Wishful Thinking

A LOCAL NURSERY'S sign read: "1 part soil, 2 parts water, 3 parts wishful thinking".

This "gardener's recipe" is a bit like life's recipe for turning desires into reality. But although things do seem to evolve by themselves, more watering and less wishful thinking might produce better results.

Wishful thinking is a comfort but we all know it's the digging, weeding and quenching of the soil that keeps growth lush. I've seen plants turn to dust in rainless summers when water restrictions come into play. The season seems to produce less showers and more forest fires nowadays in BC. So far, the southwest coastal corner where one expects more rain remains green with many roadside flowers to bury my nose into during my walks. I can't help wishing smell-o-vision was available for these recent shots.

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This post is for OUR WORLD and also SIGNS, SIGNS.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Smoke & Mirrors

A CHARACTER from a television series called Endeavour said: "There's no real magic in this world, only love - the rest is just smoke and mirrors."

There's probably truth in that sentiment but as someone who enjoys rummaging through the "smoke and mirrors", I'm posting a few pictures of things that I found bewitching recently.

I saw a red heart dangling on a tree branch on International Women's Day this Wednesday. I presume someone hung it there to honour the event. Their loving gesture reflected not only the global movement but the branches.

My camera unfortunately didn't catch the beautiful kaleidoscope of colours I saw mirrored in the droplets of rainwater that clung to the berries.

Twigs like sticks for witches wands barely had room for the coming leaves.

Deep shadowy worlds were reflected in the shallowest puddles after a rainfall.

It never fails to feel magical when walking down puddles of smokey clouds.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Brimming With Good Luck

A COMFY CHAIR with a cushion for my back reminds me that I don't have to go far to know how lucky I am. Although it is easy to dwell on a glass half empty, today I simply can't ignore a glass that is more than full of small comforts. Almost nothing that surrounds me was made by me ... yet here it all is, providing for my every whim and need.

The angelic figure created by a friend inspires me at a glance.

It's a mystery how much synchronicity was involved in the musical instrument (above) coming to me, along with its owner who turned out to be my husband eventually. Not only can I strum an unfinished tune, I can turn a dial to make music blast from a radio speaker (pictured) that I didn't assemble and the workings of which I don't understand.

I rely on schemers and doodlers from all corners of the world every day. Engineers, architects and electricians responsible for a tangle of cords and wires brighten life in a myriad of ways.

At a glance I am reminded of our beloved family pet who has since passed away and the talented little girl (now a grownup) who created Penelope Puddle as a gift to me. How strange to appreciate but not know all those who took part in designing, painting and piecing together the ornate frames that contain so many of my special memories.

My story follows the stories of those who struggled and toiled. Some never got their full reward but each life had its portion of goodness.

How remarkable and fortunate that nourishment sprouting from plants and trees is handpicked by hardworking strangers and then driven to neighborhood stores before landing on the kitchen table.

In generations past, lemon meringue pie was made from scratch. But thanks to modern bakers I will never meet I can savor this sweet cloud without having to break a single egg or squeeze a tangy lemon.

How many hands did it take, and who built the equipment that forged the metal, to make a whistling kettle so I can sip a soothing herbal brew? What army of workers processed the tea? Who produced the tiny bags I dunk into a cup of clean water that freely pours from a nearby faucet?

How many dozens of hands did it take to make the cap I wear to keep the sun off. Who wove the purse my keys disappear into? Who invented the coat hanger where I hook my umbrella to easily find when it rains?

The universe conspires in countless ways, with the help of others and even ourselves sometimes, to make life flow easier. The glass half full is barely noticeable most of the time but every once in a while I ponder the “little” things I take for granted day in and day out.

It's particularly clear that nature provides when I go outside and find the tiniest creatures also get their share of luck to survive.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Painting A Brighter Future For The Planet

HOW CAN you not love this little guy? The endangered Western Painted Turtle was just one of the unique creatures featured during World Oceans Day celebrations at Blackie Spit Park in Crescent Beach.

The global initiative to promote a healthier planet came to local beaches this Sunday. Tents were set up and there were many displays by naturalists and environmentalists. We saw how eggs are nurtured and covered with wire to increase the chances of turtle survival.

Plush toy animals were for sale as fundraisers. I didn't check to see whether the markings on each toy was different from the next. Nature's creativity knows no bounds and, like fingerprints, each live painted turtle evolves with a different pattern on its underbelly.

The Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society brought a falcon (above) to the event. The majestic bird had lost its eyesight while the monkey-faced barn owl (pictured below) permanently lost the use of its wing. The caring organization adopted the creatures in need.

It was early when my husband and I arrived. People were just starting to trickle into the event. The morning sun was already sizzling up the sea and sand and there was a party atmosphere.

Musicians and singers were warming up ... exercising their lungs and voices, filling the air with their jubilant sounds.

I snatched a few seconds of song from the folks below ...

and made a very "mini movie" out of it. Since I don't know the name of the group, I call them the Three Musical Musketeers.

On my best days I feel like Mr. Bean does in the inspiring comedic clip (below) from a movie. Check it out, it will surely make you smile:

The scene, enriched by the voice of French composer Charles Trenet, stars a gleeful Mr. Bean who is not at all desensitized to the wonders of the world that some people are so passionately trying to preserve.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Turning The Tap On At New Aquatic Centre

A GIANT FAUCET handle in the sky caught my eye recently as I drove by the new Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre in Surrey. (Click on the link to see inside and to learn how this grand building was designed.)

I stopped to explore and found sparkling water in the Olympic sized swimming pool within the facility. The main pool contains 4.3 million litres of luscious liquid drops.

The tap was turned on artistically at two different locations outside the building. A fawn sculpture near the entrance was designed to welcome youth who simply came to splash, play and have fun.

Around the corner, six chrome deer symbolized the spirit of competition. The animals were transformed into two streams of water surging towards one another, their antlers intertwined and locked as if in battle.

Pierre Sasseville and Jean-François Cooke created the work called Circulation. (See more of their unusual pieces at the link.) The artistic soulmates, based in Quebec, have worked together for over 15 years.

The red and blue colours of the pipes not only symbolize hot and cold water but also the vascular system where good circulation (often enhanced by swimming) is key to healthy human plumbing.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

After The Rain At Elgin Park

THIS WAS NOT a shy bird but rather a fastidious bird fluffing its feathers after a refreshing rainfall at Elgin Heritage Park where my husband and I recently went for a walk. The road to Crescent Beach is undergoing construction so the drive to the park was a nice alternative.

Ever alert ... the robin interrupted its grooming at the smallest sound.

Droplets of water stuck to the newly washed wild roses.

Wooden planks over the marshland were damp and slippery.

Lupins were bouyed by the rain that had fallen. Leftover drops (below) shimmered down leaves and cupped into crevices. Sparkling like jewels, the rain seemed more precious than diamonds.

It would solve so many world problems if rain could be turned on and off like a faucet. I welcome the wet weather that southwest BC is known for but rain clouds seem to gather less often here nowadays. In northwest BC, there have been dozens of fires already, mostly due to dry weather and the carelessness of humans. The reckless (and now illegal) act of tossing a cigarette out a car window likely caused some of the fires.

It sounds like wishful thinking but wouldn't it be amazing if nature could be nudged to produce rain wherever needed? If the phenomena of cloud seeding were perfected as a technique, it could be a powerful fire fighting/prevention tool to save all living things, including little creatures like the robin. Perhaps catastrophic events such as the recent massive forest fire in Fort McMurray, Alberta, that destroyed 1,600 buildings (many of them homes) and displaced over 80,000 people will be prevented by science in some not so distant future.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms