Springtime in Moldova!!!

Well, folks, I think I can safely say, "Springtime has come to Moldova at last!!!!" I waited to say anything, until we had a succession of warmer days, even weeks, without snow. Rain counts as Spring, but there have been some very warm, dry days as well. The trees are all starting to blossom, the grass is growing, and everything is so green and beautiful, and all the animals are having little babies. Spring also means Easter, and Spring cleaning! Oh yes, Moldovans do Spring cleaning too. Their version of Spring cleaning includes painting their fences in bright colors (mostly blues, whites, and greens), and planting all their crops. So, I've been helping my host mom some in the garden, and doing all sorts of fun things like: sawing branches off trees (with an old rusty soviet saw, I might add), chopping wood, and small trees down (with an old rusty soviet axe, I might further add), hoeing the garden, pulling out weeds, and so much more. It's great exercise, and when it's so beautiful outside, I'd rather be working outdoors, than laying around indoors. Plus, I've been able to up my running days, which always helps me feel better. Lately, I've been running more in the afternoons, and the responses I get from passing cars can be very amusing at times. Some honk angrily, and shake their fists as if I am committing some unforgiveable sin, some honk, and give me thumbs up or wave, some offer me rides because they think I am trying to get somewhere and have no transportation, and some ask me what I'm running from. It's always amusing. I've included some random pictures just to give you an idea of what life is like right now. The top picture was a photo op. I just couldn't pass up with the blossoming tree, the well, and the Moldovan painted fence. Such a Moldovan Springtime picture. The second photo was to show you how beautiful and green everything is getting. I love my village!!! It's got a little lake, lots of open fields, livestock rome freely, and there are little dirt paths all over the place that I can hike along. In the third picture, you have to look pretty closely, but to the right of me, on the ground, is the skeleton of a dog's head. I know, kinda morbid, but it was morbidly fascinating, and I had a visiting volunteer, Chris, take a picture of me with the skeleton. Do I need psychological help? Very possibly. The next picture is one I wanted to add in order to show the other side to Moldovan life. Although there are some extremely beautiful areas, you never have to go far, before you come across massive amounts of trash that people don't know what to do with. Unfortunately, such concepts as recycling, and communal dumps are pretty foreign here, and if people don't burn their trash (including plastic and who knows what else?), they just toss it somewhere where they don't have to deal with it. Sadly, it often tends to be in places that would otherwise be breathtaking. :(