It's Monday!

Many of the blues are very pale this morning, but I am sharing them because I missed Sally's Blue Monday meme last week, and because her idea of bringing a smile to Monday mornings is important to me.  Thank you, Sally!

I took this photo of Bill and Black Jack a few days ago during a stopover on Thursday, when we went for a rather moist, but still fun, bike ride.  I love the image of Bill holding Black Jack so protectively, their faces imprinted on a vast, pale sky.

This was the view from our apartment window on Friday morning.  The rain was steady enough that we didn't ride for the next two days.

On Friday evening, I watched a CBC documentary about Sidney Zoltag.  He survived the Holocaust.  There was a tear in his eye as he told the story, but his need to express thanks was much stronger than his sadness.  He has visited Zigmeund Krinsky in Poland several times.  Complete strangers, Zigmeund and his family risked their own lives to hide Sidney and his parents for 14 months.

Sidney never, ever forgets that his life is precious.  He visits Poland and spreads his story whenever possible.  That is his way of giving thanks.

For one 7-month period, this was as much of the sky as Sidney saw.  I am grateful to see sky and ocean every day.

As you can tell, the video left an impression on my, and so I share it.  It's just 15 minutes long.  It is a beautiful thing that Sidney has not wasted a moment of the life he was given.

On Saturday, we walked again in the rain.  Bill planned a happy route that took us to the Downtown East Side and through a lovely little park.  I carried my camera, but mostly couldn't risk getting it wet.  However, I stood under a doorway and caught this view of a glass covering over a building that brings colour (even some blues) and life to a street that was otherwise pretty dismal on Saturday.

The trees added to quite a complex maze of patterns.

In an even more rundown area, we spotted this mural. 

Yes, there were some blues in it :)

Back to Homer Street and on our way to Harrison Galleries, we passed the library.  This is the very top of it.  It is fascinating to me that trees have been planted on the rooftop.

This sign has been in front of the library for at least a couple of years.  It isn't actually a sign, but rather, public art.  You can read more about Ron Terada's piece here.  I've never fully grasped its meaning, but think about it every time we pass by.  That has to be good :)

Yesterday, the sun came out.  That was huge cause for celebration.  People in Vancouver love to take advantage of the sun whenever it appears.  This fellow was going along the bike path with a very loud boombox playing,

"Bridge Over Troubled Waters."   Loud music imposed when I'm outdoors is not always appreciated, but Elvis was singing, and there was a happiness to the song and the day.

As the man continued along the path, I noticed smiles on the people approaching.  (Some blues too.)

The tide was low yesterday..

but there was still enough water in False Creek to catch the blue skies.

A crow sat, surveying his/her world, and watching me..

survey mine.

Bill remarked that this was the first time we could see the entire circle of these tires.

BC Place and downtown buildings mingled with..

puddle reflections..

and creek reflections..

and Spring was definitely..

in the air.

The male birds were all dressed up..

and ready to choose..

their ladies.

This lady was trying to catch a little shut-eye while her fella watched over her.

Someone was throwing bread over the railing at these mallards,

and there were some squabbles,

but none so serious that..

they couldn't be solved by swimming away. 

While I watched the ducks, Bill took Black Jack to check out the community garden.  One might think this a dismal scene,

but a closer look showed thriving kale..

and perhaps even some pale blues wrapped inside those lovely..

water droplets.

It won't be long before those gardens are full of new bounty.

Three robins against a pale blue sky conclude this post.  I hope you find much to celebrate, and perhaps even a few blues, pale or otherwise, wherever you are, today.  Many thanks for stopping by!