Free But Not Really

My aspirations are far-flung and seemingly flying freely like the ball (mid-air in the distance) but not really. Somewhat like the kite, eliciting a few words below, life comes with stings attached as we rise and fall and rise again, trying to stay buoyant.

There is a shade of blue breaking through the rippling clouds.

There are shady spots to escape the heat and wander ... 

and the welcomed cooling of breezes.

Cool creations surprise along the way in unexpected places ...

and there are snuggly spaces to hide.

There is faded beauty getting acquainted with its next phase ...

and fresh seeds for a taste of what will become.

And since all things come and go, there is simple contentment in watching life's flow.

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

Flying, Floating, Feeling Free

Summer is about being buoyant and free ... a time to lift with the breeze, kick off our shoes, squish our toes onto bountiful shores and splash our feet in the sloppy blue sea. It is dreams unfurling like colourful flowers and fantastical tales about wily dragons storming sandy castle towers. It is the portal to childhood; a loosening of burdensome strings. Whenever our musings fly there, summer swings near, floating past puddles of unbound tears. It is a refuge where you can be you and I can be me. Both of us free.

Explore more at SKYWATCH and at Poets and Storytellers United where the word freedom is one of the prompts for this week. 

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.

INTO THE LIGHT: IN HONOUR OF SHINZO ABE WHO DIED JULY 8, 2022

Building Sandcastles Setting Worries Aside

From the ongoing pandemic, earthquakes, heartbreaking political unrest, too little rain here but too much rain there, to my blog seeming to vanish temporarily when playing with computer settings ... there's nothing to worry about in this world. At least that's how it seemed as people flocked like seagulls to Crescent Beach, building sandcastles knowing they won't last and feeding lettuce to sand turtles that don't eat. It was all about enjoying the moments after last week's luscious long one-day rainfall. Digging ourselves out of increased heat spells clearly won't be as easy or nearly as much fun.

A boy looked onto a watery pathway snaking through the sand at low tide.

The beach was a hugh canvas where he could explore and create but where to start?

Up the street a big puddle waved as if knowing it was doomed to dry up soon.

Mmmm ... a cat munched on sweet wet grasses.

The red and green leaves in my backyard seemed happy and vibrant.

I was reminded of nearby White Rock beach and its hugely successful Sandcastle Festival in the late 80s. I found a couple of pictures in my album. It was the last of its kind for quite some time as the small City became overwhelmed with visitors, not all with the best of intentions. What began as a great idea, like many human endeavors, evolved almost beyond control. Can a positive turned negative turn positive again? Maybe, if we work together as thoughtfully as these sandcastle builders did. 

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.

We're All Afloat On The Same Boat

"One for all and all for one." - The Three Musketeers

Young children can now spend time outside their "bubbles" to play with similar age groups in B.C. Kids out on the water, paddling and having fun, were a recent reminder that we do not all occupy the same space or time on Earth but we're in it together.

The shot (above) of a cardboard boat race was taken five years ago, also in Crescent Beach where kids, just this summer, crafted cute life-sized cardboard cutouts (below) at Camp Alexandra. Their projects were tacked onto the exterior wall.

Sadly, my mind went to the people tossed about and killed due to the blast in Beirut. The massive explosion in a highly populated area is likely to ripple beneath the earth surface resulting in future destabilization. From carelessly storing hazardous goods to politicizing masks, behaving stupidly and selfishly is a toxic mix that could sink us all.

Along the way, a wild rabbit hopped then stopped, hoping I wouldn't see it by staying perfectly still. This probably seemed like a good plan for the bunny since the best place to hide is in plain sight. If we care to see them, societal solutions are just as clear. One sick person can evolve into everyone being infected so healthcare for all. An explosion nearby can result in a shake up anywhere so avoid causing big blasts. The Three Musketeers' motto "one for all and all for one" is a message for kids and the world.

Explore more at SATURDAY'S CRITTERS, MOSAIC MONDAY and 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.

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.

Hand-Painted Empty Shells At Sandy Trail

What resembled the painted toenails of a monster with big feet and too many toes (below) greeted me at the Sandy Trail stairs. The artistic works by preschoolers were placed on a row of posts for passersby to enjoy. These castaway homes of ocean dwellers were repurposed in a delightful way. Every shell had a tale to tell.

The one (below) looked like a ladybug settling in for a snooze after many adventures.

The creature below snuck out of the shell. Was it a frog or a crab?

The sailboat lazily drifted in a dark blue sea with clouds dotted overhead.

The shell shaped like a life preserver showed a bright sun rolling over the ocean.

The green-eyed monster below lingered in the moss and was ready to pounce.

The muddy gray creature was biding its time and camouflaging perfectly.

A brilliant star danced in the night sky, shining over our world.

The slug below with polka dot spots and a blue snout was dreaming about dinner.

Below, cotton candy pink clouds seemed to hover over another blue dot, planet Earth.

You might see it differently but the shell (below) covered in what looks like hieroglyph symbols shows a man with long legs running over a field of orange towards the sea.

As children learn to appreciate and recreate nature through art, they also learn that life as we know it on Earth is on the brink and needs our attention so that the home we all inhabit will not, too, become an empty shell. Here's one of many sites with a few suggestions. We can't do everything but we can do some things to help.

See OUR WORLD to explore sights from around the globe.

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.