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



Pairs

Lots of pairs in the park. This pair of chickadees was working on a nest.

 

First one

 

 

 

... and then off it flew to be replaced by the other...

 

of the pair. I tried unsuccessfully to get them both in one picture.

Next there were pairs of crows.

 

 

 

This pair were grooming each other.

 

This pair of Mallards was taking turns keeping watch, here she is dosing.

 

Then she wakes, and stretches ...

 

and he nods off.

 

Flower pairs:

 

 

 

And I couldn't resist taking pictures of shells on the high tide line, not exactly pairs.

 

 

Now here we have a pair of pears. Why you ask? 

 

Well I have been working on another set of recipe cards; watercolour paintings on cards, and each card contains a recipe card for the pictured ingredient.

 

So there you have it a pair of pears:

 

A pair of pears to pare.

 

Imagine the tongue twisting verse that could result ;^)

 

Here are some new paintings.

 

Two watercolours; first a Lily

 

 

and one of Gooseneck Barnacles.

 

 

And finally here is an ink and watercolour for a new food themed card:

 

 

These cards are 5" x 5" and include a recipe insert that features the pictured ingredient. What is the recipe for the walnuts ... you will have to go to my card website, PS Whimsy, and have a look. (Hint it is under the Food Icon and is the first of the Series 2 recipes).

 

Until next time...

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

 

Thanks for stopping by,

 

happy Whimsy Wednesday,

 

 

Gillian. 

 

 

 



April -- No Fooling

This weeks post is brought to you by the letter "S" and the colour "Green".

Spring has definitely arrived in this part of the world.

"April, April, laugh thy girlish laughter, then a moment after, weep thy girlish tears."

 

Sir William Watson

 

This is a painting I did last year for the Brock House Society calendar, it is called "The Best Seat in the Park" and is a typical spring day in Jericho Park with someone enjoying my favorite bench.

This painting is for sale, all funds go to Brock House Society, let me know if you are interested in buying it.

 

SPRING, SPRING, SPRING!

 

The new spring growth is a very special bright startling green and is Springing up everywhere!

 

 

 

Green, green, green!

 

 

I love the patterns in this root.

 

 

 

 

Flower God, God Of The Spring

 

FLOWER god, god of the spring, beautiful, bountiful,

Cold-dyed shield in the sky, lover of versicles,

Here I wander in April

Cold, grey-headed; and still to my

Heart, Spring comes with a bound, Spring the deliverer,

Spring, song-leader in woods, chorally resonant;

Spring, flower-planter in meadows,

Child-conductor in willowy

Fields deep dotted with bloom, daisies and crocuses:

Here that child from his heart drinks of eternity:

O child, happy are children!

She still smiles on their innocence,

She, dear mother in God, fostering violets,

Fills earth full of her scents, voices and violins:

Thus one cunning in music

Wakes old chords in the memory:

Thus fair earth in the Spring leads her performances.

One more touch of the bow, smell of the virginal

Green - one more, and my bosom

Feels new life with an ecstasy.  

 

Robert Louis Stevenson    

 

  

The birds are busy too, pairing up, a spring in their step.

 

These Widgeons in step.       

 

  

 

 

Golden crowned sparrows I think.

 

 

 

And a lone Great Blue Heron fishing in the shallow water.

 

 

Spring Song

by Robert Louis Stevenson

THE air was full of sun and birds,
The fresh air sparkled clearly.
Remembrance wakened in my heart
And I knew I loved her dearly.

The fallows and the leafless trees
And all my spirit tingled.
My earliest thought of love, and Spring's
First puff of perfume mingled.

In my still heart the thoughts awoke,
Came lone by lone together -
Say, birds and Sun and Spring, is Love
A mere affair of weather?

---------------------

And with Easter just around the corner I thought some rabbits would be appreciated.

There were dark chocolate, milk chocolate and even white chocolate rabbits at the park.

 

 

These rabbits were stretched out, relaxing.

 

 Some were eating.

 

 

This one looked exhausted.

 

 

She seemed to be watching over this little brood of babies:

 

 

Please forgive me for including so many, these bunnies were small and so cute. My favorite is the grey one with the black nose. There were at least six of the little ones.

A few more plants, from my garden, beautiful greens, beautiful spring. 

  

Lots of paint being splashed around here this week. First of all I took a better picture of this one from last week so her is "Ready and Waiting: again:

 

Here are two new ones. First "Donkey Trio":

 

 

and second "High and Dry":

 

All are watercolours. The "Donkey Trio" is inspired by a photograph I took in southern France a few years ago. The "High and Dry" is from a photograph that I took when I was on Gabriola Island a couple of years ago.

That's my first post for April, no fooling.


Until next time...

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

 

Thanks for stopping by,

 

happy Whimsy Wednesday,

 

 

Gillian.