With the arrival of spring and summer, our lives would change completely. There was no need to make firewood anymore; we had a vegetable garden — even if it wasn’t exactly big — and could also pick berries on the islands and in the field, and sometimes Vasya would return home with fish. In general, life was easier during that season. Back then, the Katun was fast, wide, and full-flowing. In spring, it seemed to swell — roaring and cracking, it would push through the meter-thick ice and break out. How strong the river was when it threw huge ice floes onto the banks, transforming them into piles of boulders that sparkled in the sun. It was a wonderful sight! Locals would say respectfully, ‘The Katun has woken up.’ The river had many islands rich in berries, mushrooms, and fragrant herbs. Without beating around the bush, our villagers named each island after the resources it contained, for example, currant, blackberry, hawthorn, and sea buckthorn. People with boats were greatly envied, as they had access to mushrooms, fish, and berries for making jams. Vasya loved these islands and was particularly fond of fishing. The boys went out on the river with Ivan Mazayev, a man with physical disabilities who was always surrounded by an entourage of boys. Ivan would take Vasya along on his trips, and they often stayed out overnight. I think Vasya always looked forward to the day of their trip, as it was his special treat. One day, he told me about their journeys — how they cooked fish soup, how he caught fish with a seine, how nice and peaceful it was to fall asleep listening to the sounds of the river. He sighed and said, ‘If only you could see it, you would love it! ’ I was ready to join him, but he changed his mind and said, ‘Come to think of it, that’s no place for a young girl, it’s dangerous out there.’ Mom was always against fishing as she was afraid of the swift river. At night, we would go out to the riverbank. She would call out to my brother ‘Vasya! ’ so loud that I thought it could be heard on the other (Talitskaya) side of the river. Sometimes he would whistle back.