Living in Solidarity

The 16th Street scene in Washington DC

2020 has certainly been a challenging year to say the least, as the past few weeks have definitely been a wake up call for America. I’ve been absorbing and collecting so much information as our Black communities continue to face injustices of racism, hatred and brutal intimidation of the opposition. An organized effort to end racial discrimination in the United States began in the late 1940’s. Steps were taken to change laws, but were never enforced. Why has it taken the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and most recently George Floyd to bring us to the realization that these events occurring in the 21st century have set us back decades.

The time has come where we CANNOT not sit silently, it is important that we speak up to include the voiceless and for those whose voices go unheard. We must be relentless in our pursuit to learn about, understand, and embrace each other’s differences in order to live civilly and peacefully together.

Additional items for supporting our communities:
Consider learning about and possibly donating to the NAACP, ACLU, Black Lives Matter, and Color of Change. Follow black journalists and activists, such as April Ryan, Yamiche Léone Alcindor and Nikole Hannah-Jones.

Lastly, I will always continue to support locally black owned restaurants for their ethnic cuisine that define the dining scene of the DMV.

Stay safe,
Kathleen

Weekend Living

Before heading outdoors this morning I perused through a few photos for inspiration from gardens visited in the past. My eye stopped in Marrakech to view the landscaped areas of Jardin Majorelle the estate of Yves Saint Laurent.  I am always intrigued by native varieties of plants within a region. The blue and green tiled patio in this photo had a pink trumpet vine {Podranea riscasdiana} cascading down into the square to create a refreshing contrast with the hot arid climate. There were also an abundance of Barbary figs and prickly pears {Oputiaspp} planted towards the exit of the museum, which are native to Mexico but commonly found in Morocco.

Nothing gives me more pleasure than rising early on a beautiful weekend morning to walk around the garden, armed with a cup of strong coffee and my camera. Photographing the day to day changes is an exciting way of recording a season, which is also a useful tool in planning for the next year. I can also never resist cutting a few colorful blossoms to place in vases or picking fresh herbs to enhance the flavors of lunch or dinner.

After a busy day of trimming trees, planting peonies, clearing debris from the yard, there is nothing like ending a busy Saturday with an old fashioned barbecue of hamburgers and hot dogs. As, I am not a beer drinker, there is nothing like a Cabernet sauvignon to sip as the sun goes down.

Enjoy your weekend and stay safe,
K