the best, the best, the best

Yes, the best of friends. Thank you Kate! So nice to talk with Kate after so long back in so-called "reality." 

This cormorant was at Wilde Lake. 

The postal service has issued a new stamp! Watermelon. I didn't get it when I saw it. The watermelon is the prize product of the Ukraine heartland. The stamp marks Russia's retreat from the Kherson area. 

When I was in Mozambique some years ago they were working on a natural gas find in the north part of the country. Ship natural gas or put in a power plant and run electricity? At the time they were putting in a power plant and running electricity. I guess they are also exporting natural gas because they've just begun shipping LNG (liquid natural gas). They have a big eager market with Europe's moving away from Russia. 

Some Russian sanctions could continue past the war's end. 

Russia tried to absorb Kherson and failed. They banned Ukrainian songs and  language and told students they were Russian. A billboard said, "We are together with Russia!” A teenager climbed up and ripped it apart.


When the demining is complete the pharmacies in Kherson city will be able to reopen. They were closed during the occupation. 


The Armed Forces of Ukraine regained the village of Mkaiyivka. They've liberated 179 settlements this past week. 


The US is preparing a new defense aid package.


Luxembourg is sending 30 3d scanners to help uncover Russian war crimes. Luxembourg has provided Ukraine with material support and weapons worth 74 million euro. Luxembourg froze 5.5 billion in assets of Russian individuals and legal entities, accounting for about a third of all Russian assets blocked across the EU.