians, or Americans, or  so on... There are many groups or nations that hate some other group or nation. This happens everywhere, and it is very dangerous. This world is too full of wrath. We know where it took us in the 1930s.

I have read a lot of history, too much history, especially tons of military history. Therefore I am able to recognize the "mechanisms of war". At times I think the current era is too much like the 1930s. Maybe two more years, and The Big War breaks out again? I hope I am wrong, I really hope so!

The Bible says about the end of time, "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. - - Nation rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. - - At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other. - - Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold" (The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 24). This is very serious prophecy, and it is two thousand years old.

We don't need a new Cold War. We don't need a new arms race. We don't need stupid military blustering or new confrontations between the West and the East. It is dangerous and narrow-minded. There are good and bad people in every country and within every nation. We all have a common country, the Planet Earth. Black and white thinking or being racist or nationalist is not intelligent or wise at all.

For my part, I pray peace for the world, and I wish love and peace to all my friends around the world. Let's be the peace people all of us, okay? Being angry or full of wrath is not good for anyone's soul. The Bible says, "In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry" (The Epistle to the Ephesians, chapter 4). What a good advice, isn't it?

So keep calm and make peace, not war!

From Finland with love and peace,

Teisuka

P.S. Lastly, I link here one touching anti-war song called Where Have All the Flowers Gone, originally a melancholic Russian folk song. The first three verses were written by Pete Seeger in 1955. Additional verses were added by Joe Hickerson in 1960, which turned it into a circular song. Some lines were taken from the traditional Cossack folk song Tovchu, tovchu mak, referenced in the Mikhail Sholokhov novel And Quiet Flows the Don (1934). Please check out this touching song and video. Very appropriate at this time. Indeed, I wonder where have all the flowers gone... has the cold winter killed them all?