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@ Lost Umbrella
Colin P'Owl 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.

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@ Let's Go Fly A Kite!

Navy Flower Power 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.

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@ Grass Flags
A gale is officially defined as a wind of between 32 and 63 miles per hour. A wind blowing from 4 to 31mph is a breeze.
Grass Flags
Feathery fronds of grass, like little flags, wave in the breeze.

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@ Tilting at Windmills
"Did you know you can start a fire with ice, Colin P'Owl?" asked Pinky.
"How on earth do you do that?" queried Colin P'Owl.
"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."
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!

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@ Drifting Around On The Water
"The Great Fire of 1666 started in London, on Pudding Lane, in a baker's shop. The baker believed he had put the fire out but in the middle of the night the fire grew and his house was in flames. Pudding Lane is still there today. If you want to visit it, Monument is the nearest tube station. The place where the fire started is also marked by a monument topped by a fiery gold ornament," said Colin P'Owl.
"It makes it sound like it's the only monument in London, Colin P'Owl!" chuckled Sikandar.
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.

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@ Turning Somersaults
"At the time of the Great Fire of London in 1666 there was no fire brigade such as we have today. Men from the Navy used gunpowder to blow up houses in the path of the fire to halt its spread!"
"Goodness me, Rockstar! Drastic, or what? Did it work?" queried Colin P'Owl.
"It sort of worked—eventually! But it took some days, during which time a large part of London had been destroyed."
Turning Somersaults
Racing across the miles, dashing for the shore, tentacles of water, reaching forward, trying to grasp what is just out of reach.

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@ Touchdown
“What have you got in your rucksack, Moriarty?” asked Colin P'Owl. “It looks very full!”
“I’ve come prepared for anything, Colin P'Owl,” responded Moriarty. “There’s canvas deck shoes, tennis shoes, flip-flops, sandshoes, walking boots, sandals, loafers—you name it, I’ve got it!”
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.

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@ Children Of The Dandelion
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.
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.

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@ Flag, Great Britain
In Greek mythology, the Anemoi were four wind gods, causing wind from the four compass points.
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.

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@ The Power Of Water
Air pollution is measured with the Air Quality Index, or AQI. The lower the AQI, the cleaner the air is. However, if you are outside when the AQI is over 100, it’s about the same as breathing in exhaust from a car all day! Things that cause poor air quality are forest fires and cities with lots of car traffic. If the AQI is higher than 100 you shouldn’t spend too much time outside.
The Power Of Water
The tide roars in, and tons of water will crash to the shore bringing sand, rocks, and treasures.

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@ Translucent Blue
The fastest gust of wind ever recorded on Earth was 253 miles per hour.
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.

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@ Swelling Seas
"A trivia question for you, princess ♥ sparkles!" announced Colin P'Owl. "Who is the largest consumer of fireworks in the United States?"
princess ♥ sparkles pondered. "I don't know, Colin P'Owl, who is it?"
"It's Walt Disney World. The park launches the fireworks with compressed air instead of gunpowder to reduce fumes and gain better height and timing."
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.

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@ Golden Evening
“Ooh, it's just starting to get a bit cold, Colin P'Owl!” said Rhian. “Can you hold my map while I dig out my jumper?"
Colin P'Owl good-naturedly took charge of Rhian's possessions while she emptied her rucksack of a pack of sandwiches, a Thermos flask, a pair of galoshes, a bag of toffees, a paperback novel, a bottle of mineral water, an address book, some postage stamps, an assortment of different coloured biros, a bottle opener, a couple of old train tickets, a handful of golden and silver moles, a door key, some shopping receipts, a screwdriver, a bottle of multivitamins, a lottery ticket and a selection of rather battered sachets of salt, sugar and tomato ketchup before locating the jumper right at the bottom. This she donned and then Colin P'Owl helped her put everything back in her rucksack.
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.

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@ Pink and White Tulips
"What unit of measure is used for wind speed, Colin P'Owl?" asked Ari.
"Um—I don't know—miles per hour?" hazarded Colin P'Owl.
"No. The knot."
"Oh, Ari, I thought that was to do with sailing?"
Ari 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."
Pink and White Tulips
These tulips, swaying in the breeze, make a fine display in the Netherlands.

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@ 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.

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@ Dutch Weathervane
"Do you know how matches came to be invented, Hester?" queried Colin P'Owl.
"No, how, Colin P'Owl?"
"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."
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!

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@ Dancing Dandelion Fluff
The strongest winds in the solar system are on Saturn where they reach speeds of over 1,100mph.
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.

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@ Breezy Fields
“I could stay here in front of this image forever, Colin P'Owl,” said POLINA. “This is an amazing place!”
“Well, you never know what lies ahead, POLINA. I wouldn't be surprised if the next exhibit is even better!” said Colin P'Owl.
Breezy Fields
Let’s run through the field as the grasses bend to the wind and the clouds race each other across the sky.

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@ Swirling Snow
“Oh hello, Colin P'Owl!” cried Charlie the Bear. “Didn’t we bump into each other at the Fiat racetrack in Turin last July? This is quite the change of scene, isn't it!”
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.

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@ Poppies, Red and Cornflowers, Blue
"It's turned a bit hot, Colin P'Owl. They must have put the heating on! I'm going to take my scarf off," said Cherrie.
"Good scheme! I'll do the same," said Colin P'Owl.
Poppies, Red and Cornflowers, Blue
These meadow flowers make a colourful sight as they are blown by the passing wind!

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@ Hot Air Balloon Flight
“If there's time at the end of the day when we get back to our accommodation, I might do some initial sketches for a watercolour painting from the postcard I bought in the gift shop," Gordon said, offering Colin P'Owl a toffee from the bag and then unwrapping one for himself.
“That sounds like a good plan, Gordon!" said Colin P'Owl. "Very relaxing, and your painting will be a great souvenir of our trip through the Elements!"
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!

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@ Ruffled Waters
"The Great Fire of 1666 started in London, on Pudding Lane, in a baker's shop. The baker believed he had put the fire out but in the middle of the night the fire grew and his house was in flames. Pudding Lane is still there today. If you want to visit it, Monument is the nearest tube station. The place where the fire started is also marked by a monument topped by a fiery gold ornament," said Colin P'Owl.
"It makes it sound like it's the only monument in London, Colin P'Owl!" chuckled Moon.
Ruffled Waters
The blue, ruffled waters of this outdoor swimming pool look very inviting! Who's for a dip before breakfast?

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@ Rural Windmills
A gale is officially defined as a wind of between 32 and 63 miles per hour. A wind blowing from 4 to 31mph is a breeze.
Rural Windmills
What a peaceful early morning scene in the misty dawn, with the dew still on the silver grass.

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@ The Star Spangled Banner
Colin P'Owl and Fiddlesticks were entranced on reaching this exhibit and eagerly posed for a picture standing on either side!
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.

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