What to do on a windy day?

First, Happy Birthday wishes to my sister Marg.


Spring time and a windy day, what to do, well fly a kite of course.

The expression "go fly a kite" is a not terribly polite way of telling someone to buzz off. Odd expression, to me, because flying a kite is a very pleasant way to spend way to spend an afternoon.

This little guy seemed to be having a great time!

Another kite, further along the beach, on a very long tether so couldn't get kite and kite-flyer in same picture without needing a magnifying glass to view it.

 

 

"The pessimist complains about the wind;

 the optimist expects it to change;

 the realist adjusts the sails."

 

William Aurthur Ward

 

 

 

 

 

A different way to fly a kite, this is kite surfing or kite boarding actually. At first I saw just one surfer/boarder but in a short time at least a dozen more joined in the fun. I think word gets around quickly when the winds are good.

I asked one of the guys getting ready how windy it was and he estimated 15 knots and building.

"Kiteboarding is a surface water sport combining aspects of wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. A kiteboarder harnesses the power of the wind with a large controllable power kite to be propelled across the water on a kiteboard similar to a wakeboard or a small surfboard, with or without footstraps or bindings" Wikipedia

 

It was exciting to watch, but I had little desire to try it myself; that water is really cold.

 

 

 

The "kite" is really large and seemed difficult to handle on the beach but elegant in the air.

 

These two kite boarders were carried so far into English Bay that they had to come ashore and walk all the way back to the west end of Spanish Banks where the other boarders, and I suspect their cars, were. A good walk even without all the gear.

"Thought is the wind,

knowledge is the sail,

and mankind the vessel."

 

Augustus Hare

 



There were wind surfers out too, but they were in the more sheltered waters.

 

Then I spotted this sail above the park? What is going on there? Well kite boarding on land I think.

 

 

 

 

And finally, and perhaps my favorite, here are a pair of Mallards surfing.

Now that looks like fun!

 

"Come Fairies,

take me out of this dull world,

for a ride with you upon the wind

and dance upon the mountains like a flame."

 

William Butler Yeats

 

 

I loved my afternoon in the sun and the wind; at the end of my walk my hair was standing on end and I was covered in a fine coating of salt and sand. What a great day!

I did do some painting this week, although not as much as usual. I finished this ink and watercolour "food" picture:

 

I call this picture "Mirrored Mushrooms" because it shows Shitake Mushrooms and their reflection.

 

It is the latest of my Food cards, which include a recipe card using the pictured ingredient. What is the recipe for this card, take a look:

 

View at: http://www.pswhimsy.com/food-cards-series-2.html

 

or all the food cards at: http://www.pswhimsy.com/food.html

 

 





Until next time...

Thank you for all your kind comments on my last post.

 

Thanks for stopping by,

 

happy Whimsy Wednesday,

 

 

Gillian