We are the World Blogfest # 56 – Compassion, Peace and Ukraine …

 

We have to hope for the future of Ukraine, especially that peace can come very soon and with it compassion from all sides …

St Sofia's Cathedral, Kiev

I have been wondering what to post for a week now – but need to do a penultimate #WATWB post … the regular postings will discontinue after March, but I may well carry on in some format …

I'm posting on positive aspects of Ukraine – its literature, music and art, culinary traditions … to give an overview of parts of their culture – encouraging you to look further.

Years ago I first came across “A Short History of Tractors in Ukraine” - the hilarious and award winning debut novel by Marina Lewycka …

I love the cover image where the title is set out using depictions of gear wheels, nuts, bolts, spanners, etc … my first, and so far, only Ukrainian novel.

A friend mentioned Mussorgsky's “Great Gate of Kiev” … a wonderful resonating composition inspired by folklore – an amazing listen.

Hartmann's design for the entrance to
the Ukrainian city of Kiev

Mussorgsky was inspired to compose his suite 'Pictures at an Exhibition' after touring the exhibition of 400 works by the artist Victor Hartmann. Hartmann's early death at 39 shocked Mussorgsky along with others in Russia's art world.

Cossack Mamay,
playing a kobza

Cossack Mamay is encountered in legends, folk stories and proverbs … and is today one of the most enduring characters in Ukrainian folk painting.

As you might expect I have to include culinary arts … I heard an interview with the London-based Ukrainian chef, food writer and food stylist, Olia Hercules … which sent me to find out more.

She had commented that Kiev was a beautiful bustling European city full of young inspirational and energetic peoples … and if she'd been there at the weekend … she'd have been going to Kanapa restaurant where they serve modern Ukrainian-European dishes … she mentioned one: Bortscht made with smoked pears from the Poltava region in central Ukraine.

Ukrainian Bortscht

She was so concerned saying that the people suffering were just regular people: like us …

The humanitarian needs are enormous … the bordering countries have immediately set up way-stations for food and water on arrival, tents, then warehouses providing essentials … ranging from medical assistance, care packages, day-to- day items … even to offering jobs, accommodation, car transport …

The Kind Angel of Peace,
Ukraine, located in 
Donetsk

… even a midwife and psychologist have made themselves available …

The cities in Ukraine are taking a battering – poor, poor people … I cannot imagine what their lives must be like.

Their President and government are being extraordinarily thoughtful and inspirational – an example for many.

One of their symbols ... great
fields of them grow in their
central region

The Ukrainians do not deserve this – their normal outlook of happiness, optimism, honesty, desiring peace is being sorely tried …

I just wanted this post to have some positivity in it – and now I want to find out more about the country, which I'm doing and will continue to do …

However, I thought posting a copy of this image was appropriate for today's post …

The Reconciliation

Josefina De Vasconcellos said:

"The sculpture was originally conceived in the aftermath of the War. Europe was in shock, people were stunned. I read in a newspaper about a woman who crossed Europe on foot to find her husband, and I was so moved that I made the sculpture. Then I thought that it wasn't only about the reunion of two people but hopefully a reunion of nations which had been fighting."

We are the World Blogfest

In Darkness, Be Light

Peace and Compassion for Ukraine

Links:  The Great Gate of Kiev - magnificent to hear (6 mins)

Pictures at an Exhibition (36 minutes)

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Write … Edit … Publish … Bloghop / IWSG hop: All You Need Is Love …

 Do you – yes, perhaps as a teenager, love or have a belief in love, as so important – we married young … and over the years I've come to realise 'what is love'?

It's something that I've been thinking about for a few years – the kids are grown up, I've been able to work and learn more about life in the world.

I have a natural curiosity, whereas my husband is more 'stuck in the mud' … I find it frustrating being married to someone whose mind isn't very open to new ideas and who seems to live vicariously.

A globe to see where in the world, with
books to open our eyes ... 

The time has perhaps come for me to move on … my husband will be fine – it'll be a shock initially, but our families are around, his friends are there, and the kids will adjust … 

I may be travelling and living independently – but I need a life.

African Daisy - perhaps see
Africa in all its glory

The break has to be made … over 20 years is a good run, isn't it … I've been itching to have a break from family and husband-life … so now I must make it happen … Music May Be the Food of Love … but my Boots are Made for Walking …

I think hiking boots would be
a better choice!

Catch Me When You Can … I won't be far away … just a-travelling to places, seeing life, expanding my horizons … and who knows giving me that chance of love once again … yet independent people can manage being in love with life … love would be wonderful, but so is peace of mind and independent living …

Perhaps this book will inspire my travels ... 

If Music Be the Food of Love ... 

"Journey through time to relive the passion and romance of three ailing women whose lives were forever altered through the powerful presence of music, opening gateways to true love."

WEP/IWSG – see here for entry parameters and contributors … everyone welcome!

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Crags and Splinters of Life, including Panoramic Maps …

 

Nothing wrong … just life jiggers ups and downs … and though getting lighter, still is dark and glum – but perhaps I need to look beyond what's in front of me – deal with that – and check in on nature and its beauty.

Amsterdam in 1538 - depicted by Cornelis
Anthonisz -a bird's-eye view

The art of creating Panoramic Maps, or scenic representations, came into my brain-line via Heinrich C Berann, as I'd always been 'bemused' by the birds-eye views dating back to those of the 1500s – especially for someone like me, who cannot visualise a landscape.

A depiction of Cape Town, with 
its Table Mountain standing proud and tall

Travelling – the touristy maps were often coloured, prettied up, sketchy clever outlines of a pictorial route – that could be driven, hiked or wandered along.

Denali National Park and Preserve (1994)
Alaska

Berann's depictions of the American national parks is that they look fairly realistic, while enhancing the landscapes. He made sure all the important features of each park were visible, sometimes this required creative distortion.

Cape Town's hinterland

Other aspects of cartography also entered into the realms of this brain … but had better be suppressed here … otherwise there will not be a post.

For more on Berann please see here …

Those enjoying themselves celebrating
being together ... have fun

Wishing everyone a happy week ahead … I hope to continue blogging, though I'm very tempted to retire and read … but that won't be happening … I need to blog – it opens my eyes to so much, and I'd miss you all …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

We are the World Blogfest # 55 – Someone who doesn't want their eyesight back …

I find it extraordinary how people who lose one of their senses, or are injured, seem to manage to cope by learning a new skill, which also requires many new sub-skills to be learnt.

Chris at work

Here Chris Fisher, who was an auto technician, woke up one day with blurry eyesight, then within weeks was blind. Very frightening.

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease, which, it is estimated, has infected half of the world's population – and is caught from animal faeces or infected meat … but in adults usually causes no obvious symptoms – sadly Chris was not one of them.

Chris with a piece of his art

He really needed help to adjust and took bereavement counselling with the Royal Institute of Blind People – who have a very supportive network of volunteers helping those who suffer sight impairment.

He, understandably was very distressed, as he wasn't able to see his loved ones, he couldn't work anymore, nor pursue his hobbies – motor-cycling, learning to fly, while had a huge love of horror films – thus had a good imagination and creative mind.

Chris with one of his autistic students

This originality led him to woodturning where he is now the only totally blind, fully professional, accredited wood turner …

He creates art from sourced wood as a coping mechanism for his anxiety, yet while at the lathe he has to live in the moment … he cannot be complacent for one second …

Incredibly he taught himself by listening to YouTube for over 600 hours (about 25 days worth!) …

Wood Turning in Indonesia

It's a gift to be able to help others … He loves sharing his story and inspiring others … now he is working with a special needs charity helping children with autism … helping them and giving them confidence in the world they habit …

How appropriate our #WATWB tag lines are for Chris and fellow sufferers ...

We are the World Blogfest

In Darkness, Be Light

Here's the BBC video where I picked this inspiring story from ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Beating about the Bush ...

I blame the rambling brain … it's been prevaricating the mind – hence a few hazy areas at the beginning of the year … what to do …

Flowering Quince - something from
my childhood ... we had a hedge of these

... so … I've been AWOL … switched off – but the brain still rambles along – my head turns, or something inside does … it's feeling a little wooden!

I've come across so many interesting subjects – I wander off and, of course, never settle to get on with life … I've been very slightly under the weather, which doesn't help – but honestly …

Flowering Cherry

… another year on, into the latter part of my life, it's for living and getting on – so that's where I am, ready to start 2022 properly …

Last year I used 'Respair' (fresh hope), while this year I've gone with 'Confelicity' … enjoyment in others' happiness – which makes me smile …

Cheery happy tree

… particularly on reading another blogger's post about her absolute delight in getting married again, after her husband died … she is sprinkling fairy dust wherever it reaches … her words just epitomise 'confelecity' for me …

Sequin fairy dust

Delay over … the world is out there … I'm on the move again – well blogging move in and around Eastbourne … I'll wait a while before I head up to London town …

Blue skies of Spring

Here's to Spring with its lighter days …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Brain Rambler - another year gone ...

 

Snowdrops - Spring bloomers

It's that time of year again … the birth of a “Saint” – albeit in the 20^th century, somebody with microscopic literary intent – the birth of a blog, and reminiscences from a mere 59 years ago …

Happy Falstaff - Hilary too
true to my name

Yes – I am still 'St Hilary' Peregrinating with Respair in my heart – just like last year … or Brain Rambling on with hope that 2022 will let us back into a normal life …

January's change … this year is very unseasonal, it's relatively 'warm' and when the sun shines it is bliss for winter – especially when I remember this day 59 years ago … or those times …

I'm happy - a 
big grin!

In 1962/3 we'd had snow for two and a half weeks … it started on Boxing Day – pretty with Christmas lights up, long icicles everywhere – I next saw icicles that long in New York in 1976 in May when I was visiting.

Snowflake through microscope

It snowed, and snowed and snowed – no doubt a few other things in between … I've written four weather posts about that time (in 2013) – and this year the BBC showed film from the archives … perhaps to remind us that our lives today are not so bad.

I was at school in Oxford, a 30 mile trip on 1960s roads, but ended up being ill – perhaps a bad cold or flu – eventually due to the bad weather my parents set off in both cars … one did break down on the way home, but they'd dealt with the war's 1940s weather so knew how to cope – how many of us today would … I know I would struggle.

Walking through drifts 1963

We drove through snow drifts 20 foot high – the road in a narrow cutting, then the hedged field banked with snow, topped with a blizzarded white drift … I do remember the height … it was an amazing journey.

Once the snow stayed around in late December 1962 we co-erced our parents to help build us an igloo … it wasn't large enough to live in – but it was still there at Easter 1963!

Clock patience

Strange but true … I had a virus at the end of term and they isolated me for 10 days, before I could be collected … I played a lot of card patience, read, listened to the radio and looked at the daily newspaper where snow and flood scenes were shown …

I don't remember being ill per se – but have some minor stretch marks to remind me of those days … I've no idea what caused it – or how I caught it, seeing as I was sequestered in a girls' boarding school. Apparently I was one of 9 in the Oxford area to have 'said' virus.

Pepper Virus

Today – we're still being safe … but some meetings are going ahead … last night we had a business dinner for about 50 (socially distanced in a large room), and this morning I'll be at another group meeting … probably 8 or so … then later on I'll meet up with friends for a drink and light meal …. where there is plenty of space.

I hope that 2022 brings more light into our lives and we can put 'respair' out of our minds to enjoy life … as Bob Marley put it:

Don't forget your History

Nor your Destiny

My history is fine and you find out about my thoughts in that direction … destiny is another matter – but living life applies!

Bob Marley quote

Thanks to you all for being so supportive … into my 15^th year of blogging … the years of life are toddling along – my enjoyment in blogging hasn't evaporated …

… I so enjoy the friendships, the comments and the learning about different ways of life I read through your blogs – also I teach myself about so much as I post.

Overlooking Keswick, in the
Lake District

Normality will resume here – I have a number of posts to write up … and as we reach towards Spring I'll be so pleased if it stays 'warm' as the days lengthen … the blackbirds continue to sing, the blossom flourishes, and those beautiful bulbs safely appear.

Beautiful anemones - my mother's
favourite bulbs and flowers

With thanks and all the best for this coming year …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Life is to Treasure …

 

We are so lucky we live today and have lived as far as this period in history …

Treasure - of Villenna, Spain

Let's enjoy our world, regardless, we are living history … and here in the UK – we live in peace – which means we've had the opportunity to be sensible and realise how lucky we are …

Buses stuck in 1963

There have been a fair number of reflective programmes – reminding us of 'events' that have happened since WW2 – most of us were born since the war …

… some have lived through the Great Depression, all of us (most) will have family memories of times since 1900 or perhaps a little earlier.

Stonehenge with blue skies, which 
have been in short supply recently

I realise my parents, born after WW1, survived the War and privations, which we 'inherited' as we grew up … Winter of 1962/1963 – that time is 'iced' into my memory bank …

That's enough for this first post of 2022 – I'm going to see if I can do something about the layout of my blog postings* …

Hazel Dormouse

Happy New Year – life is ahead of us .. let's go – we have the intellect and education to cope, adjust and help others …

* Well I tried - to start it was ok - then I did some editing ... and ah well it's slipped off track again .... ne'er mind ... cheers!

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories