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Tricky Transportation

January 15-31 and February 2000:

When the deep cold set in, transportation required more creativity.

Petru helped us forge a path to Breb.

Trying to keep away from an oncoming bus, we overcompensated. It only took a second on the solid ice, and even chains didn't keep us out of the ditch.

We figured our disaster lottery number had just come up, but then, we found out what villagers do when foreigners get stuck on their stretch of road.

Back on the road in less than 10 minutes, they didn't even stop to let us thank them.

Elsewhere, the winter projects keep going strong.

The women to the right are weaving a cerga (pronounced chir-ga) which are the huge, heavy, thick wool blankets that form the staple of staying warm in winter.

The young woman to the left is weaving a dish towel that is hung around dishes that decorate almost every room in a traditional Maramures house.

Here Marioara performs one of the many steps required for prepare wool for weaving. It's made into long lines which will be wrapped at the far end of the loom where the threads feed toward the weaver.

Sunday playing cards with the guys.

One of Petru's cold weather projects was making a new bed.

He splurged and used double sided springs, not those chincy halvsies the bed maker before had used.

Said he'd never done it before. But he'd watched the guy, and he remembered the rules. Each spring needs six or more strings attached.

   Several animals, however, had their lives cut short.

This poor fox made the mistake of getting caught in a garden snare.

We actually couldn't bear to watch his end, so you won't find fox slaughter in our pages here.

Maria, the grandmother in our house, finally got even with the chicken that's been pecking her.

Always pays being top of the food chain.

A typical Sunday here in Sarbi, after the church service, neighbors sitting in front of their gate, watching the younger people go by.   

Once a year everyone must list all their animals (even their chickens) and how much land they have so they can be taxed.

Luckily for this family, this lamb came along after tax day. (Budesti)

Women gather in one home to discuss models of a Camasa (kam-ash-a) which are the traditional dress blouse worn for holidays and Sundays. They take over a three hundred hours of making tiny stitches and creating lace by cutting individual threads out of hand-woven fabric.

Sheep just don't seem to notice it's ten below and windy.
Gee, wonder why we wear wool...

March Village Life

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