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@ Lost Umbrella
Rowland begins his experience of Wind!
Lost Umbrella
Did you lose an umbrella? I know where they go. The wind calls out, the leaves are cavorting already in the air, and the umbrellas want to join them. Waiting for the perfect moment when the wind swoops down and up, the umbrellas catch this drift and sail into the air to play and dance with the leaves.

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@ Let's Go Fly A Kite!

Yellow Daisy Egg
My pets are in awe of these beautiful eggs—they would love to try to paint their own one year. Easter and spring are times of joy as the earth awakens, plants are pushing forth from the soil, and the days are becoming warmer. Many baby animals are born in the spring, and life is burgeoning. May these eggs bring you joy and be a reminder of the earth renewing itself.

Let's Go Fly A Kite!
You don’t need to carry a brush for cleaning chimneys or have a bottomless bag to enjoy flying a kite. All you need is a steady wind—not too fierce—and some bit of paper or cloth over a light frame, with a string attached.

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@ Grass Flags
“You know what, Rowland?” said Mikey. “Seeing all these amazing photographs makes me want to take up photography myself!”
“Sounds like a great idea!" replied Rowland. "There’s an evening class you can join when we get back!"
Grass Flags
Feathery fronds of grass, like little flags, wave in the breeze.

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@ Tilting at Windmills
"Depending on their strength, winds can be known as a breeze, gale, storm or hurricane. Wind is caused by differences in air pressure. Air rushes from high pressure areas to lower ones," remarked Rowland.
"Mm-hmm?" responded Hoot.
Tilting at Windmills
We are in Don Quixote territory here, in Spain's Castilla–La Mancha region. The area is dotted with numerous vineyards, castles and windmills—and mountain ranges!

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@ Drifting Around On The Water
"What two elements is water made up of, Rowland?" asked Misty.
"That's easy: hydrogen and oxygen!"
"Correct, Rowland! Two parts of hydrogen to one part oxygen, making the element name H2O."
Drifting Around On The Water
All the pets are clamouring to see their duck and geese pals. We gather up some bags of seeds and enjoy a leisurely walk to the pond. Spending time outdoors is always so relaxing.

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@ Turning Somersaults
"It says here that 'fire' is from the Old English fȳr, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vuur and German Feuer," remarked Rowland.
"That's interesting!" responded MooCow.
Turning Somersaults
Racing across the miles, dashing for the shore, tentacles of water, reaching forward, trying to grasp what is just out of reach.

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@ Touchdown
"Today's trivia question, Auntie Mame!" announced Rowland. "When were the first ever windmills built?"
"Oh, goodness! I've no idea, Rowland, but I imagine they're pretty old!" responded Auntie Mame.
Rowland grinned. "Windmills have been in use since 200 BCE. They were first developed in Persia and China."
Touchdown
Sucking up and flinging out, the storm has unleashed its power and sends a column of twisting, churning air downward to rip across the landscape.

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@ Children Of The Dandelion
"I'm going to buy that souvenir wind spinner, Itchy," said Rowland. "It'll be a nice colourful addition to my garden!"
"That sounds like a lovely memento, Rowland!"
Children Of The Dandelion
Each seed has its own propeller that will allow the wind to carry it whirling and dancing across the land until the wind abates and the seed drops to find its new home.

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@ Flag, Great Britain
"Oh, fancy! It says in our tour guide that no one knows who invented the fire hydrant, because its patent was destroyed in a fire in Washington in 1836!" declared Rowland.
"That is ironic for sure!" responded fancy.
Flag, Great Britain
A flag of Great Britain, fluttering in the breeze. Flags represent an idea or an ideal. Countries, businesses, sports, religions, railways, and clubs all use a flag to represent themselves. Flags are also used in semaphores to convey a message across a distance.

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@ The Power Of Water
"When was silver identified as an element?"
"Eek—no idea, JiLi!"
"Don't worry, Rowland! It was as far back as 4000 BCE!"
The Power Of Water
The tide roars in, and tons of water will crash to the shore bringing sand, rocks, and treasures.

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@ Translucent Blue
"I'm going to buy that souvenir wind spinner, Seth Freakin'Monkey," said Rowland. "It'll be a nice colourful addition to my garden!"
"That sounds like a lovely memento, Rowland!"
Translucent Blue
The sun is beaming down, the day is warm, and the water is crystal clear and looks so inviting. So let us jump right in and make some waves of our own.

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@ Swelling Seas
"Do you know how matches came to be invented, Orpheus?" queried Rowland.
"No, how, Rowland?"
"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."
Swelling Seas
The ocean is always in motion—the water swells—then subsides. Let’s go for a boat ride, and the waves can toss us hither and yon—hope you don’t get seasick.

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@ Golden Evening
"Wind direction is given by the direction from which the wind comes," said Rowland.
"That makes sense!" replied Foxy Rex.
Golden Evening
At day's end, the wind gently pushes the grasses down as it sweeps across the field—as if to say— time for sleep.

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@ Pink and White Tulips
"Did you know you can start a fire with ice, Rowland?" asked HOot.
"How on earth do you do that?" queried Rowland.
"Well, you need a disc of clear ice shaped into a lens, then use it as you would a magnifying glass to shine the sun's rays onto flammable material, such as dry grass."
Pink and White Tulips
These tulips, swaying in the breeze, make a fine display in the Netherlands.

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@ So Much Snow
Oh look ... you won a pet!
So Much Snow
A snowy ribbon of road—snowy fields on either side—if walked will lead straight to the source, the snow clouds.

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@ Dutch Weathervane
"Wind direction is given by the direction from which the wind comes," said Rowland.
"That makes sense!" replied Smoothie.
Dutch Weathervane
This ornate weathervane in the Netherlands features a splendid full masted ship, and depending on wind direction, will point to noord, zuid, oost or west!

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@ Dancing Dandelion Fluff
"Today's trivia question, Harmony!" announced Rowland. "When were the first ever windmills built?"
"Oh, goodness! I've no idea, Rowland, but I imagine they're pretty old!" responded Harmony.
Rowland grinned. "Windmills have been in use since 200 BCE. They were first developed in Persia and China."
Dancing Dandelion Fluff
Oh, to be a dandelion seed swept along on currents of air sailing along on a journey that will end at an unknown destination.

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@ Breezy Fields
"It says here that 'fire' is from the Old English fȳr, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vuur and German Feuer," remarked Rowland.
"That's interesting!" responded Emerald.
Breezy Fields
Let’s run through the field as the grasses bend to the wind and the clouds race each other across the sky.

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@ Swirling Snow
"There's a fun project in our brochure on how to make a weather vane from an ice cream container lid, scissors, a marker pen, a skewer, a straw and a pin," remarked Rowland.
"Cool!" responded Ivy. "We could make a start when we get back to our hotel tonight."
Swirling Snow
The wind kicks up the snow, swirling and twirling around until—not only the land but—the very air is saturated—with white mist.

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@ Poppies, Red and Cornflowers, Blue
"Did you know that kite flying and fire fighting featured at the 1900 Olympics in Paris, Barnaby?"
"That's amazing, Rowland!"

Poppies, Red and Cornflowers, Blue
These meadow flowers make a colourful sight as they are blown by the passing wind!

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@ Hot Air Balloon Flight
"Oh, Autumn Fall! It says in our tour guide that no one knows who invented the fire hydrant, because its patent was destroyed in a fire in Washington in 1836!" declared Rowland.
"That is ironic for sure!" responded Autumn Fall.
Hot Air Balloon Flight
Take off at dawn and glide gracefully through the countryside in a colourful hot air balloon as the sun rises over rolling hills, chocolate box villages and a patchwork of fields. Enjoy the perfect 360-degree view from 2000 feet in the air in the early morning, the perfect time to soak up spectacular landscapes for as far as the eye can see. It's an experience that will be remembered for a lifetime. It is truly the best way to see the countryside—from the sky!

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@ Ruffled Waters
Water expands by 9% when it freezes. Frozen water (ice) is lighter than water, which is why ice floats in water.
Ruffled Waters
The blue, ruffled waters of this outdoor swimming pool look very inviting! Who's for a dip before breakfast?

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@ Rural Windmills
The ancient Greeks believed that there were four elements that everything was made up of: earth, water, air and fire. This theory was suggested around 450 BCE, and it was later supported and added to by Aristotle. Aristotle also suggested that there was a fifth element, aether, because it seemed strange that the stars would be made out of earthly elements. He would be surprised to learn that they are in fact made up of many elements found on earth, and are so hot they could be said to be on fire all the time!
Rural Windmills
What a peaceful early morning scene in the misty dawn, with the dew still on the silver grass.

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@ The Star Spangled Banner
"Did you know that fire can only burn on Earth, Rowland?" asked sammy.
"I guess I hadn't really thought about it, sammy! Why is that, then?"
"It says here that fire can exist on no known planet, other than Earth itself. This is because the rest of the planets in our Galaxy don’t have enough oxygen to support the burning of a flame."
The Star Spangled Banner
... what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.

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@ Florida Storm
As Rowland's experience of "Wind" comes to an end, he receives a wonderful gift!
Short Tree, Violet
Gorgeous violet-leafed tree. Perhaps it grows in the fairy forest, or maybe the wizard worked some magic. If you can get seeds from this tree, you may have luck growing it in your garden.

Florida Storm
This is no mere wind! This is a hurricane! Stay safe indoors, all pets, you don't want to risk getting blown out to sea!
Rowland has completed his exploration of "Wind"! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also explore the Elements!