If you were looking for me on Saturday, I was at the Kite Festival. Come join me here as we enjoy the festivities! And don't forget We are going to have a wonderfully fabulous time! There was something magical about seeing all those kites dancing in the air around the Capitol and the Smithsonian Castle.
Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height
Let's go fly a kite
And send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite
Let's go fly a kite!
From Mary Poppins
Imagine hundreds of kites in every color, shape, and size soaring skyward around the Washington Monument and you will begin to appreciate the Blossom Kite Festival. Kite fliers of all ages from across the United States and the world gather to fly handmade kites and compete for prizes during this colorful event.
The Kite Festival features a handmade kite competition for children and adults, with awards given in categories such as most artistic, most humorous and most patriotic. Other highlights include a Hot Tricks kite flying competition and the popular Rokkaku Kite battle, in which Japanese-style kites battle each other for sole command of the sky.
The original Smithsonian Kite Festival was sponsored by the Smithsonian Associates and the National Air and Space Museum. It was founded in 1967 by aviation pioneer Paul E. Garber (1899-1992).
- Blossom Kite Festival
You could bring your own kites or kids got to make a kite at an activity station... to fly on the Public Field. It was awesome! You could hear laughter behind every corner.
The kite festival was free entry, like most things in Washington, DC (I know!! Don't hate us!) but, there were a few enterprising people out there trying to make a living. This gentleman was selling kites, if you didn't want to make your own in the kite tent or you didn't bring one, have no fear! He had plenty of them! And they were selling like hotcakes!
In Japan, Children’s Day is a day set aside dedicated to flying kites -like these, which are called windsacks. — at The Washington Monument At National Mall
This enterprising woman flies double-fisted. She officially gets my utmost respect. — at The Washington Monument At National Mall
Smithsonian Castle fly-about — at Smithsonian Castle
The Blossom Kite Festival was formerly known as the Smithsonian Kite Festival and, it migrated to its new name a couple of years ago. I refuse to change the name. (in my head anyway) It is wildly popular and people tend to kick off their official spring walkabouts with this event. How much more cheerful can we get with all those kites in the air? And while you may think that they are only around the Washington Monument, think again! You can walk up and down the Mall and the Tidal Basin where the Cherry Trees are, and, everywhere is littered with rogue kites flying high. It is a wonderful sight!
The bright pink tents were all vendors that were selling kite related items, including extra string, glue, plus the regular trinkets for the visitors that wanted a memento of their time in our Nation's Capital. The markets were over-plentiful.
STOP!! BRAIN TEASER AHEAD!!
source55
Let's Fly a Kite Sing-A-Long!!! You know you want to!!!!
Did you know that April is National Kite Month? Would you like to know all about kite flying? Check it out here
Everyone was there... and at any event, big or small, they always have pet stations that have treats and water available for free.
Kite appears smaller than actual size. It was a huge monster of a thing.
The Rokkaku Battle features hexagonal-shaped fighter kites commonly flown in Japan and now in many other parts of the world. In the Battle, teams of kite fliers compete to “cut” or “ground” opposing kites. The Hot Tricks Showdown is a competition in which multi-line kite fliers engage in a series of one-on-one competitions and maneuver their sport kites in amazing flight patterns during 30 seconds of music. The winners are selected by audience applause. Source
Let's look carefully at this pretzel vendor... He has his pretzels in a Safeway shopping cart with nothing... right in the cart. The germy, bacteria infested cart. No gloves... I wish I had a video. Hands the man his money with NO gloves and reaches down and gets him a pretzel. Yes, Martha. I reported him to the Health Department and sent his picture along for good measure. I wonder how people get hepatitis (or worse?) Note the man in blue, in the second picture. He doesn't believe his eyes.
When they weren't flying, they were climbing — at The Washington Monument At National Mall
Dog dead tired! I'm pretty sure he is singing Day is Done in his dreams.*
Til next year — at Washington Monument National Monument
I have been to so many new places lately! I love to share and be shared with! I have always and forever liked to see different fruits and vegetables or products that are being sold. Perhaps I cannot get them here. So, yes! I would love to see yours! Don't forget to take photos wherever you happen to be shopping - whether it be the grocery store, the local marketplace or even an art gallery. Wherever money is exchanged for a service or for merchandise. Be different if you wish! It does not have to be a traditional market! We will love it! I promise you! Don't forget to use the hashtag #MarketFriday and 
A flower. There must always be a flower to color my world.
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Thank you for visiting my post 💖 Because of you, I come back to post again and again, I am encouraged by you, for the time you take to visit, comment or even upvote. For all of these reasons, I am eternally grateful. Don't ever forget what a wonderful world we live in, people. Let's hold hands around the globe and make this earth really spin. Some days, it is not as easy to see, how wonderful it really is. Kindness counts. Wherever you go, whatever you do.
I always post this poem down at the bottom of my posts. It is one that has become so near and dear to my heart. I only post the most famous part of it, but, wanted to post it in its entirety today.
they set my aunts house on fire
i cried the way women on tv do
folding at the middle
like a five pound note.
i called the boy who use to love me
tried to ‘okay’ my voice
i said hello
he said warsan, what’s wrong, what’s happened?
i’ve been praying,
and these are what my prayers look like;
dear god
i come from two countries
one is thirsty
the other is on fire
both need water.
later that night
i held an atlas in my lap
ran my fingers across the whole world
and whispered,
"where does it hurt?"
it answered,
"everywhere"
"everywhere"
"everywhere"
warsan shire