In smart work there is less joy than in a game of tag and time is running out for children and adults alike into the hustle and bustle of memories.
Who caught whom? No one asks about the tag But everyone writes a report On the questions they asked And answers they received Only relevant to self It seems
But to receive an answer Is to make a promise of gratitude.
No one knows Few understand
Has the person who asked got lost earlier? Or did they ask in time? To be grateful? Or to be done? Choose.
– Alicja Pyszka-Franceschini
Additional good read for this week:
This article has caught my attention this week. Very interesting read. This is the Key to Achieving ‘Time Affluence’ (click to read).
Poem and photography by Alicja Pyszka-Franceschini, 2025. Copying without an explicit and written permission from the author is not allowed.
Po Polsku
W mądrej pracy jest mniej radości niż w grze w berka, a dzieciom i dorosłym czas ucieka tak samo w zgiełk wspomnień.
Kto kogo złapał? Nikt nie pyta, Ale każdy pisze raport Z pytań, które zadał I odpowiedzi, które otrzymał. Dotyczących tylko siebie Wydawać by się mogło. Ale otrzymać odpowiedź To złożyć obietnicę wdzięczności.
Nikt nie wie. Niewielu rozumie.
Czy osoba, która zapytała, zgubiła się wcześniej? Czy zapytała w porę?
Być wdzięcznym? Czy po prostu mieć wszystko zrobione? Wybierz.
Wiersz Alicji Pyszki-Franceschini, 2025.
Ten artykuł przykuł moją uwagę w tym tygodniu. Bardzo interesujący!
Artykuł w magazynie Forbes zatytułowany “To jest klucz do osiągnięcia ‘Bogactwa Czasu'” (kliknij w link tutaj)
Do następnego razu. x
Material Copyrighted by Alicja Pyszka-Franceschini, 2025. Copying without an explicit and written permission from the author is not allowed.
Do you remember the song by Ed Sheeran called Photograph? The official music video consists of photographs and video cuts. These are from his early childhood and his early music career. I love the simplicity of it all and the sheer joy of watching a growing child, his first steps, his running around and the shrieks of a toddler finding his voice. It is so moving. The decor of his family’s house that is sealed in time. The hands of the family members that carefully assist him in making his first steps, in music or drawing, busking and then all the Happy Birthday’s sung together to celebrate the child. Call me sentimental, but that song makes me cry. It is all moving and all beautiful. I am very inspired by the song and the video. It inspires me to rediscover my own family archive. These are the good times.
Photos taken in Derby (UK), in Poland and in Derby Museum and Art Gallery.
Once upon a time we had a rabbit. The rabbit died over a year ago just on New Year’s Eve. We took the rabbit tray outside, it was in our garden collecting rain water and algae. It was a big cage, capacious. When the big freeze came over the last week all that water with algae froze creating interesting patterns and compositions. I chopped the ice with an old bread tin. It was also filled with heavy ice. Our son lifted it off the tray. He placed it next to his knee to show how tall and thick it was, impressive in size. I photographed the blocks of ice while they were still floating among the icy water and when son was holding the ice.
The algae surrounded them. I then post-processed the photos in Lightroom. My favourite abstract composition is below.
I wonder what you think of it all?
Let me know.
x
And yesterday while walking, I met this little being. I think its eye is in the abstract.
Writing and photography: Alicja Pyszka-Franceschini, 2025, Home Studio, Derby, UK. Outdoor photo taken in Willington, South Derbyshire.
I’ve got an impression that last winter my mother was making this soup every three days for our children. Her grandson was competing with himself to see how many bowls he could comfortably consume. We all looked at him in disbelief, wondering where that quantity was disappearing. Surely, he was not spoon-feeding the dogs under the table. He loved it. Everyone else did too. They gladly returned from the cold and sat in front of a steaming bowl and each bowl came with a piece of popular Polish bread showered with flax seeds. Yummy.
Do you cook? What do you like making?
The knitted cloth that the soup is placed on is actually a scarf made by my aunt. It is so warm, you won’t believe. Shoulders wear it gracefully indebted to my aunt for many hours of her work. I was comforted by the softness of the scarf. The warmth of the soup also brought reassurance. I am grateful that my mum and aunt keep their skills fresh and that they continuously make an effort. It is mesmerizing to see how things emerge in other people’s hands. As if from nowhere…
Creativity blossomed in our house over the weekend. Icy weather gave us many opportunities to refresh and revive our spirit and gave us hope for a good and creative year. I hope you are feeling equally energized.
The photos of the soup were taken last year in Poland. The photo of my children was taken in Melbourne (UK) at Woodhouse Farm. Many thanks to Brian Woodhouse for allowing me to take photos on his farm and fields.
Below is a photo from my parents’ place in Poland.
It’s hard to see this. This amount of flooding and the road closure. It is easy to become overwhelmed. After all, we see Earth in a trauma response. With a compromised immunity system. When we cross Earth’s boundaries, Earth crosses ours. You feel this too? And yet Earth never stops being generous. Giving beyond the easily discernible. It tells us to look harder, better. Beyond the ‘road closure’ sign. There is art to be grateful for.
Two pieces of work abstracted from ice. Mostly created on this road.
I have one more post to share soon. Expect a new arrival on Sunday.
I hope you are really taking care of yourself. Make use of the refreshing icy weather if you’re based in this hemisphere. And do what makes you happier and stronger. Speak soon. x
Postcards Without Stamps 