Go Fly A Kite!

I haven’t lived in the Washington, DC area for several years, so I am thrilled to be back here long enough to enjoy all the wonderful things the city has to offer – including the National Cherry Blossom Festival.  I missed the peak of the blooms because I was in San Diego, but that didn’t keep me from Metro-ing down to the National Mall today for the Blossom Kite Festival.

I thought I’d spend half an hour or so watching the kites and taking photos.  Instead, I ended up flying my own kite.  What a blast! It took a few tries to get the hang of it – the kite dive-bombed a few times –  but we finally found a location with sufficient wind and space to let the kite fly high.  What a kick!  I haven’t flown a kite since I was a kid.  I have vague memories of my dad helping my sister and me fly kites in the open field behind our house in Kansas.  I felt like a happy-go-lucky kid again today.  And the closing song from “Mary Poppins” kept running through my head:  “Let’s go fly a kite! Up to the highest height!  Let’s go fly a kite and send it soaring…”  Or something like that.

If you missed it this year, I highly recommend you check out the Blossom Kite Festival next year.  Your kite won’t be the only thing that’s lifted.  I guarantee it.