Drifting Into View

The billowing cloud-surfer drifted into view on a windy wintry day. It swooped and swirled like a vibrant giant wing giving colour to the sky and a bumpy ride to the sea-surfer below who was tethered to its strings.

Visit UNDER MY UMBRELLA AND BEYOND for more sea-surfing scenes.

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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Brrr ... Braving Winter's Chilly Waters

"Come on in. The water's freezzzzng cold!" the first to run in seemed to say. It was no sooner in than out at the New Year's polar bear swim at Crescent Beach.

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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.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Merry Message From An Angel

Unspoken Christmas wish linked to Wordless Wednesday and Signs, Signs.

Visit UNDER MY UMBRELLA AND BEYOND for 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.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Snowfall Buries Autumn

See more West Coast scenes at Musings of A Puddlist In B.C. and also at UNDER MY UMBRELLA AND BEYOND: Love The Planet Productions.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION

TAKING PART in the Woman's March in Vancouver, BC, on a Saturday morning in January was a highlight in my life ... the sense of solidarity was empowering. I've been wondering what to do with the sign I held at that event. The words say Equality, Diversity, Inclusion. Perhaps framing it will keep the memory alive longer. Better still, if I don't hang it on a wall, I might have a chance to use it at a future rally against sexism and intolerance. Peaceful resistance is rarely a one-time deal. Meaningful impact requires persistence.

The weather had been cold but more or less kind with a gentle drizzle at the event. Diverse climate was in the cards, however, for Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver regions that got their equal share of snow this year. It's rare for southwest BC (where there's barely any, to no, snow in winter) to be included in March's snowfall weather reports. But here’s what I woke up to (below) this March 5th. The snow surprised the birds, the buds and me. Winter persists.

The grinning teddy bear fashioned by the clumpy snow (above) made me smile but I'm glad the rain and warming weather will soon melt us back into spring.

The top picture was linked to SIGNS, SIGNS and the subsequent unexpected wintry scenes to OUR WORLD at the sidebar.

See more BC scenes at Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride.

WINTER RECEDING

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BENEATH THE THAWING

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FOOTSTEPS IN THE SNOW

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WARM UP THE DAY; LIGHT UP THE NIGHT

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FLUFFY WINTRY REMNANTS

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SPRING COLOUR AT WINTRY SHORE

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WAKING UP IN A SNOWGLOBE

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UNTOUCHED YEAR AHEAD

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A Christmas Story ... The Musical?

UNRAVELING each present with anticipation, it took a few seconds to realize the implications of a gift of theater tickets wrapped in plain brown paper. Soon we would be off to see a play in Vancouver called A Christmas Story, The Musical, one of my all time favorite Christmas movies that I have seen dozens of times. It seemed to me that it would be a herculean task to translate it into a musical. How could anyone possibly recreate the poignant messages, humor and timeless excitement, hopes, fears and imaginings of childhood on one single stage?

Composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul superseded all expectations. The tunes were brilliant, the stage scenes and costuming were concise and sublime, spilling out into the ticket booth where the infamous "leg lamp" was highlighted. Each actor played their part with perfect zeal. This was a great opportunity for child actors to showcase their talents and they, too, superseded expectations. Even the dog actor that appeared at one point oozed with professionalism.

The wonder unfolded before our eyes. We shared a great memory that day, thanks to this gift of a play from our daughter Holly. The relatable classic tale about life unraveling in its non-picture-perfect way had us grinning from ear-to-ear throughout. Buried deep within the emotional whirlpool the season inspires, we got a big dousing of laughter and joy so often only talked about at Christmas.

To explore sights from around the globe, link to OUR WORLD at the sidebar.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

See more BC scenes at Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride.

Some Things New For Christmas

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ANGELIC HEARTS

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DOWN IN THE DUMPS? COME OUT AND PLAY!

Not generally a fan of graffiti, I was nonetheless drawn to a sign I spotted in Crescent Beach painted on a bright green trash bin. It reminded me of a poem I once wrote. The words say "come out and play" because being out in nature when down in the dumps grows appreciation and inspires a splash of playfulness even amid the rain puddles of life.

Since the bin stood alongside a fence, I was also reminded of the fictional character Tom Sawyer who convinced a boy that painting a fence was not tedious work but rather a delightful adventure. As someone who lives where showers fall throughout winter to early spring, I've realized that walks in the gloom of rain can be just as wonder-filled and enjoyable as in sunshine, especially when my sidekick umbrella and imagination come along.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

Explore more at Musings of A Puddlist In B.C.

Winter Pond Reflections At Elgin Heritage Park

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Sky Reflections Paint Crescent Beach Blue

EXCEPT FOR a few cotton ball clouds, the sky was especially clear on Tuesday. The reflected hue painted the ocean, shore and distant mountains cobalt blue. A fabric of watery ripples lazily lapped onto the beach floor below the stairs.

Last season's leftover grasses sprouted whiskers on a Blackie Spit Park hill. The mood of walkers seemed up at this glimpse of summer on a wintry day.

View endless skies from around the globe at Skywatch Friday.

See more BC scenes at Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride.

How Birds Fly In A Misty Sky

THE HORIZON gave a slight hint there was something beyond the fog. As I walked through the wintery mist recently, I noticed a bird coming in for a landing and wondered how it managed to navigate within such a thick cloud.

I learned that waterfowl see two to three times better than most humans (and probably five times better than I can) due to highly developed retinas and amazing muscles that control the curvature of their corneas and lenses.

These lucky ducks (please forgive the irresistible pun) can also soar above low-lying coastal fog to avoid the murky shroud entirely until landing.

This post links to Camera Critters and Skywatch Friday.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

See more BC scenes at Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride.