ABC Wednesday - "Z" for Zesty Zany Zeal

My "Z" post for ABC Wednesday kind of zigzags about, but here are a few ideas that popped into my head about that most wondrous of letters.  Hopefully, you won't be tempted to z-z-z-z before you make it to the end.

Zany, brainy and Zealous

There is an International Busker Festival going on in Vancouver right now.  I have always admired street artists, but recently, have been especially impressed by a few performers around town.  A couple of days ago, this busker at Granville Island did a zany and very brainy act that still leaves me not only chuckling, but also in awe of his zealous self-discipline.  If you can find your way to see some of these performers, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.  

Juggling with a child in one arm can't be easy.

The little boy responded exactly as instructed,

high-fiving and getting everything right except for..

this.  Apparently, he wasn't supposed to hug, but check out the audience.  Definitely one of those feel-good moments.

I think the fellow on the left was also something of a surprise. 

He was supposed to be an audience participant, but perhaps he..

has a busking future ahead of him.

I loved this part of the show when the busker asked audience participants to help him..

get on his insanely tall unicycle.  They work very zealously, but in the end..

the busker decides to take a run at it.

There are many hilarious antics before you finally get to see him..

strut his stuff.

Zestful (if it's not a word, it should be) colours seen around Granville Island.

Zoomed-out view of the crowds enjoying Granville Island on Sunday.

Zeal for life

Below is Kevin with Seymour the seagull.  To listen to Kevin's stories is to regret not having a way to record them.  He describes when Seymour disappeared and returned four months later.  "I almost cried, " he says, and I am touched that this man who makes his living doing  charter fishing tours becomes attached to a seagull, a heron and two seals. 

Stretch, the heron.. 

gets his share too.  Below, he enjoys his feast.

Waiting for a second helping.

I think this is Bubbles but am not absolutely positive, as there are two seals who visit regularly.

Switching zones. 

A couple of days ago, this heron was moving along from one place to the next..

and I zoomed in for a shot as it left the area after zero luck finding food.

Zaftig or zoftig - Probably, I am the only person who didn't know this word means plump.  That is my new word for the week, and this pigeon seen under the docks at Granville Island will be my pictorial representation.

Zealous dedication to helping others is something that I really admire, and two occasions this past week especially left an impression.  The first was when an emergency happened somewhere on the water, and the Coast Guard arrived at Vanier Park.  It struck me how many are involved in the saving of a life, and how much I appreciate those who choose a vocation that can make all the difference when we are in trouble.  I don't know the details of what happened, or even if the person survived, but here are just a few of the people who gave their very best effort on a beautiful Sunday morning to save a life.  

The second was just last evening, when Bill and I took Black Jack for an assessment with Pets and Friends.  The idea is that pets can brighten the lives of some people who may not be able to have a pet of their own.  The pets do "visits" at hospitals, care facilities and sometimes, I believe, schools. The screening was at a trained volunteer's home, and although I didn't take any pictures during the session, I did take a couple just before.  This view was just around the corner..

 and this flower was in a garden in front of the screener's building.

Now that I have retired, I am just beginning to think about giving back to society by doing some form of volunteer work, but the lady who screened Black Jack last evening works full time and was doing this after a long work day!  She had at least one appointment before us, and another afterwards.  She welcomed us into her home, prepared us for the screening (I think we needed that quite a bit more than Black Jack) and then did the tests.  The good news?  Black Jack scored a perfect 10 out of 10.  Yay!  She didn't have to be particularly perfect at obedience.  Phew!  What was important was that she deal with a bit of rough handling (some people, for example, have motor control diseases and can only pat spastically), wheel chairs and walkers clunking around her, and sudden loud noises.  Black Jack did startle when this new-to-her lady suddenly banged a pot right over her head, but after initially jumping away, she returned a second later to lick the lady's hand.  We still have an orientation training to do (also done by volunteers) but then, we should be ready to start doing some pet visits.  Foremost in my mind is a thought about all the wonderful people in this world who give up their time and energy to put the zest back into life for others.    

And..  some Z shapes that I saw around me this week.  I wonder if you will see them too.

Thank you so much for stopping by.  For other "Z" ideas from bloggers around the world, I hope you will take a few minutes to check out the ABC Wednesday web site.