Russia invaded Ukraine this week and I know I'm not the only one trying to absorb that fact. Twitter provides some very up to the minute info, even more than traditional news outlets. I recall following some previous battles on that platform, including the Syrian attacks on the Kurds and sometimes it was a little too graphic for a wimp like me.
For some reason, it seems odd to have a war in a city, but I should know better, since they've always been. That's why, for centuries, walls used to be built around cities. Of course, now walls won't help, with the weapons nowadays. I guess I think we, as a species, ought to have grown out of war. To have evolved enough that we know it's to be condemned and avoided, like slavery or child labor. But it seems that we will never learn, as long as there are greedy and power mad leaders in the world.
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The swan painting is progressing slowly. At one point it was not working at all, so I put it aside for a week. When I went back to it, I could see what needed to be done and I'm still doing that. I'm working from dark to light, which I don't usually do, so that's been a challenge. For awhile, the birds blended into the grey winter sky, which was frustrating. But now are starting to stand out, as I put more white on them. When I put the black beaks on, that will probably help more. It feels like this painting should not have taken as long as it has, even for me, but I need to just ignore that idea, since there's nothing I can do. No one is timing me anyways and it's more important to do a good job, rather than the speed of completing it.
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On Feb. 23rd, I celebrated Basil's Adoption Day, marking one year of having him. It doesn't seem that long and at times, it feels as if we are still getting to know each other, though I suppose that's an ongoing process with any pet. I hope he trusts me a little more after all this time. He makes me laugh & has provided so much company as I continue the pandemic isolation. He does things a little differently than the other piggies I've had and that makes me treasure his uniqueness all the more. I hope we still have years of companionship to go.

The sun was shining brightly on last night's snowfall this morning, which clung to the trees & fence, making it all look like a 1950's postcard. 'Snowstorm Landon' started on Wed. evening & continued till the wee hours on Friday, bringing at least 9 in. of snow in my area. The gusty wind made it drift, so it was uneven, but quite beautiful. The wind made the snow blow off the roofs, looking like smoke, but soon reached white-out levels. And the plows couldn't keep up with what was coming down. In my apartment driveway, they decided to plow the snow up against the garbage bin for some reason, making it difficult to reach the door to throw bags in & impossible for the garbage truck to reach it to empty. If they are waiting for it to melt, it will be awhile, as the piles of snow are easily 4 feet high.
There are tracks in the snow that look like a rabbit's, but at first I imagined they were a coyote's. I really want to see one & they have been spotted frequently in my suburb, so I continue to hope that I'll be lucky enough to see one trotting across the grass surrounding my building. I don't want to be out when I see one, as I know I'd do the "Hi, doggy!" routine, but spotting one from my window would be the best scenario.
My sister hates to drive in snow, understandably, but enjoys it when she doesn't need to go to work. I know that's a common outlook. It is easy to focus on the beauty of snow when you're not worried about sliding off the road or getting stuck in a snowbank. There are people who hate snow altogether, no matter their situation and I don't get that attitude. I don't think I could live somewhere where it didn't snow at all. I like having 4 seasons, even if some are longer than others. This winter we've had more snow than in recent years, some of which Lake Erie didn't even freeze over. This year it has, so that's good for the environment and reduces erosion.
My sister hopes this week's snowstorm is the last bad one of the winter, but based on the track record, I doubt it will be. The big storms are more frequent this year and I bet there's still one or two to come. Now that our predictions are written down, I can look back and see who was right.

Yesterday was the Lunar New Year & the Year of the Tiger began. I've always liked the Chinese Zodiac, because all the signs are animals. I know most of the Western ones are animals, but they've also got the Gemini twins and the Scorpion, neither appealing and even an inanimate object, the scales for Libra. Most of the Chinese ones are furry animals, with a rooster, a dragon & a snake. All perfectly acceptable.
I was born in Year of the Rat, which is the most powerful sign & aren't even allowed at feng shui ceremonies. You'd think a dragon would be the most powerful one, they are bigger and magical. But I don't know the story behind all of the symbols, so maybe there's a reason I don't know about which explains the Rat?
I've always wanted to see one of the lion dancers on the New Year celebrations, but haven't so far and Covid is making it less likely that I will. Maybe someday.
There's less desperation in marking the Lunar New Year than the one on Jan. 1st. There are certain things that you wis for and hope for others, prosperity & success among them and there's no resolutions, just joy in the moment. I know there's a religious aspect to the day in some areas, too. It feels like a more exciting and less pressurized event all around.