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@ Childhood Delight
Summer begins her experience of Air!
Childhood Delight
Do you still play with bubbles? When washing the dishes and a bubble forms when you squirt the soap, do you laugh or smile in delight? Are you tempted to take some soapy mixture and go for a walk, leaving a trail of bubbles everywhere you go?

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@ Desert Dunes

Blue And Gold Egg
The first painted eggs came from Mesopotamia, and because eggs were forbidden food during Lent, people painted eggs while Lent was being observed—after Lent, they would eat the eggs on Easter Day.

Beautifully decorated eggs “pysanka” are associated with Ukraine, and the oldest painted egg that was unearthed in northern Ukraine is dated to the end of the 17th century.

Desert Dunes
These ridges in the sands are caused by the action of the wind and are called "dunes". The effect is similar to those found under the sea, where it is the waves that form the dunes. Most windblown sand on the Earth is composed of quartz but gypsum dunes are also found.

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@ Serene Swift
"After the Great Fire of London in 1666, businessmen started house insurance companies. They had to be careful because if another fire started they could lose a lot of money. To get around this, they ended up hiring their own fire brigade just in case a fire did start! This is when the first brigade started."
"It sounds a bit hit-and-miss, Summer!" remarked Snowball.
"It was, yes. Any of the insurance companies' fire brigades weren't allowed to put out a fire of a house which was insured with a different company!"
"They'd just watch it burn, then, Summer?"
"Well—I guess that was how it went, Snowball, yes!"
Serene Swift
A lone swift soars in solitude against a backdrop of atmospheric pastel cloud.

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@ Frozen Soap Bubble
Summer and Casper had shaken paws and took some time to enjoy the exhibits in a companionable silence!
Frozen Soap Bubble
A study in patience and skill! A soap bubble frozen in the cold frost.

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@ Fun With Bubbles
"Wind speed is measured with a device called an anemometer. There's a project here for making an anemometer, Summer. We could try it out tonight when we get back to the accommodation."
"Goodness, Pika! Isn't it terribly technical and scientific to do that?" queried Summer.
Pika studied the diagram helpfully provided in the brochure. "Nah. It seems to be made of empty yoghurt cartons and stuff. We'll give it a go!"
Fun With Bubbles
Wintertime is a time to play outdoors and if it is cold enough you can make some soapy mixture and blow bubbles. Watch as ice forms and races around the interior of the bubble. These are delicate and won’t last long as cracks appear letting the air out and then the bubble is gone.

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@ Soapy Bubbles of Fun
"Art galleries can be hard on the paws, can't they, Salem?" remarked Summer.
"Just think of the café and gift shop at the end, Summer! That keeps me going!"
Soapy Bubbles of Fun
The iridescence of a soap bubbles, which seem to contain a wealth of changing colour, stem from light striking the bubble from varied angles.

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@ Train In The Mist
"At the time of the Great Fire of London in 1666 there was no fire brigade such as we have today. Men from the Navy used gunpowder to blow up houses in the path of the fire to halt its spread!"
"Goodness me, MK! Drastic, or what? Did it work?" queried Summer.
"It sort of worked—eventually! But it took some days, during which time a large part of London had been destroyed."
Train In The Mist
Who has dreamed of taking a train? Sitting in a swaying car—listening to the clatter of steel wheels on steel tracks. You watch the miles go by as you pass through tunnels and forests—and look down on rivers far below.

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@ Sunset Bubble
"Flipper, I've got something called "sepia effect" on my camera. I've got a feeling it’s faulty, though. It just makes everything go all brown!”
"Oh, Summer, that's what it's supposed to do! See that exhibit over there?"
Sunset Bubble
The sunset is seen through the body of a bubble, slightly magnifying the setting sun.

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@ Playful Bubbles
"It says in our tour guide that 96.5% of water on Earth is in our oceans, covering 71% of the surface of our planet," remarked Summer.
"That's amazing, Summer!" responded PHOENIX.
Playful Bubbles
Burbling, gurgling bubbles rise, tickling the toes as you play in the water.

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@ Blue Glacier
"Mystique, I've got something called "sepia effect" on my camera. I've got a feeling it’s faulty, though. It just makes everything go all brown!”
"Oh, Summer, that's what it's supposed to do! See that exhibit over there?"
Blue Glacier
Over many decades a vcontinuing build-up of snow results in the presence of a large enough mass of snow for the change from snow to glacier ice to begin. The age of the oldest glacier ice in Antarctica may approach 1,000,000 years old! Glacier ice is blue because the red (long wavelengths) part of white light is absorbed by ice and the blue (short wavelengths) light is transmitted and scattered. The longer the path light travels in ice, the more blue it appears.

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@ Swift in Flight
“What have you got in your rucksack, Bahama?” asked Summer. “It looks very full!”
“I’ve come prepared for anything, Summer,” responded Bahama. “There’s canvas deck shoes, tennis shoes, flip-flops, sandshoes, walking boots, sandals, loafers—you name it, I’ve got it!”
Swift in Flight
Soaring through the grey clouds, this swift has the freedom of the sky to itself.

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@ Make a Wish Puffballs
“If there's time at the end of the day when we get back to our accommodation, I might do some initial sketches for a watercolour painting from the postcard I bought in the gift shop," Hoot said, offering Summer a toffee from the bag and then unwrapping one for herself.
“That sounds like a good plan, Hoot!" said Summer. "Very relaxing, and your painting will be a great souvenir of our trip through the Elements!"
Make a Wish Puffballs
Golden dandelions in bloom are a lovely sight (especially for bees!). Eventually, all those beautiful flowers turn into white globes of exposed seeds that are often called puffballs. Dandelions are so success at growing because their puffballs disperse their seeds over long distances in a stiff breeze. Some dandelions don't need to wait for the wind, though. As dandelions turn to seed, perhaps you will pick them, close your eyes, make a wish, and blow the seeds into the air!

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@ Cruising Cranes
Summer and schrute shook paws, said “How do you do?” and posed for a souvenir photo. “Why am I always on the left?” grumbled Summer. “Let’s change sides.”
“No,” said schrute. “This is my best side.”
Cruising Cranes
The crane is a graceful, elegant bird. It plays an important role in Japanese symbolism, representing positive change and associated with the New Year in various cultures. Crane symbolism focuses on the need for balance and living in harmony with others.

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@ Strawberry with Bubbly
Summer and Alex were entranced on reaching this exhibit and eagerly posed for a picture standing on either side!
Strawberry with Bubbly
Imagine a ripe, luscious strawberry dropped into a tall glass of sparkling wine or champagne, imparting a subtle fruity flavour into every delicious sip!

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@ Cloud Walking
Oh look ... you won a pet!
Cloud Walking
These clouds are so inviting, fluffy and soft. I wonder how it would feel to walk upon the clouds. Would the feet sink deep into the cloud or would your feet skim lightly across the top? Would you become tired like you do if you walk for a long time on the ground, or would you be able to walk and never tire, no matter how far you went?

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@ Two Heart Kites
"Why do we get sea breezes, Summer?" queried Balthazar.
Summer looked baffled. "I don't know, Balthazar! We just do!"
Balthazar read out from the brochure: " 'Sea breezes occur because heat from the sun takes longer to warm the sea than the land, creating a difference in air pressure.' So—there it is."
Two Heart Kites
Two red hearts flying high are a joyful sight, and flying kites is always such a fun pastime. The day is clear, and the breeze is steady—let’s join these happy people and fly some kites of our own.

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@ Diving Polar Bear
"I think there'll be quite a few tired paws, wings and flippers when we get back to the tour bus," said limn field Oreo, after he and Summer had spent some time exploring another wing of the art gallery to its end.
"Is there a gift shop after this?" enquired Summer. "The thought of that generally keeps me going!"
Diving Polar Bear
Polar bears are of course very good swimmers and they have excellent eyesight when underwater. A polar bear will stay in a dive underwater for as long as it can hold its breath, which will usually be about a minute but can be up to three minutes! Their fur is made of hollow hairs, which helps them stay afloat when swimming.

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@ On The Air
Summer and Eve had shaken paws and took some time to enjoy the exhibits in a companionable silence!
On The Air
"You're on the air!" This familiar phrase from the world of radio broadcasting—or wireless broadcasting for those of us with very long memories!—is as familiar as the iconic red sign that lights up in the studio, to remind broadcasters that anything they say will be heard by their audience, be it local or around the world.

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@ Air Bubbles
"I'm going to buy that souvenir wind spinner, Sabrina," said Summer. "It'll be a nice colourful addition to my garden!"
"That sounds like a lovely memento, Summer!"
Air Bubbles
Bubbles are fascinating, and they can teach a lot about elasticity, surface tension, chemistry, light, and even geometry. Not just pretty spheres that float in the air when playing with soap on a warm day.

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@ Bubbles Everywhere
"Do you know how matches came to be invented, Choose a name?" queried Summer.
"No, how, Summer?"
"An English apothecary, John Walker, used a stick to stir a pot containing antimony sulphide, potassium chlorate & sulphur and some of the mixture stuck to the end of the stick. When he tried to scrape the lump, it easily caught fire and this led to the birth of friction matches. This was in 1827."
Bubbles Everywhere
Like a kid's dream of so many marbles. Whether these bubbles can be played with or put in the bottom of a fish tank, they look fun to run your hands through.

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@ Above It All
A natural gas vent in Iraq known as The Eternal Fire has been burning continuously for over 4000 years, and it has been mentioned by Herodotus, Plutarch and in the Old Testament Book of Daniel.
Above It All
You are drifting along in a balloon high above towns, forests, and lakes. The sun is rising as mist rises from the ground. There is a sense of forever as the expanse of the sky goes on and on.

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@ Reflections In A Bubble
The strongest winds in the solar system are on Saturn where they reach speeds of over 1,100mph.
Reflections In A Bubble
Reflections distort the everyday, when seen through the swirling colours of a bubble, the whole becomes incredible.

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@ Blue Sky Aeroplane
“If there's time at the end of the day when we get back to our accommodation, I might do some initial sketches for a watercolour painting from the postcard I bought in the gift shop," VV said, offering Summer a toffee from the bag and then unwrapping one for herself.
“That sounds like a good plan, VV!" said Summer. "Very relaxing, and your painting will be a great souvenir of our trip through the Elements!"
Blue Sky Aeroplane
Up, up and away! Does this aeroplane carry groups of happy pets jetting off on holiday? Or perhaps businesspets going on international meetings? Whatever their destination, we wish them a safe journey!

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@ Red Arrows Daredevils
"The Great Fire of 1666 started in London, on Pudding Lane, in a baker's shop. The baker believed he had put the fire out but in the middle of the night the fire grew and his house was in flames. Pudding Lane is still there today. If you want to visit it, Monument is the nearest tube station. The place where the fire started is also marked by a monument topped by a fiery gold ornament," said Summer.
"It makes it sound like it's the only monument in London, Summer!" chuckled Spark.
Red Arrows Daredevils
The Red Arrows team of the British Royal Air Force carry out a heart-stopping aerobatic display here!

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@ Royal Air Force Red Arrows Team
As Summer's experience of "Air" comes to an end, she receives a wonderful gift!
Pine Tree, Blue, Overlay
You can use this wonderful overlay as a backdrop in your art slides, or in the foreground for your pets to scamper around. Trees, glorious trees, there is always room for more trees in your life and your art.

Royal Air Force Red Arrows Team
The famous Red Arrows aerobatic team provide an exciting show here in Newcastle on Tyne, England.
Summer has completed her exploration of "Air"! Your review of the Elements is over now, but there will be more events in PnF soon!