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@ Lost Umbrella
Ruff the Scruff 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!

Navy Flower Power 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.

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
"Did you know that fire can only burn on Earth, Ruff the Scruff?" asked Adonis.
"I guess I hadn't really thought about it, Adonis! 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."
Grass Flags
Feathery fronds of grass, like little flags, wave in the breeze.

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@ Tilting at Windmills
“Oh hello, Ruff the Scruff!” cried Bill. “Didn’t we bump into each other at the Fiat racetrack in Turin last July? This is quite the change of scene, isn't it!”
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
"Oh, Pony Pony! 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 Ruff the Scruff.
"That is ironic for sure!" responded Pony Pony.
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
"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, Midnight! Drastic, or what? Did it work?" queried Ruff the Scruff.
"It sort of worked—eventually! But it took some days, during which time a large part of London had been destroyed."
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
When humans and animals breathe, we give off an odorless gas called carbon dioxide, or CO2. Plants use this gas, along with sunlight, to make food—and oxygen too! This process is called photosynthesis.
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
"Hey, this is interesting, Ruff the Scruff!" declared Justice. "It says here that if the entire world’s water were fit into a 4 litre jug, the fresh water available for humans and pets would equal only about one tablespoon."
Ruff the Scruff fidgeted with the corner of his brochure. "I'm not sure I follow, Justice!"
"It's a proportion thing, Ruff the Scruff. Nearly 97% of the world’s water is salty or otherwise undrinkable. Another 2% is locked in ice caps and glaciers. That leaves just 1% for all of our needs!"
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
"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 Ruff the Scruff.
"Cool!" responded Rhythmm. "We could make a start when we get back to our hotel tonight."
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
The air in Earth’s atmosphere is made up of approximately 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen. Air also has small amounts of lots of other gases, too, such as carbon dioxide, neon, and hydrogen.
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
"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 Ruff the Scruff.
"Mm-hmm?" responded Choose a name.
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
“You know what, Ruff the Scruff?” said Hermione. “Seeing all these amazing photographs makes me want to take up photography myself!”
“Sounds like a great idea!" replied Ruff the Scruff. "There’s an evening class you can join when we get back!"
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
"Wow! It says here in our brochure that there’s a bush called dictamnus albus which emits a flammable, oily substance which can be lit on fire, without burning the bush itself," remarked Ruff the Scruff.
"Wow indeedy!" responded Inukshuk.
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
Air was considered a “pure” element, but in fact the air that’s all around us is made up of a variety of gases: primarily nitrogen and oxygen, with almost 1% argon and even smaller amounts of carbon dioxide and other elements such as krypton and helium. The composition of air is just right for life on Earth, though.
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
“Ooh, it's just starting to get a bit cold, Ruff the Scruff!” said Splat. “Can you hold my map while I dig out my jumper?"
Ruff the Scruff good-naturedly took charge of Splat's possessions while he emptied his rucksack of a pack of sandwiches, a Thermos flask, a pair of galoshes, a bag of toffees, a paperback novel, a bottle of mineral water, an address book, some postage stamps, an assortment of different coloured biros, a bottle opener, a couple of old train tickets, a handful of golden and silver moles, a door key, some shopping receipts, a screwdriver, a bottle of multivitamins, a lottery ticket and a selection of rather battered sachets of salt, sugar and tomato ketchup before locating the jumper right at the bottom. This he donned and then Ruff the Scruff helped him put everything back in his rucksack.
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
When humans and animals breathe, we give off an odorless gas called carbon dioxide, or CO2. Plants use this gas, along with sunlight, to make food—and oxygen too! This process is called photosynthesis.
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
When it’s a hot, muggy summer day, you’ve probably heard the word “humid.” But what does that mean, exactly? Relative humidity is the amount of water that the air can hold before it rains. Humidity is usually measured in percentages, so the highest level of relative humidity—right before it rains—is 100 percent.
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
Water expands by 9% when it freezes. Frozen water (ice) is lighter than water, which is why ice floats in water.
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
"This is an extremely varied set of exhibits, Ruff the Scruff!" remarked Tickety-Boo. "We're going from really cosy pictures of pets to amazing scenic landscapes!"
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
Ruff the Scruff and Velveteen were entranced on reaching this exhibit and eagerly posed for a picture standing on either side!
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
"Wind direction is given by the direction from which the wind comes," said Ruff the Scruff.
"That makes sense!" replied Jack.
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
“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," Rosie said, offering Ruff the Scruff a toffee from the bag and then unwrapping one for herself.
“That sounds like a good plan, Rosie!" said Ruff the Scruff. "Very relaxing, and your painting will be a great souvenir of our trip through the Elements!"
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
"It says here that 'fire' is from the Old English fȳr, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vuur and German Feuer," remarked Ruff the Scruff.
"That's interesting!" responded Antsy.
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 Ruff the Scruff'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!
Ruff the Scruff has completed his exploration of "Wind"! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also explore the Elements!