Thursday, January 16, 2025

Sabotaging Hope

 Well,
last night a ceasefire was announced in Gaza.  Finally, some relief and a glimmer of hope.  The caveat -- it does not even go into effect until a specified time on Sunday, so the bombing and killing and destroying continues mercilessly.
Then today, not even 24 hours later, Satanyahu is making excuses for not ratifying and honoring the agreement, so it looks like there could be no deal after all.
It's all so very diabolical.  

May every warmongering genocidaire be cast into the fiery depths of hell.

And may all people be free from oppression and subjugation.

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

So Far, So Good

 Blog every day.
Walk every day.
Those were my intentions for this new year.

So far, so good.

Walks.
The body advances, while the mind 
flutters around it like a bird.
(Jules Renard)
15 days in and I've walked 58.7 miles so far.
I love walking because it clears your mind, enriches the soul, takes away stress and opens up your eyes to a whole new world.
(Claudette Dudley)
Nature is the greatest place to heal and recharge.
(Sean Kempenski)
Have a wonderful Wednesday.


Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Support Small and Local

 Sluggish, a vegan cafe and coffee shop, opened on September 5, 2023 and I'm so glad they did.  The owners support local small food businesses and host many community activities, such as music nights, chess competitions and a variety of creative workshops.  Oh, and they love cats.
As a gift for the cafe, I recently cross-stitched the coffee bean motif (pattern can be found on tirazain.com) that is historically used in Jaffa and Gaza, Palestine, and chose colors that complement the cafe's decor. The small coffee cross-stitched piece is one I left on their bulletin board sometime last year.
My friend, Susanna, and I usually meet there on Tuesdays to chat, catch up, craft and enjoy the coziness of the cafe.
Found this cup on the ground in my neighborhood and although it's message is "Have a wonderful day", I'd like to firstly say that whoever dropped it needs to learn what a garbage can is; and secondly, I think it's much more wonderful to support small and local rather than feeding the corporate monster.
Take time to smell the coffee.

Happy Tuesday.

Monday, January 13, 2025

Make Do and Mend

On January 19, 2023, while at my local walking path, bending and squatting to pick up garbage, I suddenly heard the ripping of fabric.
Two tears, right above the knees.
The jeans are from Marks & Spencer, a British retailer that I no longer shop at.  In fact, I no longer shop fast fashion brands and haven't eaten fast food in ages.  If you follow the money and delve into corporate business practices, you will find that they are exploitative, have questionable supply chains, are contributing to the destruction of the environment, invest in the weapons industry or support genocide.  Sometimes, it is all of the above .... and those companies will no longer be getting my business or my money.  Over the past 15 months, I have changed many of the products I buy such as cleaning and personal hygiene products,, cosmetics; even cat food.

The jeans had been washed and worn a lot, but I wasn't ready to give them up.  And since I'm not a fan of the holey jeans look -- and can't believe people actually pay big bucks for them -- I finally, after 2 years, did what I had in mind to do all along.
Visible mending.

I put a denim patch on the inside and then just did random stitches on the surface.  I probably could have done a much neater job or followed some sort of actual instructions, but I like to fly by the seat of my pants.  At least they are wearable again for walking, picking up trash and feeding kitties.

Have a good Monday.

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Saturday, January 11, 2025

Caturday

 It always makes me happy when I come across a spot where someone took the time to at least try to create a little shelter space for outdoor kitties.
Sadly, there's been a lot of pet abandonment in the past month because of winter holidays from schools and families traveling.  Senseless?  Heartless?  Of course.  But unfortunately it happens every year and volunteer rescue groups just don't have the resources or the space to save them all.
Rosie has been with us 19 months now.
She is the goofiest kitty cat I've ever had.
And she absolutely loves to play fetch.

You may recall the pumpkin I crocheted on Halloween to replace her previous one.
This is its current state.
But she still loves it.

Thinking of all the animals that could not be saved from fires or from bombs.

Friday, January 10, 2025

Enhancing the Environment

 These colorful murals were done by a friend's husband who is an art professor, brightening an otherwise very dull and boring electric substation.  He's done several others through the Kuwait National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters that I've yet to get pictures of.



I think free public art and installations should be absolutely everywhere.

The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.
(Pablo Picasso)

Have a good weekend.

Thursday, January 9, 2025

Destruction Everywhere

 No pretty pictures today; just images that are indicative of where my thoughts are at the moment.
Saturday morning, 8:00 a.m., I heard many sirens and vehicles racing by and when I looked out our tv room window, I saw a big plume of black smoke.  It wasn't until later that I was able to figure out where it came from but I still don't know what started the fire.
I walked by there this afternoon, but didn't want to get too close as there were workers there doing cleanup.
This is a car parked next door at the neighbor's house.  I noticed that behind the burnt building that there were many other burned out vehicles.  It's a wonder there was only black smoke from all that and no explosions.

Of course, this has me thinking about the fires in Los Angles now and the total devastation so many are facing.  
Just as when I see any sort of rubble and destruction, I think of Palestine, specifically Gaza, where nearly 90% of the infrastructure has been decimated in the past 15 months.  Add to that the bombing of Lebanon, Syria -- and just earlier today, the US and UK were bombing Yemen, yet again.

Everything that is wrong in this world can be traced back to corporate greed, warmongers and the lust for power and control of land and resources.  Mainstream media and politicians are masters of manipulation,  propaganda and gaslighting.

If you're not angry, you're not paying attention.

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Made with Love

 Every day I try to organize a little ...

sort through a drawer, a box, a basket, a cupboard.  Sure would be nice to know where everything is and have it all easily accessible.  It's an ongoing process and I'm learning to let go ... I can't keep every single photo or paper or craft supply, etc. 

I did come across a note and gift I received from Mariette (see yesterday's post)  in 2016.
I've never used the doily/jam cover because I know without a doubt it would get so dirty and grimy in this dusty environment.  I think framing it is my best option.  That way, I'm preserving and honoring her handiwork.

Have a blessed day.

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Goodbye to a Blog Friend

 Now that I am back to blogging, I have been trying to catch up with old blog friends.
Some of you have been around for many years while others have made the switch to Instagram and aren't blogging much, if at all, anymore.  I'm always grateful to anyone who still visits even when I'm not so great about posting.

I was sad to discover just this evening that a dear blog friend died last month.  Perhaps some of you came across Mariette at Mariette's Back to Basics at some point over the years.  Her husband, Pieter, died on April 30, 2024, just one day after his 95th birthday.  They often rode bikes together but tragically Mariette was hit by a car in February of 2023 and had suffered a lot since then because of the severity of her injuries.

In her last blog post on December 10th, she documented the damage to their property from Hurricane Helene and also said a final farewell as she was experiencing a lot of pain and felt that Pieter was calling her to be with him for Christmas.  She left this world on December 19, 2024.
Rest in peace Mariette. 

Monday, January 6, 2025

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