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@ An Apple For The Picking
Bluebell begins her experience of Water!
An Apple For The Picking
A red apple, ready to eat, nature has washed it clean of dust and soon it will let go of its hold on the branch, let’s pluck it and eat it and enjoy the crisp taste of autumn on the way.

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@ Graceful Water Lily

Blue And Gold Egg
The first painted eggs came from Mesopotamia, and because eggs were forbidden food during Lent, people painted eggs while Lent was being observed—after Lent, they would eat the eggs on Easter Day.

Beautifully decorated eggs “pysanka” are associated with Ukraine, and the oldest painted egg that was unearthed in northern Ukraine is dated to the end of the 17th century.

Graceful Water Lily
The Nymphaeaceae family (a very fitting name for these elegant water plants) offer the ideal finishing touches to a garden pond. Water lilies add practical features and also beauty to any pool. Fish use them to hide from predators, and as shady retreats from the hot summer sun. Plants growing in a pond help keep the water clean and aerated. These specimen is especially beautiful!

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@ Rain Tracks
"Did you know you can start a fire with ice, Bluebell?" asked Sassy \Mahi.
"How on earth do you do that?" queried Bluebell.
"Well, you need a disc of clear ice shaped into a lens, then use it as you would a magnifying glass to shine the sun's rays onto flammable material, such as dry grass."
Rain Tracks
Today is raining and the raindrops have gathered on the window pane. The drops are racing each other and chasing each other to see which drop can make it to the bottom of the window first. Dear pets, if you would like to play a game with these raindrops, choose one and follow it with your paw, or talon as it heads downward.

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@ Lake Baikal, Russia
“I could stay here in front of this image forever, Bluebell,” said Pingu. “This is an amazing place!”
“Well, you never know what lies ahead, Pingu. I wouldn't be surprised if the next exhibit is even better!” said Bluebell.
Lake Baikal, Russia
Lake Baikal, in southern Siberia, Russia. It is considered to be the oldest lake in the world, at 25 million years, and the deepest lake. It contains 20% of the world's total unfrozen freshwater reserve. A Unesco world heritage site. Beautiful in winter, a huge chunk of ice looking like a massive diamond.

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@ Frog on a Lily Pad
"After the Great Fire of London in 1666, businessmen started house insurance companies. They had to be careful because if another fire started they could lose a lot of money. To get around this, they ended up hiring their own fire brigade just in case a fire did start! This is when the first brigade started."
"It sounds a bit hit-and-miss, Bluebell!" remarked Iolanthe.
"It was, yes. Any of the insurance companies' fire brigades weren't allowed to put out a fire of a house which was insured with a different company!"
"They'd just watch it burn, then, Bluebell?"
"Well—I guess that was how it went, Iolanthe, yes!"
Frog on a Lily Pad
It's an endearing, iconic image—a frog on a lily pad! The lily leaves are attached to stems about four feet long connected to the plant growing on the bottom of the pond. These stems and the water's surface stability make the lily pads strong enough to carry a frog. It may look a peaceful scene, but the frog is in reality remaining motionless, waiting for unsuspecting prey!

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@ Victoria Falls, Zambezi River, Africa
"There's a fun project in our brochure on how to make a weather vane from an ice cream container lid, scissors, a marker pen, a skewer, a straw and a pin," remarked Bluebell.
"Cool!" responded Misty. "We could make a start when we get back to our hotel tonight."
Victoria Falls, Zambezi River, Africa
One of the world's largest waterfalls, with a width of 1708 m (5604 ft) Victoria Falls, on the Zambezi River, in southern Africa. In the Lozi language, Mosi-oa-Tunya, "The Smoke That Thunders"; In the Tonga language Shungu Namutitima, "Boiling Water") The Sotho language name Mosi-oa-Tunya is the name used most commonly.

David Livingston, a Scottish Missionary, was the first recorded European to set eyes on the falls in 1855. Livingstone named the falls Victoria after Queen Victoria, the World Heritage List officially recognizes both names. Mr. Livingstone also cited an older name, Seongo or Chongwe, which means "The Place of the Rainbow", as a result of the constant spray.

Victoria Falls, though not being the largest in width or height alone, combined these falls are indeed the world's largest sheet of falling water.

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@ Regal Swan
Bluebell and Audra shook paws, said “How do you do?” and posed for a souvenir photo. “Why am I always on the left?” grumbled Bluebell. “Let’s change sides.”
“No,” said Audra. “This is my best side.”
Regal Swan
The mute swan, or Cygnus olor is a very large white waterbird with an orange bill. In the UK they are most commonly found in England, but to a lesser extent in Scotland and Wales. In cold weather, some mute swans arrive from Europe into eastern England.

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@ Many Waterfalls
"Did you know you can start a fire with ice, Bluebell?" asked MK.
"How on earth do you do that?" queried Bluebell.
"Well, you need a disc of clear ice shaped into a lens, then use it as you would a magnifying glass to shine the sun's rays onto flammable material, such as dry grass."
Many Waterfalls
Looking like so many mini waterfalls, the ocean surges, and retreats over a large flat rock. The sound must be wonderful, so soothing.

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@ Ripples On The Water
The doldrums is a wind-free area around the equator where sailing ships used to get stuck for weeks. Hence the phrase ‘in the doldrums’.
Ripples On The Water
Water rippling over the rocks below creates abstract patterns that shift and change.

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@ Tudor Rose
"Hey, this is interesting, Bluebell!" declared chendler. "It says here that if the entire world’s water were fit into a 4 litre jug, the fresh water available for humans and pets would equal only about one tablespoon."
Bluebell fidgeted with the corner of her brochure. "I'm not sure I follow, chendler!"
"It's a proportion thing, Bluebell. Nearly 97% of the world’s water is salty or otherwise undrinkable. Another 2% is locked in ice caps and glaciers. That leaves just 1% for all of our needs!"
Tudor Rose
In the 15th century King Henry VII of England introduced the Tudor Rose, which combined the red rose of the House of Lancaster with the white rose of the House of York. The Tudor Rose was adopted as the national emblem of England, and was a symbol of peace and unity in the period following the long civil war.

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@ Leaf And Water Drops
"I'm going to buy that souvenir wind spinner, Blue Fire," said Bluebell. "It'll be a nice colourful addition to my garden!"
"That sounds like a lovely memento, Bluebell!"
Leaf And Water Drops
Magnifying a subject—as in this leaf and water drops—can produce some wonderful almost abstract art.

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@ Swimming With The Fish
"After the Great Fire of London in 1666, businessmen started house insurance companies. They had to be careful because if another fire started they could lose a lot of money. To get around this, they ended up hiring their own fire brigade just in case a fire did start! This is when the first brigade started."
"It sounds a bit hit-and-miss, Bluebell!" remarked Sparkles.
"It was, yes. Any of the insurance companies' fire brigades weren't allowed to put out a fire of a house which was insured with a different company!"
"They'd just watch it burn, then, Bluebell?"
"Well—I guess that was how it went, Sparkles, yes!"
Swimming With The Fish
Where do I want to be? Under the sea. The water is warm the fishes are darting around in colourful schools—nibbling a bit of plant here and there.

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@ Water Drops On Pine Needles
“Let's just drink in this exhibit, shall we, Bluebell?” suggested Geoffrey, sinking down on a convenient chair.
Bluebell agreed it was well worth spending some time there!
Water Drops On Pine Needles
Come along dear pets, we are going to take a walk amongst the trees. The rain has stopped and the air is fresh with the scent of pine all around, it will lift our spirits and refresh our minds.

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@ Rain Soaked Twig
“Ooh, it's just starting to get a bit cold, Bluebell!” said Sir Fluffle Bottom. “Can you hold my map while I dig out my jumper?"
Bluebell good-naturedly took charge of Sir Fluffle Bottom's possessions while he emptied his rucksack of a pack of sandwiches, a Thermos flask, a pair of galoshes, a bag of toffees, a paperback novel, a bottle of mineral water, an address book, some postage stamps, an assortment of different coloured biros, a bottle opener, a couple of old train tickets, a handful of golden and silver moles, a door key, some shopping receipts, a screwdriver, a bottle of multivitamins, a lottery ticket and a selection of rather battered sachets of salt, sugar and tomato ketchup before locating the jumper right at the bottom. This he donned and then Bluebell helped him put everything back in his rucksack.
Rain Soaked Twig
Don't you just love the play of light on the foliage, with the foreground in sharp focus and the background grasses a soothing blur, and this twig weighed down by raindrops at dawn?

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@ Hello, Anyone Home
Oh look ... you won a pet!
Hello, Anyone Home
Raindrops bejewel the web of a spider. I wonder where the occupant of this web went when the rains came. A spider can’t hold an umbrella, so I hope it found a big leaf to hide under while waiting out the rain.

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@ Refreshing The Rose
Ray Bradbury wrote a book called The Fireman, but the editors found the name boring. They called a local fire station to ask at what temperature book paper would burn at. The firemen put Bradbury on hold, burnt a book, and reported that the temperature it burnt at was 451° Fahrenheit. The rest, as they say, is history.
Refreshing The Rose
The dusty pink rose, is ready to unfurl, perhaps today when the sun shows its face, but for now, the rose has been washed of dust and refreshed.

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@ Playing With Waves
Bluebell and Fiddlesticks shook paws, said “How do you do?” and posed for a souvenir photo. “Why am I always on the left?” grumbled Bluebell. “Let’s change sides.”
“No,” said Fiddlesticks. “This is my best side.”
Playing With Waves
Take your shoes and socks off, the sand is soft, and the water is warm as the waves gently roll in and out. Playing tag with the waves is a favourite pastime of many people and pets. A great way to cool off during the heat of the summer.

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@ Dewy Iris
"I think there'll be quite a few tired paws, wings and flippers when we get back to the tour bus," said Moon, after she and Bluebell had spent some time exploring another wing of the art gallery to its end.
"Is there a gift shop after this?" enquired Bluebell. "The thought of that generally keeps me going!"
Dewy Iris
A beautiful iris with dew-laden deep blue petals in an atmospheric close-up image.

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@ Tantalizing Cherry
"It's turned a bit hot, Bluebell. They must have put the heating on! I'm going to take my scarf off," said Flopsy.
"Good scheme! I'll do the same," said Bluebell.
Tantalizing Cherry
Water drops on a ripe red cherry, how mouthwatering is that. But is this cherry for eating or is it a model for an artist? Don’t help yourself quite yet.

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@ Heron at Dawn
"The Great Fire of 1666 started in London, on Pudding Lane, in a baker's shop. The baker believed he had put the fire out but in the middle of the night the fire grew and his house was in flames. Pudding Lane is still there today. If you want to visit it, Monument is the nearest tube station. The place where the fire started is also marked by a monument topped by a fiery gold ornament," said Bluebell.
"It makes it sound like it's the only monument in London, Bluebell!" chuckled Ada.
Heron at Dawn
This tall, almost prehistoric looking, grey heron stands like a statue on the edge of the pond, contemplating its next meal. Dawn is just breaking and the water is shrouded with mist.

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@ Canine Hydrotherapy!
“What have you got in your rucksack, RUFINE?” asked Bluebell. “It looks very full!”
“I’ve come prepared for anything, Bluebell,” responded RUFINE. “There’s canvas deck shoes, tennis shoes, flip-flops, sandshoes, walking boots, sandals, loafers—you name it, I’ve got it!”
Canine Hydrotherapy!
Most dogs love to swim! Those that take to aquatic frolics most readily will be dogs with a water-resistant coat, evenly distributed body weight and a large tail to act as a rudder!

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@ Ladybug Going For A Walk
"What two elements is water made up of, Bluebell?" asked Priya.
"That's easy: hydrogen and oxygen!"
"Correct, Bluebell! Two parts of hydrogen to one part oxygen, making the element name H2O."
Ladybug Going For A Walk
Little ladybug taking a stroll on a leaf, it rained this morning and the ladybug stops to sip at a raindrop. Refreshed the ladybug will move on to do ladybug things.

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@ Teal & Purple Peacock Feather
"Hansi (Icky Bird Who Can't Fly), I've got something called "sepia effect" on my camera. I've got a feeling it’s faulty, though. It just makes everything go all brown!”
"Oh, Bluebell, that's what it's supposed to do! See that exhibit over there?"
Teal & Purple Peacock Feather
Birds waterproof their feathers with oils from the preening activity, which prevents water droplets sinking further into the feathers. Instead water forms into droplets which run off the feather. Feathers have a unique and highly complex structure and their arrangement with neighbouring feathers maintains their "waterproof" integrity.

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@ Water Drops On A Rose
The strongest winds in the solar system are on Saturn where they reach speeds of over 1,100mph.
Water Drops On A Rose
A white rose in full bloom, sprinkled with drops of water. Did it rain early in the morning, or did a gardener come by with a watering can and drench the flowers before the sun came out?

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@ Plop, Water Drops
As Bluebell's experience of "Water" comes to an end, she receives a wonderful gift!
Lotus Flower, Violet
For thousands of years, the Lotus flower had been used as a symbol of purity, beauty, and transcendence. The Lotus flower also represents connection. In Feng Shui the lotus is seen as an embodiment of the mandala, the petals have a center point that expands outward. Beautiful, delicate flowers that only grow in swamps. "All the wisdom is within us, so the 'jewel,' the 'treasure,' is in us—and we are the lotus flower," Anjie Cho

Plop, Water Drops
As the rain falls and lands on the water’s surface it creates craters and small pillars of water. It is endlessly fascinating to watch the raindrops fall.
Bluebell has completed her exploration of "Water"! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also explore the Elements!