Month: September 2013

Some photos ago I was mystified by a bird over the fence, who turned out to be a wood grouse. To rehabilitate myself, I uploaded genuine cocks! These two are from the town of Gryazovets, Vologda Oblast

In some places, wooden houses are decorated not only with window frames, but with other carved elements of striking beauty filling the space between the windows. Just look at this photo taken in Gus-Zhelezny of Ryazan Oblast! The condition of the carving says that most probably it was made in the second half of XX century.

The condition of the carving says that most probably it was made in the second half of XX century.But sometimes “the condition” says nothing.

And what surprised me that no book offered names of these elements!

The other day I was looking through my whole collection to find anything related to animals carved at the window frames.   I noticed many details I even did not see when I was taking a photo, and many pictures I just forgot.

Just look at this bird I had seen in the town of Kovrov, Vladimir Oblast! If I am not wrong, the owner had carved it by himself, with his own hands

When you happen to take photos in small places, like it or not, you involve in communication: a woman comes out to ask a question, a man watches you from the distance, one more already knows, as he had a call from neighbors, and neighbors, in their turn, have been told by the boys whom you met five minutes ago.
In small towns and places, everything is ok with vigilance. It seems like people who live there rely on themselves only.

In the cities, starting from those of Ryazan size, sometimes you drop no word all day long: you can walk, take photos, do whatever you fancy (even paint at the walls of 100-year old houses; alas, this is a popular hobby) – you will hardly be stopped.

And hardly anyone will be able to tell you the story of the house, of the people who lived there, and of its age.

When I look at this thin, filigree fretwork of this nalichnik from Yekaterinburg, I think it looks like it was made in India cause of so many lines.
It’s a pity, that in Russia not so warm as in India – if it was, we would live without glass in our windows at all :)

What is good about window frames is that you never know what tomorrow has in stock for you.
For example: in Vladimir, I found a unique high relief window frame.

It is even more unexpected because Vladimir Oblast has no 3D-carved window frames. And I cannot recall any other place where angel figures are used as a part of decoration. Still, the question remains open: is it a wood carving, or a clay (plaster) patch similar to the ones used before in decoration of stone houses.

How to insert two double-glass packs instead of four windows?
No sweat!
Buy packs and call a specialist to measure the window. If some pack will now fit, just use a hacksaw and put some planks in between.
I keep wondering that everybody are far from sharing a thought that it would be a good idea to save the exterior of old wooden houses

Shame on us comrades :)

All well-preserved houses can roughly be grouped into three categories.

The first and the largest one embraces nice carved houses lucky to have good owners; these houses are easily recognizable head-turners; they are trimmed, painted and cherished by people whom live in them.

The second, lesser category includes buildings lucky to be in a wooden architecture museum or join a government program of wooden architecture preservation. As a rule, they are large and unique houses rich in decoration and history. If only they would fall into the first category,it would cost their owners a fortune and a headache to maintain them in good condition.

The third and the most rare category covers multifamily wooden houses manage to save their appearance in spite of everything!

This beautiful multifamily structure found in Khabarovsk is just an ordinary wooden house having neither a relic status nor a cherishing owner.

 

I am taking photos in Lyubim, a small town in the north-east of Yaroslavl Oblast. Suddenly I notice an old lady giving me a curious look from her window.

– Good afternoon. We are taking pictures of nice window frames and nice old ladies looking out of them. Could I take your photo, too? – I ask.

-Oh please, don’t! I am now far from my best days, – she answers.

-But no! You are just a beauty! Your house is just nice, and you look so sweet in your window!

-Well, I am going to put on my scarf, then, –  she laughs.

She disappears for a while and looks a true beauty when she comes back:

-Ready now!

When it comes to this project, the question second in popularity is how I manage to make window frames looking straight in my photos.

To tell you truth, it is not always the case. The example is this photo from Tutayev, Yaroslavl Oblast.  Huge shrubs grow just in front of the house and hide the most of it. But I just could not miss a chance to take a photo of the house whose window frames, by the way, are not very typical for Yaroslavl Oblast. That’s why I had to approach the house (local houses stand with their facades straight along the street) as near as I could to make a wide-angle photo from below