Glory to Ukraine!

"Invaded Again," 5 /12 by 8 watercolor from 2014--See "Blood and Bars" below

I don't know why, but hundreds of Ukrainians have been clicking on this blog in the last month and week, more than readers in America.
For some reason in previous years, blog readers in Ukraine have consistently ranked about fourth or fifth as the blog's total audience, but these numbers have recently soared. More than 1,900 in the last 30 days, and almost 1,000 of those in the last week.
I'm wondering if these freedom-loving, often suppressed people are worried about their country's future in the Trump Ukraine scandal, and if his friendship with Russia's dictator Putin will bode more threats to their freedom.
It's nothing new for a country whose name can be roughly translated "borderlands," already invaded by Putin in the east, and remembering other despots from Stalin to Hitler and most recently Putin in 2014. (Russian readers of the blog rank second over the years behind the U.S., but only 257 in the last month.)
I blogged and painted about that when it happened. Since then, we have terrific new neighbors, across the back fence, Ukrainians Aleksandr and Iryna, also a watercolor artist. 
I've read that most Ukrainians are trying to ignore the Trump impeachment proceedings, wanting nothing to do with it. They need our and international support to fend off more Russian atrocities. 
Still they gather to remember the Maidan protests from Nov. 2013, which started peacefully, ending with 100 killed by riot police in Kiev's Maidan--Independence Square. 
You can read my previous articles on Ukraine in the three links below.
In the meantime, here's a salute to their citizens, who have lots of experience with dictators, and value their freedom.
I asked my neighbors how you said "Viva Ukraine!" in their language. Iryna responded with what translates to "Glory to Ukraine!" In their alphabet, it looks like this.

Слава Україні!

Here are my blog posts:

• Saluting Ukraine
• Invaded Again, Blood and Bars
• Flags of Invaded, Occupied and Free

 

Shadows of a year, 10 days 'til Christmas

"Shadows from the light of a star," 5 x 10 watercolor

Where there is light, there will be shadows.
Or, no shadows, no darkness, no light.
Contrasts, opposites, create life. Sorry-happiness, tragedy-triumph. Failure-success. Trials-peace. The list goes on.
Read Thomas Merton, Richard Rohr, King David, and others...coming out of depths of despair, of illness, of injustice, of judgment, of racism, of  hatred, of condemnation, of hypocrisy, of selfishness, of fear and death, comes maturity, wisdom, survival, and eventual peace, for those who survive.
Or, as Jill Castilla, President and CEO of Citizens Bank told my students in the Twitter for Media Class, in the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Central Oklahoma students this fall, “You go through trials, and they’re preparing you for something greater.”
As the stars align in this month's star journey toward Christmas, the traditional, but not factual symbol of the birth of Jesus, those lessons come into focus. Out of poverty, into trial, into fear and death, came a joy and peace the world celebrates, if it certainly not always remembers or practices.
"And Jesus Wept." No wonder. They forget the star.
So, today's watercolor.

Cabins are in my stars, stories-- only11 days 'til Christmas

"My Cabin," 5 x 7 watercolor card

As this year's star journey continues toward Christmas, my thoughts turn again to one of my most iconic symbols, a cabin, usually in the mountains.
Those who know me well have seen me write and paint about them many times. No wonder one of my earliest cards this year was of another cabin, in the mountains where all the stars shine brightly, all full of dreams, wishes, warmth, memories and more.
If you wish, here are three links, stories, paintings and photos of cabins in my life and their influence. 

Our cabin

Earliest article comes from just over a decade ago, when this blog was new, "Where's Your Cabin?" 
The others, five years later, shows a painting and photo of our cabin when we were growing up in New Mexico. "My stars," that's a long time ago!

• 2009-- Where's Your Cabin?
• 2014-- And Where Is Your Cabin?
• 2014--The Cabin Season Nears

Today  I started wondering about that old interjection, "My Stars!" As with any cabin, there has to be a story behind it, and in fact there are several.
While it's now mostly an American expression, considered archaic, grandmotherly and Southern, it has historic English roots.
Here's what I found:

• It likely arose from a reference to the British Order of the Garter, founded in 1311, the highest award that the English King or Queen can give a knight, with a medal worn in the shape of a star, not something that holds up an article of clothing.
• The phrase probably started as "Oh, my stars and garters," an exclamation referring to any royal honors and awards, and perhaps to any high honors.  
• The phrase morphed into others, like "Bless my stars," and "Thank my lucky stars" in the 1600's, probably  referring to serious beliefs that certain  stars influence our well being and rule our fate, still alive in astrology today.
• Then in 1593, without the reference to garters, "My stars" was so common, it went in print when  Christopher Marlowe used it in the play The troublesome raigne and lamentable death of Edward the second.

My stars, that's more than you wanted to know about a phrase and my cabins!

Star Dust--12 days til Christmas

"We are stardust," 5 x 7 watercolor card

We are not alone. Isn't that the real lesson behind the story of the star leading people to Jesus at his birth?
For Christians, it should be. For those who are not, the deeper meaning should be more scientific, but still truth.
Star-dust--we, and all creation are stardust... composed of the scientific matter of the expanding universe.
Why wonder that we are  composed spiritually of creation, that humans gaze at stars, that we are drawn to stars, journeying as they journey? Science hasn't abolished or negated their wonder, their magic. Gaze only at the believers in astrology, or in other religions. 
This season commemorates a star, its journey, and a journey it beckoned humans to follow, 2,000 years ago, and since. 
For those who believe in an omniscient, omnipotent, and especially omnipresent deity, that means God is in and of humans and all creation. 
All is sacred, all is God. Wasn't that what Jesus really meant when he said,  "I am with you." 
We are stars, we are a star journey.
"Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at the stars because we are human?" 
--Neil Gaiman, Stardust
"The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself."
--Carl Sagan

Season of enchantment

"Snow at Santuario," 8 x 10 watercolor 

"Land of Enchantment" is an old slogan for New Mexico, and the older I get, the more I'm aware.
One of the places of power on earth is the Santuario de Chimayo, the little church with the miraculous holy dirt, a focus of pilgrims and sick who believe.
I find the entire place healing, even though it's becoming more "touristified" every year, as more and more people discover this remote gem in Northern New Mexico.
It's no accident that I have a small antique bottle filed with some of that sanctified dirt  in front of me.
So here is a vision of the magic and enchantment.