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beauty, beauty heals, embrace of beauty, grace of beauty, nature heals, nature photography, nature shots, photography, Ukraine, Vancouver, Vancouver area, Vancouver BC
For Ukraine
We live in such troubled uncertain times. I know I’ve been feeling variously distressed, heartbroken, and powerless.
And so I offer this post of beauty. I hope you can immerse yourself for a few moments in the beauty of nature, and that it can help, even just a little.
Into the heart of a wild rose
The view from the observation tower at Reifel Bird Sanctuary looking towards the Salish Sea
At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough.
Toni Morrison
Golden hour at Jericho Beach Park
Summer flowers in VanDusen Garden
Summer flowers in VanDusen Garden
Beauty reassures us that goodness is still real in the world, more real than harm, or scarcity, or evil.… Beauty is such a gentle grace……We often sigh in the presence of beauty as it begins to minister to us — a good, deep soul-sigh.
John Eldredge
The lake in VanDusen Garden
Lovelock sculpture in Queen Elizabeth Park
Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.
Rachel Carson
Beauty is the affirmation of life.
Piero Ferrucci
Looking towards the North Shore mountains from the top of the hill in Queen Elizabeth Park
Sunlight through Autumn leaves
One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.
William Shakespeare
Sunlight through a flowering laburnum tree, VanDusen Garden
Golden hour on the Fraser River
A fairy glade in Ruckle Park, Salt Spring Island
Beauty: the invisible embrace
John O’Donohue
Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature.
Gerard de Nerval
For Ukraine
All photos were taken in or near Vancouver, Canada, on the the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples (Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, and Musqueam)
All words and images by Alison Louise Armstrong unless otherwise noted
© Alison Louise Armstrong and Adventures in Wonderland – a pilgrimage of the heart, 2010-2022.
Adventures in Wonderland 
beauty!
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… and a wonderful post for the first day of spring!!
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Thanks so much Kate. I hadn’t connected that I published on the spring equinox. I must be psychic 😂
Alison 🥰
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Your beautiful nature pictures often remind me of the last segment of a tv show we watch, CBS Sunday Morning – so peaceful. Thanks for brightening up my day.
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Thanks so much, and you’re most welcome; I’m happy to hear this brightened your day. We don’t get CBS here, but I’m glad to share something peaceful in these crazy times.
Alison
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Well done Alison. Your pictures always calm me. I’m sure you have been to Ukraine?
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Thanks so much Marla. 🙏
I’ve not been to Ukraine. My prayer is that this madness will end and that they will rebuild their country. I’ve been seeing photos of the cities before the war and it looks quite fabulous. I’m so sad about the destruction, but especially for the people 😢
Alison
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Immense beauty Alison. Thank you.
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Thank you so much Nayaran 🙏
Alison
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You’re so right that we need beauty! Your photos certainly made me feel more relaxed
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Thanks TCK. 🙏 I’m so glad they helped.
Alison
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Thank you for this. There has been so much sad news lately, we need to be reminded of the beauty around us.
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You’re welcome 🙏
Focusing on the beauty of nature can really help for sure in the face of so much sad news 😢
Alison
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Lovely once again. Ta!
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Thanks Keith 🙏 You’re welcome.
Alison
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I appreciate the pics and the quotes.
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Thanks so much Peggy 🙏
Alison
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Beautiful Alison!
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Thanks Cindy 🙏
Alison
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Beautiful photos Ali, the Fraser River view intrigued me
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Thanks Linda 🙏🥰
We go down to the river a lot because it’s so close. Sometimes the light there is so amazing, especially when the river is fairly still.
Alison
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It’s easy to be drawn into all the bad news we’ve been hearing and reading lately. In the first weeks of the war in Ukraine, I too was so consumed by it. I constantly checked the news to seek updates and hoped for the war to be over soon. But these days I’ve been reminding myself not to let life pass by without enjoying it, and sure enough there’s news about how the people in Kyiv beginning to relive life as they knew it, albeit with many adjustments. Bakeries have reopened, as have some beauty salons. Your beautiful photos are a further reminder for us not to take all those beauties around us for granted. I love how the opening and closing shots are in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
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Thanks so much Bama. 🙏 I’m pleased to hear that the people of Kyiv are trying to live as normal lives as possible. I did not know that.
I also have been consumed by the news, and needed this reminder as much as anyone to focus on the good there is in our lives. We are so fortunate.
Alison
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It’s terrible, isn’t it? Not knowing how to help, how to make this appalling situation end, just being a bystander. I almost feel guilty for enjoying my blog, but that’s just self indulgent and won’t help at all. Thanks for sharing the beauty, Alison.
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It is terrible, and so sad 😢
I very much appreciate your insight that feeling guilty is self indulgent, and that it doesn’t help. I think most people don’t understand that. So let’s enjoy our lives and our blogs, and by doing that contribute as much good vibes as we can to the energy field.
hugs Jo
Alison
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☺️☺️☺️☺️
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🙏 🌞
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Thanks so much for the beautiful reminder, Alison! As always your photos touch the heart and I love the quotes, especially the ones by John Eldredge and of course The Bard. Thanks also for mentioning the unceding territory of the Coast Salish people.
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Thanks so much Astrid. 🙏
I’ve been mentioning the traditional inhabitants of the land here on blog posts for a while now – I think it’s important that we remember and acknowledge what was done for us to be here. There’s an opening happening in the world energy that I feel that’s about no longer being able to hide the truth (which is in itself causing a backlash 😢)
Alison
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Thank you for sharing…like a breath of fresh air….
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Thanks you so much Christine. My pleasure 🙏
Alison
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Thank you for your thoughtful words and beautiful, beautiful photographs Alison.
Cheers,
David
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Thanks so much David. 🙏 You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Alison
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Into the heart of the wild rose❣️🌸thanks for sharing your beautiful photos and narrative Alison❣️☺️🌸feels perfect💫hedy
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Thanks Hedy 🙏🥰 my pleasure. We need to not turn to despair I think.
Alison 🤗
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Thank you for these moments of peace and beauty. The wild rose took my breath away.
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My pleasure Ruth, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Ah yes, the rose – I’m surprised I haven’t published that photo previously. Thanks 🙏
Alison
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Lovely. Just what we need as we await the coming of Spring. Thanks.
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Thanks so much Eileen 🙏 I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Alison
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I feel like I just took deep breaths for the first time in a while after seeing your pictures. Beautiful and calming!
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Thank you so much 🙏 I’m glad it helped!
Alison
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Wonderful captures. Those really give the feelings of very pleasent and positive vibes…..
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Thank you so much 🙏 I’m glad you enjoyed them.
Alison
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Alison, thank you for sharing these gorgeous photos of nature and the meaningful quotes on beauty. I really did need to see this.
Your opening sentence echoed just what I’ve been feeling over the past month – at times I’ve felt a great deal of anger and rage that certain individuals could be so evil to inflict all this suffering on the innocent people of Ukraine. And that so many misinformed folks both within Russia and abroad are buying into the Kremlin’s outrageous lies. Here in Indonesia there’s sadly not a lot of sympathy for Ukraine… most people simply don’t care because it’s just so far away, while decades of military dictatorship have really left their mark on society – critical thinking is sorely lacking and there are many who prefer a strongman leader like in the “good old days”.
On a brighter note, I’m grateful you posted this reminder of nature’s infinite capacity to soothe and heal. When the war finally ends, I have no doubt that the Ukrainians – with the world’s help of course – will rebuild their country to be stronger and even more beautiful than before. I look forward to visiting someday.
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Thanks so much James. 🙏 You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I connected with your whole middle paragraph – about the horrific useless evil; about the misinformation and people’s willingness to believe it; and about the lack of critical thinking and apathy that leads to dictatorship. I recently read about a poll in the US that something like 43% would refer an autocracy, a strongman to tell them how to live as there is now in North Korea. 😢
We are a flawed species 😢
Oh the infinite healing power of nature! 🥰 I’m out in it everyday hiking in the forest – lucky to live near enough to walk there. The two best mood enhancers are nature and exercise. If only we all had such understanding and access. Still, the thing that makes me weep, every time no matter how awful things are, is the inherent kindness in humanity, how everyone bands together to help. We may be flawed but we also have heart. ❤️
I have no doubt Ukraine will rebuild, with an even stronger sense of pride and identity. I too look forward to visiting one day.
Alison
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Such a beautiful post, Alison, wrapped around your incredible photography are words that holds truths we all need: around us is the beauty of nature than can help us find calm and immersing ourselves in such scenes can give us fuel to carry one.
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Thanks so much Randall. 🙏 I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I think we humans too often underestimate how important nature is to our wellbeing 😢 It’s such a powerful mood enhancer.
Alison
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thank you Alison. I felt as I was taking in your beautiful images as if my breath was coming more easily. A photographic mediation. This quote that you shared, ‘Beauty reassures us that goodness is still real in the world…’ yes we can hang on to that. Such a troubling time. Thank you for a health dose of peacefulness.
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You’re most welcome Sue. And thank you for your kind words. It’s so easy to get caught up in the bad news 😢 that I try really hard to find a balance to that.
Alison
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A tonic to the eyes and the soul — plus, your loving spirit added an invisible undercurrent of healing that benefits everyone.
I often go to the 3,000 hectare refuge on the edge of the city – what a gift to have permission to spend days and weeks and months there on this bird study. Only five minutes on foot from the beginning of the trails, the sounds of the city are absent – and the forest cocoons me. I marvel at the contrast – how can one find such instant comfort and peace, yet outside of that cocoon there are so many people who are discontent – and that the people of the Ukraine have no escape from the trauma…
Ah, if this were a perfect world, I suppose we’d not be in this realm anymore – we’d all be in blissful harmony after graduating higher and higher — but for now we’re here to teach and to learn and to help each other along. You are front of the class of the latter.
Sending love from the equator,
Lisa
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Thanks so much lovely Lisa. You’re front of the class yourself!
We’re so bombarded with bad news that turning to nature becomes more and more important. My heart bleeds for the people of Ukraine 😢.
Your refuge sounds absolutely idyllic and so nourishing. I’m out hiking in the forest every day and feel so blessed that it’s so nearby.
Alison
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