Yes, You Can Lead A Horse To Water

ANIMAL LOVERS know that best friends aren't always human. I spent countless hours imagining my own horse as a girl. This graceful creature with soulful eyes and long swishing tail was my perfect companion and confidant, galloping us off into great adventures. Since my opportunities to ride (let alone own) a horse were limited, I could only pretend, unlike the youngsters I recently spotted at Crescent Beach. Content at their slow pace, horses and riders were mirrored in pools of water and made inky shadows on the beach floor for SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY, WEEKEND REFLECTIONS and CAMERA CRITTERS.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Live Long & Prosper Amid Life's Shadows

THE LIVE LONG AND PROSPER greeting given by Mr. Spock, a Vulcan in the Star Trek television series of the 60s, expresses a gracious sentiment with a hand gesture that is not easy to duplicate. The fingers should be parted between the middle and ring finger with thumb extended. My husband tried but didn't correctly mimic the salute while I took pictures of our shadows.

The sandy shore at Crescent Beach was darkened with silhouettes of thick branches from trees bordering the nearby walkway.

The volleyball net spilled pencil-thin lines onto the gritty floor ...

and chains swung in a swooping pattern from post to post.

A fence tipped a ladder onto the grassy edge where there was a sunny glow.

My husband would later perfect the Vulcan salute. But meanwhile, he made a few other hand gestures, including the universal "peace" sign (at left) that reminds me of the bunny rabbits my mom used to make on the wall when I was a child.

At bottom right, he is illustrating the North American symbol for "you're doing okay".

Playing with shadows in the morning muddle that falls between darkness and light, we found there is literal and figurative truth in the proverb that says: "Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you."
See more shadows from around the globe at Shadow Shot Sunday.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Shadows Haunt Ben Stevenson View Park

I RECENTLY VISITED A FAMILIAR narrow strip of land wedged between multimillion dollar homes off Ocean Park Road in South Surrey, BC. Each time I go to Ben Stevenson Park I am grateful that a forward thinking pioneer donated this small portion of his subdivided acreage on a bluff to the city so that all who entered its gates could enjoy the gorgeous water views.

The sun was out in the early afternoon and lovely black shadows roamed the area like ghosts. My shadow came with me on the stroll and got swallowed up at times by the damp litter of autumn leaves that stuck to my feet.

Shadows of tall trees fell on the narrow pathway that led to a chain link fence.

I reached two memorial benches gifted to the park by families of loved ones who had passed away. My shadow quietly took a seat alongside of me while I scanned the horizon.

I watched as clouds billowed over Boundary Bay and thought about Ben Stevenson's daughters who continued to live in nearby homes as newer and bigger houses began to line the waterfront properties around them. The sisters apparently have visited this little slice of heaven named after their dad for decades and perhaps sat on a bench with their own shadows close by.

Postscript: On June 28, 2013, Georgina Strachan (the last surviving daughter of pioneer Ben Stevenson) passed away at the age of 91. I will think of her fondly amid the shadows that dance at the park.

Here are more Shadowy Shots to see from around the world.



Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms