Happy Africa Day

"Africa Day is the annual commemoration of the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity on 25 May 1963. It is celebrated in various countries on the African continent, as well as around the world. Wikipedia"


This is a wildflower. I found it in the wild. My iPhone gives me two options and I think it is Vicia. If so, it is native to everywhere. 


I have a monster huge hosta. I think it is an elephant ear hosta. Today a catbird walked and sat on it, causing the hosta no problem. Additional birds are using the crows' birdbath. I get to sit or stand at my desk and look at things like this and a sneaky little squirrel roaming my garden looking for something. 


 NATO supplied Ukraine with howitzers. Ukraine used one to hit a Russian base 20 km away. 


Ukrainian business leaders have joined the military. There is a Ukraine CEO Club with more than 200 members. When the government reported a shortage of body armor, club members opened a factory to make bullet-proof vests and made 30,000 in two weeks for about $150 each, or one-fourth the cost of imported Western versions. 


The Guardian has a story of a veterinary student, Anastasiya Tykha, 20, and her husband, Arthur Lee, 26, fled Kyiv, crossing the bridge seven times under fire. They had run an animal shelter for four years. They escaped with 19 dogs, five cats, a turtle, a chameleon, two Triton lizards, an axolotl, and a hamster. Some of the dogs are disabled. Some of the dogs, terrified, escaped. When they got to the bridge the first time they were surrounded by press photographers. A group of Ukrainian soldiers helped them and shooed the photographers away. A friend had arranged a minivan and a place to stay. The next day they learned that everyone was talking about them and Tykha was presumed dead. Each day for several days she went back to the military checkpoint and demanded to be allowed to go back and get the escaped dogs. Finally the commander at the checkpoint allowed her through. It took three trips to find them all, and each time rescued additional animals. Now they are in a rented house in Irpin but with 30 dogs and 10 cats. 


In Kyiv, Ukraine has put Russian tanks on display. 


A new European Commission proposal would allow EU governments to seize assets of people or companies who evade EU sanctions. It would also punish lawyers, bankers, etc who help circumvent sanctions.