It is officially summer in Ukraine - well maybe it was officially summer 3 weeks ago when the strawberries began appearing in mass. Hundreds of people walking around Kiev with baskets of Strawberries - even though they were often delicately covered with embroidered cloths - you could still tell they were caring berries because of the gorgeous strawberry smell that wafted out of the basket - it was particularly pleasant on the metro - the smell of berries filling the car rather than - well the various other odours that are sometimes present.
Currently in the market you can still find strawberries - though it is the very last of them and prices have started to go back up (at its peak they dropped to 8 uah per kilo - the highest price - right before they really started was 30 uah per kilo) Although the berries don't look too hot right now - being paler in color - the flavor is amazing - incredible sweet and better than the ones we bought earlier that were beautiful reds. You just can't tell by appearances alone.
Added to the strawberries - red currents, black currents, cherries (a huge assortment - but more on cherries later), some raspberries, mulberries (what do you do with mulberries?) and most excitingly - черники or huckleberries. I've decided they are huckleberries (The word can also mean blueberries and a few other random forest blueberry-like berries) because they are 1) collected wild in the forest, are small and a deep purpley/black color, and are sweet, but also slightly tart. However, I'm not an expert so who knows what they really are. They can currently be found for 8 uah per pint.
Anyway, the last few days I have been buying up the last of the strawberries and several черники and freezing them. I love our freezer - it even has a special quick freeze function just for mass freezing like this. I also celebrated by making a Blueberry Buckle - or rather a Черникa Buckle. We were never much for birthday cakes in my family - I normally fluctuated between pumpkin rolls and Brazilian chocolate mousse while Margaret tended towards Cherry Cream cheese pie (not to be confused with a cherry cheese cake - the pie has more cherry while the cheese cake has more cheese) So this year I opted for the blueberry buckle - Unfortunately - My mother's super duper recipe didn't make it through cyberspace in a readable format -
so I used this recipe and it turned out great - just not quite like mom's :-) Here is my mom's recipe that finally arrived in a readable format.
Blueberry Buckle Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups sifted all‑purpose flour
21/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sifted all‑purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine
OVEN 350
Thoroughly cream shortening and 3/4 cup sugar add egg and beat till light and fluffy Sift together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Spread in greased 11 x7xl 1/2‑inch pan. Top with berries. Mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and cinnamon; cut in butter till crumbly; sprinkle over berries. Bake at 350' for 45 minutes. Cut in squares. Serve warm
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
More on the medical situation
A recent article in the Kyiv Post highlights the growing problem with hospitals and medical care in Ukraine. In a former blog post I mentioned some of my impressions upon going to a Ukrainian hospital to visit - which is in high contrast to a private clinic - which I also visited later for a check-up when I was sick for a week. The private clinic was amazing, modern, clean, friendly - and reasonably priced compared to American clinics. In the state hospitals - you have to buy your own bandages, bring your own sheets, pay for someone to wash you, to feed you, to change your bed pan. On top of that you may have to pay additional fees to the doctors - for what should be standard patient care - but at a monthly salary of $150 (just $50 more than a pension payment) what do you expect the doctors to do - they are trying to live and support their families too. Compassion is a hard commodity to come by all over the world, but compassion in the midst of your own discomfort is even rarer.
From the Kyiv Post: http://www.kyivpost.com/nation/29162/
Health care deteriorating, physician shortage likely to grow
by Anna Poludenko, Kyiv Post Staff WriterJun 25 2008, 18:26
Health care professionals in Ukraine fear that a severe doctor shortage is imminent because of low wages and poor working conditions. They are calling on the Ukrainian government to improve the government-financed health care system before it deteriorates further.
Doctors have recently formed a new association called the Ukrainian Medical Union, which is aimed at protecting the rights of doctors and pushing for new working standards. So far, the group has at least 150 members.
“With present working conditions, it is very hard to do your job – sometimes even impossible,” said Volodymyr Zagorodniy, vice head of the Chief Administration on Health Protection of the Kyiv City Administration. “It is not a secret that medical workers have the lowest of salaries.”
The shortage could become particularly acute for specialists treating tuberculosis, one of the main diseases plaguing Ukraine, Zagorodniy said.
With 30 doctors per 10,000 people, Ukraine has the lowest number of doctors in Europe, according to the Ministry of Health. As recently as 2006, according to Ukraine’s State Statistics Committee, there were 48 doctors per 10,000 people.
With chronic low wages, young people living in Ukraine are turned off from studying medicine. Enrollment in medical schools has been dropping since 2005.
And some young talented doctors are leaving for more lucrative business careers, such as in pharmaceuticals.
Medical specialists say the nation urgently needs another 15,800 doctors and that the number could grow within the next five years in the nation of 46 million people.
Yuriy Poliachenko, a surgeon and member of the Ukrainian Medical Union, said political leaders need to take action. Being a doctor is no longer prestigious, Poliachenko said, noting declining enrollment in medical schools.
Enrollment has been dropping since 2005, he said, but he hopes the new union will be able to reverse the trend.
Currently, doctors in Ukraine get paid an average of Hr 711 ($153), less than teachers, who get paid Hr 855 ($184). Industrial workers get paid Hr 1,485 ($320). In March 2008, members of Parliament’s Committee for Health Care created a law that would, if passed, increase salaries by 25 percent. The law however, has not been passed by members of Parliament.
Such conditions have forced doctors to supplement their meager incomes and provide patient care by charging unofficial fees.
“We have a practice of bribes in medicine and that is not a secret, but starting from autumn this year, when we start using medical insurance, I think this will be the first step of fighting it in our society,” Poliachenko said.
But even the offthebooks income supplements apparently aren’t enough to prevent many doctors from leaving the profession.
“Their salaries don’t provide a normal existence,” said Ihor Oliynyk, health counselor at the World Bank’s office in Kyiv. “At the same time people have to study for eight years to get a degree — six years of university and two to get a PhD in medicine. A person has to spend eight years of his life to become a doctor and to work for that little money. It’s not even enough to survive.”
Financial woes not the only problem
Doctors in rural villages often lack proper medical supplies, said Yuriy Gaidayev, a member of Parliament’s Committee for Health Care.
Practicing medicine can also be dangerous in Ukraine, with reports of patients assaulting doctors. According to news reports, for instance, a doctor was shot in Donetsk by the boyfriend of a young girl being treated for alcohol poisoning.
The result, medical experts such as Poliachenko said, is patient care suffers – with sometimes fatal results – if treatment is refused because of lack of payment. Overworked or unskilled doctors also might misdiagnose health ailments, although Poliachenko said the nation keeps no statistics on the problem.
Oleh Musiy, head of the AllUkraine Doctors’ Union, said that “all these reasons for poor social support of doctors influence drastically the level of treatment.”
From the Kyiv Post: http://www.kyivpost.com/nation/29162/
Health care deteriorating, physician shortage likely to grow
by Anna Poludenko, Kyiv Post Staff WriterJun 25 2008, 18:26
Health care professionals in Ukraine fear that a severe doctor shortage is imminent because of low wages and poor working conditions. They are calling on the Ukrainian government to improve the government-financed health care system before it deteriorates further.
Doctors have recently formed a new association called the Ukrainian Medical Union, which is aimed at protecting the rights of doctors and pushing for new working standards. So far, the group has at least 150 members.
“With present working conditions, it is very hard to do your job – sometimes even impossible,” said Volodymyr Zagorodniy, vice head of the Chief Administration on Health Protection of the Kyiv City Administration. “It is not a secret that medical workers have the lowest of salaries.”
The shortage could become particularly acute for specialists treating tuberculosis, one of the main diseases plaguing Ukraine, Zagorodniy said.
With 30 doctors per 10,000 people, Ukraine has the lowest number of doctors in Europe, according to the Ministry of Health. As recently as 2006, according to Ukraine’s State Statistics Committee, there were 48 doctors per 10,000 people.
With chronic low wages, young people living in Ukraine are turned off from studying medicine. Enrollment in medical schools has been dropping since 2005.
And some young talented doctors are leaving for more lucrative business careers, such as in pharmaceuticals.
Medical specialists say the nation urgently needs another 15,800 doctors and that the number could grow within the next five years in the nation of 46 million people.
Yuriy Poliachenko, a surgeon and member of the Ukrainian Medical Union, said political leaders need to take action. Being a doctor is no longer prestigious, Poliachenko said, noting declining enrollment in medical schools.
Enrollment has been dropping since 2005, he said, but he hopes the new union will be able to reverse the trend.
Currently, doctors in Ukraine get paid an average of Hr 711 ($153), less than teachers, who get paid Hr 855 ($184). Industrial workers get paid Hr 1,485 ($320). In March 2008, members of Parliament’s Committee for Health Care created a law that would, if passed, increase salaries by 25 percent. The law however, has not been passed by members of Parliament.
Such conditions have forced doctors to supplement their meager incomes and provide patient care by charging unofficial fees.
“We have a practice of bribes in medicine and that is not a secret, but starting from autumn this year, when we start using medical insurance, I think this will be the first step of fighting it in our society,” Poliachenko said.
But even the offthebooks income supplements apparently aren’t enough to prevent many doctors from leaving the profession.
“Their salaries don’t provide a normal existence,” said Ihor Oliynyk, health counselor at the World Bank’s office in Kyiv. “At the same time people have to study for eight years to get a degree — six years of university and two to get a PhD in medicine. A person has to spend eight years of his life to become a doctor and to work for that little money. It’s not even enough to survive.”
Financial woes not the only problem
Doctors in rural villages often lack proper medical supplies, said Yuriy Gaidayev, a member of Parliament’s Committee for Health Care.
Practicing medicine can also be dangerous in Ukraine, with reports of patients assaulting doctors. According to news reports, for instance, a doctor was shot in Donetsk by the boyfriend of a young girl being treated for alcohol poisoning.
The result, medical experts such as Poliachenko said, is patient care suffers – with sometimes fatal results – if treatment is refused because of lack of payment. Overworked or unskilled doctors also might misdiagnose health ailments, although Poliachenko said the nation keeps no statistics on the problem.
Oleh Musiy, head of the AllUkraine Doctors’ Union, said that “all these reasons for poor social support of doctors influence drastically the level of treatment.”
Monday, June 23, 2008
13 cups
The first time I bought washing powder (AKA Laundry Detergent), there wasn't a single measuring cup inside for dispensing - but fortunately we had one laying about the place and so we were able to measure out our loads without a hitch.
This last time I bought washing powder, I opened it up, and right on top there was a measuring cup. Great, I thought and set it aside to wash it and use it for other things since the old one was actually better for pouring and not making a mess. A dozen loads of laundry later, and I find a second cup. Hmm. Well I suppose I can find a use for that too. Two loads of laundry later, I'm scooping up powder and hit something hard. A bit of digging and I pull out a tower of 11 laundry cups! I just hope that my weight of laundry powder wasn't significantly reduced by all these measuring cups. Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out creative uses for 13, 250 ml plastic measuring cups.
This last time I bought washing powder, I opened it up, and right on top there was a measuring cup. Great, I thought and set it aside to wash it and use it for other things since the old one was actually better for pouring and not making a mess. A dozen loads of laundry later, and I find a second cup. Hmm. Well I suppose I can find a use for that too. Two loads of laundry later, I'm scooping up powder and hit something hard. A bit of digging and I pull out a tower of 11 laundry cups! I just hope that my weight of laundry powder wasn't significantly reduced by all these measuring cups. Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out creative uses for 13, 250 ml plastic measuring cups.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
On colds
So the last week has been characterized by hot, hot weather, cool breezes, and almost daily downpours. Raining buckets takes on new meaning.
The persnickety weather probably has helped contribute to a head cold last week which turned into a fever this week. Somehow I never learn to really take it easy and get well before I start going again. But if I had to pick a time to get sick - this would have been it - On Sunday, Alister asked me - "So what are your plans for tomorrow?" After Russian classes finished I had a whirlwind couple of weeks with a conference and some "culture" classes I was teaching to fill in for someone leaving on vacation - but as of Monday- all that busyness evaporated - In order to avoid illness, it is absolutely vital not to let ones guard down - the cold, flue, or distemper always knows when the rush of adrenaline and push to study or work eases up and it is then that it never fails to strike. I should have known better, the stuffy nose, hoarse voice, and slightly sore throat were more than enough to tell me that I was not yet into the healthy zone - but instead all I could say in answer to Alister's question was "I don't know - maybe I could finish cleaning the house, or copy out my Russian notes."
It turns out that I spent the first day in bed with a fever - sleeping at least 20 full hours, the second day in bed, still with a fever but able to sit up and read and eat and so I ploughed through 100+ pages of Brother's Karamazov (my "light" summer read - if anything Dostoevsky can build up suspense - pg 275 and still nothing "bad" has happened but we've all been expecting a murder or worse since, well basically the first sentence, which mentioned a "gloomy and tragic death").
Today I am feeling slightly better - though not quite 90% yet and so am continuing to read BK and am going to see how many spurts of housework I can accomplish.
The persnickety weather probably has helped contribute to a head cold last week which turned into a fever this week. Somehow I never learn to really take it easy and get well before I start going again. But if I had to pick a time to get sick - this would have been it - On Sunday, Alister asked me - "So what are your plans for tomorrow?" After Russian classes finished I had a whirlwind couple of weeks with a conference and some "culture" classes I was teaching to fill in for someone leaving on vacation - but as of Monday- all that busyness evaporated - In order to avoid illness, it is absolutely vital not to let ones guard down - the cold, flue, or distemper always knows when the rush of adrenaline and push to study or work eases up and it is then that it never fails to strike. I should have known better, the stuffy nose, hoarse voice, and slightly sore throat were more than enough to tell me that I was not yet into the healthy zone - but instead all I could say in answer to Alister's question was "I don't know - maybe I could finish cleaning the house, or copy out my Russian notes."
It turns out that I spent the first day in bed with a fever - sleeping at least 20 full hours, the second day in bed, still with a fever but able to sit up and read and eat and so I ploughed through 100+ pages of Brother's Karamazov (my "light" summer read - if anything Dostoevsky can build up suspense - pg 275 and still nothing "bad" has happened but we've all been expecting a murder or worse since, well basically the first sentence, which mentioned a "gloomy and tragic death").
Today I am feeling slightly better - though not quite 90% yet and so am continuing to read BK and am going to see how many spurts of housework I can accomplish.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Quite Contrary . . .
Two words that definitely describe our balcony garden.
Plant update:
Spinach - nill. The last plant to survive the mouse attack died, from something, maybe asphyxiation.
Celery - These blasted plants wont stop growing - they need like a foot of room each and I don't have it - I've been trying to give them more room - but there are only so many containers I can squeeze onto a balcony. I've taken to carrying them two by two to one of my friend's house who has a yard and can hopefully give them a happy hope in the great outdoors - Maybe though I'll talk to the door keeper and see if they will let me invade the flower patch that they tend out side the front door - How will I explain celery to them??
Also - Celery does sprout and even root if you keep the stalks in water and then move it to dirt - unfortunately it also go to seed - so my brilliant plant to grow extra celery won't work - the celery from seed is the best way to go.
Cilantro - Well fortunately, I didn't plant the whole packet of cilantro, and 6 little weak sprouts have sprouted. They seem rather decimated, but the leaves appear to look like celery - and since celery is the only thing that grows on the balcony - I have hope.
Tomatoes - two plants are growing - and I think they even have buds forming. They had been growing in two liter bottles - but I finally transplanted them into slightly bigger containers - Only slightly - like I said there are only so many containers you can squeeze onto a balcony.
Rhubarb - I have two sweet little rhubarb spouts who recovered from the mouse attack and are waiting to be taken out to the Hut and transplanted. I then foresee that they will live happily and sturdily ever after with minimal care. Thank goodness for rhubarb.
2 mystery plants - so I have two cups of dirt that each sprouted green leafy things. I don't know what they are - but my garden has been such a fiasco that I don't want to kill them - maybe one of them is one of the pepper seeds that didn't grow - so for now I am watering them and enjoying the greenery.
Plant update:
Spinach - nill. The last plant to survive the mouse attack died, from something, maybe asphyxiation.
Celery - These blasted plants wont stop growing - they need like a foot of room each and I don't have it - I've been trying to give them more room - but there are only so many containers I can squeeze onto a balcony. I've taken to carrying them two by two to one of my friend's house who has a yard and can hopefully give them a happy hope in the great outdoors - Maybe though I'll talk to the door keeper and see if they will let me invade the flower patch that they tend out side the front door - How will I explain celery to them??
Also - Celery does sprout and even root if you keep the stalks in water and then move it to dirt - unfortunately it also go to seed - so my brilliant plant to grow extra celery won't work - the celery from seed is the best way to go.
Cilantro - Well fortunately, I didn't plant the whole packet of cilantro, and 6 little weak sprouts have sprouted. They seem rather decimated, but the leaves appear to look like celery - and since celery is the only thing that grows on the balcony - I have hope.
Tomatoes - two plants are growing - and I think they even have buds forming. They had been growing in two liter bottles - but I finally transplanted them into slightly bigger containers - Only slightly - like I said there are only so many containers you can squeeze onto a balcony.
Rhubarb - I have two sweet little rhubarb spouts who recovered from the mouse attack and are waiting to be taken out to the Hut and transplanted. I then foresee that they will live happily and sturdily ever after with minimal care. Thank goodness for rhubarb.
2 mystery plants - so I have two cups of dirt that each sprouted green leafy things. I don't know what they are - but my garden has been such a fiasco that I don't want to kill them - maybe one of them is one of the pepper seeds that didn't grow - so for now I am watering them and enjoying the greenery.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Discontinuity
From the Seattle Times:
BAGHDAD — The U.S. military suspended a Marine on Thursday for distributing coins quoting the Gospel to Sunni Muslims, an incident that has enraged Iraqis who view it as the latest example of American disrespect for Islam.
The Marine, stationed in the western city of Fallujah, handed out silver-colored coins this week that said in Arabic: "Where will you spend eternity? (John 3:36)." The other side read: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)."
"We are sorry for this behavior," said Mike Isho, a U.S. military spokesman in Anbar province, which includes Fallujah. He said the Marine, whom he did not identify, distributed only a few of the coins and that the episode was under investigation.
"This incident doesn't represent the morals of the Marines," he said.
Does this not make sense to anyone else? If the Muslims insist that the Bible is one of their Holy Books, that it's teachings are to be respected - then I fail to see how receiving a coin with a question and a quotation from one of their holy books can be offensive. If the question and the chosen quotation prompts further thought - then doesn't that mean that more study should be spent in all of the holy texts to determine the answer? If Islam is the true religion - then further examination of its texts and the encouragement to question and delve - should not be taken as a threat - but rather a welcome opportunity.
For example - this last fall, Jehovah's Witnesses began calling our house and I had extra time, and thought - why not practice Russian? The conversations were fascinating and I started reading the Bible in a new way - everything I read wasn't just the same old same old - but attested to Christ as the Son of God and equal to him. Most excitingly, due to a the question of who can accept worship and the JW referring to a passage in the Old Testament where Joshua falls down in worship before the Angel of the Lord - I learned about Theophanies and Christophanies - something I had never known of before and which has enriched my reading of the Old Testament and my understanding of the continuity of God's plan.
If Muslims are truly convinced of the the truth of Islam, if they truly believe the NT to be a Holy Book - Then why the discontinuity?
BAGHDAD — The U.S. military suspended a Marine on Thursday for distributing coins quoting the Gospel to Sunni Muslims, an incident that has enraged Iraqis who view it as the latest example of American disrespect for Islam.
The Marine, stationed in the western city of Fallujah, handed out silver-colored coins this week that said in Arabic: "Where will you spend eternity? (John 3:36)." The other side read: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)."
"We are sorry for this behavior," said Mike Isho, a U.S. military spokesman in Anbar province, which includes Fallujah. He said the Marine, whom he did not identify, distributed only a few of the coins and that the episode was under investigation.
"This incident doesn't represent the morals of the Marines," he said.
Does this not make sense to anyone else? If the Muslims insist that the Bible is one of their Holy Books, that it's teachings are to be respected - then I fail to see how receiving a coin with a question and a quotation from one of their holy books can be offensive. If the question and the chosen quotation prompts further thought - then doesn't that mean that more study should be spent in all of the holy texts to determine the answer? If Islam is the true religion - then further examination of its texts and the encouragement to question and delve - should not be taken as a threat - but rather a welcome opportunity.
For example - this last fall, Jehovah's Witnesses began calling our house and I had extra time, and thought - why not practice Russian? The conversations were fascinating and I started reading the Bible in a new way - everything I read wasn't just the same old same old - but attested to Christ as the Son of God and equal to him. Most excitingly, due to a the question of who can accept worship and the JW referring to a passage in the Old Testament where Joshua falls down in worship before the Angel of the Lord - I learned about Theophanies and Christophanies - something I had never known of before and which has enriched my reading of the Old Testament and my understanding of the continuity of God's plan.
If Muslims are truly convinced of the the truth of Islam, if they truly believe the NT to be a Holy Book - Then why the discontinuity?
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