My little Mikawa

One of my little Mikawas has a few little leaves. 

This morning we had snow and ice for a few minutes. 

One of my models in Virginia had been in a really, really bad place financially and I was very scared for her. Now she has an apartment and in the spring she will be Program Director for an arts program teaching to kids. I’m amazed. The twists and turns of life.Sometimes they go good, not just bad.

You remember that woman who runs the Central Bank in Russia? She tried to resign when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and wasn’t allowed to? She’s been pulling every trick to keep the economy above water? Elvira Nabiullina. Despite all her measures officials are worried that she is finally losing control and Russia will face inflation as a result of its massive military spending. 


Ukraine has begun raising funds to rebuild the country with a crowdfunding platform. Replacing just the housing will cost $69 billion and $2 billion is needed urgently. It is using United24, its own crowdfunding platform. Supporters can explore a map of homes that are in need of repair. Each address features a 3D rendering of the home before it was damaged in the war. Some of them include personal stories.