So Much More than Kites

True, I’m a little bit fixated on kites… just pulled the trigger on a “like new” HQ Flowform 4.0 down in Texas – Thank you Mindy! (Also, see my post, ‘Kite for Sale… Hardly Ever Flown’). Ok, I’m a LOT fixated on kites (See Kite Flying is My Other Passion)… or at least it just appears that way. There’s much more that interests me when out kite flying.

Skies:

Never before have I seen more spectacular skies than right here in Wisconsin. The sunsets and the cloud formations are breathtaking. Flying until dusk is one of my favorite things to do.

Countryside:

The backdrop I’ve found just outside of Black Earth, WI is unrivaled. Corn fields that go on forever and lush green tree-covered hills untouched by glaciers. It’s why they call this neck of the woods “the driftless region”. Add to the mystique farmers tending to their cows and crops, and you’ve got an ideal setting.

Wildlife:

Eagles, Sandhill Cranes, Green and Great Blue Herons, ducks, owls, geese, deer and more. The birds of Wisconsin, especially the Sandhills, follow the wetlands and often flood the region. Every now and then a large group can be heard warbling so high overhead they can barely be seen.

The People:

Wisconsin Kiters Club members are the kindest people I know. I first met them when up from Ohio at the Great Lakes Kite Festival in Grand Haven, Michigan in 2017. They befriended like family, and now they are. I’ve since moved to Wisconsin and am proud to serve as club president. Watching our members, among kiters and friends across the Midwest, share a passion for kiting is something to see. Even more so, is watching them connect with families and communities at kite festivals and fun flies throughout the year (See, Wisconsin Library Reaches for Sky in Celebration of East Asian Cultures).

Capturing it All:

Given so much, one can’t help but capture the experience with kite flying at the center of it all. I’ve found my inspiration and even an uplifting way to share it.

For this and more, I’m grateful.