Musings of an Ukraine Traveler

First Thanksgiving in Ukraine


Look guys! Wini in her light pants scoops out the ashes before laying a fire in the pech.


Alice Brew and I traveled to spend Thanksgiving Day in Gretsiv with Wini Kissick. Wini's town is very small--5000--and like most of the town, Wini uses a tile heater to warm her flat. After cleaning ashes, Wini goes to the chicken coop to get wood for the day. No, she didn't chop the pile you see in front!


Although the pech doesn't use much wood to keep the flat toasty warm, Wini probably will need more wood before spring.


Surprise! Wini's coordinator and friends walked in with this baked, stuffed turkey, and home-made vodka so that we could have a traditional holiday meal. Wini had prepared a pot roast for us on her 3-burner hot plate as she has no oven.


Valya dances with Ana to the crooning of Frank Sinatra as we get the table ready.


Wini entertains Ana and all of us with her comic routines. Notice that there is no turkey left on the platter and no vodka in the bottle. It was a small one and we had to make a lot of toasts.

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