Monday. Left around 9:30. Blacksmith. Mild and overcast, with in the east some clearing; various types of mostly gray clouds, various shades of gray. Light winds out of the northeast. A Monday morning, but during summer vacation time, so quite a few people out, although not busy anywhere. Motorized nuisance in just a few places. Singel to Koningsweg to Wayen. Langeweg, then ARK to Schalkwijk bridge. An old sailboat motoring north near Houten. Tetwijksepad and the five towers of Culemborg. ARK was quiet, and so was the Lek. Light still a bit dull, but toward the northeast more lively. Corn still in the fields everywhere; large mushrooms beginning to attach themselves to the trees. Beatrixsluis and Plofsluis to Jutphase brug (the old sailboat just passing underneath) and Merwedekanaal. The news is full of the White House meeting later today. A new attempt by Europe and Ukraine to swing the administration back toward their position. It should not be necessary, but it's where we are. Theoretically, there's a way to inch forward, thanks to U.S. noises about a possible role in a security guarantee. But for real steps toward some kind of peace we first need some jolts to get Moscow to back off. Little sign of those being lined up; no sign of any Russian inclination to pull back. Even a cease-fire-in-place seems out of reach for the foreseeable future.
No comments:
Post a Comment