As many of you will know, we have recently returned from a wonderful six day holiday to Ramsgate Beach in South Africa...
There is something so tranquil about sitting on a beach and watching a kite being flown nearby. I become rather mesmerised by how this simple little device can play so whimsically in the thermals above my head and how it effectively puts a smile on its anchor’s face. It’s also an opportunity for me to observe the usually invisible breeze which is so beautifully "painted" by the kite.
On the other end of the kite’s strings a human being often displays sheer delight as he/she toys with its wonders. It seems that a kite is a medium for us all to be able to “play with the wind”.
Don't you find it amazing?!
Sometimes the kite is only a single string type where it flies at the mercy of the wind’s direction and force. At other times, the kite is more advanced and it uses parachute technology to allow some technical manoeuvring in the thermals. Either way, it’s fun! And fascinating! And I’ve discovered that the range of kites on offer is diverse - in shapes, abilities, styles and colours!
The opportunity presented itself this holiday to take a closer look at the makings and operations of a kite.
Mr “R” got us going at first. He’d brought along a rather large parachute-type kite and one afternoon, when the wind was good, we went down to the beach to watch some action...
Phew, some amazing athleticism was required to keep the kite airborne!...
As you can see, Mr "R" was also airborne!
Ramsgate and its environment is home to ‘Windsong Kites’ and we stopped by their little factory shop to see what they had to offer. I just have to show you some of their beautiful and colourful designs:
( 'Windsong' factory)
(A Dragon Kite)
(Beautiful Butterfly kite)
(A Goldfish kite)
(Eagle kite)
(Another Butterfly)
(Chinese Dragon - on the left)
(A beautiful sailing boat hanging from the ceiling)
I was totally intrigued and since I’ve never had a kite of my own I decided to purchase a small, one line, ‘jelly fish’ kite of my own. Despite its simple design, it was most effective in the air and we all took turns to play in the wind. It's very 'delicate' looking...
A "Girl" Kite, what fun!
I’ve decided that flying a kite is somewhat like watching a gold fish swimming around in a fish bowl...quite mesmerising.
Anyone flown a kite? Any stories to tell?
Sending lotsaluv
(Please note: I am having great trouble with blogposts at the moment. I believe there is a problem on "Blogger.com's" side. If a few days go by before another post, please don't worry. It's just taking me AGES to write up blogposts at the moment so I can't do this daily. Thank you for your patience)
16 comments:
Love the pictures, especially of Mr 'R' flying!
My own little kite tale:
Aged 29, just starting a new job for an oil company in Oklahoma. Knowing no-one, feeling a bit alone in a very unfamiliar culture. A colleague tells me that he and a bunch of friends are meeting up to fly kites that evening and would I like to come along. Fresh from London, where an evening's entertainment might be, say, a trip to the National Theatre, I try to suppress my surprise, and agree to tag along. I meet a lovely, friendly bunch of Americans, including one who became a highly valued friend, and over the last 20 yeas we have travelled together in Europe, Australia, USA and Canada, and my life has been immeasurably enriched by that friendship. I am so glad I accepted the kind invitation to go kite flying all those years ago!
Cheers,
Gail.
Love these pictures. It sure does look like a tranquil place. Mom likes kite flying, that is peaceful within it self
Benny & Lily
Mum has happy memories of flying kites when she was a child. When she and dad first met (almost 25 years ago) they sometimes would take a kite to a park for a lazy Sunday afternoon, and lie on their backs on the grass and watch their kites fly. It was very relaxing!
Over the years they’ve tried little ones, children’s teddy bear ones, Chinese kites, box kites, stunt kites, they have a fishing kite (for catching fish) and dad even tried a huge “kite surfing” one briefly. When they go on holiday to the beach they take a couple of small kites with them, and if I’m with them I sit in a shady spot and watch.
Your post has just reminded mum she has two kite making books on her bookshelf (from many years ago when they tried making thier own kites before life got too busy). There are lots of fun designs in the books and after reading your post again she is going to have another look (or see what is now on the internet) and maybe try making one again.
Yes the kites are so beautiful...I could sit and stare at them all day and more. We had a kite flying exhibit/contest on one of our beaches a few years ago...I've never seen so many congregated in one area...really colourful. When you have perfect weather then, the experience is all that and more. Cheers!
Gosh, those kites are just Most Beautiful! I like looking at them where they're all still in the store like that. But I do NOT like them when they're flying above my head. It's kind of skeery.
My mom said she had a HUGE canvas box kite when she was a little girl in Oak-luh-home-ah. It was so big, you had to wait until it was REALLY windy to fly it. Luckily, it's REALLY windy a lot in Oak-luh-home-ah!
Wiggles & Wags,
mayzie
The kites are so beautiful. You can find lots of kite stores on Cape Cod in Mass. I can't believe your friend was lifted off the ground!
xxoo
Deborah
The kites are just gorgeous! We think that's pretty cool that Mr. R got Aireborne!
Love ya lots
Maggie and Mitch
MaxMom
We love kites, but mostly just to watch them..I'm not suwe my pawents awe athletic enuff anymowe to do those movements that MrW did.
It must have been magical to watch
smoochie kisses
ASTA
Those kites are incredible!
Thanks for sharing them!
I have very vague memories of trying to fly a kite as a kid. I don't think I took very good care of them though so they never lasted long.
I do have a big butterfly one hanging from the ceiling in my girlie room.
We used to have a kite day in town here where people would come out and fly their kites. There would be prizes given for the most original one, the one that flew the highest, the biggest one, the smallest one, etc. Sometimes I'd go and watch but I never participated.
Mr. R looks like he's having fun!
Oh yes - blogger! It gives me trouble on occasion too. Sometimes it won't publish a post when it's supposed to. Lately though, it's been giving me fits with pictures.
When I go to the big ocean to look for my sea friends- Puff, Star and Murphy- I fly my kyte.
It is a turtle.
My mommy used to always fly kytes - always.
My kyte goes so high that I cannot see it.
But it always comes back to me.
I feel the breeze as the kyte string tugs.
I hear the ripples as the kyte dips and soars.
I just love your photos.
love
tweedles
Kite flying is most fun - so A says, I wouldn't know I would fly with the kite if I tried. Her friend's kite's string broke when it flew too high and the wind was too strong, and it went flying free.
The kites you have there looks most beautiful!
Woofs,
Pepsi
Our Dad has a stunt-kite. Mom bought it for his birthday a few years ago, and he loves it.
Because we live by the sea, Dad takes it up on to the cliffs where the wind can be awesome, and he makes it twist and turn and perform tricks in the air.
One day it blew over the cliff and got caught in a tree ~ and to mom's horror, Dad climbed over the top of the cliff (very dangerous)to retrieve it. Mom held her breath the whole time he was out of sight ~ and when he came back she told him off big-time!!!
When mum was a good bit younger, she had a Peter Powell stunter which she adored. Recently she bought a kite in the shape of a mythical beast at a jumble just because it was so lovely.
But we must say that those are the most beautiful kites we have ever seen both in design and colour. Extraordinary! Mum can't take her eyes off them! Not good for kite flying, where we are now, though. Too many thorny bushes and cacti.
We've enjoyed kites from 'Into the Wind'. They are beautiful and so relaxing to fly. Flying a kite is one of those activities that afford us the opportunity to enjoy some un-hurried time. It was fun to see the next 'pose' your camera would find Mr.R in. I watched your MAX video, and I miss him, he was such a sweetheart.
I would want to fly the goldfish for sure! It's adorable!
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