Wild (about ) Rhubarb Pie

It's the little things, like a s'mores around the campfire, or pies like this when you get home from camping, that make you remember your nationality identity. 

Ladies in Wilderness

Here's a scene from our recent camping trip. Nights are already pretty cold in late August. Our campsite by this river was about 3000 feet. 

Roping the Woodpile

Camping requires firewood. On our camping trip, there were four men, including these two Mongolian brothers, to help gather and stack it up. For some diversion, they try their hand at roping the makeshift "steer horns" in the foreground.

Mongolians have a tradition of roping, but mostly they use them on horses, not cows. 

Roadside Rhubarb

Here's Renee picking rhubarb that grew along the road. We were on our way back from camping and someone spotted it. Not having a garden of our own, being apartment dwellers, this is the next best thing. Maybe even better. Mongolian pie anyone? 

Scene of the Wedding Party

 

Starting the Home Fire

Mongolian Wedding

Today we were invited to witness a Mongolian wedding. The bride and groom here are about to enter their brand new Ger! Just afterward, the new bride lit the fire in the shiny black stove. Fire is symbolic for health, hospitality, and is close to the Mongolian heart.
Treats were passed around to all the seated guests. Then the drinks came. First hot milk tea. Then fermented horse milk. Then a kind of clear alcohol drink made by fermenting milk and distilling it. Then the plain old bottled vodka.
Gifts and singing came next. Not sure how long the party goes, but it started at 1pm on a Tuesday. Cheers to the new bride and groom! 

Maggie Rides the Tallest Mongolian Horse We've Yet Seen

We took a short trip to the countryside today with some friends. They directed us on dirt roads about 30 miles from Darhan to this place. The family we visited had a tractor, jeep, 8x10 building, and a small Mongolian Ger with a tall TV antenna alongside a solar panel. But they're real wealth was the herd of horses that stood in the nearby river. We rode through a sea of Mosquitoes to get a close look at about 40 head, none near as tall as this one.
Inside they're Ger we drank horse milk while a cheezy Korean soap opera with Mongolian translation hummed on the TV.

Descent from the Heights

 

A Hike in Terelj National Park

 

Peaks Converge

 

Puppy Days of Summer

 

Fleeting Summer Nights

 

The Ultimate S'more Experience

Imported chocolate and graham crackers were delicacies, but the marshmallows we roasted really rounded into SEVERAL succulent S'mores. It's the little things you miss, and snap up when you see them again. 

Lydia Turns Three

Lydia's birthday party was this week. She is flanked by her three year old friend Isaiah four year old sister Maggie. 

Our City's Summer Festival: Naadam

Renee and Lydia rode this camel around while dressed for the festivities. On this day we watched wrestling and ate some carnival food from our church's booth.
Renee said she thought they were going to fall off the front when this big guy kneeled down to let them disembark. Notice his front hump is leaning a bit to the left. 

Johanna's First Birthday

Johanna enjoyed her first taste of cake and icecream on July 4th. 

High Culture

The pinnacle of the Mongolian soul is mysteriously intertwined with their horses. Along with mountains and the sky, Mongolians adore horses and specifically races like the one that was about to commence in this picture. Every summer, all over the country there are big festivals like our carnivals or county fairs. Naadam always takes place in early July. On this day, we saw 76 horses, six years and older, race a distance of about 10 miles. All of the jockeys were children, some as young as 4 years old. Their ove of horses is almost hereditary.

Last Day of Class

We had our last day of class on Friday, the last day of June. July and August should bring us more practical language experience in real life situations. Now it feels like summer!

Maggie and Lydia Riding Double