Let's go fly a kite!

The highlight of the weekend, which isn't exactly over yet, was the Longsword Vineyard Kite Festival.  From noon to 5:00 Saturday, you could picnic, wine taste, wine drink (NOT the same thing,) fly or watch others fly kites ( from mini to massive, ) or just bask in the sun. We did it all, well, except the actual fly a kite piece.  Judd had purchased a kite but he overheard a kid ask his mom for a kite and Judd gave ours away.  It was a win-win as we had decided pretty early on that we weren't all that excited about leaving our lounge chairs, cold wine and the free music, to go stand in the prickly grass and run around (the wind wasn't thoroughly cooperative. )  Some professional kite-ists (Rogue Valley Wind Chasers) showed up with the biggest kites and longest strings.  Our favorites were what looked like a giant meteor hurling toward earth (or, sometimes with the wind, hurling away from earth) and a colorufl octopus. Someone was giving out mini kites to the kids and then there were all the in-between-ers.  
One kite looked like a black ghost (or leech.) There were butterflies, dragons, whales, boxes and diamonds. We sustained ourselves with the Peruvian Point food truck fare. It was fun to see so many families out together. Three little girls who couldn't have been 4yo. were picking California poppies and giving them away to anyone, everyone.  (See Judd pictured below with one behind each ear.)
Amidst the kiting, we spotted paragliders taking off from the peak above. Judd got to trial his new binoculars. They work!  One glider landed right in the abutting
field. I thought he was out of control, but Judd has much more confidence in the process. 

 

Judd' flowers

Before the weekend really got underway, I read an article about making lists. I can't find it now, but it was non-judgmental--not inherently good or weird to constantly be making lists.  Or adding little chores just so I can check them off. Ironically I'd just compared some of my lists:  one from last August when we just arrived in Oregon and had so many chores to keep track of.  This week, my list was of "things to do before Walla Walla."

We also had some neighborhood fun prompted by a family of passers-by. The little girl in the party admired one of the trees out front because she said the thick ivy you have to duck under is like being in a fairy house. She said she always pretends to be Tinkerbell when she goes by our house. So the next day, Judd and I built some fairy houses and put out front by the fence.  Judd crafted a teepee from corn husks and I found the glue gun and pieced together moss covered sticks around a plastic bottle. We even made a fire ring out of stones with walnut seats and a wee vase with dime size daisies (our intent, to change out the flowers every day or two so anyone would know the fairies are real.)  Big people appear to walk right by as they're pretty inconspicuous. They might even look like trash along our fence.  We're waiting for some little people to walk by with bigger imaginations and eyes closer to the ground. Oh Carol, I see how miniature gardens can get out of hand......