Despite my bad memory some historic dates will probably stay with me for the rest of my life. On this day in 1941 the Nazis crossed the Soviet border as part of the operation Barbarossa and began what became known in the USSR as the Great Patriotic War. I wrote about the War many times before so I won’t repeat myself. Even the youngest veterans are 85-90 years today and there are fewer and fewer of the every year. The memory of the War was something my generation grew up with, hopefully it will not be forgotten by our children.

I literally heard this song thousands of times (translation slightly clumsy but will do).

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNGQ_dAFY0M

The huge country is rising
Is rising for the deathly battle
Against the dark fascist force
Against their cursed hordes
Refrain:
Let our noble wrath
Seethe like waves
The national war is going
The Sacred War
Will resist the oppressors
Of right notions (ideas)
Rapists, bandits
People’s tormentors
Refrain:
Let our noble wrath
Seethe like waves
The national war is going
The Sacred War
Don’t their black wings dare
Fly over our Motherland
Don’t the enemy dare tread
Our immense fields
Refrain:
Let our noble wrath
Seethe like waves
The national war is going
The Sacred War
Lets hammer bullet into the brow
Of the rotten fascist vermin
Lets make a strong coffin
For such breed
Refrain:
Let our noble wrath
Seethe like waves
The national war is going
The Sacred War

Enjoy your long weekend, be safe and avoid potholes. You never know what’s lurking beneath.

Scary pary of the photo courtesy of Hyperblogal.

Today’s “then and now” is in bustling downtown Olathe, KS.

Looking west along Park Street between Chestnut and Cherry in Olathe. Shows these businesses: Hyer Boot Company Building; Shriver Hardware; Taylor Drug, Laborers AFL-CIO, TG&Y. (1960’s)

Looking west along Park Street at Chestnut in Olathe at buildings under construction (1970’s).

Same view today.

One of the reasons I visit the Russian store so rarely is my complete inability to stay away from Russian candy. They have chocolates, boxed and bulk, non-chocolate candy and other sweets. No matter how much I buy, they are gone within few days and no gimmicks or rationing tricks work to keep me from eating handfuls of chocolates until they are all gone. The only souvenir I brought from my last trip to New York was a suitcase full of Russian chocolates. Russian chocolates are tastier and more creative than their American mass-produced counterparts, they seem to use real chocolate and at $5.69/lb are a bargain. At the store you can grab a few pieces out of every bin, they are all conveniently priced the same.

Another favorite of mine is Zefir. Calling it a marshmallow is a blasphemy but there is no better English word to describe this airy, light, sweet and slightly tart dessert, which doesn’t need to be melted, burned or otherwise abused to make it edible.

There are two Russian stores in the area: European Delights and Taste of Russia. Note that European Delights moved to the shopping center on the Southwest corner of the 95th street and Antioch, pretty much across the Antioch street from where it used to be and Google maps may not be current.

UPDATE: DLC, the eating force behind Kansas City Lunch Spots, visited one of the stores in this post and bravely ate lunch there. Please read his review and my comments there.

I have a camera too, you know.
This composition is called “Another Forecast Screw-up”. In it we see a local weatherman staring at the snow he didn’t predict. He is bent under the heavy guilt and curses of the TV viewers. The sculptor expressed heavy burden of being a failed meteorologist through the tense back muscles and a somber pose. Viewer could almost feel the weatherman thinking: “I should have listened to my parents and went to a law school”.
Stone, snow, shuttlecocks. Author unknown.

The next composition is called “Flower Power Melts The Snow”.
Rusted Car, Snow, Trees. Donated by D&C Scrapyards.

This photo is called “See a Man About A Horse”. In it we observe three major components: a group of submerged lights which signify the word “see”, a man and a horse. The lights are submerged in the vessels with water. The artist wanted to show how electric hazard affects the other components of the composition. Does it scare a man? A horse? We don’t know.The calmness reflects the thought that the man and the horse in the photo don’t know anything about electric safety. Maybe the horse actually knows something because it’s looking away. The man is clueless though.

Man, Horse, Electric Hazard. Donated by the Fire Department.

Lastly, I took this photo of a journal where visitors are encouraged to leave their thoughts.
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