Pleasures & Prayers

Do you have a secret wish sometimes whispered in a prayer? I think we all do and sometimes they come true. The Poets and Storytellers United prompt "what pleases you" had me thinking of all the heartfelt prayers waiting to materialize in our chaotic serendipitous world. Meanwhile, there's lots we can do. And if a box of chocolates doesn't suffice, there's eye candy and much more to enjoy in everyday life.

Surely the gods would agree a skirt billowing in the breeze is, indeed, a beautiful thing.

Tiny seahorses inspire the imagination, even when floating on a beach towel.

Banners depicting wildlife dress up the sky. Their cheery flapping lifts the mood.

Much is unpleasant and wrong in life but we can't wait for perfection and must go on, finding pleasures along the way. Sometimes that means escaping into a good movie, which is what my husband and I did on our anniversary. More than a pink fluffy tale, the Barbie story (imo not suitable for very small children) creatively provided poignant views on the roles men and women play in society. I laughed. I cried. I contemplated.

When my daughter and I played with the dolls, it was about fashion and storytelling ... a step up from the cut-out dolls I had as a child. I found our Barbie stuffed in a box. She hadn't aged, although her blond hair turned whitish. Her sidekick, Ken, was in a bigger box with the dollhouse furniture. In the movie, both Barbie and Ken evolved.

The day was particularly special because rain fell after more than a month of dryness.

Luscious clear rain water splashed on the stones exposing their deepest hues.

I delighted in the dousing and the umbrellas popping up and bobbing along the road.

Explore more at Poets and Storytellers United, SKYWATCH and Saturday's Critters. 

Check out my sites: Postcards from Penelope Puddle and Musings of A Puddlist In B.C.

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.

HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT

Glimmers

Another appointment brought me to Vancouver and the view of False Creek out an office window. I saw hundreds of sailboats but only a few sailing. I presumed many boat owners were working, in part, to pay for what likely is a costly harbor to dock.

In the waiting room, I had time to contemplate the latest prompt "glimmers" from Poets and Storytellers United. The results are below.

I wonder, when does a glimmer become a spark and then a flame? These transitions can symbolize a growing passion and sense of purpose. In the literal world of weather, however, rays from the sun that sparkle so brilliantly and stir flowers to bloom are obliviously dangerous in extremes. Moderation is the promise that glimmers for children taught to reduce, reuse and recycle in a world attached to excesses.

Back home, flaming red flowers glimmered. Sunbeams glowed at the edges of petals.

Is glitter glimmer? The beach ball shimmered.

I couldn't get enough of the twinkling, colourful specks.

White sails scissored across the Boundary Bay horizon, occasional reflections glistened.

     

In some areas of B.C. and across the globe, hot temperatures rise and fires rage.

As many of us blithely sail through the days, our respect and appreciation go to the brave fire fighters and tragically, most recently, the nineteen-year-old hero who lost her life on the job. May her memory and the sacrifice also of others be the glimmer that inspires us to be better stewards of the environment. 

Explore more at Poets and Storytellers United and SKYWATCH. 

Check out my sites: Postcards from Penelope Puddle and Musings of A Puddlist In B.C.

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.

HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT

My Slip Into Neverland

Even on days when I feel very old, the kid in me is tugging at my sleeve for attention. So it's no wonder the Poets and Storytellers United prompt to write about "a fantastic first line in literature" brought me to: "All children, except one, grow up" by J. M. Barrie who wrote about Peter Pan and a floating island in the sky called Neverland.

Neverland is slipping into a mind shift where Peter isn't the only one who never gets old. On the surface it appears we have outgrown childhood but the dancing, playing, sometimes teary-eyed resistance to sharing, and mostly wonderment and curiosity gives us away. Of course, our games are more serious and building blocks bigger ... which brings me to all the construction happening in and around my neighborhood.

We have a tendency to tear down and start anew rather than preserve. So a lovely stone fireplace, rubble and smashed glass are all that remain of a once beautiful home.

Funny how I was thinking about broken glass for my post last week and saw it manifested in front of me a few days later but too late for the post. Below, I took a picture of a picture stuck on the side of a big truck at a construction site. 

There's a thin line between fantasy and reality and even reality can be questioned.

Unfortunately, it's rare to see homes surviving one-hundred years as the one above has done. I've heard this charming house endured a fire a few decades ago and was rebuilt maintaining most of its original structure.

A cat crept down the steps and settled into a woolly ball to guard the home.

It's been hot but more bearable with trees for shade and cooling breezes by the water.

Sails flapped like tissue paper on the small boats (above) for learners.

Whether a kid or grownup with pets, we never stop playing or imagining.

When I saw the toy (below) I thought of the crocodile in the Peter Pan story that ate a pirate's hand (Captain Hook) and swallowed a clock. The ticking clock sound perhaps a warning of life's limited time to explore, learn, create, find purpose and enjoy.

Explore more at Poets and Storytellers United, SKYWATCH and Saturday's Critters. 

Check out my sites: Postcards from Penelope Puddle and Musings of A Puddlist In B.C.

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.

HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT

Stepping Out In A Fragile World

We've had hot weather in my part of the country and some folks cooled off at breezy ocean shores. The scenes were serene and everyone seemed to be having fun, although one never knows what goes on internally ... what joys or struggles. The Poets and Storytellers United prompt: "broken glass crunching under the boot steps" had me thinking how careless words can cut deeply into fragile young minds long after they're said. Hateful speech online makes kids particularly vulnerable. Flip-flops work well at the beach but boots not only protect, they can crush the rubble hurtful expressions leave behind and be the metaphor for support systems that help restore dignity.

Boots can also be a metaphor for our reckless trod on Mother Earth as we inexplicably crush our own survival. Underfoot is where ordinary things can appear remarkable. 

   

Someone collected stones and left them on a bench (above).

   

Clouds floated lazily across the sky to disappear behind a haze.

    

Empty boots stood still, waiting for rain puddles to return.

   

A sky blue umbrella kept the heat off one family.

   

A hand-drawn parking stall on a driveway was created for the old and/or disabled. These children were learning to be kind and on the road to learning how to spell.

      

Sailors at Crescent Beach set off in the very slight breeze.

      

Some people were laid back, others in a hurry.

     

An eager Pug said hello. We were a curious pair, sharing unbroken glassy-eyed stares. 

Explore more at Poets and Storytellers United, SKYWATCH and Saturday's Critters. 

Check out my sites: Postcards from Penelope Puddle and Musings of A Puddlist In B.C.

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.

HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT