Poppy red

100 Day Project Day 80

Today I was researching cultural symbols, and discovered that I have the official flower of Palestine growing in my garden. It’s a plant I transported from my previous much more inspiring garden, and I’m so chuffed to discover it has a new layer of meaning to me.

It’s flowering just now. Unfortunately it’s not quite the right flower for the headdress of my mixed media girl, who has taken on a feeling of grief for me. Instead I have chosen the Anemone coronaria, or Palestinian poppy, chosen as the national flower of Palestine because its colours reflect those of the flag, which Palestinians were banned from displaying.

It should also be noted that the (then) Tory UK Home Secretary tried to suggest a ban on displaying the Palestinian flag in the UK as recently as October 2023. There is currently a storm brewing at Eurovision as they are also suggesting a ban. I’m boycotting Eurovision this year, unsurprisingly.

Anyway, I wasn’t going to write much, because the horror of what is being done in Rafah, by a regime who rejected a deal that included the return of the hostages, is leaving me feeling that writing anything is pointless.

Over on Facebook I am being pointedly ignored by just about everyone, but I’d rather walk solo than do people-pleasing and pretend there’s not a genocide happening.

Til the morn,

Suzanne