Sand Piles and Fingerpaints

Grand experiments often begin 

in sand piles with dump trucks 

on beaches with castles and moats

at home with mud pies and finger painting. 

Children are sure of success

always wanting to try

knowing intuitively 

learning stuff while they play. 

Mud pies and castles 

don’t garner great wealth, 

but are definite reasons for 

tea parties and defending forts. 

Play is messy, creative and brilliant. 

The experiments? Painting flowers or rainbows!

If it doesn’t look like either one ~ 

crumple it up, knock it down and try something else. 

Grand experiments are often 

in the eyes of the scientist or architect

whether a curious four or forty, 

because the work is exciting and creative.

Grand experiments often grow and blossom

into the grandest of experiments ~

each day playing with precious moments 

building castles or painting flowers and rainbows.

“Life is more fun if you play games.”

~ Roald Dahl, My Uncle Oswald

Brilliant!!

Brilliant!!

“Eccentricities become me, darling! Don’t you agree? I look fabulous, my dear! All my life, I’ve had to be conventional and ordinary. Now that I’m retired from that corporate ‘climb the ladder faster’ world, I’m just ready to jump out of their box. Isn’t that what those corporate guys say? Think outside the box? And they’ve just kept building bigger boxes all looking exactly the same with all the same pressures to conform differently. I want to wear flamboyant colours, broad brimmed hats with flowers or feathers ~ maybe both ~ blue jeans that aren’t blue, studded with rhinestones down the sides. I want my eccentricities to shine because they've always been there. I’ve just had to keep them quiet, like a sweet toddler who wants to run and jump and play. Well, that toddler has been bored for years! And it’s play time, darling! So put on your patent leather dancing shoes, grab your top hat and cane and let’s dance!!”

“You’re mad, bonkers, completely or your head. But 

I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.”

~ Lewis Carroll

Throwing Paint

Later on, they went on an adventure. Four long time friends had braved the morning ferry traffic, joining the determined caravan of cars just to go for lunch on the ferry. A morning jaunt past ripening fields and tidy homes from Victoria to Swartz Bay. Boarding a BC ferry, these young seniors were set to go for lunch aboard the ferry, do a little shopping at the gift shop, and have lunch at the buffet, all the while chatting and enjoying the ride. On their return to Vancouver Island, they stepped outside in the brilliant sun to watch the rippling blue, blue water. Before boarding, one of the four said: ‘If we’re lucky there will be a presentation by a Marine biology student about the waters in the strait.” Once at Tsawwassen, and without leaving the ferry, they had returned home to Swartz Bay. A morning adventure well spent!

“Life is a blank canvas, and you need to throw all the paint on it you can.”

~ Danny Kaye