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@ Lost Umbrella
Bran 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
"Oh, frosty! It says in our tour guide that no one knows who invented the fire hydrant, because its patent was destroyed in a fire in Washington in 1836!" declared Bran.
"That is ironic for sure!" responded frosty.
Grass Flags
Feathery fronds of grass, like little flags, wave in the breeze.

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@ Tilting at Windmills
"It says here that 'fire' is from the Old English fȳr, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vuur and German Feuer," remarked Bran.
"That's interesting!" responded Berry.
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 doldrums is a wind-free area around the equator where sailing ships used to get stuck for weeks. Hence the phrase ‘in the doldrums’.
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
"It says in our tour guide that 96.5% of water on Earth is in our oceans, covering 71% of the surface of our planet," remarked Bran.
"That's amazing, Bran!" responded Ugie.
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
"The Great Fire of London in 1666 gave rise to many changes, you know, Bran," remarked Moses. "Many streets were widened across London. New building regulations meant that instead of wood, brick had to be used for all houses."
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
"What unit of measure is used for wind speed, Bran?" asked Suzy Q.
"Um—I don't know—miles per hour?" hazarded Bran.
"No. The knot."
"Oh, Suzy Q, I thought that was to do with sailing?"
Suzy Q 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."
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
"After the Great Fire of London in 1666, businessmen started house insurance companies. They had to be careful because if another fire started they could lose a lot of money. To get around this, they ended up hiring their own fire brigade just in case a fire did start! This is when the first brigade started."
"It sounds a bit hit-and-miss, Bran!" remarked Choose a name.
"It was, yes. Any of the insurance companies' fire brigades weren't allowed to put out a fire of a house which was insured with a different company!"
"They'd just watch it burn, then, Bran?"
"Well—I guess that was how it went, Choose a name, yes!"
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
"Why do we get sea breezes, Bran?" queried Melinda.
Bran looked baffled. "I don't know, Melinda! We just do!"
Melinda read out from the brochure: " 'Sea breezes occur because heat from the sun takes longer to warm the sea than the land, creating a difference in air pressure.' So—there it is."
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
"It says in our tour guide that 96.5% of water on Earth is in our oceans, covering 71% of the surface of our planet," remarked Bran.
"That's amazing, Bran!" responded nellie.
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
"There's a fun project in our brochure on how to make a weather vane from an ice cream container lid, scissors, a marker pen, a skewer, a straw and a pin," remarked Bran.
"Cool!" responded Venus. "We could make a start when we get back to our hotel tonight."
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
"The Great Fire of London in 1666 gave rise to many changes, you know, Bran," remarked Mickle. "Many streets were widened across London. New building regulations meant that instead of wood, brick had to be used for all houses."
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
"Today's trivia question, Chance!" announced Bran. "When were the first ever windmills built?"
"Oh, goodness! I've no idea, Bran, but I imagine they're pretty old!" responded Chance.
Bran grinned. "Windmills have been in use since 200 BCE. They were first developed in Persia and China."
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 ancient Greeks believed that there were four elements that everything was made up of: earth, water, air and fire. This theory was suggested around 450 BCE, and it was later supported and added to by Aristotle. Aristotle also suggested that there was a fifth element, aether, because it seemed strange that the stars would be made out of earthly elements. He would be surprised to learn that they are in fact made up of many elements found on earth, and are so hot they could be said to be on fire all the time!
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
"It says in our tour guide that 96.5% of water on Earth is in our oceans, covering 71% of the surface of our planet," remarked Bran.
"That's amazing, Bran!" responded Chessie.
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
The strongest winds in the solar system are on Saturn where they reach speeds of over 1,100mph.
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
"Did you read what it said under that exhibit earlier, Icy?" asked Bran. "It stated that early windmills' sails turned anti-clockwise but later makers shifted mainly to clockwise."
"Wow, Bran! It's one of those things I'd never have thought about!"

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
"Today's trivia question, Flapke!" announced Bran. "When were the first ever windmills built?"
"Oh, goodness! I've no idea, Bran, but I imagine they're pretty old!" responded Flapke.
Bran grinned. "Windmills have been in use since 200 BCE. They were first developed in Persia and China."
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
"A trivia question for you, Grin Grotto!" announced Bran. "Who is the largest consumer of fireworks in the United States?"
Grin Grotto pondered. "I don't know, Bran, 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."
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
Air was considered a “pure” element, but in fact the air that’s all around us is made up of a variety of gases: primarily nitrogen and oxygen, with almost 1% argon and even smaller amounts of carbon dioxide and other elements such as krypton and helium. The composition of air is just right for life on Earth, though.
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
"Do you know how matches came to be invented, Tigger?" queried Bran.
"No, how, Bran?"
"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."
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 Bran'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!
Bran has completed his exploration of "Wind"! Your review of the Elements is over now, but there will be more events in PnF soon!