Wishes For Bridges Each Step Of Your Way

Love is the bridge between you and everything. Rumi

It was hot that day with a cooling breeze as we walked adjacent to the busy car traffic.

Crossing over the Granville Street Bridge in Vancouver, my daughter and I had a bird's eye view (pictured left) of the Granville Island Public Market and the bright canary yellow restaurant there.

What better name for the restaurant than Bridges?

There are three bridge crossings in close proximity over False Creek, connecting downtown Vancouver to outlying areas. Across the way, we spied the Burrard Street Bridge built in the 1930's. Its Art Deco influence was visible from afar. Cambie Street Bridge (not pictured) also spans this inlet at the heart of the city.

A bridge can be any transitional device ... a thread, a complex web of communication from one to another or a simple log placed fortuitously over a tricky situation as my daughter's painting of Penelope (below) shows. 

There are imaginary, real and unchallenged obstacles as we press forward in life so I'll quote Penelope Puddle who would say without hesitation to all who cross from here to there: "Wishes for bridges each step of your way."

View more West Coast scenes at my latest photographic journal UNDER MY UMBRELLA and visit POSTCARDS FROM PENELOPE PUDDLE.

Postscript: This post was originally published in May of 2018

Penelope's "Wishes For Bridges" painting updated, July, 2025

Shining A Spotlight On BC Fairies

FAIRIES HAVE CAPTURED the imagination of kids and grownups throughout the ages and I am no exception, particularly since it is time to find a word that begins with the letter "F" for ABC Wednesday. 

One rainy day I took another look at the fairies my daughter drew years ago. It's easy to become enchanted with the idea of tiny winged creatures mysteriously flitting about, barely seen, spreading goodwill and magic into the harsh realities of life. I developed my daughter's art further:

 

MAY YOUR DREAMS BLOOM!

In addition to Penelope Puddle drawings, my daughter created an abundance of fairy drawings which we copyrighted as BC Fairies. Some found their way into art cards. Some have names rooted in the fictional origins I created for them.
At a glance the fairies are easily mistaken for miniature birds, dragonflies or butterflies. They have flown from all parts of the globe, risking the ravages of weather and distance, to settle in the rainforests of coastal British Columbia. The little litterbugs love to scribble notes that they usually scatter outdoors. Some fairies have narrowly missed being seen inside the homes of unsuspecting humans in need of an uplifting message.

BC Fairies look small and frail but their traits make them largely invincible. The names, interpretations and origins of nine fairies are: Elsa, Noble, Germany; Muriel, Shining Sea, Ireland; Abril, Open, France; Halla, Unexpected Gift, South Africa; Alegria, Cheerful, Spain; Tori, Bird, Japan; Zola, Peace On Earth, Italy; Raya, Sweetly Scented, Saudi Arabia; Letitia, Joyful Leap, England.

Some dictionaries mention a goddess/fairy connection:

Main Entry: Fairy

Pronunciation: 'far-E, 'fer-

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural fair·ies

Etymology: from Latin Fata, goddess of fate

My brand of fairies have unique characteristics of their own. In addition to the name BC Fairies being suggestive of the large coastal transportation fleet known as BC Ferries, here are a few key points:

1 a : BC Fairies believe humans possess inner wings that when tapped into enable them to do surprising things of magical proportions b : notable BC Fairies are nine mystic creatures from different parts of the globe who settled in the enchanted West Coast rainforests of British Columbia c : each fairy has a unique characteristic that humans also possess d: the fairies scatter messages to awaken people to their own gifts and powers ready to be unfurled

BC Fairies don’t stay still for long and I confess I need to incorporate some of their motivation into my creative life. All rights are reserved for BC Fairies but future projects will fly only when my own wings, struggling, unfold.

BC Fairies All Rights Reserved

Fairies and ferries showcase the letter "F". If you think words are Fun and enjoy playing with the alphabet, visit ABC Wednesday.

Postscript: This post was originally published in February, 2012

BC Fairies images refreshed and updated in July, 2025

Copyright by Maria Pavlik

The Unicorn Chase

Don't give up on your dreams or your dreams will give up on you. J. Wooden

Enlightenment can be found on the path to fulfilling one's possibilities and purpose.

That's why the cloud-bound unicorn on my shopping bag tells anyone who sees it to follow their dreams.

Even a bag full of dreams unrealized can awaken new creative sparks, if pursued with resolve and passion.

For West Coast reflections see my latest photographic journal at UNDER MY UMBRELLA.

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.

Sandy Trails For Healthy Hearts

Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have. Margaret Mead

Some caring person put up a handmade sign at the bottom of a trail I often trek through in Crescent Beach.

Although you can't tell by the photo (above), the trail is steep and gets me puffing, which probably means the climb is good for the heart.

I was in my twenties when mom died suddenly after a heart attack. Decades later I'm still not over the shock. Because there are many wonderful paths near my area and to increase my chances of a longer life, I challenge myself when I walk. At the bottom of the hill there's car traffic and a busy railway track.

There's beach access where folks go to refresh, build sandcastles and more.

Mother's Day is upon us. I wondered if the stack of rocks (below) represent mother and child. The big one could be the parent and the smaller one the child, although as we get older it can become the other way around.

Parents tend to shrink over time but mothering instincts never do for women or men who take positive steps big and small. Helpful deeds, like useful signage and walking, can save a life so Happy Mother's Day to whoever added the cautionary note to the back of their artistic Sandy Trail sign.

This post is linked to signs, signs.

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle to view more BC scenes.

See OUR WORLD to explore more sights from around the globe.

Flowers In Winter

"Where flowers bloom so does hope." - Lady Bird Johnson

"Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts," said Sigmund Freud. Although that is likely correct, they inspire emotions. The cut and painted flowers brought the hope of spring and warmth to a home I visited recently. Meanwhile, icicle flowers (above) were quietly forming, as they often do in February outside my own home, reminding me it's still chilly. Expecting snow to knock at my door at any moment, I was instead surprised when a bountiful hand-delivered bouquet of flowers came calling.

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle to view more BC scenes.

See OUR WORLD to explore sights from around the globe.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

A Painterly Eye On The Wall

WHIMSY is to the imagination what an irrepressible giggle is to the soul. Whimsical, or any, interesting art on the wall gives us something to ponder on days when the landscape is a blank canvas of gray or when it's too damp and cold outdoors to feast on Mother Nature's beauty. Recently I visited a local library where I found work by IRENA SHKLOVER displayed. With her permission I've posted segments of those pieces.

Irena is a prolific artist. My photos, and the camera's flash, didn't do her work justice but I like the snap (above) of patterns I captured that, to me, look like floating wildflowers.

Irena's painting of a man holding a balloon (above) as he flies over a mythical city makes my heart soar. Her painting (below) of someone standing in the rain alongside a cat that perhaps is trying to get some benefit from the umbrella ... well, I can easily imagine that person is me walking in the wet wonderland that is so typical of wintry weather in southwest BC.

Below is a different style of painting by an unknown artist. It's not whimsical but the melancholy landscape brings out the whimsy in me. My parents, who since passed away, included art work in their luggage when they traveled by ship from Europe to Canada decades ago. The painter of the piece was their friend, his name inconveniently buried beneath the frame.

That was so very long ago. Perhaps he never knew the power of his work. Artists bravely cast their passions to the wind like fairy dust, not knowing who, if anyone, will be touched by their creations.

The painting (above) on my wall at home is by an artist who signed her work only with one name. Lenore was a White Rock artist who passed away several years ago. She left an indelible impression on me and the community that she memorialized with paints and brushes and her painterly eye ... she examined life thoughtfully and creatively the way artists have done throughout time.

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle to view more BC scenes.

See OUR WORLD to explore sights from around the globe.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Autumn Creeping

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." George Eliot

MOTHER NATURE is sweeping away summer and like Eliot I'm loving it. Petals are scrambling, leaves are drooping, crumbling, swirling in gusts of wind, sliding down slippery wet roads into sewers never to be seen again.

The Virginia Creeper is the first vine to transform and has the brightest blush.

A plant called burning bush is stiff competition when it comes to colour.

Bedding plants such as winter pansies, marked by butterfly wings, are replacing summer blooms.

Warm browns are softening daisies past their prime.

Stunning shades of orange are beginning to cover the ground.

Pumpkins have crept onto our doorsteps and now appear everywhere.

It's an opportunity to get creative painting or carving.

Most pumpkins are orange but this ghostly white one (below) is truly a star.

Current fires in California make it all too easy to imagine life if there were no rain seeping through the veins of a parched earth after an overly hot summer. But would I love a forever-autumn and follow it around the globe like Eliot ... not likely. I'm glad southwest BC experiences all seasons to a moderate degree, although even here weather seems more extreme nowadays.

Greenery can still be found along sandy trails ... rainfall is just beginning. Earth's tilt and rotation as it circles the sun and its location to the sun are the reasons for the seasons. As a wonderstruck resident of a precisely balanced spinning top I can only hope such remarkable synchronicity never stops.

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle to view more BC scenes.

See OUR WORLD to explore sights from around the globe.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Chiming In To Make Things Better

"Live for moments you can't put into words," chimed an ornament adjacent to a railway track at Crescent Beach.

The wise advice, meant to inspire, was likely put there by locals wanting to create a serene space for passersby.

The wind-chime decoration dangling from an ornate garden arbor was barely audible as tanks with chemicals and loaded coal cars groaned and hissed, snaking along the track.

The long chain of containers blocked vehicles and walkers from going in and out of the seaside community, a real concern should there be an emergency.

It might take years for activists to convince people in power to reroute the track but meanwhile a thoughtful neighbor with an artistic touch provided seating.

Hand painted panels brought a splash of colour to the chairs. In a world filled with tragic events someone, more often than not, is trying to prevent disaster, beautify, bring comfort and make things better practically or creatively.

Able to cross the track after some twenty minutes, I spotted a strange creature holding a guitar. What could be cozier than a giant moss-covered teddy bear? This unique interpretation of wildlife wasn't alone.

A beaver drummer and bird songstress (below) completed a patriotic Canadian band. Since there was no explanation as to why the soundless musicians were there, I assumed their motionless parade was designed to delight onlookers with wordless moments and, like the train, was just passing through.

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle to view more BC scenes.

See OUR WORLD to explore sights from around the globe.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms