Are We There Yet?

Sometimes grownups are like kids in the backseat, impatient to get to a destination. I know the feeling. Strange things are happening ... my husband has started writing a screenplay, don't know if he'll finish it. He's never written one before. This stay at home policy inspired me to get back to Penelope art among other things.

While I kept close to home, Penelope traveled through portals, over clouds and dipped her foot in rainbow drenched water. Her elephant friend, Blue, made rainbows, too.

On my walk, waves of choppy waters flew like manes on galloping horses. Across the bay, city dwellers (below) coped in their own ways, alone together. Everyone wants life to get back to how it was before the virus. People mostly follow the rules of distancing, etc. knowing it creates less burden on hospitals. This moment is pivotal. B.C. shows signs that the arc is bending but we are not there yet. With better weather some might decide they have "had enough", indulge in risky behaviors and wipe away all previous efforts. “To lose patience is to lose the battle,” Mahatma Gandhi said. Waiting is hard. Less freedom is hard. Being part of a global community to save lives is rewarding. In the arc of history, this is our moment ... when normalcy is the true pot of gold.

Explore more at OUR WORLD, image-in-ing and Mosaic Monday.

Still the kid I used to be

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle and Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride to view more West Coast scenes.

Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.

Pawns Wait & Isolate; Hearts & Stones Move Us

An anonymous person once said, “Chess isn’t always about winning. Sometimes, it is simply about learning and so is life.” What I am learning is that the pandemic is a big test of human perseverance and creativity to eventually vanquish this global threat.

Scientists and leaders ponder what to do next while housebound pawns, kings and queens do their part by staying in safe spaces as much as possible. During a solitary walk near home, I came upon giant chess pieces standing stiff as sentinels on the cemented squares of a driveway ... a little like us waiting to be moved.

Less surprising was heart art for essential workers on whom we rely.

These displays were everywhere.

Some were quite crafty.

Some dangled on branches ... others had notes written on them.

Not only hearts expressed appreciation. Rocks had something to say, too.

For a blissful feeling, link to inspirational rock art created by folks in the Langley area. These painted expressions tucked alongside pathways wait to be discovered like gifts. After watching the video and seeing chess pieces earlier, I was inspired to play a game with my husband. I can't guarantee this will happen to you, at least not with my husband, but your pursuit of some long forgotten goal could be renewed.

Explore more at OUR WORLD and image-in-ing.

Still the kid I used to be

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle and Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride to view more West Coast scenes.

Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.

Unstoppable Spring & Virtual Travel

An oddly defaced stop sign looked as though someone was having a tantrum about the pleasant weather calling us to play outdoors but under certain restrictions.

Even a simple walk was no longer completely carefree, although the views from Kwomais Point Park of Tsawwassen and the Gulf Islands were as dreamy as ever.

The nearby 1001 Steps gateway to the beach was closed. I can't remember this ever happening, unless for repairs, until now.

Around the corner, a white carpet of tiny daisy-like flowers appeared right on cue to show some things remained normal and that hope for renewal still sprung eternal.

Walking locally or hanging out in the backyard was nice but I've found a whole new way of traveling without leaving my chair. There's a series of walking YouTube videos mostly unpolished and by non-professionals, making them all the more interesting and realistic. They give insight into all corners of the world from back alleys to city centers. If you long for rain, go to a Rambalac video in Japan the way I did ... with a click. Your dream bucket list is waiting, from the wailing wall in Jerusalem to Istanbul in Turkey when gatherings of crowds, a short while ago, was perfectly normal. What a luxury.

Explore more at OUR WORLD and image-in-ing.

Still the kid I used to be

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle and Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride to view more West Coast scenes.

Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.

When Sandcastles Are Out Of Reach

Before now there was tuberculous and polio that sent shivers through populations everywhere.

People distanced themselves from the unfortunate victims then, too.

Families could visit their afflicted loved ones only through glass and masks. These diseases, ravaging different generations, eventually had preventative solutions.

COVID-19 is this generation's challenge and more global and tricky than ever. We don't necessarily know who the victims are so we must assume everyone has it.

Our call to action is a strange one until a vaccine is found. It's to stay home.

It's to play in our own little bubbles and to leave the beaches bare. The lure of sea and summer sun is strong, though, so time will tell how well we do. I'm hoping for a rainy season ahead. Meanwhile, there is signage and monitoring of parks and beaches.

When sandcastles are out of reach, it doesn't hurt to have a laugh or two. I hope you enjoy the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, in this prevention-tip musical.

Explore more at OUR WORLD.

Still the kid I used to be

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle and Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride to view more West Coast scenes.

Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.

Easter, Earth Day & Unexpected Gifts

My Earth egg art was inspired by the Easter season, upcoming Earth Day on April 22nd, and science classes that compare the planet to a boiled egg. The outer shell that cracks is the crust where we live, the inner layer is a mantle of flowing rocks and the yolk is the core.

Earth Day focuses on activities that create a more sustainable future. Current inactivity, however, shows there is a positive aspect to simply staying indoors. The pandemic, so devastating to humans, has yielded the unexpected gifts of bluer skies and reemerging wildlife.

It would be incredible if people everywhere stayed home voluntarily for a scheduled time each year, after the virus is overcome, for a healthier planet. It likely won't happen but it's worth noting this stay-at-home policy produced a less shaky ground, drop in air pollution, and clearer water in places like Venice.

Staying close to home, it was time to revisit our 2010 trip to Venice. It was a joy to recall the wonderful sights and unusual atmosphere. With almost no background hum of car traffic, other sounds came alive: the silky swishing of oars, seawater slapping St. Mark's Square, and the wing-like flapping of fabric in mid-air. Now, as I listen outside my window in B.C., Venice's strange sensations seem to be seeping in everywhere.

Explore more at SKYWATCH.

Still the kid I used to be

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle and Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride to view more West Coast scenes.

Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.

Sidestepping Puddles Along The Way

A mix of clouds, sunny skies, wind and occasional showers matched my mood fluctuating like the weather. It was disconcerting to learn any asymptomatic host of COVID-19 can eject the virus into the air simply by breathing. Non-surgical masks for everyone seemed to make sense now but I wanted to forget all of that and enjoy the scenery. What didn't make sense earlier was lining up six feet apart to get into a store only to have the mask-less manager greet people at the door, inches away from their bare faces. Safety is hit and miss but hopefully we'll get through this storm wiser.

The horizon was brooding when I started my walk. Along the way, I saw hearts blooming on a fence like flowers. Creating colourful cut-outs gave people indoors something to do. It was also a way of saying thank you to essential workers.

A fence is a bit like a mask. Some contain and protect better than others I thought, sidestepping a large puddle (below) that mirrored the overhead greenery.

A cat, perched on the roof like a wise old owl, avoided the rain-soaked ground.

Still as a sphinx, with the steely eyes of a hunter, the cat could easily pounce.

The sun appeared and so did a kite. One minute Disney princesses sank to the sea.

The next they were flying high, caught up in the petulant breezes.

Explore more at OUR WORLD.

Still the kid I used to be

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle and Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride to view more West Coast scenes.

Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.