* * THE THRESHING-FLOOR**

 The runway, and more often a direct route through the gate, led a rider walker into the field. In any weather, at any age, it is a pleasure to get out of the woods into the own fields, see the first field hayloft, then the threshing floor, and the whole village: a wide cluster of houses, granaries, baths, basements, firewood piles, nurseries...
Out of the woods, nobody ever was driving with empty hands, with the empty wagon. Everyone carries something with themselves or on themselves. Firewood, hay, pine needles, birch twigs for brooms, stakes, poles, rocks, bark, bark for shingles, decks, pre-fabricates of handles for scythes, rakes - hundreds of other large and small objects that are the responsibility of men of the house. And for all of this, you need to find a place to put, to soak or to dry.
Boredom will come if people do not know what they can do; boredom is ridiculous and absurd in rural life. Because of its short duration, the variety of tasks turns into fun and entertainment, most notably in the forest. As for working in the field, there is no less diversity. The threshing floor and the barn tie into the whole year-round cycle of fieldwork. There is one way from the threshing floor: to the barn and the mill, but the interest and fun accompanied a peasant, even here, on this short journey.
     Every detail, down to the bag's tie and the creaking of a wagon, had its meaning. The threshing floor is the threshold of the native nest, literally and figuratively fanned by bitter but exciting haze... The threshing floor was made of large smooth block, so soft and dense that even a single grain couldn't get lost.
     As soon as the April sun was beginning to thaw out from the roof large silver icicles, a gang of children threw open the gates to play the game of huckle bone. Adults almost completely freed all the haylofts from the chaff and straw by the spring. The threshing floor attracted rabbits and birds, so teenagers caught both kinds using snares.
 In the dark autumn holidays, guys led to the threshing floor, into the straw bales, their girlfriends, so to say "sit"... These "sittings" for young couples didn't always end well ...
After harvesting dried barn at night, older folks entertained young people with stories, amused themselves, and went to spook each other.
 Ironically, the threshing floor in the 30-s assumed the duty of the village center of culture. In the middle of the threshing floor, where in the morning were threshed corn, a portable film projector was set up on the boxes. To the hoist of the barn was suspended the screen, and boys alternately were spinning the dynamo. To roll two or even three parts in a row was enough of volunteers, but a few ventured to complete this feat. Then, under the chatter of the machine, power-driven manually, the audience-friendly chorus read the subtitles.