Ukraine on my mind...

I have been superbusy working on projects that I cannot share at this time.  

To be revealed later

But when Angela announced the RSC color for March, I had to take a break. I rummaged through my box of yellows. 

Yellows for March

And found these two fabrics. Sharing with Angela's Linky party.

Sunflower - Bright

Sunflowers - Subdued

As I incorporate them in to my March RSC blocks, I will be thinking of Ukraine, its brave people and their remarkable President, who finds himself in an unimaginably difficult situation. 

Must start somewhere

Work in Progress

Last week, scared and horrified, I had asked Paul - is the entire world going to just watch and let it happen? Is there nothing that can be done?

Paul: Sanctions are on the way.
Me: They have not worked in the past and I am unsure they will work now.
Paul: Imposing sanctions also hurts other countries, so they have to be careful.

Me: What about help from NATO?

Paul: Ukraine is not a member of NATO.

Me: They want to be. And if this unprovoked aggression is not an obvious reason/time for NATO to adopt Ukraine, what is?

Paul: If that happens, it would mean that entire Europe will be at war with Russia.

Me: So Russia just bulldozes their way into Ukraine?  Who comes next?

Paul: Countries are uniting in solidarity with Ukraine and sending aid and weapons.

Me: Will it work? Can they resist the invasion?

Paul: It ain't over yet.

Me: Can UN do nothing?
Paul(scoffing): Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council
Me: They should be thrown out of the Security Council. These are unprecedented times with an unprecedented problem. We cannot apply old solutions to new problems. Something has to change. 

Frustrated and helpless, I was arguing with Paul, as if he controlled the flow of arms and aid to Ukraine. I marvel that he can be well-informed and calm when I am not.

According to Julia Ioffe (from an interview with Stephen Colbert), "people of my generation in Russia have never experienced democracy. Ukraine has had it for a couple of decades and they are fighting so hard for it. And we (Americans) tend to take it for granted. We are complacent about it. That is why we were surprised by January 6th, surprised by Trump and if teaches us anything it is that Democracy is work. It is vigilance, it is being educated, it is being a savvy consumer of the media, it is voting, it is paying attention and we already have it. We just have to keep it and make it better. We already have it; they (Ukrainians) are starting from scratch."

You may see/listen to her here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5l2nN0rBpk

Whatever happens and however this shakes out, one thing is certain - Volodymyr Zelenskyy will go down in history as an exceptional leader who rose to the greatest challenge of his lifetime.  With limited resources and minimal experience, he has had to lead a nation, while facing an uphill battle against a seemingly insurmountable enemy.  A relative newcomer to public service, there was no way to know how he would deal with such a situation. His reaction, his stance and his approach is both humbling and heartwarming. Declining an offer to evacuate, the Ukrainian President said this - "I need ammunition, not a ride."

"I need ammunition, not a ride": Zelenskyy proves to be an example of leadership.

Zelenskyy's courage and the determination of the Ukrainian people has led to some unforeseen and remarkable developments.  Germany reversed a historic policy of never sending weapons to conflict zones, saying the Russian invasion of Ukraine was an epochal moment that imperiled the entire post-World War II order across Europe. Even a historically neutral country such as Switzerland has agreed to adopt all the sanctions that the European Union has imposed on Russian people and companies and freeze Russian assets to punish the invasion of Ukraine.

As Russia bombarded civilian areas in Kharkiv, killing many citizens, Ukrainians continue to resist their advances. This is far from over. Let us keep Ukraine in our prayers. 

If you know of any Russian-owned businesses or people of Russian origin, please be kind.  They did not cause this and have little control over it. In fact, most of them are against this aggression. Many Russians in several cities have protested this invasion of Ukraine, while facing arrest and detention. 

I have completed my Island Batik/Aurifil March challenge, but I will share that in my next post. 

As promised here are the winners of the giveaway from February Challenge and Bloghop. The randomly generated numbers are 11 (Katie), 32 (Shirley C), 41 (Quilter Kathy) and 45 (Julie in GA). Emails are  on their way.