What's the problem with multiculturalism?

Some people like it. Some people hate it. I am just trying to figure out what it is.

If my neighbour came from a different country and cooks her rice in a different way, I am curious. Can I learn that? If she likes wearing unusual clothes, I am curious: I like ethnic fashion. If she looks very different from locals, as an artist, I am very curious. Could there seriously be any problem?

The problems arise when there is a religion involved. Maybe she wears a scarf all the time (or goes to a temple, never goes to doctors, prays, don't eat duck meat, etc). Maybe she thinks that it is right, good, proper thing to do and ones who don't do that are sinners, infidels, heretics, condemned? Neighbours will read this in her eyes - or just imagine they read it, but, anyway, this will be a wedge between them.

In my personal opinion, it is very difficult for a large number of believers to accept others, ones who don't believe in their gods. "Non-Christians can't do good deeds". "If they are not baptised in the Orthodox Church they will burn in Hell forever". "Their view of the world is wrong". "Demons tell them what to say". I've heard it all. Funny enough, their sacred books are on their side.

I think the very idea of multiculturalism is just a response to the last hiccups of religion. The only serious things which make living side by side for peoples from different cultures really difficult, are their believes. Believes in religious (also maybe ethnic or class) supremacy. Of course, there are cases of anti-social behaviour but "neighbours from Hell" don't need to be of different culture - every one has got their own lot. Majority of people no matter where from, by their social nature, will want to comply with neighbours, not terrorise them.

One can learn to overcome ones nationalistic or class pride. Yet every popular religion says it is the only true one, so this supremacy lies in its root. One either gives up all or the most of ones religious system - to live in real peace, to enjoy real friendship - or one forever looks at strangers suspiciousely...

So offended...

I actually think freedom of speech and expression means people should grow over being offended by what others think or say. Just ignore them or laugh at them. I feel it is religious fanatics and nationalists who get offended the most - so why we should join them? People should be allowed to ridicule them freely if they want to and also to explain freely why they are wrong. I think the open discussion is always better than kindergarten-ish, immature "I'm offended and I'm reporting you" attitude. In some cases ignoring somebody may work wonders. Imagine a preacher screaming on a street corner "You'll go to Hell if you don't listen to me!" And nobody even turn his or her head... That's humiliation.


Words "stupid", "ugly", "fat" are very offending. Would they be banned one day? At the moment its looks like the most important is the size of minority somebody has offended. If its negligible or powerless to protest - its OK...


All this charges for inciting violence and even just hatred... It is peoples choice what to say. It is your choice either plunge yourself into hatred and violence because of what you heard - or not. It is your personal responsibility.

I think kids should be educated to think free, to try to understand others, to count possible consequences of their own actions.  Not to be afraid to be persecuted for saying something offencive to somebody else. There is no freedom, no free thinking in that. And if you have an opinion there almost always will be somebody offended by it.

Pressured by church to sign a petition...

My former Orthodox church suggested to me to join a petition against gay marriage... That's what I replied (for the record).

Could you please remove me and my children from all mailing and parish lists as we are not interested in religion any more?

Because of this I am also not interested in formalising personal relationships but as a person who has been married I feel it would be utterly unkind for me to deny this opportunity
for any other grown up people, whatever they sex or number would be. I feel the things which really matter in any relationship are freedom, love and happiness, not labels,
certificates or an opinion of absolute strangers. I am so happy I can now say freely what I have been suppressing inside for years.

I hope you will understand,

Alexandra



These is a gross mistake in the text of their petition: "Throughout history and in virtually all human societies marriage has always been the union of a man and a woman. Marriage reflects the complementary natures of men and women..." "If marriage is redefined once, what is to stop it being redefined to allow polygamy?" As far as I know, polygamy was quite common in many societies. Plus very early marriages forbidden now. Traditions can't help their case. Also funny that their petition is not on official government site. Probably wouldn't pass the standard.

The message has been forwarded from the main priest at official church mail address so the pressure on parish members to join the petition is obvious.

Anyway here is the link to an opposite petition if anybody is interested. No pressure whatsoever :)

A school joke

Why do you have so many spots? Did you listened to Spotify again?

Online reading room

I’m one of these peope who likes wreking their books with question and exclamation marks, highlighters and notes. It could be fun if people could read free books online together - you either can follow each other’s notes or to see what most peope highlighted with different colors meaning “great”, “rubbish”, etc.

Party-free democracy

Few days ago I took a couple of online quizzes on political parties in Britain (just for fun) and ended up in between two parties, and not even in one I voted for... It looks like I picked some policies from almost every party. And anyway, for one of my two "principal" parties I can't vote because we haven't any of its representatives in my area.  So I remembered somebody telling about voting for policies, not parties and it made sense.

I had an idea that there should be three voices on every important issue. First would be for ordinary citizens voting online - I'm sure there could be a secure way to do it. The voting culture could became a habit quite easy I think as many like all this online quizzes. The second voice would be for some sort of Parliament made of elected local representatives - the professional politicians.  The third voice would be given to the real experts in the domain of the question submitted for voting: economists, psychologist, doctors, inventors, artists, etc, the people well know by their books, articles, nominations, experience and so on. They also would provide information on possible consequences of voting one way or another.

Just an idea.

Greed

People are surprised by greedy bankers. But they are ones who choose to work with money, what do you expect? Far more surprising is greed among creative people, among artists.


It is obviously morally wrong when you take somebody's else work as it is and call it yours, even worse if you start selling it as yours. Everybody knows that. People will turn away from an artist who does this.

But most of the rest of "copyright wars" is nonsense and greed. Art is impossible without derivative works.

This is how we are learning, this is how we preserve our heritage. As it was said by Picasso: "Good Artists Copy; Great Artists Steal". All this "just you try to mention a character from my novel and you'll be sorry", "just you try to even remotely base you drawing on my photograph...", "just you try to sing my song at home and put it on YouTube...", "just try and press this share button next to my artwork"... and so on is pure greed and stupidity.

Its also an issue of being a famous artist: I've seen them using magazine cuttings, etc in their collages freely. An ordinary artist could be accused in stealing for that. Yet the law should be the same for everyone.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

to everybody!

I wish you more happiness, creativity, freedom, comfort, friendship, understanding, love and wisdom in 2012!

It's not what you think it is

When I buy a device this days its not only a phone, but a computer, an atlas, a radio receiver... If only they figured out a way to add to this list the keys and the bank cards, then there would be just one thing to pick up when leaving home. Well, maybe also an umbrella if its not included...

Yet some things are less than they should be. For years I've been buying cheap boots and raincoats which turned up being not waterproof... There is no point in boots or raincoats which are not supposed to be used under rainy condition. They shouldn't exist, but they are here.

Our weird weather

At the end of last week we had snow, rain and hail falling after each other or in various combinations. One moment I wake up and see the skylight window all frozen, stars glistening through ice patterns. Few houst later is't raining cats and gods. Late on Saturday I've seen amaising giant lumps of snow slow falling down. It was really weird to stand in the garden and look up at them appearing from the dark sky - and covering my face like cold dead white butterflies...

Canterbury Cathedral 10 Dec 2011

Really wanted to visit that concert. Hoped to sell something big or win something to have enough money to travel to Canterbury - but no luck. At least I can see this on YouTube: both of my favourite British singers-songwriters (apparently friends) in a song I really like.

Sharing art on the web: a bit of warning

You think because in all the art & photography places on the web I know there are "share" buttons next to the artwork you are welcome to press them? Think again.

It is natural to human beings to share their experience - that's how our civilisation happened. In old days you might show your favourite book to your friends, now you share stuff on line. That's often how people find out about artists new to them. As an artist I'm always very happy when this occur to my work. To my surprise I realised that not all artists are like this. You may think if somebody has a nickname LadySomething and does nice pictures there is a nice polite person on the other end. It may not be the truth. After pressing that highly visible "share" button you may end up threatened and offended by something who actually things that sharing is "using" and even "stealing" their artwork. And you thought you did GOOD to the artist, help them spread the message, etc. If you hate conflicts as I do you may even loss your sleep for a couple of nights if you get "i report you!!!" "DO NOT USE any other my work there!" " i didnt asked your help!" "This has not been done with my permission and there is no credit for the image posted on the site (Although I will allow that the image is linked to the original) Doing this has removed the watermark of the image from the image and is in direct violation of my copyright. Please ensure that this image is removed from this site with immediate effect"  "It is normal to ask for permission which is sometimes granted to reproduce images but this is only allowed with proper acreditation and watermarking." "i'm feed up with user who "share my works with the world" without asking me and my permission and uses my works below his/her name and sometimes earn money/points/credits/admission with them!!! so they stole! pitiable!!!" (and  a nice "Please, viste my gallery Thanks "  - after that!) 


I do feel pity for artists of this kind as it may be very difficult to live with such an attitude that everybody is trying to steal from them. People mostly just LIKE somebodies artwork and it's a nice reason to be happy and get on with you life rather than be angry, chase innocent people across the Internet, threaten and wrongly accuse them. This won't help with sales either.

On one occasion I contacted a site administration with that question: "Is there any single rule on whether people are allowed to share images (with links to the originals) on social media e.g. Tumblr, Facebook or Pinterest? I know lots of people do this and I know that a small number of artists is getting very angry about this but I can't find anything about the situation in FAQ."

The reply was as follows: "Our artists retain 100% of the copyrights for their images. If you would like to use any images, other than purchasing a printed product for personal enjoyment, you will have to contact the artist directly for their permission, as we do not have the right to give permission for the artists using our service. You will find their public contact information on their user page but please note, the artist decides what information is available to the public, and we are unable to give out any personal information."

How it is possible to have a "share" button next to each artwork if  "you will have to contact the artist directly for their permission"? I realise that it is a common problem with many artists sites but as an artist and a consumer I would like to have an absolute clarity on that. Why not give that "share" button only to artists who want they work to be shared and prevent other images to be shared at all? Otherwise people will end up doing something they think they ARE ENCOURAGED TO DO and then have angry artists chasing after them. I hope it all will be sorted out somehow because at the moment there is a big lie in the air and this is disgusting.

Calendars

It is great to have a photographic calendar on the wall from the opposite hemisphere: In reality the days grow colder and gloomier but in the calendar it is just getting warmer and sunnier, better and better!

Anti-strike

Kids are home today because of the strike. I just want to commit to some anti-strike action and to do as much useful work today as possible. Strike punishes random people who happen on that day to need a doctor, a teacher, a border control officer, etc. Its indiscriminate  - like terrorism.

It is disgusting when the politicians are trying to get at each other throat at any cost, on any possible occasion. Its like they don't really care about their country in troubles, the people, they just want to use any opportunity to show off  themselves and to intimidate others. But I still remember socialist rule in Russia when 1) one so often couldn't say publicly what one thought and had to lie about ones devotion to Marx, Lenin and a current party leader, 2) the news were full of lies, any troubles and sorrows at home were ignored, 3) one had to go and vote regularly - for a single candidate provided, and 4) there were shortages of just about anything useful in the shops. Capitalism (if that's what we've got now) is better. The truth is the human race don't have a recipe for a perfect economic and political system. Maybe it can't be perfect but we all are hopefully moving towards understanding what works better.

Never say these words!

Kids had an anti-racist lesson at school where they have been taught all these abusive racist words they had no idea existed. So now they know...

Protest in the air

What I found a real waste of time on TV recently was this "occupy" movement. If the people are worried about inequality why don't they go and help poor people, tell about their stories, form a new political party or movement, propose new economical solutions, plant some seeds of a new and just society, etc. Why tents? I just can't stand people sitting and doing nothing. Most of really poor people are working very hard to earn a living, they have no time to seat in tents.

Why anti-capitalist? I've seen socialist economies in deep crisis too.

Why try to damage the financial system? Rich people have their property, gold and expensive things they can sell, poor people might just have some money in a bank. Who will suffer most if a bank will collapse? Were there rich people queueing in  front of Northern Rock?

Its just seems that there is protest in the air all over the world and many people just go and riot, demonstrate, throw stones at anything without much thought about why do they do this. I see a ghost of Lev Gumilev...

A way to honesty

is not  to judge any event as a liberal or conservative, "right" or "left", "green", "brown", christian, pro-something, anti-something, etc, with those party policies, allegiances and sacred books, but to judge every time by your own reason, your own heart. Mistakes could happen, new evidence could be revealed - so I can change my opinion. I am free to do this. And only this way I am thinking for myself.

Meet iCurrent

I decided to join iCurrent recently. It is for creating ones own "newspaper": reading news under the topics one is interested in. But I think their classification is not quite thought through...

Sports: suffering... I know it sounds like surfing but I can't really imagine that it will become an Olympic sport one day...

computers...

It is so annoying when I am about to press something on the screen and suddenly the image jumps and I press on a wrong link. Also when I press on a folder to open and it thinks I want to edit its name...

Prevention is better

The thing which can prevent "the ugly sisters" (religion, nationalism, ideology) to completely take over peoples' minds is a good broad education. Not that there couldn't be a well educated "monster" but in majority people become wiser when learned and are less liked to get their minds scrambled. Even more important is the possibility of free interaction with people of many different opinions and sets of mind. Then its obvious that other people, not sharing imposed on you worldview, are quite normal, kind, happy, not some strange evil creatures as may be pictured by "ugly sisters'"propaganda.

Of course a radical communist, a racist or a religious fanatic could look nice, clever and kind on the surface too. But I think after a wile and after some "digging" the difference between a free thinker and an affected person will be obvious to anybody. There are millions of people in the world mildly affected by one or all three of "ugly sisters". They are OK. For the moment. But I have a feeling there is always a possibility of them moving towards a fanatical end.

I'm not normally in favor of military intervention by any country unless its absolutely necessary to prevent a genocide. I think if anybody want to help people living under tyranny, cruel law and with closed minds they should help to educate them, to broaden their minds. Invite lots of them into your universities, broadcast to them, send your teachers to them. And then the bloodshed may not be needed at all.

Three ugly sisters

There are three things that can really turn somebody to a zombie: religion, nationalism and ideology. The third one is the weakest one and wears off quicker than her older sisters because of less stigma attached. If a person is giving up his religion he is often called a heretic and is threaten with hell. If a person is giving up his nationalism he is blamed to be a traitor of his mother/fatherland. And anyway, the ethnicity and the place of birth is not somebody can easily change. But ideology... Look what happened to communism...

Amoeba states

I think it is not right to judge a state as one would judge a person - to be good or bad, to take right or wrong decision - unless that state is run single handled by just one ruler (which is virtually impossible). The states are more like unintelligent amoebae: they feed, they grow, they divide...  A state will always mind its own benefits first although some of its citizents, including even ones in governement, could be very altruistic.

Love, marriage and... religion with its RULES

Some time ago I've heard a lady on TV saying "I reinvent my marriage every seven years". Seven or not, its a good idea. To try and look at your partner in a slightly different way, for example to feel  yourself as the most devoted member of his fan club. To have an urge to tell the world of his exceptional qualities, as could be honesty, loyalty, commitment, striving to do his best and always be the good person.

When I tried to be religious, lots of strange rules affected our relationship. I constantly had to feel guilty - and without even offending any real being... Guilty of not loving my "imaginary friend" more than my husband and kids, guilty of not trying to convert my man to the Orthodoxy as I was told by a priest, guilty of having sex on the wrong day of the week, in the wrong time of the year (e.g. lent), guilty of enjoying it and not having babies all the time. The fact that there is practically no divorce in the Russian Orthodox Church made me very scared from time to time: what if I made a mistake being young and inexperienced? Now, honestly analyzing myself, I realized I've for sure met my dream man in my husband and I, alone, with all my heart, decide to stick with him for the rest of my life. Its my happy and free choice. No invisible beings with silly rules involved.

Speaking of silly rules. From time to time I've been forgetting that on particular days I'm "unclean", "dirty" or whatever that disgusting church Slavonic word ("в нечистоте") meant, and I was touching the icons when tidying the house or dusting. Horrible sin! Several "sin books" sold at various church kiosks told me so. I had to tell a priest (an absolutely strange man) about this. Such a disturbing experience. Also at the end of church services almost everybody went to kiss priest's hand. I hate kissing strangers so that was another thing I dreaded and at the same time blamed myself for dreading...

I had Romanian neighbours giving me lifts to the church and on one occasion when we went here there was a traditional "kiss every other person in the church" ceremony. The poor Romanian man, why presumably couldn't stand this kind of things too, went hiding. I hope these nice and intelligent people eventually would clear of this common mental illness called "religion".

People use to see a "nice" face of religion: temples, glittering gold, procession, singing. But there is another side, its dark and very, very unpleasant. And absolutely unnecessary as I understand now. All my hopeless efforts to be a "good christian" didn't give me any more love, satisfaction or inspiration. I felt confused, depressed and... "dirty". Not any more.

Religion could also be dangerous to your life. After my mother had a serious operation the doctors told her to stick to a strict diet. She went to her church to ask for an advice because that diet was in conflict with the Orthodox "food rules" and a priest twice as young as her told her: "Of course you can follow that diet. On Sundays".

Of course various belivers take the "rule" business differently. But in my experience they all have some strange irrational set of rules and many feel oblidged to impose it onto others. There couldn't be a religion without some sort of dogma and a mind-killing feeling that "I am right because this is said in my little red/green/blue/whatever book".

I had some preachers knocking on my door yesterday. "Wouldn't it be nice if everybody on Earth lived in peace?" they said. Like believing in invisible friends ever stopped religious wars and persecution of infidels and so on. I tried to preach them back but I am normally a shy person, hate arguing and couldn't stand it for very long. But I have this rebellious idea of putting a note on my door saying "Preachers will be humiliated"

or starting a "humiliate a preacher" campaign... Or even better: they are coming trying to convert me but end up being converted by me. Dreams, dreams.

Health service

While I'm still here...  I've just seen somebody from America saying on YouTube that looking at British NHS bill he sought that half of the country was disabled. I think when the QUALITY of the health service depends on a persons occupation is WRONG. Its so unfare. Why, say, a lawyer should enjoy better health service than a gardener, if both like they jobs, and work hard? The size of somebodies salary is not always a good indication of his or her contribution to the society, efforts to realise one's capabilities, etc. This is why a good quality free health service for everyone is a must for any civilized country.

Gold explosion

I'm glad I'm moving my studio from the bedroom to the garage: I've just squeezed the tube of golden paint (it was called Pebeo and that was my first try of it) too much and most of it went everywhere. I've scraped it up from the floor, walls and boxes and put on the board - nothing is lost. The picture is probably going to be called "His last glimpse of the Sun" and the golden glow is quite appropriate, even on Mars...

A catchy headline

Some time last summer kids were invited to a friend. This friend had a relative (a young man) coming and they all had an excellent time. Few days after that the young man was murdered. Unfortunately things like that happen even in relatively crime-free parts of the world. A local newspaper really surprised me in describing the event (at least twice) in the following terms: "a 20-year-old man has admitted the manslaughter of a teenager." The victim was 19 years old. Obviously the difference in age was minimal but to get a catchy headline the paper would stop at nothing.

Striking

Labour strikes are evil. Self-employed people often work very hard, have little money - but they can't go on strike. Artists can't. Homemakers can't. Scientists too - because the result of their work appears years, or even decades later. Striking is a form of blackmailing used by somebody in a position to do it. But why others must have lover salaries because they are not in a position to blackmail the public? Plus it damages the economy and because of this it damages everybody else's lives. Its SO selfish...

Autumnal pleasures

... to walk on acorns and beech nuts and feel them crack under you feet...

Delighted

Sat 3 Sep – Jethro Tull’s IAN ANDERSON In Concert

I really liked the concert. Excellent selection of old and new music & songs. I was especially happy to hear Ian's "Russian" tune "Boris Dancing" first. Even "The Story Of The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles" which I didn't like much in the past turned to be funny when Ian read it. Nice new (at least I haven't heard it before) piece of music called "Overture". Its great to see Ian as energetic as ever and a range of different ages in the auditorium (the youngest I think were about 11-13 years old, obviously with parents). I honestly recommend the concerts of this tour to anybody who likes the variety of Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull's music - if you still can buy the tickets!

Criminalising denial and true friendship

I've seen on several occasions people advocating for criminalising denial of something, normally atrocities. Its so against free thinking, and its often very politicized. If one is sure ones opponent is wrong one should have some solid proof. Otherwise I can imagine a gloomy picture of future people discussing historical issues and one is saying: "I think in reality something else was going on"... - and all suddenly are quiet, terrified of consequences...

My old real friends stay with me whatever my worldview may be, however it changes. Some religious people used to follow my blogs have run away as soon as I told them about the changes in my attitudes. It's like that for fundamentalists the dogma is more important than people or that they are afraid following me as it will open their eyes and uncover their illusions too...

A genetically modified tiger

Recently I watched an interview with Sir David Attenborough where he said that some wild animals will have to disappear because they are incompatible with humans. Like tigers. I thought if we already managed to turn wolves into puddles and so on, this could be the solution. Whats better, a tiger ?in a picture book only or a cuddly grass eating genetically modified pet tiger? I prefer the second option. Same with all other endangered species. Just imagine the Welsh countryside with all kinds of rare animals grassing together instead of sheep, sheep, sheep...

What to respect

I've got a scary comment on another site of mine "I respect the beliefs of others"... I respect KINDNESS the most. And many more things if they go hand in hand with kindness: honesty, courage, curiosity, learning, hard work, imagination, creativity... I couldn't respect things like believing in necessity of human sacrifices, cruelties, Hell, persecution of "infidels", ets. Watch what you respect! :)

What about "nice" beliefs? Somebody advertised a poster "Families can be together forever". Now who wouldn't want that to happen? Its a "nice" mind trap. It has no ground whatsoever, even in religion itself. During my 20 years or so going to church I've heard a lot about Hell and separation of families... Foolling yourself like that could make you think of you life as a rehersal and prevent you from being happy now.

Thats not the point, forgive my argumentum ad Hitlerum

There are debates whether Adolf Hitler was a Christian. The arguing is fueled by his (and his supporters) photos like these:

This is what I have to say.
 I've heard from many Christians (and Muslims too) that other adepts who believe slightly differently are not true, real Christians / Muslims. Every time a member of an organization does something outrageous all his organizations rush to say that this person wasn't their "real" member. A striking recent example is Anders Behring Breivik. Look what his church, lodge, party said. So yesterday he was their member and his line of thoughts probably was OK with at least some other members. But he followed it to the logical end and committed a horrific crime. Immediately they have nothing to do with him.

Hitler certainly posed with Christians and their churches whatever his true beliefs were. Presumably he thought it would help his image and popularity. Lots of political leaders since Constantine used Christianity in the same way. There were Christians and their clerics supporting Hitler. See here or here. IT WAS POSSIBLE. Would it be possible with Humanists / Humanism or Pacifists / Pacifism? That what the text under the middle photo ("Christianity is a religion of peace") really meant in my opinion.

Ideas and freedom

People who are not exited by anything in this life are boring. It is normal that a human being think about a certain idea, personality, work of art or activity much more and believes it to be more important than an "average" person would do. Only some ideas could be potential fertile grounds for hatred, cruelty, violence (e.g. nationalism, Christianity, Marxism, Islam - see the examples in the tumblr project from the previous post) and some couldn't be (e.g. stamp collecting, humanism, pacifism)... This makes you think.

I am against banning any thought, moreover, I would like to have real freedom of speech when for grown up people there is no subject immune to honest discussion or mockery. My past interest in religion has been fueled by its absence in Soviet school curriculum. This turned it into a forbidden fruit. If it was discussed freely and objectively I am sure there were much less church-going people in Russia now.

I used to say that there is no reason to life apart from religion. I feel I have been lying to myself. Deep inside I always knew there were lots of perfectly good reasons. Did a collection of images illustrating that. You either live a full life or a life full of illusions.

Freedom, ideas and crowds

I've started a new project: I collect stories of natural human kindness as opposed to idea-infused cruelty. I would appreciate any suggestions. Initially the idea appeared when an Orthodox Christian lady said to me that she is absolutely sure that non-Christians are incapable of good deeds. She also believed that non-christian souls won't be saved and at the same time boasted about her "friendship" with pagans. All this seemed so perverted to me yet so typical of fundamentalism (which is the core of any viable religion) - and it eventually helped me to say final goodbye to religion. Another thing was that many religious people commenting my posts in both languages seemed either to judge me most of the time or even tell me what I must think and do. None of my true friends would ever done something like this, be so disrespectful of my freedom.

In the times of riots in Britain, once in the evening, I went to the shops here in Newtown and seen an interesting picture. Four teenagers, 2 girls, 2 boys, white and looking well of, were obviously ready for trouble. Empty yet aggressive faces, hoodies on, throwing traffic cones around. But in the small town like his there just wasn't enough of them. It is illustrating to me the fact that people feeling themselves as a part of a crowd are losing their normal judgements, "going mad". Obviously undeveloped brains are more ready for this sort of behaviour.

Both ideas and crowds (mad or organized) can make people cruel against their normal nature. We are born compassionate. It's a social animal's instinct. Even hungry rats can't eat if they see other rats suffer (I thing this is from the book "Wild Justice" if I'm not mistaken). I remember reading a bit of Nazi official's diary (in the book "What Is Good?"). He was organizing death camps or something like this but when he went to inspect what he's done he felt terrified, he couldn't bear that. Yet he didn't repent: the Nazi idea and complacence to the authorities were stronger.

I thing the idea that people are born sinners, bad, cruel, homo homini lupus est, etc. leeds to a distorted world view. Being good is more about both going to you "roots" (natural empathy) and thinking free with a clear independent mind unclouded by invasive ideas (mems).

Back from Russia again

Sorry for not writing much here during last year but I'm really into writing in Russian in my other blog.

To try to improve the situation a bit I can say that during past few month I've been so completely happy like I haven't been for about 20 years. The dark menacing cloud is gone. Twenty years ago I've been given some poison and told it will make me better. I was free before, but after I felt like a fish caught in the net, lifted off my natural environment, helpless and suffocating. Now I'm free again, full of love and creativity. I am clean of this horrible addiction. I mean religion. It is such a relieve to understand that it all was just a big lie, a glitch of a conscious (but week, I admit) mind, deceit and self-deceit.

I can still appreciate religions esthetical side: music, temples, rituals, general feeling of something greater that you. It may even make somebody happier. Then maybe if people, straight from the beginning of history, could build beautiful libraries, train stations and univercities there would be no need for majestic (and very pricy) temples?

The danger of the religion is that your "invisible friend" will get stroppier and stroppier, wanting more love than your real friends and family. It will make you call others heretics and infidels. It will be threatening you and blackmailing you with the fear of Hell. It will tell you that people are sinners and deserve Hell while the truth is we all get pleasure from good relationship with fellow humans - just like animals living in groups. We like being nice to each other. We notice nastiness more because it is more rare. People love each other naturally, without need for a supreme being, fear of punishement or dream of a reward. Religions and kindness are not related.

I am so glad there is neither "invisible friend" nor a strange cruel outdated book between me and my conscience!

There was perhaps need for a religion when first humans got conscience but didn't quite knew what to do with it. When they couldn't invent themselves neither purpose in life nor the ways to behave (after behaviour according to instincts became optional). Now most people can find purpose in life, be kind and happy by themselves.

I actually never met anyone who became kinder under the influence of a religion. My experience is that kind and clever believers have a very hard time squizing their kindness and reason into the dark prison of religious thought.

When I read history of Orthodox Christianity I find suppression of free thought, angry disagreements, wishes for opponents to go to hell, growing political ambitions, hatred, cruelty, attempts of rewriting of history, etc straight from the beginning. There is not such things as "christian values": when slavery, torture and cruel punishments were common they were OK with the Church too. The modern history of Russia teaches me that as soon as religion gets a firm grip on the society, its "nasty" fundamentalist face appears. Even in 90s I've been told the orthodoxy coupled with nationalism and xenophobia (o, mother!) I've been told silly medieval things like to eat seafood during the lent because in the old days people thought its plant food not animal...

Why should anyone believe to the infamous organizations like the christian Churches or other religious orders? They are built lie on lie, they teach intolerance (every religion is a blashemy for another one), they take away the most precious possession any person has: his freedom of thought.

Anyway, it is really difficult to describe the level of happiness the realisation of all this brought upon me.

New trees

I've recieved an interesting link to a photographer exhibition about fake trees hiding mobile phone masts. This is what artists should work on, turning something ugly into something nice, not putting piles of rubbish in art galleries :) We had an idea few years ago that big power stations could be made to look like castles.

A quiz

My Political Views

I am a centrist moderate social libertarian

Left: 0.56, Libertarian: 2.16

Political Spectrum Quiz

My Foreign Policy Views
Score: -4.03

Political Spectrum Quiz


My Culture War Stance
Score: 3.12

Political Spectrum Quiz

Whatever. I think I share John Stuart Mill’s view that  the individual ought to be free to do as he wishes unless he harms (not just offends) others and I object any censorship. I'm really sad and angry at all this "blasphemy laws" which allow people to be murdered for the words they say.

A few citations from a book

I've read "Always Looking Up" by Michael J. Fox recently and just wanted to write down few things I liked.

"Listening to people espouse beliefs different from mine is informative, not threatening, because the only things that can alter my worldview is a new and undeniable truth".

"I've always considered faith to be an aspect or facet of optimism, a cousin of, if not a synonym for, hope."

From Henry David Thoreau: "In dealing with truth we are immortal, and need fear no change nor accident".

"These were good people, my family, my friends. They honored fairness, fidelity, honesty, family, hard work."

(about marriage) "The more complicated it gets, the more it seems to bring out the best in us".

Artwork pricing

As somebody was wondering why I price my artworks sort of low, I reply here:

This how its works with selling things: if something is too cheap its sells like hotcakes and the seller has to rise the price. That's not what is happening. Plus I work fast and don't think I have any moral right to ask more for the work I didn't spend too much time creating. Plus I realise that I'm not a great artist and there are lots of my kind around. It looks very pretentious and silly when an artists who is not particularly good asks a great price for his or her artworks.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Everybody!

Big Freeze again

We are enjoing wintery weather.

Birthday

Few photos from my kids birthday parties:

From People - photos

From People - photos

Fellow-passengers

Reading Dickens. Don't want ever call anybody a heretic. All of us make mistakes. Constantly. Don't want to call anybody evil. There is good in every person. And we all are just "fellow-passengers to the grave"...

Little everyday funny things

Just few of them to remember on a rainy day:

Rice through the straw
Kids were desperately trying to eat rice with chopsticks few days ago. I said "You know, in the Central Asia they actually eat rice..." But before I concluded "by hands" dear husband said "through the straw". Just imagine...

Drunk hairdressers
The railway got flooded after the rain yesterday so my husband and all the other passengers were put on the bus. On the back of the bus there was a group of noisy drunk hairdressers from nearby village who (judging by the horrible smell of hairspray) were practicing their hairdressing on the way...

Nightmare music
When I was a child & teenager in our apartment block in Moscow we had a British neighbour upstairs. Possible his name was Barry Jones and he was a writer but maybe not. He liked noisy overnight parties. He used to listen to the same few songs all over again. I truly hated them, they were my instruments of torture. I liked to sleep at night. Then very recently I noticed something familiar, long forgotten, in Jethro Tull songs I do listen a lot now. Possible, it was Crest Of A Knave album (certainly not my favourite) but it is still funny how everything in life can turn round...


Small World
A week ago I found out that there is a long existing Russian Language group in Newtown and that it is lead by a lady from the same department of the Moscow State University I am graduated from!

Back in Britain

We've just returned from 1.5 month holidays near Moscow, Russia. It was incredibly hot most of the time (+37 C) and very smoky because of distant peat fires. So we had to hide indoors. I've only managed to do a few sketches outside in the mornings but have been happy reading (Van Gogh, M. Bulgakov, V. Livanov, Dostoevsky) in cool underground sauna...

We also had few very strong storms, hazelnut-size hale and my favourite fir tree I admired from my childhood falling down (but not in our garden). The August meteor shower was quite spectacular this year.

On the way back, flight from Frankfurt to Birmingham (Lufthansa), we had to land very fast (which was a bit scary) in Brussels because the air pressure have been falling in the cabin. We've been told we were 30 sec from oxygen masks dropping down. It took four hours to fix and test the plane, then we resumed our journey home. Neither me nor my husband flying most of our lives ever experienced something like this. Kids and lots of other passengers had bad earaches.

Now kids are back to school, me I'm cooking, going to my exercise group and thinking about painting... Back to business!

Cup of Wonder

I think I've found my favorite singer-songwriter-composer. Just can't have enough of this:

Ian Anderson & Jethro Tull playlist by Linandara

Spin and Hostility

Modern progressive democracy in other worlds. For me any hostility towards another human being is evil. It's the absence of love. Yet politicians (some so much more than others) keep on demonstrating hostility to each other, plotting, cheating, brainwashing, exaggerating, spinning, spinning, spinning - thinking its OK for them. Or maybe they want us all to follow their example. Its so sad. And almost every day for the last few weeks we've heard phrases like "we care about poor and they care about rich". At the same time they want us to believe than voting can change something. But if so, ANY party would has to please MAJORITY, whatever it is: rich, poor, working, or not...


There so much is said against discrimination. Yet there are, for example, caravan parks for adults only and for families only, there are "women in art" exhibitions and "black theatres". Personally I'm not against honest discrimination like this. If in a cafe they don't want people born in Russia I will go to another one. I'm a grown up person. Its not good to be hostile to another human being but you can't force people to love each other. Especially if they see people ruling the country being hostile to their colleagues. Also they don't seem to notice that you can't have both "freedom of speech" and "political correctness" at the same time. The double standards and silencing - that is disgusting.
I just feel like what's the point ever participate again in this silly farce called elections if it doesn't change much? I've been told that I've missed real democracy in this country which was before Blair. I don't know. Its difficult to tell.

Why anyway the brainwashed by spin-doctors crowd electing pretty actors should decide what's best for the country? Why not the best, well educated experts and specialists consulting each other and generally being friendly? And lets hold a monarch ultimately responsible for everything. And lets get on with our life... Silly me... There can't be an ideal country, anyway. Wait till I'll tell how my native Russian governement took Russian citizenship from my kids. Some other time.

Post-election

At least we've got the person we voted for locally, Glyn Davies ...

I hope he will be seen in town often like Opik did.

Election

Sounds silly but I will be really sad if on Friday we still have Gordon Brown in  charge or anyone with that left wing rhetoric. I know almost all politicians are actors and liars. But we just had too much of same of them.

Socionics.com got lots of typing mistakes, but I think they are right saying that Tony Blair is ENFj, Gordon Brown is INTp and David Cameron is ISTp. Its describes perfectly how we perceive them at home.

Little advice for future government on spending cuts: DON'T FUND PILES OF RUBBISH IN ART GALLERIES ANY MORE... I'm not against something new or experimental. I'm just against funding rubbish!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to everybody!

We are just back from wonderful Malta were we went for our first "proper" holiday with kids. No pictures yet as I am still recovering from a computer and a memory disk breakage.

Van Gogh Letters

First useful thing came from Twitter that I think it's worth to mention here: there are all Vincent Van Gogh letters online now (translated).

A song from my chilhood

We used to sing and listen to each other a lot when we were kids, teenagers and students. It was a very popular pastime in the Soviet Union anyway. I've found recently one of these songs which we loved to sing with a guitar. I didn't know it was by Kipling, as it was translated into Russian. Here it is, The Song of The Dead, part II:

We have fed our sea for a thousand years 

And she calls us, still unfed, 

Though there's never a wave of all her waves 

But marks our English dead: 

We have strawed our best to the weed's unrest, 

To the shark and the sheering gull. 

If blood be the price of admiralty, 

Lord God, we ha' paid in full! 

(more)

Me & friends had an interesting childhood, I know...

Unfortunately I can't find spelling check on blogger any more, so, sorry if I start doing typos.

Frogs

I've overheard kids playing:

...even a Hawaiian frog has wet feet...

Love it.

New Print-on-Demand & Original Art Site looks good:

Distant Land Studios

Alexandra Cook, Newtown, Powys, United Kingdom

I like this artist

View Artist Profile
(biography, shows, etc.)

This artist has 2 images:

2 originals for sale

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2 reprints for sale

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The second image is a very recent one, just a few days old. An outdoor (plein air) artwork, done in early March 2010 in Newtown, Powys, Wales. It was an cold overcast day, the field were still yellowish after harsh winter, birch trees stood leafless. I love this "zig-zag" hill near where I live. The pattern is made of hedges and roads between fields. I struggled with this one a lot, then suddenly started using a thick golden permanent ink marker converting it into a sort of stained glass picture. The way the golden lines look change depending on your point of view. I am really happy with this one. 

Yellow Crocuses in ... Yellow Crocuses in grass by Alexandra Cook Mixed Media First flowers of the coming spring... This artwork made as soft pastel painting over ... more...

Zig Zag Hill, Powys Zig Zag Hill, Powys by Alexandra Cook Mixed Media An outdoor (plein air) artwork, done in early March 2010 in Newtown, Powys, Wales.... more... Buy Original from Artist ($90.00) Prints: $12.99 - $29.99

New Art Only Blog

It doesn't mean that I won't write about art here anymore, but I just wanted to separate my daily art activities from "life, universe and everything". Please follow, if you are interested:

http://alexandra-cook.blogspot.com/

Something for the St David Day

Daffodil Spring Poster by Linandara
But there is no daffodils in Newtown this year yet - too cold. Snowdrops are out.
I've found yet another print selling outlet: DEVIANTART

Selling art

I've discovered a new print selling outlet, called Imageking, and so far its looks well designed and strait forward. Anyone can sell photos and artwork here, which is good, but also because of this one has to spend long time before finding good quality artwork. So far, selling art on Etsy and Zazzle have been the best options for me.

Ebay UK used to be very good for selling art but recently they started to treat the sellers worse and worse increasing the fees and inventing ridicules rules all the time. Funny enough few days ago they blamed me for breaching the copyright and selling an authorized copies of... my own novel... Any attempt to reason with them fails as they don't bother reading messages. I really hope somebody invents a user-friendly online auction site one day...

Also recently I've visited an exhibition of Michael Brennand - Wood's artwoks. Most of them appear to be like beautiful vases with flowers but when one comes to look close one realises that they made up of quite sinister details (like skeletons, bullets, etc). They all have got some meaning and make you think, but I just wonder if its right to make people feel attracted to something on the evil side...

Gypsy Mermaid

Sorry I haven't been writing too much here as I've got very involved with my Russian blog.

Apart from few new drawings I was experimenting with a bit of shell, textile & sea glass jewellery which I'm starting putting in my Artfire and Etsy shops.

The name Gypsy Mermaid is partly related to how this looks like, and partly to a song by M. Scherbakov.

Big freeze...

We have got a bit of Moscow winter this year. It was about -12 C last night. Heating and gas are still OK, but poor boiler works as hard as it can. We are only partly double glazed, big windows & thin brick walls, but this wasn't a problem before, and hopefully won't be again for the next 30 years... Iceland food delivery is frozen to death but fortunately I've stock up enough supplies just before the New Year.

I am really enjoying the weather but a bit worried about my subtropical plants in the garden. I covered what I could with juniper branches and snow. It is cold but sunny at the moment but I haven't uploaded the latest photos yet. Maybe I even venture sketching till the snow melts.

Happy kids went sledging after school first time in their life (!) a couple of days ago - I used to do it almost every day in winter as a child. Other kids came to us asking how to slide down properly. I Moscow we either used our fur coats, or pieces of cardboard boxes, water-soaked and then frozen. In my mom's time, kids froze a layer of water in a bucket, took it out and slide on top of this.

Here is a collage of kids in the garden. We are such a dynamic family that its impossible to have everybody in the picture at the same time!

I found very annoying that it is difficult to find proper warm clothes (socks, tall snow boots, a coat) for my son. Girls are OK, there is a great choice of stuff. Warm trekking socks of kids sizes ALL have something pink on them... Why couldn't it be green??? And what about the size 3 boots? Its scares me to see lots of man and boys wearing wellington boots in the weather like this instead of proper cosy winter boots like women. Its just not fair!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

To all of you.

Seasonal

Again I am feeling the pressure of the modern day commercialized Christmas - all the emails from my online shops saying "don't miss Black Friday, don't miss Cyber Monday, hurry up, promote yourself (which I actually hate to do anyway)", etc. The high street shops shouting their seasonally loud mantra of "spend, spend, spend". Plus the worries about presents, running out of money, business unfinished before holidays, a Christmas tree to buy and carry home and so on. Plus the sun is low, the weather is often gloomy...

I really have to tell myself "STOP!" Why not just enjoy the season? Yesterday we spent the evening with my daughter creating a new playlist. She almost always goes to sleep listening to the music, usually Ancient Egyptian, Tudor, ABBA, violin or piano. This time its mostly Christmas carols & songs:

http://www.last.fm/user/linandara/library/playlists/3mxly_christmas_1

(we still are working on it).

Frost & free speech

First, its the first of December and we just had our first frost! Quite late this year. Anyway, death to all the nasturtiums!

I suddenly remembered how much I like crispy cold weather. My cheeks are red, my mind is clear, I am happy and exited. My mom always told me I look better in winter.


Second, here is a new community on LJ dedicated to the free speech:

Debating religion, politics, spirituality, and social controversies.

Show Off Your Big Brain
Absolute Liberty of Speech On Our Four Topics
Freedom from Childish Moderation
Elitist Scumbags Welcome
Educated People Highly Desired


VIA LICENTIA Is a Live Journal Community filling that special need- a need for a community that you can speak freely in on important and controversial issues, and which FOR ONCE doesn't have "moderated" membership at the top of the description, and a list of "DO NOT" Rules a mile long underneath.

Sounds interesting but it will work only if enough people with full spectrum of opinions join in or if some kind of autories won't close this down for not being politically correct.
Why I need this? a) To understand how and why others people's views differ from mine; 2) to learn how not to get easily offended; 3) hopefully find answers to my own questions & dilemmas.

Post office blues

I do unfortunately depend on the nearest post office. And now there is only one in town.

It wasn't always like this: there used to be a little one near the swimming pool. It was inconvenient for me to go here so I never did, till one day an elderly lady knocked on my door and said that they collect signatures against the proposed closure of the little post office. Of course I signed and also decided that next time I will go here - thinking that having one more regular customer will probably help. It happened that next time I had quite a lot of parcels with me, including horrible pictures and curtains which the previous owners left in the house. I've sold them on Ebay for 5 quid + postage, then being clumsy as I am I broke the glass and had to pay 5 quid to a framer for its replacement (I am a great business woman, I know!) I also had a large life drawing I've sold for about the same price to America. It was done on thick card so at first I send it as it was at my regular post office. It came back (to my enormous surprise) with note that it's too large for the Airmail. Now I've been sending paintings and drawings of this size for years and never had a problem with that. I went to the main post office and they (a bit unfriendly for my taste) told me that the rule always was here... Surprise again. And its my fault that because I pay the postage online. I managed to roll the drawing and was ready to pay the postage price for it again.

So I entered a small post office smiling to the lady who was behind the counter and putting my numerous parcels in front of her. And then I've seen an evil flame in her eyes. Apparently the reason was that I bought half of my postage online. I've been doing this for a long time - since living in Long Eaton where extremely nice people at that post office never told me there was any issue with this. I repeat the people were really wonderful and helpful at that place but... unlike in Wales I had a number of parcels which were never received by their recipients.

The lady with evil eyes was refusing to accept my parcels because she didn't like the idea of online stamps which people print at home. She thought the post offices are closing because of this (forgetting that the people still HAVE to handle their parcels and letters to post office workers). I don't drive and I just walked to that little place, tired, loaded like a mule with my profitless load - and specially to help her... If she told me "could you please buy you stamps from me next time?" I would certainly said "yes"! Instead she brought me to the brink of bursting into tears by her angry words in front of silent but curious queue. I bet they haven't been on the side of a strange lady with foreign accent and a horrid word "Ebay" almost written across her forehead. Ebay keeps of mounting hidden fees and treating low-profit sellers like unwanted dogs - and then you also get this looks at the post office. Yes, I know I could just take things to a charity shop, but 1) I have this crazy hope that something we've got but don't need may actually turn to be valuable for somebody else (it actually happened twice with books); 2) kids love to get some pocket money after their old book or toy is sold (they were unlucky with that since Ebay introduced its "free postage" rule), and 3) lot of our stuff is too unusual if not weird for a little town charity shop to handle. Finally the post office lady agreed to take parcels and they all (to my disbelieve) arrived to their destinations OK. Yes, I can't stand hostility and I know its bad to be so sensitive to it. But that's the way I am...

I never came back to that little post office. I even wanted to file a complain because I'm sure it was illegal to refuse posting things on that ground. But then few months later, walking to the pool I've seen that post office have been closed for good and I couldn't refuse an evil smile...

Now we only got one post office in the town. They have a strange practise here: a large shopping trolley is put in the middle and, after stamps have been put on parcels, they are thrown across the room to that trolley, including ones with red tape all over and large letters saying "FRAGILE" on them. Recently the glass on one of my paintings I've sent by post was broken and I wonder if this was what did it. But what can I do? Putting things in large boxes, going to another town or using alternative postal service would increase the cost of postage a lot, and with my artwork not being too expensive it will just put an end on selling it.

I do mostly sell artwork unframed to avoid high postage cost and broken glass but there is another danger - parcels get bended. Once even a thick framing mount, which I though will protect the drawing sufficiently, got bend in half. Few years ago I've accidentally got from my framer a couple of pieces of white corrugated plastic: lightweight and easy to cut with scissors yet very difficult to bend. I've been told this is what state agents use for their "for sale" boards. If anybody reading this post know how to buy this (but not in industrial quantities) - I would really appreciate.

Meanwhile I'm stuck with my only post office. As far as I know any alternative postal services are only suitable for businesses with high volumes of mail and SOME profit (maybe I'm wrong?) I can't really argue with my post office staff for fear - perhaps irrational - that my parcels will be damaged on purpose when I don't look. Add to this also that I'm horrible at doing things neat and tidy - like good package should be, I'm slow, and I have little accidents with tape and scissors all the time. At home we haven't got a special table to do packing so I just kneel on the hard floor for an hour 2-3 times a week to get the job done.

Yet I am actually glad that I am where I am. I don't have to seat in office all the day and I am home when kids are back from school. My artworks find their owners and I get lots of happy emails from people. I've even found a first exhibition venue after two years in Newtown, so a couple of my narrative figurative paintings should be at the Hafren Theatr at the moment. Perhaps I should think more about exhibitions (but memories of having to carry by myself about 30 framed artworks to 3 personal shows I had in East Midlands still a bit scary). Anyway it is really great to be a "free artist" and I am sure in any occupation there are difficulties you have to learn to overcome - blame to the imperfection of the world!

Godless Gloom

I think atheism leads to depression and then even to a possible suicide. At least for people who think, who are honest to themselves and who perceive the world in therms of good and evil. But in atheism there is no good neither evil... One can flex his understanding of what's right and what's wrong depending on who's benefit he is acting: an individual, a race, species, whole life on Earth, etc. It also doesn't help that our honest atheist knows that his experience - hard learned during lifetime - and all the fruits of his labour eventually will disappear. There is no anchor in space or time.

I can feel this gloom in many ethical-oriented yet atheistic or agnostic sci-fi stories. All these horrible Prime Directives, "I can't help because it affect the future"and so on. It almost makes me scream: "do what you heart tells you, only God really knows the future!"

I won't say that religion can't make one depressed. For example if one comes to be religious because of strong feeling of good and evil but latterly may reach a point when he is not sure if God shares his ethics, if God is really good on his terms (I'm thinking about people suffering on Earth or eternal suffering in hell in which many believe). But at least there is some hope.

Art Calendars for 2010

Distant Lands Fine Art Calendar by Linandara

My Russia by A.CookMy Russia by A.Cook (calendar) Print: £12.49 This is 14-month calendar for 2010 illustrated with my own paintings and drawings dedicated to landscapes, people and buildings of my native Russia. Contains British and US holidays. If you would like other / custom holidays please let me know before buying and I'll create additional version for you. I hope you'll enjoy my calendar!

Distant Lands by A.CookDistant Lands by A.Cook (calendar) Print: £12.49 Welcome to the Distant Lands! Nineteen of my artworks (mostly seasonal landscapes) are included in this 2010 14-month calendar. It has British & Christian holidays (could be changed - just send me a message). I hope you'll enjoy it!

Fantasy Lands by A.CookFantasy Lands by A.Cook (calendar) Print: £12.49 This it 14 months 2010 calendar illustrated with my fantasy artwork. It contain British & US holidays (this could be changed - just send me a message). I hope you will enjoy it.

• Calendar Print

  £3.50

• Alexandra Cook's Art Calendar

  £17.00

Dream House

Etsy site is having maintenance at the moment so they put this video for people to watch:


That's probably the closest thing I've ever seen to my imaginary dream house. Being a child I have been daydreaming about 3-4 families of friends living self-sufficiently in a very close tied community (but it looked a bit more Siberian, less Californian!). Even now, when my daughter got Sims3 game and I sometime play it, I desperately try to build a homestead like this. What if I found some like-minded people and we could build something like that near Aberythwyth?... Enough day dreaming, back to work!

Pelargonium Sanctuary

Is it just me, or somebody else feels sad looking at perennial flowers being dumped at the end of summer by numerous gardeners? Even hardy ones. Recently I found (on brambles-covered land locally known as "dump") a couple of perfectly healthy Pelargonium/ geranium plants and rescued them. I bring my geraniums indoors in winter to save from the frost and because I think the are SO beautiful against the background of fresh falling snow outdoors.

(the pretty photo is not mine - I've got similar ones somewhere, but they are a bit difficult to find at the moment).

Nepal Cinquefoil Flower in Watercolor, Pen & Pencil

A recent artwork:

A bright outdoor painting done in my garden in August. Featuring a single scarlet flower of Potentilla nepalensis, common name: Nepal Cinquefoil. Done on white card with watercolour, gouache, pencils, pen and pigment ink. Unframed (so you can find a frame which will suit your home the best). The size of artwork is approximately 9 x 12 inches (23 x 30 cm).

I love these bright little flowers, they look very natural among grey flat pieces of rock in my organic hilltop garden. They also associate (for me) with the Scarlet Flower from the Russian version of "The Beauty and the Beast".

For sale here.

Wild Food in September: Himalayan Balsam and Cherry Laurel fruit

Both invasive (but beautiful) plants are abundant by the river where I live (Wales). Cherry trees have plenty of fruit, and the balsam has flowers and seeds on different stages of ripening at the same time. After reading the articles here and there, I collected some wild food (under surprised glances from some locals) and made cherry laurel and Himalayan balm petals jam (I added to it a little bit of orange juice and plenty of brown sugar). I had to do quite a lot of skimming. Now I am very happy with the jam, its dark (apart from little bits of chopped pink petals) and doesn't taste too sweet, in fact it reminds me of true cherry jam cooked with pits (mine one was without pits). We don't eat much jam at all, so I made just a little, mostly to use later as a middle layer in cakes. As for Balsam seeds I found them very tasty, sort of nut-like, but they don't need shelling. I hope to collect more before the winter. Happy foraging!