Welcome Back

-
There can be no misunderstanding that this is the welcoming sign I like to see.
Spring is almost here and first blooms have appeared.
Perhaps she sees clouds in her bucket ...
and he, stars in the sand.
Leaves are still sleeping but will soon fill the land.
Snow will melt, maybe flow over seaside pathways and down city streets.
Contemplating the Poets and Storytellers United prompt "misunderstood" along my way, life has shown how challenging it can be to communicate personal truths honestly and yet far too easy, especially nowadays, to manipulate objective truths.
Like people, the facts fall prey to oversimplifications and easily ascribed false motives, although they are man's best friends who say what we sometimes don't want to hear.
Mark Twain is quoted as saying: "Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please." Pursuit of truth is the calling we all share to make a better world.
Explore more at Poets and Storytellers United, SKYWATCH and Saturday's Critters.

Comments

  1. Carol @Comfort Spring StationMarch 13, 2025 at 12:05 PM

    Happy Spring - I loved the flowers

    ReplyDelete
  2. JimMarch 13, 2025 at 1:25 PM

    Good.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Spare Parts and PicsMarch 13, 2025 at 2:36 PM

    Beautiful photos and thoughts. I love the photo of the city under snowy peaks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. ShammickiteMarch 13, 2025 at 5:30 PM

    I love the pic of the dogwalker. I hope he has lots of doggy bags on hand! And those dogs are walking along so obediently.

    ReplyDelete
  5. magiceyeMarch 13, 2025 at 6:29 PM

    Lovely photos!

    ReplyDelete
  6. TomMarch 14, 2025 at 5:57 AM

    ...Maria, in these challenging times, seek out the beauty that surrounds you. Elbow Up!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rosemary Nissen-WadeMarch 14, 2025 at 6:45 AM

    Such a lot of propaganda around these days! I agree we should seek the facts, but they can be hard to find.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yogi♪♪♪March 14, 2025 at 6:55 AM

    Beautiful photos, insightful thoughts and poem.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Rose PMarch 14, 2025 at 9:18 AM

    Loving the growing signs of springtime :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mystic MeanderingMarch 14, 2025 at 10:29 AM

    Wise words.... Love the skyline against the mountains. Kinda reminds me of a superimposed reality :) Indeed it is challenging to communicate personal "truths" against a background of lies. You never really know what a certain person's "truth" is because it's all being manipulated - on purpose... Unfortunately... :(

    ReplyDelete
  11. Jae RoseMarch 14, 2025 at 6:14 PM

    I like the thought of buckets full of clouds - Jae

    ReplyDelete
  12. Light and VoicesMarch 14, 2025 at 9:07 PM

    Two photographs will stick in my mind this week. The child looking into the bucket for clouds and how happy the dog walker is plus the dogs are so well behaved.

    ReplyDelete
  13. NandiniDekaMarch 15, 2025 at 12:31 AM

    lovely pictures and beautiful thoughts

    ReplyDelete
  14. eileeninmdMarch 15, 2025 at 12:22 PM

    Hello,
    Cute welcome sign with the bear! Beautiful photos of the kiddies on the beach and the mountain and skyline! That would be way too many dogs for me to walk. I would be pulled down the street! Pretty flowers and photos. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  15. ~Lavender Dreamer~March 15, 2025 at 1:01 PM

    Happy Spring to you too! It's fun to have a camera at this time of year!

    ReplyDelete
  16. carol l mckennaMarch 16, 2025 at 9:32 AM

    Wonderful photos and words welcoming transition of Spring ~ thanks, hugs,

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    clm ~ A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka ( A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sallie (FullTime-Life)March 16, 2025 at 9:53 AM

    Thank you Maria -- I believe that I understand your words here completely and I know that I am grateful for you always thoughtful way of phrasing difficult concepts

    ReplyDelete
  18. Shiju SugunanMarch 17, 2025 at 2:24 AM

    Such stunning photos and a thoughtful reflection on truth and perspective, beautifully expressed. Welcome back indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hena TayebMarch 17, 2025 at 12:53 PM

    People are preferring a misinformation and propaganda, they don't want the truth. They don't care until it affects them then it's all tears and 'why me'.

    ReplyDelete
  20. stardustMarch 18, 2025 at 2:49 AM

    Powerful and thoughtful poem and messages as always, Maria. The innocent children playing at the beach made me smile. I see a flying phenix in the 6th image, which made me feel together with the last image that clouds are watching over us hiding truth in their ever-changing forms. We must seek the truth on our own. Why can’t we see the same direction like into the sky instead of arguing each other’s differences.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Barbara RogersMarch 18, 2025 at 12:11 PM

    I enjoyed reading this post, seeing your wonderful photos and considering your thoughts. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  22. purplepeninportland.comMarch 20, 2025 at 5:22 PM

    A wonderful summing-up poem of today's truths and lies. Love the little girl and her bucket.

    ReplyDelete
  23. David M. Gascoigne,March 23, 2025 at 6:08 AM

    I like that Mark Twain quote. Sadly facts are sometimes hard to come by these days, and conspiracy theories and AI generated images cloud the landscape of truth.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sallie (FullTime-Life)March 25, 2025 at 10:10 AM

    Thank you as always -- and especially want to let you know that the line under Penelope's Umbrella picture has such a deep meaning for me right now. Hold on to the light. I am trying.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Your thoughts add colour to the content and are always much appreciated. Please note comments that are embedded with activated links might not go through.

Popular posts from this blog

Paper Bag Princess Gowns & Mom's Homemade Dresses

-
Image
Remember the beloved children's tale The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch? She had only a paper bag to wear after a dragon destroyed her castle and belongings. The shallow prince whom she rescued showed his true nature by complaining she didn't look like a princess dressed in that bag. Good riddance to the prince but here are some paper dresses any royal or awesome regular girl would be proud to wear. I came upon these works of art at the Oakridge Mall in Vancouver. Hopefully, they will end up in a local museum or someplace where more people will enjoy them. The lovely regal garments made of paper capture the elements and majesty of the natural world. The Langara College Paper Couture Exhibition by Vancouver design students explains what materials are used to create the clothing: "All of the dresses are made from a variety of recyclable white or brown paper, tissue, tapes, glue, spray paint, adhesives, paper twine, coffee filters, cardboard, string, thum...
Read more

The Couch Art Where Bernie Came To Visit

-
Image
 "On the Web we all become small-town visitors lost in the big city." - Alison Gopnik President Joe Biden's inauguration was bursting with inspirational speeches and events.  Heaven knows many who now breathe a sigh of relief also needed a good laugh.  That's when  Bernie stepped in with his cool attitude and awesome mittens.  I couldn't resist joining so many others who included him in various ways in different spaces. I think he looks super cute and cozy on a sofa designed for the cover art of my Couch & Company  story. Hope you enjoy it and explore more of the artistic side of life at  Paint Party Friday .   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 .
Read more

The Door To Forest Magic At Sandy Trail

-
Image
There it was ... a bright dollop of sunshine in a tangle of forest greens, browns and silvery grays. The yellow door snuggled against a tree said Fairy Hall and, in tiny faint lettering beneath, No Trolls . Oh, how I'd love to know what goes on inside Fairy Hall. I wanted to tap on the door but, a giant by comparison, I didn't want to cause a scare. I often take the Sandy Trail with its gravelly path, woodsy stumps, well-trod stairs, rabbits, birds and squirrels. I know every twist and rustling sound. But I hadn't noticed the small door before. This unexpected bit of whimsy magic tucked into the forest floor made me curious about what else was in the mysterious thicket I'd yet to explore. When I continued on my way, the trees leaned in ... as if they had a secret to tell. Later, I found another fairy door (below), welcoming, but only to a select few. See OUR WORLD to explore more sights from around the globe and SIGNS, SIGNS . Still the kid I used to be ...
Read more