my lilac

My lilac is starting to bloom! This is the view from one of the kitchen windows. Behind the lilac here, in a standing planter behind the bench, is a Japanese Maple called Fjeldheim (name of someone). There are some acers that have bark that is red or orange or yellow. This is the shortest "coral bark" and its bark is red, making it something that provides color even in the winter. Behind Fjeldheim in another planter is Akane and she is freaking gorgeous. The name supposedly means "glowing evening sky" (according to tree vendors selling her, and "deep red" according to translation sites.) They are very particular about where you grow them and I lucked out and put her in a spot that seems to be perfect. 

I did basically all the gardening today. This involved too much up and down motion for my head but I took breaks and didn't fall over. We will see next year what will grow from the bare roots. I planted more native honeysuckle. I am hoping these plants are more robust than the ones that have fared so weakly, and I've planted them a touch further away from the wall in hopes that they'll get more sun. 

I took Karen on a "tour" because she wanted to see where the Japanese painted ferns were. They love the garden and have placed themselves everywhere. 

Work tomorrow! No!!!!

Gays have begun serving openly in Ukraine with a seriously cool unicorn patch on their uniforms. The unicorn is a reference to the idea that there were no gay people in the military. In the United States, the more people came out, the more people realized they knew someone who was gay, the more accepting they became, they more people supported gay rights. The same is happening as gays serve openly in Ukraine. Opinion polls show attitudes are changing. The U.S.-based National Democratic Institute found that 58% of Ukrainian respondents agreed that LGBTQ “people should have the same rights as others.” It used to be that 60% of them didn't like gay people. 

Ukrainian lawmakers recently drafted legislation that would recognize same-sex relationships and address the lack of inheritance, medical and other rights for the partners of LGTBQ soldiers.
The Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, run by Patriarch Kirill, said the sin of gay pride parades justified the new invasion. His influence is waning. 
LGBT groups in Ukraine and elsewhere have held fundraisers for care packages for soldiers and soldiers have sent back pictures of them drinking out of coffee mugs with gay flags. 
Also sweet news, a lesbian Ukrainian couple that fled recently got married in the UK. They always knew they would need to get married outside Ukraine but the war pushed things.