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

The Who Came Miles & Miles To Vancouver

DESPITE signage to stay calm, people responded with wild and noisy adoration when The Who appeared on stage at Roger's Arena in Vancouver on Friday 13th this weekend.

The British rock band that began over 50 years ago is still going strong with two original members, singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend.

Seated far from the stage, my husband and I relied on big screens and background videos to enhance the experience. All the musicians played their hearts out trying to please, including Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey who smacked the drums with both vigor and finesse. Keith Moon who passed away several years ago was the original drummer for The Who.

The screen scenes showed key historical world events spanning 50 years as well as the band's enthusiastic fans from the past to those currently at the arena. It wasn't always easy to distinguish the time frame, although cell phones in hand were a good clue.

The past fifty years were kind to 72-year-old Daltrey whose powerful voice had an emotional edge and raw richness to it that in my opinion superseded the voice of his youth.

The walls reverberated with LOOOUDDD rocking sounds and I wondered if I was the only one uncool enough to plug my ears now and then.

I heard that way, way back in the "old days" Pete Townshend smashed his guitar on stage during performances but now only strings were broken and instruments were more gently exchanged.

They played some of their biggest hits, including My Generation, Pinball Wizard and I Can See For Miles.

When I got home I found a video from a television show they did years ago when they had more hair and seemed a bit more constrained than they currently were at the arena.

I think this group got better and better (as did the light show) and grew into their most meaningful tunes over time.

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This post is also linked to SIGNS, SIGNS.

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