Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 29-30. 2022

April 29, 2022, Day 65.
There is a moth in the house and it is teasing Dad - he's trying to catch it and is "running after it" (he walks very slowly these days with the aid of walking sticks or a walker - these jokes are one of his ways to talk about his limited mobility. It was a laundry day and Mom spent some time taking pictures again - there is an apple tree that is about to bloom. Mom says that the only way to survive is by holding on to each other.   

April 30, 2022, Day 66.
This is a day when we remember my Mom's Mom - so we talk about her a bit. Our daily routine of calling and texting everyone to check on them continues. During our video calls, my parents and I compare news from all the family and friends. In normal life, the first of May would be a day for a picnic, a day to see the forest after the winter, or check out fields that are becoming green: we called it "go outside the city". But forests and fields are now filled with mines. And Kharkiv is shelled continually - for 66 days straight.

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 27-28. 2022

April 27, 2022, Day 63.
Dad talked mom into giving him a haircut and is bragging about it (he worked on it for many days). He complains that he shaved and we did not notice.There were some loud noises nearby and all loud noises freaked them out but we managed to change the subject quickly to the etymology of the word kantor (I have no idea what the connection was). We also discussed the book of contemporary author that they suggested for me as a good read in Ukrainian (Prohasko "Bo Take"). Mom found a bunch of horsetails near their place and is fascinated by them. We discuss how old these species are and how they should remember dinosaurs. 

April 28, 2022, Day 64.
Mom gave Dad a haircut - he thinks it is too long, and she thinks it is too short. I am glad they spent half a day working on it. Mom found a spider in a flower and spend a the rest of the day taking pictures of it. Dad is happy that they got a parcel in the mail and lists all the things in it - Cayenne pepper is mentioned several times. We talk about different parts of Kharkiv and the situation there and report to each other on the news about different friends.

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 25, 26. 2022

Kharkiv is being shelled every day by russian army since February 24, 2022. 

April 25, 2022, Day 61.
I tried to liberate myself from the confinement of the spread by sketching on separate sheets of paper and ended up with the same result I think. But it gave me the freedom to try this new ink and brush - it is slower to write with a brush - so I did not make as many notes. They reported on what food they got and what kinds of tasty things Mom made with it. And that sunrise was especially gorgeous and they were taking photos of it.

April 26, 2022, Day 62.
Good day - lots of jokes! Dad was making all sorts of creatures for me from a piece of aluminum foil and we were playing a guessing game. A relative called and informed him that the witches of Ukraine are working on stopping the war. We discussed that we have all sorts of religious and spiritual views in the family but we - together with all progressive mankind - are wishing lots of professional success to witches if they can stop the madness of the war. 

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 23, 24. 2022

Kharkiv is being shelled every day by russian army since February 24, 2022. 

April 23, 2022, Day 59.
On this day, we talk about colors a lot. Mom remembers watercolors that my grandpa was sending as a very special gift to his uncle, we talk about the names and chemical sources and formulas of different colors. Both of my parents are chemists (Dad is physical chemist, Mom biochemist) and they talk about chemical reactions, old chemical labs that they had a chance to work, how some of the experiments they did early in their careers would not be allowed now. But somehow it all goes back to colors again.

April 24, 2022, Day 60.
April 24 marks two months since the world turned upside down for many millions of people. Two months of daily shelling of Kharkiv. My parents are doing ok. It is relatively quiet where they are now, they can go outside without being afraid of russian artillery. They are still having hard time sleeping through the night and are constantly worried for the remainder of the family in Kharkiv. And friends, of course. And neighbors. And about their grandson in the army. About all the family and friends that are now displaced. Today is a Greek Orthodox Easter, my parents are atheists, but we always enjoyed the holiday: the communal cooking and eating, candles, traditional painting of the eggs. My parents made pancakes with the apples that volunteers brought a couple of days ago, and their neighbors invited them to an Easter feast.

April 25, 2022, Day 61.

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 20, 21, 22. 2022

Kharkiv is being shelled every day by russian army since February 24, 2022. 

April 20, 2022, Day 56.
There is a black cat that is now visiting my parents daily. They say that the cat has too much of an attitude. He sprayed the door repeatedly and stole food from the dog. They sang me some songs from my childhood and taught me some new Ukrainian words. Mom repaired some clothing - so the day counted as productive.

April 21, 2022, Day 57.
Many hard things were discussed, and the mood was strange. My mom said that the weather wasn't so bad as the clouds were higher than yesterday. To which my Dad replied - it was only in your eyes that they were higher. But they got some fresh bread which was very tasty (they both are bread connoisseurs and eat it with everything - including pasta). And some cheese and even some oranges - and it was a good mood adjuster for them.   

April 22, 2022, Day 58.
On this day conversation turned many times to their home. They miss it a lot. Little things just slip through in the conversation. They tell me that they made a cabbage soup - vegetarian. And then - "to fight the vegetarianism", they opened a can of patte. War is weighing them down a lot on this day but Mom found the very first grape snail and one of the trees started to bloom - so overall there are many things to be grateful for.

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 17, 18, 19, 2022

Kharkiv is being shelled every day by russian army since February 24, 2022. 

April 17, 2022, Day 53.
We are remembering funny expressions in the Ukrainian and russian languages and discussing how our perception of poets and authors is based on their works and probably has nothing to do with the real people. The sky on this day was beautiful but foreboding. Dad saw a stork! 

April 18, 2022, Day 54.
More shelling in Kharkiv, very close to their place now (part of the family lives there now), they lost power and internet for some time, but heroes of the city restored everything within 24 hours. Conversation returns to the parts of Kharkiv that are destroyed, and we agree that one of the most positive ways of thinking about it is to imagine how much better the new city will be: smarter logistically, greener. Framing is everything!

April 19, 2022, Day 55.
My parents are making friends with the locals: two cats came and ate what was prepared for the dog (everything but the carrots). Parents tell me about their day - it looks a lot like mine: we start by checking with people - how is everyone, our large family and many friends. We check on all inside Ukraine first, starting with those in the worst places. Then we move to those who are outside - everyone is displaced. Kharkiv is shelled non-stop, my school building got hit two days ago, my Dad went there too. It is raining and the weather is cold. We talk about why wet rocks and leaves look prettier than dry ones.

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 15-16, 2022

Kharkiv is being shelled every day by russian army since February 24, 2022. 

April 15, 2022, Day 51.
Ther report on the house plants and how many circles Dad made around the house. We discuss which parts of Kharkiv were bombed and exchange news from family and friends. The weather is supposed to be bad - but they hope that it means that russian army has a hard time going on the offensive. Mom says that when she wakes up it takes time to bring back all the new reality - it comes in layers.

April 16, 2022, Day 52.
We discuss upcoming holiday celebrations, and Mom remembers how my grandma (who was now allowed to attend church all her adult life) took my Mom to look at the lights on Easter. We talk about how hard it is to read books now and what are our requirements: light, no violence, short, easy. We discuss how much reading news and social media squeezed our literature reading time, and parents argue about some bloggers and their influence. Mom can cry now - a little more. It was very hard before - a little easier now. 

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 12-13, 2002

These were the first conversations and first portraits I drew of my parents after they temporarily relocated out of their apartment in Kharkiv, Ukraine. 

The city is being shelled every day by russian army since February 24, 2022.

April 12, 2022, Day 48.
Though they are not that far away, the road took a long time and was complicated by destroyed bridges, anti-tank hedgehogs, and many block-posts. But it was also filled with good people who tried to help. One of the things that don't stop amazing me in this whole situation is how much people are trying to help each other.

April 13, 2022. Day 49.
They report that the day went well and list all the things that they decided to bring with them (on top of the list that we discussed before) and all the things that they are missing now. They tell me a story about a friend who was no longer a friend because of his love for putin - and how a rocket in his backyard changed his opinion completely. "He needs new windows - but at least the brains are getting less foggy!" - says Dad. 

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 9, 2002. I am changing the frequency of these updates.

Сonversations with my parents. They are in Kharkiv, Ukraine, the city is being shelled by russian army since February 24, 2022.

Day 45 of the war. The artillery attacks on the city intensified and I am going to take a break from drawing these daily portraits as other tasks require my attention. My parents are ok at the moment and I will post updates when I have a chance.

Mom said, " I would like to go to sleep, wake up and find that the war is over".

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 7-8, 2002

Сonversations with my parents. They are in Kharkiv, Ukraine, the city is being shelled by russian army since February 24, 2022.

April 7, 2022
They made fried fish for dinner and did not go out - there was some construction on the street. We talk about how different literature and other art (and foods) serve at one time and do not work at other times. And how sometimes there is a line or two in a poem that speaks to us and the rest can be thrown away but without the rest, there is no whole.

April 8, 2022
It was a loud day - russian artillery continues to pound the city. Their street was swiped by municipal workers today and it was raining when we spoke so it will look fresh and clean tomorrow. Economical questions and memories filled conversation today - the evolution of the price of Mom's favorite baked product is as interesting as Dad's indignation about current broom prices.

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 4-5-6, 2002

Сonversations with my parents. They are in Kharkiv, Ukraine, the city is being shelled by russian army since February 24, 2022.

April 4, 2022
Dad is questioning the sanity of everyone. Mom relies on poetry when things are hard to express. We went from Akhmatova to early Tychyna. Yesterday Shakespear. What will tomorrow bring? Mom says: "No matter what - we are a happy family. They can never take that from us."

April 5, 2022
There was a lot of rain and wind during the day and something was making loud noises in their apartment building. Was it an open window in one of the now-empty apartments? Roof tile got loose? Door? War? We talk about an old tradition of cleaning carpets in the snow: you put a carpet down on a fresh pile of snow or hang it on a tree branch and beat it up with a stick (or tennis racquet). It was a part of every winter, a ritual - a chore but one that could be a lot of fun if you add a snowball fight. A loud activity! Nobody likes loud noises these days - especially unexplained loud noises. We say "Good Night" - it now has a lot of meaning. I hope they will find what was making that noise.

April 6, 2022
We talk about the animals that were evacuated from one of the zoological parks (it was bombed badly again and now is destroyed). Dad remembers a bear who got into their food storage during one of his many travels. Today's poetry is mostly poems that they read to me when I was little. We talk about how we think that Greece and Rome were different in spirit and whether it is right to compare them. More memories. But no matter the time - the war is a senseless and merciless nightmare.

Daily reports in the form of the portraits - war in Ukraine. April 1-3, 2002

My conversations with my parents.  They are in Kharkiv, Ukraine, the city is being shelled by russian army since February 24, 2022.

April 1, 2022
Lots of people checked on them today. The latest soup was forgotten on the stove and became a porridge but Dad ate two portions. We discussed the very first music records that my grandfather purchased and how his collection grew with time. Remembered some neighbors' dogs and how no matter the century but the dogs look and behave the same. The weather is turning to the usual "last kick of the winter" moment which always feels like a betrayal and both bodies and minds are fighting it. Mom decided to use the very last portion of the ice cream to fix the situation.

April 2, 2022
There was a thunderstorm in the city, and at first, they could not understand if this was another shelling or not. But were happy that it was not. Mom went for a walk before the storm and saw a beautiful magpie - it was alone on the street. The rain continued during our conversation. Mom called it peaceful.

April 3, 2022
There are things that we do not go deep into in our conversations. To stay afloat mentally, to live another day. Today there were several - close and closer. Tomorrow's forecast is predicting wet snow and Mom is planning mashed potatoes for dinner. Days are getting longer.