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



Lost Whimsy?

Whimsy on a Wednesday?

I have spent the last few months feeling a bit lost. Lost in space, cyberspace that is.

In the fall our old, and usually reliable computer, died or so it seemed. Were the files gone with it? What about all my pictures?

A new computer promised improved speed and storage and the technician promise all our files were safe and had been transferred. Well, not so much.

First time I turned it on, the mail program didn't work, all our saved mail was not there and the screen looked very different. No start button?

Hey Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore.

Nothing is the same!

We had gone from a 32 bit operating system to a 64 bit one. None of my old reliable and efficient photo storage and editing tools worked anymore.

 

..and I admit I just gave up for quite a while.

 

So I have "found" my pictures, got new editing software and am gradually getting used to it. Maybe I might just get this blog off the ground again.

 





 

 

 

Well at last!

I have some paintings to share and some art news.

First here is are a couple of new paintings:

Coming and Going, watercolour, 14" X 20"

 

"Alight", watercolour, 20" X 14"



My art news: 

Two of my paintings have been accept in a juried exhibit titled "Works on Paper" at the Federation (of Canadian Artists) Gallery on Granville Island in Vancouver.

"Aurora", watercolour 14" X 20"

 

"Echoes", watercolour 20" X 14"

 

 

The show is on February 11 to 23, 2014; here is the link to the online gallery.  I am thrilled to report that "Aurora" was given an "Award of Excellence".

I am happy to say that I have a surgery date soon which should resolve the medical issue that has been hanging over my head for some time now.

Happy Wednesday, until next time, with whimsy,

Gillian

 

 

 

 

 

"I must go down to the seas again..."

I have always loved the beach, enjoying the slight saltiness of the breeze, walking on the sand and the rhythmic "chant" of the waves upon the shore. 

So I took advantage of an afternoon low tide to stroll along Spanish banks. Fair weather had brought out many others and a brisk breeze had attracted a few kite fliers. 

As I walked I thought of my Dad, who died this month in 2006, and how he would have loved this walk and was reminded of a favorite poem of his:

Sea Fever by John Masefield (from Salt-Water Ballads, 1902)  I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to sail her by, And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking, And the gray mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking. I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life, To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow rover, And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

So come along with me .............as I go down to the sea. Many ships were at anchor in the English bay and many a few sailing boats were taking advantage of the wind for a brisk sail. I found lots of things to interest me and occupy my camera.    And of course there were quite a variety of birds interested in what the low tide had uncovered.   -------------------- I think I mentioned last week that I had started on a new series of paintings with a sea shore theme. Here is the first in that series, a watercolour, called "Shell Colour 1": For more information on this and to see more of my original art follow this link: GillianOlsonArt Thank you for dropping by, Happy Whimsy Wednesday, until next week .................