Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 9 September 2018

Sunday Selections #396

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
 
Like River I usually run with a theme.  This week I am taking you back to 'Flying High' an annual kite festival in a nearby town.  It is another of the events that we (creatures of habit) go to each year.  This is what we saw as we pulled into the township, before we got to our destination.

 




We were hopeful.  There are feature kites each year and so far we haven't been lucky enough to see them take to the sky.


Sadly, the wind dropped just as we reached the sportsground.  No big kites this year.  And rather a lot of this. 











There were intermittent gusts of wind, and some kites did take to the skies.   Briefly.














I did love the dragon and the birds.  And the good humour of the hopeful kite watchers and kite flyers.


The kites might not have flown well, but there was just enough breeze for one of my other passions.  I smiled broadly when this mama pulled a bubble blower out.  Her boys loved it too.





Were we disappointed?  A little.  It was a lovely outing anyway and we will be back next year.  I really, really want to see the giant whale and octopus kites fly.

100 comments:

  1. Hi EC - oh I can sense your disappointment ... I love kites - they are quite amazing and in this day and age there are some stunningly beautiful creations, as well as clever ones. Those bubbles are fun though ... but I do prefer your frozen ones - they always bemuse me ... I wonder if they'd work here ... must try it this coming winter.

    Octopus kites, whales and dragons ... let's hope they get to fly for you next year ... looks to be a lovely day though - cheers Hilary

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    1. Hilary Melton-Butcher: Seeing so many happy families about it would have been ungracious of me to be more than a little bit disappointed. Next year will come soon enough.
      I am pretty confident frozen bubbles would work where you are - and hope you try.

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  2. What a dreadful tease to see the kites in the wind as you approach... then the calm strikes. The dragon was very cool though. Glad you had an enjoyable time anyway.

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    1. River Fairchild: I loved the dragon (of course) and was very pleased there was enough wind for it to make a brief appearance.

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  3. Well... now I feel rather how you must have felt. But bubbles are always fun! Who doesn’t love bubbles? Even the word bubbles is great.

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    1. Birdie: Bubbles are indeed always fun. I like drinking them too.

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  4. What a lovely way to while away an early spring day. The dragon kite was my favorite. I imagine next Saturday or one soon after they will get them all flying.

    I've always loved fall best. It is quite hot here but the plants are giving away to fall. No matter the temperature, nature knows what part of the year it is.

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    1. Ann Bennett: Even the next day was windier, and more kites could have flown. There is always next year's festival and I do hope that in the interim more families fly kites. I am grateful to live in an area with four distinct seasons. I am fond of them all (except the sweaty season).

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  5. Beautiful shots EC, my favourite is the Dragonfly, love it.

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    1. Bob Bushell: I loved the dragon, but also liked the giant birds swooping through the sky.

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  6. Well, these weather influenced events can't be micromanaged, unfortunately. I sure did enjoy the kites that did fly. Thank you for the great pictures! :-)

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    1. DJan: My control freak self would like to be able to micro manage everything. Like you, I enjoyed the kites that did fly.

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  7. The kites are lovely, even if not as many as you hoped to see. As you say, it was a very pleasant day out, regardless.

    I hope the coming week treats you kindly in all ways, EC. Cuddles to Jazz. :)

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    1. Lee: The kites were fun, but kites always are. The coming week is going to be very busy, but should be ok. Cuddles to your furry overlords too.

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  8. Disappointing for you but I loved what you did get. Those kites are always so pretty and your photos are great.

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    1. Denise inVA: We were glad we went, despite the bigger kites being grounded. And thank you.

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  9. Sometimes it feels like the wind never stops blowing but then didn't blow when you wanted it too. The first kite is odd and the rest are great, with lots of colour and themes.

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    1. Andrew: I think the first kite is a 'tester'. The man with the big feature balloons ran it up to see if there was enough wind for his bigger ones. It plummeted to the ground just as we pulled up, and never got more than a few feet off the ground again. I did like the smaller kites though. And the happy crowd.

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  10. Just shows what a bird nerd I am. When I saw the words Kite Festival I immediately thought of birds. I think I can pass on this other stuff!

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    1. David Gascoigne: I am a bird nerd and a word nerd and quite a number of other types of nerd as well. Mind you, if there was a Kite Festival of the sort which would attract you we would most definitely have been there.

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  11. Such a variety of kites... love the dragon and plane!

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    1. CountryMum: I think the dragon and the birds were my favourite, but I was happy to see them all.

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  12. Beautiful kites and lots of color on them.

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    1. Jamie Ghione: Thank you. There was lots and lots of colour.

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  13. Shame about the wind … but I still enjoyed your photographs, and I'm with you on blowing bubbles :)

    Enjoy the coming week ahead.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Lowcarb team member ~Jan: Better luck next year on the wind front. Bubbles are always welcome. There were several families playing with them which I loved.
      I hope your week is wonderful.

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  14. The dragon one was cool. I was never good at flying a kite.

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    1. Alex J. Cavanaugh: The dragon was excellent. I was never a success story in flying kites either. I had a lot of fun making them though.

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  15. Sorry the big kites weren't up- but it looks like you were able to see some beautiful and interesting kites. Hopefully next year the wind will be just right. Must be a tricky event- depending on the wind.

    I haven't flown a kite in years- but I did enjoy it growing up. May have to get a kite and head to the beach. Oh- and I love bubbles too.
    ~Jess

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    1. DMS ~Jess: It was a lovely outing anyway. And there were some lovely kites. And rather a lot of happy people.

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  16. A delightful day! We've never been to kite flying events! The dragon was cool. Like others, I had only one time of success.

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    1. Susan Kane: We found out about this one by accident a few years ago, and go each year. The 'feature' kites haven't taken to the air when we have been there, but there has been oodles and oodles of fun.

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  17. It looks like everyone had as good a time as they could anyway. Hope you get plenty of good breezes next year.

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    1. messymimi: Everyone DID have a good time. I didn't hear a murmur of complaint.

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  18. I'm sorry the festival didn't have quite the right weather for kite flying, although you did get to see a few, and through you, so did we. I do like the birds.

    And bubbles are always fun and successful, no matter the conditions!

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    1. jenny_o: Like the balloons kites are entirely weather dependent. At least some of them did fly. I am glad you noticed the birds. They were up for only a very few minutes and I thoroughly enjoyed them. And hooray for bubbles.

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  19. Love the bird kites! Next year, EC.

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    1. Marie Smith: Another one who noticed the birds. I thought they were clever. And yes, we will be back next year.

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  20. Well you were obviously disappointed, but you did see some lovely kites in the air, and took some great photos. Of course the dragon is my favourite too, but I also really like the birds and the butterfly, and the black one with the pink stars on it.
    There's enough wind here today to get the biggest kites flying! Have a good week EC.

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    1. Alexia: We were only a little disappointed but certainly not despondent. The wind here would have the big kites up today as well.
      I hope your week is full of wonder. And good walks.

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  21. Another wonderful event for me to be pea green with envy

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    1. Anne in the kitchen: Over the next couple of weeks my city (which is renowned as the boredom capital of Australia) has quite a few things on. I don't mean to make you jealous, and do hope you will enjoy them with us.

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  22. I bet it was windy the following day!!
    Whenever I hear the word kite I always remember the book titled “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini. A great book.


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    1. Caterina: Of course it was windy the next day. And it still is. I enjoyed the Kite Runner but haven't yet read the sequel. Have you?

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    2. I have been looking forward to a new book by Khaled Hosseini for so long! Did not realize there is a new one... finally!! Sept 2018 is the release date in Canada. "Sea Prayer" !
      Thanks EC!! : )

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    3. Caterina: It will be out soon. Enjoy.

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  23. Wow--- so many comments! Let me say two things: I enjoyed this post. And thanks for your nice words so often on my blog. They give me a lift and a smile.

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    1. Bill: At least half of the comments are mine. Mind you I am very, very grateful to those who comment here. They add immeasurably to the post. And it is a pleasure to comment on your stunning photos.

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  24. Love the dragon! And the Concord-shaped kite look good too.
    Ah well...
    I thought it might be good for the kite-surfers here, but haven't seen any.Maybe it's still too cold for them!

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    1. dinahmow: The dragon was great wasn't it? I liked the birds better than the Concordia though.
      Kite surfing is something I have never tried. Love to watch though.

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  25. I LOVE the dragonfly :)
    Is it possible the are just isn't high enough above sea level to sustain the high winds needed for kite flying? Or perhaps they need to choose a better time of year, a time when more wind is guaranteed?
    On the other hand, the wind is as fickle as my first husband, so choosing a day is bound to be hard.

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  26. 'the area' not the are (*~*)

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    1. River: I doubt that the feature kites, which are owned by a professional, would come back year after year if there was no chance. And the day before, and the day after winds were high. Luck of the draw?

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  27. Dear EC
    I particularly like the dragon kite and at least they got a chance to soar now and again. I remember many a try to fly a kite at the beach, but it seldom worked for me. I had a white plastic kite with a blue bird on it. The weather is always a fickle thing.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Ellie Foster: The weather is indeed fickle, and I was very impressed that spirits weren't dampened.
      Have a wonderful week.

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  28. I'm amazed that certain shapes will fly; I like the big birds and the jet and butterfly.

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    1. Linda Starr: They are aerodynamic marvels aren't they?

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  29. These are so fun to look at, and a cool reminder that people are still flying kites. Great way to exercise too! I used to see tons of kites in toy stores, but these days there are very few. Some of these are really creative. Hugs...RO

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    1. RO: We rarely see kites at other times of the year. Which is a big sad. There were LOTS out that day, even if most of them didn't fly.

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  30. I love kites. I built them when I was a kid. They weren’t as fancy and beautiful as ther ones you photographed, but they were still a joy to fly.

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    1. Rick Watson: I built kites too. With variable success. They were a heap of fun though.

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  31. Some unusual kites. You captured them well.

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  32. Still looks like a nice day out...Hope you are doing well.

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    1. e: It was a nice day. I am struggling a bit but fine. How are you doing?

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    2. Struggling a bit but fine about covers things here as well. Will send an email this week.

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    3. e: I hope the fine bit of the equation triumphs for both of us. Hugs.

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    4. Thanks and same to you.

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  33. Replies
    1. Tanza Erlambang: Welcome. I think most of us used to fly kites. I am wondering a bit why I stopped.

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  34. Sorry the wind didn't cooperate but it still sounds like a great time.

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    1. Mason Canyon: There will be other years, and we did enjoy ourselves even without the wind.

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  35. I think this field full of people is all the fun.

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    1. Joanne Noragon: They were. And a salutory reminder to me that things don't have to be perfect to be enjoyable.

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  36. Glorious. At the right angle, the bird kites look like the real deal.

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    1. Sandra Cox: I thought that about the bird kites too. I was quite sad when they were earthbound.

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  37. Good morning, for me sitting here I enjoyed them all, it's always fun to fly these kites as well, (good wind and all) but kind of sad how around here it seems they don't do it so much. Not like I've seen on the beaches in Oregon. But every year (still) and forever, the sweet Easter Bunny leaves kites for all us! Yep, it's a big deal for me.

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    1. Karen S.: How lovely that the Easter Bunny brings you kites. That is a truly wonderful tradition.

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  38. I haven't flown a kite since my daughter was little. It's been long time. Thanks for the lovely photos.

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    1. Mary Kirkland: It has been too long for me. Something I should rectify.

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  39. Replies
    1. Bea: Aren't they? I still want to see the octopus and the whale though.

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  40. Aww, nice bubbles, Mom!

    Love the kite shots, EC. You know I never see anyone flying a single kite in my area?

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    1. John Wiswell: They were LOVELY bubbles. We rarely see kites anymore either - which is sad.

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  41. I don't remember ever flying a kite, but surely my brothers did at some point. Jump board, jacks, and tom-walkers were the activities of the eight of us, and ante-over. We played "work-up" in the front yard. You make disappointment look positive. xo

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    1. Patricia A. Laster: I don't remember my brothers flying kites. I did. And built them too (with varying success). Yes we were a bit disappointed, but it didn't spoil the fun of the day at all.

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  42. Thanks for making my spirits soar and bubble, dear pal!!!!

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  43. That's too bad about the wind, but the kites you did get to see to fly were gorgeous! I hope next year, you can see one of the BIG ones fly! I love blowing bubbles! It's the best!! LOL! Big Hugs and I hope everything is well!

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    1. Magic Love Crow: I enjoyed the day even without the big kites - which doesn't stop me hoping for next year. Bubble are definitely the best. Frozen or not.

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  44. Oh shoot. Nothing worse than a kite event and no wind. I love to see kites in the air. They're beautiful. I used to fly them for fun, in a time when I got to the coast more often.

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    1. Strayer: At least some of the smaller kites would fly, however briefly. Better luck next year.

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  45. Great shots of the kites, but sorry to hear the wind was not being cooperative.

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    1. Lady Fi: There will be other days and it was a pleasant outing anyway.

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  46. Here on the adults site
    who like to fly the kites.
    Good week's continuation.
    janicce.

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    1. A Casa Madeira ~Janicce: Thank you. Kites are ageless aren't they?

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