Langley Community Center
On Friday I went down to the small Art focused town of Langley, Washington; on the South side of Whidbey Island. It is a town that is well known for its support of the arts, its stunning views, and its bunnies.
While everyone loves the arts and stands behind the various endeavors, the bunnies, are a bit more decisive. Rumors abound as to how so many bunnies appeared in this town. The one that seems to have the most potential of being even slightly accurate is that a few decades ago; a bunch of European hares escaped from the County Fairgrounds in town and found a perfectly suitable home replete with tasty gardens and residents willing to feed them. Bunnies....simple little fluffy bunny butts... are the scourge of some, and the delight of others. Thankfully, I don't see much of a similarity with kites!
A friend asked if I would be willing to come down and host an indoor kite building workshop, and do some indoor kite flying demos at the grand opening of the South Whidbey Community Center. Turns out, they had a few months ago attended a local indoor kite gathering and fell in love with the whole idea and community, and well, they decided to bring that 'home' with them and create a community of their own.
(Don't look at me... look at the puppy!!!)
Starting about mid-September the Langley Fliers will be hosting an indoor open fly every Thursday from 6-9pm.
The kites we built (about 40-50) were a mix of the Squiggly Sled kit made by Phantom Star Kites, and the 'Trash Bag Delta' that has become popular thanks to Alexa King.
It is a somewhat simple delta kite that works well as a glider indoors, and is, as you guessed it, made from a trash bag. It takes a bit longer to construct than the sled kites we make for our makers faires, or then the kite kits we use for easy builds, but, when it is put together the folks love it! I have so much love for Alexa, during the week she spent time putting together all of the kits while watching her granddaughter. (A real cutey pa-tootey!)
Over the course of the next few hours I alternated between sitting at the table helping various kids and adults build their kites, and running back and forth to the gym to do small demos. But, there is one moment that is going to stand out for me. While at the table helping kids, this older couple comes walking by and is chatting about that strange thing they heard about, that 'indoor kiteflying'. The gentlemen makes some passing comment about how he couldn't do it "it must require moving too much hahahaha", he says flopping his arms about. His wife chuckles at the spectacle of him waving around like Kermit.
Oh the woes of a kite flier, we have all heard this. So I smile, grab the iFlite sitting on the table next to me and say
"Actually, you don't need to move around that much, you can stand in one spot and fly, see? It is all about smooth movements and being in the moment" I say as the kite glides around me and I watch a big shocked look spread across his face.
"Ok, now your turn" I say, as I hand the kite over. Within seconds he has the knack of it, and is spinning around on his feet and dancing all over the room laughing with each dip, tug, and float of the kite. His wife is in stitches, and in between the giggles mentions something along the lines of "now don't fall over, cause I am not going to pick you up".
You are never too old to fly a kite. :)