Strange things happen in Kharkov with the onset of Spring!
I can see the curbs on the street.... there is no snow or ICE ! I can see blossom on some trees and even green shoots coming up from the ground ...... and.... it is in the + temperatures. Spring in Kharkiv has arrived and very quickly. Instead of people shovelling snow, they are now painting!!! Yes painting.... trees, curbs, playgrounds, car parking spaces on the road and anything else they can paint !!
Sasha, Mishka and I were going to work one morning in the VOLGA, & I noticed that a lot of the trees had recently been painted white, from the ground up to about a meter above the ground.... some higher, some lower, depending on the area and the size of the tree. So I ask Sasha...”Why do they paint the base of the trees?” Sasha replies..” To stop the rabbits”.... “What rabbits?” Mishka & I ask in unison and look at other . I laugh as I think of people thinking that Roos hop up & down Flinders Street in Melbourne & here am I looking for rabbits in the middle of Kharkov !!!!!. I think maybe Sasha was having an English translation moment (love you Bravehoof)! . I was not happy with the rabbit explanation, so the next day in the VOGLA, I asked Dima the same question, with Mishka in the car. Dima’s explanation was that they paint the trees to stop the insects that carry disease! I am still confused. Some insects fly!!! ..... so what happens if the insects fly higher up than a meter.... ? Still not happy with the explanations, the following day, Maryna, Mishka and I were doing some corporate tourism at the finished goods warehouse.... Yes Bob, I am continuing the tradition in Ukraine.. so I asked Maryna why they paint the trees. Her answer is very hard to explain in writing. So I need you all to make a fist with your hand. Now extend your index finger out and wiggle the first and second knuckle in the finger and click your tongue !!! This represents some sort of crawling creature.... like a worm or caterpillar ! Now I like this explanation and it makes sense. Who needs the English language to communicate!!! So it would seem that the trees in Kharkov get a coat of paint to stop the creepy crawlies from invading the bark of the trees and spreading disease.... not for rabbits or flying insects!
Pic of painted tree in my courtyard,
but there are several trees in my
courtyard and this is the only
one they painted?? Maybe the
creepy crawlies dont like the other trees!
Maryna's theory was
well communicated
By the way, they have huge European Wasps over here & they love my balcony!! I wonder if they have Mortein and Aeroguard over here !!!
Trees are not the only things that get painted after Winter. The playground in my apartment block was lovingly repainted last weekend and all over town on the ride to and from work, I see people painting iron fences, brick work, curbs etc.... as I said, it keeps people employed and the place is clean and tidy... take notice Melbourne Councils.
Few more pics to brighten the blog.
on a shop in Krakow!!
to differend cities from Krakow.
Everything is so close compared
to Australia! (click on the pic to enlarge)
And back in Kharkov, a few pics with a couple of mates when we went out for a few drinks.
Anya and little sis Masha
Anya & Mez
Mishka and Maska have been..... organising a trip down to Crimea during next weekends long weekend. Unfortunately, air travel is quite expensive within Ukraine so we are taking an overnight train down to Simferopol and a whirlwind 3 or 4 day trip around, ...maybe arrive Wednesday morning have a shower then back to work!!!! Hmmm... I getting to old for this sort of stuff. Still it should be fun and probably the only opportunity I will get to see some part of Ukraine other than Kharkov.
So the next blog will be stories from Crimea
Today 25th of April is ANZAC day. On this day every year, Australians honour ANZAC Day. It commemorates the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. The date, 25 April, was officially named ANZAC Day in 1916.
For my European mates, click on the links to learn more about the ANZAC history & listen to the last post
The rising sun
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morningWe will remember them.”
Lest We Forget
xm
I've had a request to take a pick of a street view of a row of painted trees ! I'll see what I can do GOM !
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