Love Will Win

The apple I cut turned out heart-shaped, a happy accident, as if for Valentine's Day.

 

In keeping with the special day, The Poets and Storytellers United prompt "love" inspired my poem (below) as did Nessun Dorma, sung by Andrea Bocelli during the opening ceremonies at the Winter Olympics in Italy this year. Daring to take risks and a dedicated, impassioned spirit to win would describe some characteristics of the athletes competing at the games. A champion cannot doubt he/she can win so the song's theme of confident love (be it of sport or a princess) made it a perfect choice.

You don't have to understand a single word of the aria to thrill to its powerful conclusion, which translated into English means, "I will win!".

It is remarkable that such moving music is conceived by the same species that delivers life's cruelest atrocities. But if you listen closely, you will realize there is a harsh edge to the tale when some face callous, even casual, destruction so others can prevail.

In the end, as the bird (below) seemingly kissing its own reflection implies, it takes a certain amount of self-love to win the prize but it is the neglected bit players unloved in the lives of others who put us at risk because everyone needs to feel that they matter.

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.

"May your cares be light as a raindrop." - Penelope Puddle

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Happy Valentine's Day, Canada, & National Flag Day

The creative interpretation you see shimmering from behind the glass represents the pride, love and loyalty Canadians feel for their country, particularly in turbulent times. I saw this framed version (above) in a shop a few years back. Canada's earlier flag was the Canadian Red Ensign, designed to include the Union Jack and Canada's coat of arms. In 1965, the unifying maples seen from coast to coast helped inspire a re-imagining so that our current flag is fashioned with a single leaf. National Flag of Canada Day is on February 15th, following Valentine's Day on February 14th.

In my neck of the woods, the leaves have yet to return, branches are bare and a dusting of snow lingers. When the sun appears, it seems to cast thousands of sequins out onto the ocean waters. My photo and added animation do not adequately convey the mesmerizing dancing sparkles that truly are a magical sight.

Explore more at SKYWATCH, WEEKEND REFLECTIONS and IMAGE-IN-ING.

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

The World Is A Masterpiece Framed By Our Views

"Nature is the source of all true knowledge. She has her own logic, her own laws, she has no effect without cause nor invention without necessity." - Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo knew that nature will do what it can to survive. Our part now is to take the words on a painted sign to heart and show unconditional love for the planet by letting go of some harmful human habits.

We've been careless but that doesn't mean we don't care. Does any creature, other than human, gaze at a starry night sky and ponder the mysteries of its place in the cosmos? What other creature mimics and marvels at nature's artwork all around us?

I expected showers would soon fall on the blossoming rose on the patio. Continuing my journey, I saw pearls cling to a web from earlier drops.

With the Amazon forest burning and catastrophic storms swirling, it seemed more moronic than ironic at this critical hour for some leaders to continue to deny that certain human activities play a significant role in enraging Mother Nature.

I brushed past a lush jungle of wildflowers thinking the fragile ozone layer, floating 6 to 10 miles above Earth, was similar to a contact lens gone past its expiration date ... thinning as stealthfully as the grass growing under our feet when no one is looking.

From my perch, it was time to give back and nurture Mother Nature so her masterpieces can go on. What better way to show gratitude for what she's done to provide a livable home for all Earth's creatures?

See OUR WORLD to explore more 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.

More Than A Cookie Cutter Love

Love has many meanings and depths. Luckily, it's more than just cookie-cutter like the shallow hearts I stamped into the melting snow in my yard recently. The love of nature and our surroundings is expressed with photographs on sites such as Our World. And we're instructed to love our neighbours, even our enemies. So perhaps this Valentine's it isn't selfish to give a little love also to ourselves. As the Buddha said: "You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection."

Love is also a beacon that lures you in and can sometimes stick like the intense flurries that burst on the scene last night. After a relatively flake-free winter in southwest BC, we got our share ... turning my welcoming garden Buddha into a frosty snow cone.

See OUR WORLD to explore more 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.