topic Re: Go Fly A Kite... in Community Chat

Go Fly A Kite...

JustJules — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:18:30 GMT

Does anyone fly kites anymore? I ask because I received an email from WM store that is having a 20% sale on kites, and it reminded me of my childhood. I haven't flown a kite in years, but have fond memories of my dad buying kite kits, and helping me putting them together (by help, I mean doing it for me while I watched). Then going out to the yard, or the park on a breezy day with mom and dog, and running around trying to get it to fly. It was the best when we were able to get it really high up there, but most of the time was spent running around trying to get liftoff. Good exercise, and they have some really beautiful kites. Just wondered if anyone still does this with their kids or grandkids anymore. Somebody must or they wouldn't sell kites, but something tells me that with kids today and their video games, getting outdoors to fly a kite isn't too interesting.

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

LilacTree — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:24:25 GMT

My family has always flown kites on the beach. I used to when my girls were little, and my girls do so now with their children. It's hard to find a field on land anymore large enough to get the kite up, but we do it on the beach all the time (not me anymore, my family). Many stores on LBI sell kites all the time.

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

scotttie — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:28:53 GMT

You know it has been a while since we flew a kite! I'm really happy you posted this because it reminded me to get one and fly it with the grands!

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

Free2be — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:34:44 GMT

I remember the simple kites my dad used to help me put together, a few sticks, paper, and a tail with some string wrapped around a stick.

Where I now live, there is an annual kite festival. Kite aficionados come from all over the world. There is a kite museum and several kite shops. I used to work with a guy who sews his own designs, usually native Alaskan art.

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

tansy — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:38:13 GMT

We see kites all along the WA and OR coasts and there are a number of kite festivals.

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

deepwaterdotter — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:42:01 GMT

It appears that someone tried to fly a kite in our neighborhood until it got stuck in the top of a tree.

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

JustJules — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:49:10 GMT

On 4/5/2014 beammeupscottie said:
You know it has been a while since we flew a kite! I'm really happy you posted this because it reminded me to get one and fly it with the grands!

Scottie, World Market has them 20% off lol!

Ford, so happy to hear that your daughters still do that with their children, I think kite-flying should be part of every little kid's childhood (sometimes grown kids too).

Free2be, what a beautiful picture, thanks for posting it. The kite festival sounds fun. That would be so fun to see, although it makes me wonder how they fly all those kites together without getting them twisted up.

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

croemer — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:55:50 GMT

I thought this thread has another intention. LOL

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

JustJules — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:58:15 GMT

On 4/5/2014 croemer said:
I thought this thread has another intention. LOL

Et tu croemer??? Give me the benefit of the doubt once in a while girl

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

TaxyLady — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:00:18 GMT

Let's go fly a Kite

Up to the highest height

Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring

Up through the atmosphere

Up where the air is clear

Oh, Let's go fly a kite!

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

stilltamn8r — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:03:50 GMT

I DO! love flying kites- I belong to some kite societies, even..I always carry a "mini" kite in my car for when the urge hits me.. We used to make them out of tissue paper and newspaper and make tails out of old sheets from the rag bag...

Loved the exhilaration of getting it up in the air, watching it soar and seeing it fly so high- I always liked wind too, andwind and kites well, I always thought it was because I was an "Air " sign...LOL!

Ironically, I could NEVER get my son into it- He was always too afraid of "losing" the kite...

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

Cakers1 — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:16:36 GMT

lol - I was almost afraid to open this thread too.

We used to go to Newport to fly kites. DH is good at it; I'm a Charlie Brown type of kite flyer.

But he used to take GS out and they always had a great time down here, wind permitting.

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

scotttie — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:18:14 GMT

On 4/5/2014 Jules5280 said:
On 4/5/2014 croemer said:
I thought this thread has another intention. LOL

Et tu croemer??? Give me the benefit of the doubt once in a while girl

....well it does have 121 views!!

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

SydneyH — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:21:29 GMT

On 4/5/2014 Jules5280 said:
On 4/5/2014 croemer said:
I thought this thread has another intention. LOL

Et tu croemer??? Give me the benefit of the doubt once in a while girl

Gotta admit, the 'bad' thought ran through my head at first too, lol. My son made his own kite in scouting last spring, it flew pretty well.......

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

croemer — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:29:59 GMT

On 4/5/2014 beammeupscottie said:
On 4/5/2014 Jules5280 said:
On 4/5/2014 croemer said:
I thought this thread has another intention. LOL

Et tu croemer??? Give me the benefit of the doubt once in a while girl

....well it does have 121 views!!

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

JustJules — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:42:31 GMT

On 4/5/2014 stilltamn8r said:
I DO! love flying kites- I belong to some kite societies, even..I always carry a "mini" kite in my car for when the urge hits me.. We used to make them out of tissue paper and newspaper and make tails out of old sheets from the rag bag...

Loved the exhilaration of getting it up in the air, watching it soar and seeing it fly so high- I always liked wind too, andwind and kites well, I always thought it was because I was an "Air " sign...LOL!

Ironically, I could NEVER get my son into it- He was always too afraid of "losing" the kite...

I think that is awesome stilltamn8r!!! I didn't even know there were kite societies, but agree, some of the best flying kites are not the expensive kits, but rather the ones put together from odds and ends. I'm an "Air" sign too, Gemini, so is my dad. He loved building airplanes as a boy, and always wanted to be a Naval Aviator. So he was able to create some interesting kites and airplanes for me to fly (although I think he got as much enjoyment out of it as I did). I have always loved flying too, but enjoy a breezy day and always found kites and hot air balloons fascinating. Had a chance to go para-sailing once and it was like flying, a very exhilarating experience.

Losing the kite is always a bummer, but a risk you take. If it gets stuck in a tree or flies off, just build another and try again. We've been having some windy days here, and now that the weather is warming up, think I need to go fly a kite.

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

stilltamn8r — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 18:01:56 GMT

Gemini here too!

And my Dad WAS a fighter pilot... and flew his whole life...so I know how your dad felt! After the war, he taught aerospace science and tactics to the Air force ROTC classes - ( he was always such a help when designing kites!!!)LOL!

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

AnikaBrodie — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 18:14:47 GMT

Kite flying brings back some wonderful memories. DH's (late) uncle used to live in Lincoln City, Oregon. The city is referred to as "the kite capital of the world." When we visited there they had kite flying festivals (in summer and fall) with hundreds of kites in the air at the same time. It was a beautiful site -- large, medium and small kites in so many colors and styles.

Our neighbors have three young children (middle school age) and last summer they were flying kites in the vacant lot beside them. They were having a ball (pardon the pun). They had a couple of kites and I don't recall them losing any.

Free, thanks for posting the photo. Jules, thanks for posting this thread. It's nice to read experiences of others in flying kites.

Resource: Yahoo ... "...Voted as the best kite flying location in North America by Kitelines Magazine, Lincoln City is known as the Kite Capital of the World. Lincoln City has an advantage in kite flying because of its geographic location. It sits right on the 45th parallel, positioning it at the ideal point for the mixing process of the warm equatorial air and the cold polar air. Furthermore, the clean air directly off the ocean is preferred by kite flying experts, and novices will even see a difference in their abilities at this location.
Annual Summer and Fall Kite Festivals bring thousands of international delegates and visitors from as far away as the Orient and Europe. Though the Oregon coast has many festivals each year, Lincoln City's festivals still top them all..."

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

JustJules — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 18:23:36 GMT

On 4/5/2014 stilltamn8r said:
Gemini here too!

And my Dad WAS a fighter pilot... and flew his whole life...so I know how your dad felt! After the war, he taught aerospace science and tactics to the Air force ROTC classes - ( he was always such a help when designing kites!!!)LOL!

My dad always wanted to be a Navy pilot, but he injured his eye in woodshop class (his 2nd passion was architecture, and he made lots of beautiful furniture). Anyway, when he tested for Naval flight school his depth perception was good 95% of the time, but they wouldn't take him because when landing on carrier decks, it needs to be perfect. They said he could be an Air Force pilot, but he always wanted to be Navy (no disrespect to AF, my uncle was Air Force), so he joined the Navy anyway and ended up landing troops on the beaches of Normandy on D-day. If he had been a pilot, he would have never met my mom. Life happens for a reason....

But yeah, I can imagine how your dad's experience would have helped with your kite designs. You sort of had an advantage over the other kids LOL!

Re: Go Fly A Kite...

JustJules — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 18:26:30 GMT

On 4/5/2014 AnikaBrodie said:
Kite flying brings back some wonderful memories. DH's (late) uncle used to live in Lincoln City, Oregon. The city is referred to as "the kite capital of the world." When we visited there they had kite flying festivals (in summer and fall) with hundreds of kites in the air at the same time. It was a beautiful site -- large, medium and small kites in so many colors and styles.

Our neighbors have three young children (middle school age) and last summer they were flying kites in the vacant lot beside them. They were having a ball (pardon the pun). They had a couple of kites and I don't recall them losing any.

Free, thanks for posting the photo. Jules, thanks for posting this thread. It's nice to read experiences of others in flying kites.

Resource: Yahoo ... "...Voted as the best kite flying location in North America by Kitelines Magazine, Lincoln City is known as the Kite Capital of the World. Lincoln City has an advantage in kite flying because of its geographic location. It sits right on the 45th parallel, positioning it at the ideal point for the mixing process of the warm equatorial air and the cold polar air. Furthermore, the clean air directly off the ocean is preferred by kite flying experts, and novices will even see a difference in their abilities at this location.
Annual Summer and Fall Kite Festivals bring thousands of international delegates and visitors from as far away as the Orient and Europe. Though the Oregon coast has many festivals each year, Lincoln City's festivals still top them all..."

Hi sweet Anika!!! I am so happy to hear kite-flying is alive and well!!! I have always wanted to visit the NW and it sounds like Lincoln City, Oregon would be a great place to start!