Image 1/25

@ Lost Umbrella
Winston 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.

Image 2/25

@ Let's Go Fly A Kite!

Blue And Copper 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.

Image 3/25

@ Grass Flags
"It's turned a bit hot, Winston. They must have put the heating on! I'm going to take my scarf off," said Fancy.
"Good scheme! I'll do the same," said Winston.
Grass Flags
Feathery fronds of grass, like little flags, wave in the breeze.

Image 4/25

@ Tilting at Windmills
"Oh, Snickerdoodle! 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 Winston.
"That is ironic for sure!" responded Snickerdoodle.
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!

Image 5/25

@ Drifting Around On The Water
"Today's trivia question, Choose a name!" announced Winston. "When were the first ever windmills built?"
"Oh, goodness! I've no idea, Winston, but I imagine they're pretty old!" responded Choose a name.
Winston grinned. "Windmills have been in use since 200 BCE. They were first developed in Persia and China."
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.

Image 6/25

@ Turning Somersaults
"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 Winston.
"Wow indeedy!" responded Kalila.
Turning Somersaults
Racing across the miles, dashing for the shore, tentacles of water, reaching forward, trying to grasp what is just out of reach.

Image 7/25

@ Touchdown
"Hey, this is interesting, Winston!" declared Sam. "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."
Winston fidgeted with the corner of his brochure. "I'm not sure I follow, Sam!"
"It's a proportion thing, Winston. 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!"
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.

Image 8/25

@ Children Of The Dandelion
"Did you know you can start a fire with ice, Winston?" asked merlin.
"How on earth do you do that?" queried Winston.
"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."
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.

Image 9/25

@ Flag, Great Britain
"What unit of measure is used for wind speed, Winston?" asked Ducky.
"Um—I don't know—miles per hour?" hazarded Winston.
"No. The knot."
"Oh, Ducky, I thought that was to do with sailing?"
Ducky consulted the tour guide. " 'A knot is a unit of speed equivalent to one nautical mile per hour, used especially of ships, aircraft, or winds.' There you go."
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.

Image 10/25

@ The Power Of Water
"Do you know how matches came to be invented, Kaplan?" queried Winston.
"No, how, Winston?"
"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."
The Power Of Water
The tide roars in, and tons of water will crash to the shore bringing sand, rocks, and treasures.

Image 11/25

@ Translucent Blue
“You know what, Winston?” said Sly. “Seeing all these amazing photographs makes me want to take up photography myself!”
“Sounds like a great idea!" replied Winston. "There’s an evening class you can join when we get back!"
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.

Image 12/25

@ Swelling Seas
"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 Winston.
"That's amazing, Winston!" responded Moo.
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.

Image 13/25

@ Golden Evening
"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, Winston!" remarked Cheery.
"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, Winston?"
"Well—I guess that was how it went, Cheery, yes!"
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.

Image 14/25

@ Pink and White Tulips
"It says here that 'fire' is from the Old English fȳr, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vuur and German Feuer," remarked Winston.
"That's interesting!" responded Clarice.
Pink and White Tulips
These tulips, swaying in the breeze, make a fine display in the Netherlands.

Image 15/25

@ 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.

Image 16/25

@ Dutch Weathervane
"This is an extremely varied set of exhibits, Winston!" remarked Lalique. "We're going from really cosy pictures of pets to amazing scenic landscapes!"
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!

Image 17/25

@ Dancing Dandelion Fluff
"Did you read what it said under that exhibit earlier, Choose a name?" asked Winston. "It stated that early windmills' sails turned anti-clockwise but later makers shifted mainly to clockwise."
"Wow, Winston! It's one of those things I'd never have thought about!"

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.

Image 18/25

@ Breezy Fields
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.
Breezy Fields
Let’s run through the field as the grasses bend to the wind and the clouds race each other across the sky.

Image 19/25

@ 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.

Image 20/25

@ Poppies, Red and Cornflowers, Blue
The doldrums is a wind-free area around the equator where sailing ships used to get stuck for weeks. Hence the phrase ‘in the doldrums’.
Poppies, Red and Cornflowers, Blue
These meadow flowers make a colourful sight as they are blown by the passing wind!

Image 21/25

@ Hot Air Balloon Flight
The idea that four elements – earth, water, air, and fire – made up all matter was the cornerstone of philosophy, science and medicine for two thousand years.
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!

Image 22/25

@ Ruffled Waters
Ray Bradbury wrote a book called The Fireman, but the editors found the name boring. They called a local fire station to ask at what temperature book paper would burn at. The firemen put Bradbury on hold, burnt a book, and reported that the temperature it burnt at was 451° Fahrenheit. The rest, as they say, is history.
Ruffled Waters
The blue, ruffled waters of this outdoor swimming pool look very inviting! Who's for a dip before breakfast?

Image 23/25

@ Rural Windmills
The strongest winds in the solar system are on Saturn where they reach speeds of over 1,100mph.
Rural Windmills
What a peaceful early morning scene in the misty dawn, with the dew still on the silver grass.

Image 24/25

@ The Star Spangled Banner
"Do you know how matches came to be invented, Meowchi?" queried Winston.
"No, how, Winston?"
"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."
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.

Image 25/25

@ Florida Storm
As Winston'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!
Winston has completed his exploration of "Wind"! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also explore the Elements!