It’s not clear from Saturday’s video exactly when they arrived, but the Feenstras of Ontario have made the trip eastward across the Atlantic once again, and returned safely to their farm in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.

Judging from their last previous report, and the apparently still-cold weather visible in this one, they’ve likely been back for a couple of weeks now. And what an adventure it has been!

Before leaving Ontario, Arend cleaned and closed up the motor home to be left behind with family in Canada . . .

. . . they packed a mountain of clothes and other possessions into enough luggage for a regiment . . .

. . . Cora said one more farewell to her friends . . .

. . . and since Ariana and little Maddie had both had birthdays in Florida, they got to celebrate again with Grandma and Grandpa.

Then — saying that they were sorry to leave but excited to return to their new life in Russia — they said their tearful goodbyes once again to Anneesa’s parents, and they were off to the airport in Detroit.

They had a long and arduous trek ahead of them, and it wasn’t made easier by the fact that several of the kids and Anneesa were somewhat sick — coughing and feeling tired and weak. I had concerns as to whether they would even be allowed to board their flights, but there seems to have been no problem. I can only imagine how their fellow passengers must have felt about all of the coughing, though.

At the Canada – U.S. border, Arend said they were given extra attention by the border guards, including a smell test by some government employees of the canine variety, most likely because of the volume of their luggage. And as a bonus, there was a film crew there from National Geographic who interviewed them and said they would appear in a future issue. True celebrities, those Feenstras, wherever they go.

Then it was farewell to Ben at the Detroit airport, and onto the six- or seven-hour flight to Istanbul, during which they presumably got some sleep. And after a long layover in Türkiye, they were finally off to Moscow, where their tenant, Justin Pulley, was preparing to meet them with their van.

As if Mother Nature personally came to welcome them back, they returned home at exactly the same time as a last blast from that good old Russian winter, which had decided it needed one last hurrah before finally giving way to spring. In fact, though the highways between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod were fine, the roads closer to home were so slushy and muddy that the van got stuck, and Justin had to get hold of a tractor to haul them out and tow them the rest of the way home.

But they finally made it to the farm, where Justin and Anita welcomed them back with some homemade lasagna and other goodies, then left them to fall into bed for a long winter’s nap.

*. *. *

But it seems as though the Feenstras always have something new and interesting up their sleeves. Because at some point during the long trip home, Arend — when commenting on how glad he would be to get home and not have to do any more traveling for a while — suddenly remembered: “[except] going to Crimea in May, but that’s still in Russia.”

CRIMEA??!!! Did he say “CRIMEA”??!!!

What on earth . . . ?? Why Crimea? For what purpose? And how many of the family will be going?

That is just insane. First of all, it’s a war zone. And secondly, whether or not it is “in Russia” is debatable.

Plus, did I mention it’s a freakin’ war zone?

Since his invasion of 2014, Vladimir Putin has claimed hegemony over the Crimean Peninsula, despite its being geographically and (since 1954) legally part of Ukraine. Prior to 1954, it was part of the Russian Soviet Socialist Republic — but it has never belonged to the Russian Federation. But don’t try to tell that to Putin.

And now, with Russian forces occupying the Peninsula, it is a frequent target of drone and missile attacks by Ukraine’s military: not a place I would choose for a family vacation, or even a business trip. So why — under these circumstances, and on the heels of an exhausting four-month absence, not to mention coming at the very start of the planting season — would they be looking at a trip . . . well, anywhere, really . . . but least of all to a war zone? (Did I remember to mention that?)

We may possibly be told by Arend, as the time approaches, that it will be for some agricultural purpose. But that still defies logic. In fact, the only answer that really makes any sense is that they are, for some reason we may never know, being required to go.

Anyway, welcome home to your Russian paradise, Feenstra family. I’m glad you made it safely back, and I will continue to follow you for as long as you are allowed to keep broadcasting . . . just to be sure you’re all okay.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/4/26