A year ago I was in several Ruthenian villages in eastern Slovakia which looked just like this, though I didn't see any horse-drawn sleighs. This mural is one of several in the social hall at St. Mary's. It's a wonderful series, done by a Czech painter named Mila Mina, who now lives in the US. Her son is a priest here.Driving home from Kingston yesterday I listened to Carols for Dancing, a PRI program put together by WGBH in Boston about the origin of Christmas carols in Renaissance dance tunes. It was hosted by Ellen Kushner (of Sounds and Spirit fame), with music provided by the improvisatory Renaissance band called Renaissonics. I've just ordered the group's CD by the same name through Arkiv records. You can check the program out at www.wgbh.org/carols. It was truly a slice of history brought to vivid life.
