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I am a professional journalist and have worked for many years in
Moscow, Russia, and in Ottawa, Canada, as a TV , Radio and print
media journalist. My favourite topics include ecology and
environment and the entire spectrum of related issues, from
eco-friendly construction technologies to alternative energy sources
to climate change. I have traveled extensively in the Canadian
North, visiting such places as James Bay in Northern Quebec, the
Ekati Diamond Mine and Iqualuit in the Northwest Territories,
Dawson City and the Bonanza Creek in the Yukon that were made
famous by the Gold Rush of the 1890s. This is why I also write on
Northern issues, Northern Aboriginal Art, global warming and its
impact on the fragile Arctic environment. Looking back on my
Northern experiences I can say that, for many of us living in the
South, it is as easy to fall in love with the North and its majestic
beauty as it is difficult to fully understand current challenges the
Arctic and the Northerners are facing.

As a professional Translator / Interpreter I have been providing
linguistic services to the federal and provincial governments and
private clients for many years. Again, my favourite subject areas
include ecology and environment. When translating official
documents for government clients or scientific papers for
international conferences and workshops I always do thorough
research studying in-depth a particular issue. Only when you really
understand the gist of the matter can you accurately convey the
original message.

The knowledge I have gained as a journalist and translator puts me
in the same camp with those who promote eco-friendly
technologies and materials and alternative sources of energy, such
as solar and geothermal systems. I agree with those who say that
the costs of such systems will be decreasing as more people invest
in these cleaner systems. But this will only happen if we realize that
climate change has already become a present-day reality and that
the future of this planet depends on the choices we make as
consumers.

I am a co-author of four dictionaries of acronyms, abbreviations and
initialisms, one of which, NordLink, has as its focus the Canadian
North and international co-operation in the circumpolar region.
Currently I am working on the EcoLink Dictionary that deals with
ecology and environment.

I am a professional Foreign Languages Instructor, Editor and
Translator. I always knew what I wanted to be: a teacher or a
doctor. I became a teacher and translator. I studied at the
Maurice Thorez Moscow State Linguistic University and later
on at the Pushkin Russian Language Institute, also in Moscow.
In the early years of my teaching career I was teaching English
to children, and I really enjoyed it. When I completed my
university studies I worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
the USSR as Translator and Instructor of Russian as a Foreign
Language. For many years I taught Russian and English at the
Embassies of Italy and France. I also worked as Translator and
Administrative Assistant at the US Ambassador's Residence in
Moscow where I was privileged to work with the US
Ambassador Thomas Watson Jr., former President of IBM, a
brilliant businessman and a talented diplomat.

When my husband was posted to Canada as Bureau Chief of
Soviet TV & Radio in Canada, I had to sacrifice my professional
career and follow him to Ottawa, taking along our Bedlington
Terrier Sherry. Companion animals have always been a part of
my life, - cats, turtles, birds, rodents, Cocker Spaniels, Afghan
Hounds... When we came to Ottawa and I took Sherry for a
walk to a nearby park - the Garden of Provinces - for the first
time, I was greatly surprised to see black squirrels! I was even
more surprised to see people feeding the squirrels and playing
with chipmunks. This was my introduction to Canadian urban
wildlife. There are not many capitals in the world where you
can observe and enjoy wildlife right in downtown. Later on,
when we moved to the country, I learned to live with squirrels
under my roof and chipmunks in the garage, sharing apples
and berries with Blue Jays, Cardinals and Robins. Peaceful
co-existence in practical terms...

Since our student days at the University Vadim and I have
worked together on many projects. We continue this tradition
here in Canada: I am a co-author of four dictionaries of
acronyms and abbreviations on which I worked together with
Vadim. I found the work on NordLink and EcoLink particularly
interesting, challenging and rewarding, since both titles
feature comprehensive Internet Research Guides.

When still living in Moscow I became interested in
Homeopathy and Herbology. Herbs are well researched and
are widely used in Russia to treat various ailments. I have been
studying Herbology, Homeopathy and Alternative Medicine for
years now, and I am currently studying Veterinary Homeopathy
at the British Institute of Homeopathy. My knowledge of
alternative medicine comes in handy when treating minor
illnesses of my companion animals. I also write on the subject
of natural healing modalities for various publications and I am
currently working on a book on holistic care for cats and dogs
that will include many healthy recipes that I have developed
for my Bedlingtons and cats.

My other life-long interest is Art. Moscow provided a lot of
opportunities to enjoy and study the best of Russian and
International Art, and, when studying at the Pushkin Russian
Language Institute, I took courses on various Russian
Decorative Arts. Here in Canada I became interested in the Arts
and Crafts Movement and the Arts and Crafts Gardens of the
past century, especially in the concept of fusing nature and
culture. When we moved to the country, we decided to take
this concept one step further, bringing it in line with the XXI
century. We decided to create a garden that would be
aesthetically appealing, in harmony with the surrounding
landscape, a place that can be easily shared by people,
companion animals and wildlife, a Garden in Harmony with
Nature.