Our gracious host, Rochelle, is asking us to get
creative in 100 words or less using the photo
seen below. This is Friday Fictioneers.
Winter came early to the Urals that year Pavel fell in love with a stranger’s stories. Her letters arrived folded inside official dispatches, smuggled by a sympathetic clerk who owed him nothing but did it anyway. She wrote of birch forests near Varykino, of ice forming lace on windowpanes, of a piano no one dared play since the soldiers came. He never saw her face…. only her words, precise and aching, carried across a country tearing itself apart. When the letters stopped in March, he told himself she’d simply moved on. He kept every page, smoothed flat like pressed flowers.
NAR©2026
This is “The Frozen House” (Varykino) from Dr. Zhivago
Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, except where otherwise indicated, and may not be used without permission. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.
achingly beautiful, Nance! 💜💜💐💐
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IMO the perfect description of Varykino. Thank you, CA!
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Beautiful prose, Nancy. Makes me want to know more about both of them.
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Very nice comments, Lisa. Thanks.
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You’re welcome.
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Dear Nancy,
Touching story, beautifully told. Loved the video. Dr. Zhivago was my dad’s favorite movie.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks very much, Rochelle. It certainly was one of my favorites as well.
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Oh that final silence hits hard.
Beautifully written
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Thanks much, Laurie.
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A wonderful story of devotion and hope.
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Thanks for a beautiful comment, James. I’m glad you enjoyed this one.
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Nice story, Nancy. Listening to Lara’s theme always creates a cozy, Russian feel that sticks in my head.
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Thanks, Jim. I agree; it’s beautiful music from a fabulous movie.
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This was a gorgeous piece, my friend. Touched all the feels.
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Mille grazie, cara! A nod to Zhivago. 🥰
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Yes, indeed. Now I want to watch it again! 💞
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Me too!
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Lifelines
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Indeed. We all need them.
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Oh, so sad and lovely my dear.
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Thanks, darlin’! One of my favorite movies.
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A touching tale indeed, Nancy.
Time to dig out my DVD of Dr. Zhivago again!
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I’m with you, my friend …. even though I’ve watched the film a dozen times! Thank you very much, dear Keith. ☺️
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Even before I scrolled down, I was reminded of “Dr. Zhivago.” Very Russian.
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That movie, more than anything, was my inspiration …. David Lean’s very best. Thanks, James.
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Beautifully written, Nancy.
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Thanks so much, Sandra.
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Oh, what a classic film, and lovely short story is a bit of a classic too, my friend …
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One of David Lean’s best, if not the best. Thank you for this gorgeous comment and a fab song from Jack White, who I love. Have a good night, my dear friend. 🎶🥰💙
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I to bed very early, it’s 1.00am and I’m doing a few comments then back to sleep my friend 😴🌏🥰
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Beautifully written Nance – ‘He kept every page, smoothed flat like pressed flowers.’ 🌷 and I love this film too ❤️
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Every time I see Yuri’s ice-encrusted handsome face and gorgeous brown eyes when he sees Lara again at Varykino, I just “melt”. What a movie! Thanks so much for your wonderful comments. 🥰
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Yes it’s definitely a classic with marvellous cinematography ❤️
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Perfectly modulated
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Thanks very much, Neil.
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A very poignant story
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Thanks so much for your lovely comment, my dear sister 🥰
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Always my pleasure
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