Upon entering the church this morning I was struck by the abundance of greenery everywhere. In previous years it was more sedate, but this year we saw large branches of maples leaning against the iconostas and elsewhere, giving a true feeling of Green Sunday, as it has been called, that is, Holy Pentecost. I was really proud of Vladika Lazar who served the Divine Liturgy assisted by Father Alexey, and he read all the Pentecost prayers at the end of the service while kneeling, with the help of a couple of strong men. He then stayed for the Agape meal, later sitting outdoors with a group of people. A 92 year old veteran from Siberia was present, and he wished to come later in the week to plant a maple tree in memory of those who had fallen in war. After sunset I began to walk back to my little cottage when I heard a rustling sound. Great was my surprise when I saw a bear directly behind the workshop, that is, on the way back to my place. After watching it for a while I began to whistle loudly and it ran away. At this time of year we not only have to put up with mosquitoes, but also with hungry bears.