Photos of the Day for February 24, 2010: Happy Birthday to National Poet Ryhor Baradulin

Happy 75th Birthday to Belarus’ national poet Ryhor Baradulin and best wishes for a speedy recovery/Віншуем народнага паэта Рыгора Барадуліна з Днём народзінаў і жадаем, каб папраўляўся хутчэй. The following poem by Ryhor Baradulin, “One should be at home more often”, evokes the light, smells, rituals, and other fundamental elements of the Belarusan homeland and… Continue reading Photos of the Day for February 24, 2010: Happy Birthday to National Poet Ryhor Baradulin

Photo of the Day for February 23, 2010

Andrej, Halina, Kiryl and Il’ja Dzitsjevich, Dzjatlava, February 23, 2008/Андрэй, Галіна, Кірыл і Ілья Дзіцевічы, Дзятлава, 23 лютага, 2008 год.

Photos of the Day for February 22, 2010: Homage to the Fence

The Extraordinary in the “Ordinary” VI/Надзвычайнае ў “звычайным“ (частка VI) The Fence I/Плот (частка І) “Good fences make good neighbors,” as Robert Frost noted in his laconic, ironic New England voice.  Fences in Belarus show the homeowners’ pride in neatness and order — prized general values in a village — but also their individuality.  Fences… Continue reading Photos of the Day for February 22, 2010: Homage to the Fence

Photos of the Day for February 20, 2010: Homage to the Central Prypjats’ III

Homage to the Central Prypjats’ III/Паклон Сярэдняй Прыпяці (Частка ІII) The industrious, children-filled villages of the central Prypjats’ region in southern Belarus belie the commonplace that villages throughout Europe are dying.  These villages radiate vitality, prosperity, generosity and hope while ensuring, as strongly as any other places I’ve ever visited, that their traditions — under… Continue reading Photos of the Day for February 20, 2010: Homage to the Central Prypjats’ III

Photos of the Day for February 19, 2010: Homage to the Central Prypjats’ II

Homage to the Central Prypjats’ II/Паклон Сярэдняй Прыпяці (Частка ІI) The industrious, children-filled villages of the central Prypjats’ region in southern Belarus belie the commonplace that villages throughout Europe are dying.  These villages radiate vitality, prosperity, generosity and hope while ensuring, as strongly as any other places I’ve ever visited, that their traditions — under… Continue reading Photos of the Day for February 19, 2010: Homage to the Central Prypjats’ II