From My Bubble To Yours ... Baubles, Critters & Hugs

Holiday hug from Penelope Puddle by Maria Pavlik

As the holiday approaches, here's a hug from my "bubble" to yours via a watercolor my daughter painted when she was small which I later digitally formatted ... much like the safe hugs we give nowadays. An online program helped place the art into an animated snow globe that fit the mood of an upcoming Christmas season in a global pandemic. 


If pleas from the health experts are heeded, people won't be gathering in droves but they will decorate the inside and out of their homes.

I still haven't put up a tree and not sure if I will but someone I know did a fine job sprucing up the one shown at (left). 

The snowman in the globe is the only snow I've seen as yet this year in my southwest corner of B.C. so walking is easy and so is picture taking of places I go.

Pretty baubles have been building instead of snowflakes day by day. 

Unexpectedly, alongside train tracks at Crescent Beach, I saw men were working to ensure no First Nation's skeletal remains were buried in land primed for development. Dizzying when put into motion, a closer look shows the earth being carefully sifted.  

Taking the beach path below, I saw a sky that sometimes is crystal blue but on this day had a smoggy pinkish hue. Although my photo failed to show the majesty of the surroundings, I was bedazzled by the sunlit sea on the horizon.

Later, I saw the iconic large painted boulder (below) in the small City of White Rock.

People and birds love to gather and play along the shoreline. 

A colourful beak suddenly appeared. A patch of white feathers created a heart shape on the black bird diving in and out of the water. It made a pretty picture.
 
Dogs were also out and about ... some with a lot of extra fur.  

Two Alaskan Malamutes were on the pier despite a "no pets" sign at the entrance.  

The pier was seriously damaged during a winter storm and repaired thanks to community support and donations from far and near. People bought planks to rebuild. I like to think it's the Canadian way.   
 
Seagulls ruled the skies but there was also a flag waving from way up high. 


I saw an artistic hug in the cloudy blue, too. Blades of grass embraced a dewdrop in the 17 foot tall sculpture Coastal Cradle (pictured below) by Andy Davies. The orb reminded me of bubbles and baubles, crystal balls, snow globes and the world. 

Back from the pier it was clear, despite local objections, high rises continue to grow.   

High rises are a source of income when tourism is the main industry of a seaside city.

Most folks on mild weather days head outdoors to where there are many spacious paths to wander. I am grateful to have had many such wonderful walks in the outdoors during this strange and stressful year. But I look forward to breaking free from bubbles and, arms wide open, to blanketing someone outside my sphere in a big warm hug.


Explore more scenes from OUR WORLDfind the artistic side of life at Paint Party Friday, and enjoy discovering non-human life at Saturday's Critters.


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.

Comments

  1. Hello,

    I love your cute snow globe. You did a beautiful edit with the animation. The Christmas tree is pretty too. I love the cool looking Surf Scoter, they can be seen here along the coast in the winter. Great closeups of the Gull and the cute dogs. Gorgeous views of the coastline and water. Take care, enjoy your day! Wishing you a happy new week!

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  2. PS, thank you for linking up and sharing your critters and post!

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  3. Oh wow, such a great post. Canada gets so many things right!! I'm also looking forward to the day when we can give and receive hugs.

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  4. I like the beach like the birds do. I love that blade holding dew sculpture.

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  5. An unusual beach and very special. I like the way everything seem to work together here. Except for that white-painted rock. Seems a little pity to me. Rock are natural beauty.
    Those dogs are cute.

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  6. Wonderful series of beautiful photos ~ love the Xmas globe (fond memories) ~

    Live with love each moment,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  7. I love the snow globe. Such a delightful way to send good wishes to friends and family.

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  8. I am quite sure that it is physical contact that most of us miss so deeply. I haven't hugged a friend or relative in so long it seems like forever. We have been a part of Lily's life almost since she was born, but we have never yet been able to hold her. She is getting to the point where she recognizes us and perks up even when she hears our voices, but we have never been able to sit and cuddle with her. We deliberately keep a safe distance from her. It is very sad indeed. A vaccination is now in sight, but it is going to be several months before it is available, distributed and people are vaccinated. The pandemic is not done with us yet. The horsemen of the apocalypse are still coming over the hill.

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    1. When it's safe to do so, you holding Lily is a picture I really look forward to seeing one day!

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  9. Yes , a colorful beak of black bird is pretty critter.... lovely first image.
    Thank you for sharing beautiful series of photos.

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  10. Such a sweet snow globe card. Thank you so much and I send you a hug back :) Very interesting photos and you sure do live in a pretty area. Loved the ducks, the dogs and the birds, and also the scenery. Happy December to you!

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  11. a beautiful and nice variety of images representing canada. how nice that you have decorated for christmas, we have too. that is a very pretty duck, and such cute looking dogs with soft looking coats!!!

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  12. Maria - that animated snow globe is fabulous!

    I am a huge hugger and hand shaker, so I can't wait for all of this to be over so I can resume my natural state!

    Lately, as I have been watching shows, I have found myself wondering - why aren't they wearing masks - I worry that I have become a suspicious person - it will take some time for us to get over that!

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  13. Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos. I like that they are paying respect to the unearthed bones. Great duck, too, what colours! Have a great weekend, hugs, Valerie

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  14. Great photos, love seeing other parts of the world. How special to share your daughters painting. Its lovely. Have a lovely weekend, Happy PPF, Hazel (Didos) x

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  15. I love how you incorporated your daughter's art into the digital snow globe piece- very cool! Super photos- looks like a lovely area, and how awesome to live so close to the sea....happy PPF!

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  16. The Malamutes are gorgeous. I really like the snowglobe picture.

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  17. Wonderful shots - love those dogs! And thank you for a lovely animated hug from inside your snowglobe.

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  18. Lovely snow globe and photos. I've not put a tree up either, still deciding, but I have decorated the windows with cut outs.

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  19. Your beach photos are beautiful. I love the photo of the duck, so much colour! I love the Canadian way by the way! :) You took such a beautiful photo of the dog's face!!

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  20. I love the seagull ! Your picture makes it so alive ! It makes me think of my hollidays on the South East coast or England ! Each year I spent à week at a friends' s and each morning they woke me up !! Now I am homesick ! No travels this year I become more and more morose ! Christmas will be sad no family all due to this Virus and sometimes very absurde rules !!

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  21. Thank you for sharing these wonderful photographs.
    My good wishes.

    All the best Jan

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  22. That animated snow globe you made is so cool. Holiday hugs to you too. Great photos You live in a beautiful area. I especially love the Crescent Beach photo and that face of the dog! Gorgeous

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  23. A lovely series of photos! love the way, Penelope, how you show your love to your daughter and your surroundings and country. You’ve made me love your part of the world through your posts and Canada for its people and landscape. The photos from the Crescent beach always make me feel nostalgic for my hometown, appealing to my senses with things from the sea. The dog is so cute, especially his nose, in the close-up. Less than one month left, let’s fulfill our share of duty in this unique, strange year.

    Yoko

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  24. Thank you for sharing your wonderful walks and musings ... my ambles keep me sane these days and I would be delighted to find so much beauty and interest... I hadn’t heard of the city of White
    Rock and it seems like a good place to visit. Again, maybe someday. ... I too look forward to interacting more with other people ...I miss hugs and, gosh, even talking to strangers.

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  25. All delightful scenes in your part of the world and I enjoyed all your photos and reading your words. I miss giving and receiving those hugs but hopefully sometime soon there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. The whole world deserves that light.

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  26. What a beautiful post and yes I got dizzy with the worker. I hope he didn't get dizzy. All the best to you and yours, Carver

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  27. Pięknie aż chce sie tu zostać...Pozdrawiam serdecznie:)

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