Page:Wood - Foods of the Foreign-Born.djvu/81

 THE NEAR EAST ARMENIANS, SYRIANS, TURKS, AND GREEKS

interesting peoples, with their love for friend and neighbor, producers of works of art, dwellers in God's out-of-doors, taking shelter only when occasion demands, have much to give to any country.

A majority of those who come to America have lived in the open country, among the foothills of the mountains or on the high tablelands. A minority dwelt in the smaller cities.

Early in March, in the home country, the families change their place of living from indoors to the open.That is the season for plowing and planting; meals are prepared and eaten out-of-doors, and the evenings are spent under the great canopy of blue and gold, with all the family and relatives telling the news of the day or exchanging stories. Some of the stories have been related many times before, but their familiarity makes them even more interesting. These people practically live outof-doors, working in the fields or harvesting their supplies, until late in November. Then they change their occupations to different lines of craft work. Many of their most interesting pieces of copper and brass are tooled and etched during the winter months. Some of their wonderfully beautiful rugs are woven then. A pleasant pastime for the older women is the dyeing of the yarn from the vegetables gathered, a little of this color and a little of that being mixed to get just the 65