Let's Talk with Debra H. Goldstein
Do You Want to Fly a Kite?
February 8, 2024
How many times in your life have you looked at a picture of a child running down the beach unfurling the string while a kite bobs above his head? When you hear the song “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” from Mary Poppins, does it become an instant earworm? Do you have a memory of trying to fly a kite and having it unceremoniously crash into the ground?
You aren’t the only one whose mind conjures up these images. In fact, there are a lot of people thinking of these things or at least trying to fly a kite as you read this. Why? Because today is National Kite-Flying Day.
When I looked it up, I discovered that it is a feel-good holiday. A day where people can get outside and be free as they try to fly their kites, or they can cuddle up with a glass of wine and once again watch Mary Poppins. There are historical ties – like Benjamin Franklin, his key, his kite, and electricity – but the fun is what the holiday has come to commemorate.
For authors, when writing is going well, every day is National Kite-Flying Day because of the sensation of being free and having fun. Unfortunately, when words don’t flow, it is like the kite being too heavy, the string being too short, or there simply not having enough wind. But, for today, let’s think happy thoughts.
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Posted in Let's Talk, with Debra H. Goldstein • Tags: Debra H Goldstein, Do you want to fly a kite, Let's Talk, Mary Poppins | 38 Comments
Being outside on a nice day… whether flying a kite or not.
We’re having a very open winter here and the sun is out. Anybody want to go outside?
You’ve got it – especially after the rain we’ve been having.
Hi Debra — I’m definitely ready for a feel-good holiday and our weather is perfect for kite-flying.
A feel-good holiday with good weather sounds like a dream.
It is pretty windy here in Denver perfect kite flying weather.
But I understand you are supposed to be getting snow. That won’t work as well for kite flying.
Kite weather means it’s a good day for just about anything. Now you’ve mead me want to go out and buuy one.
We have the wind here in San Diego, but there could be more rain coming. Might be good for kite flying at least until the next rainstorm comes in!
Agree – rain dampens kite flying, but San Diego weather is often so pretty.
I have always loved flying kites, and the beach is a great place for that because there are fewer kite-eating trees! Also, the beach has always been a happy place for me. As a kid we had the basic diamond shaped flat kite. Those are very hard to keep aloft, but we got tons of exercise trying! By the time my kids came along, kites had evolved, and the kids’ kites popped right up. They have always thought it was easy to fly a kite!
I know what you mean about kite-eating trees. It seemed like I always tried to fly one directly into one – except at the beach.
Good morning, here in West Texas it is a little cool and we have been having breezy days which would make flying a kite easy , but if I am going to go fly a kite, I would have to wait for the weather to be just a tad warmer, I have always loved watching my 2 now grown children and now my grandchildren fly kites, it always makes my heart happy when I get to see my now grown children and my grandchildren flying kites together, it warms my heart. Have a great day.
There is something special about seeing generations flying kites in total abandonment and joy together.
Flying kites was a favorite of mine when I was little.
And the memory lasts forever…
Not really much of a kite flyer. Even as a child, I was huge into being outdoors. I preferred to play with dolls or read books. With osteoarthritis throughout my spine and knee problems, I still prefer to relax on my recliner with a good book. That definitely makes me happy.
Can more than understand.
My kite flying experiences always ended with my kite doing a header. It just didn’t want to fly.
Your experiences with kite flying sound like most of mine (kite-eating trees were to blame)
Growing up in southwest Missouri, we didn’t have a lot of days where the wind cooperated enough to where we could fly a kite. However, when we did, it was always a blast; even when the kites ended up in the trees. Good memories lol.
There was something very free about flying a kite.. even when eaten by a tree.
Happy thoughts duly pondered. Now, thank you for the earworm.
That earworm was always a keeper :).
Remember the old dismissive saying, “Go fly a kite”? Given the many positive connotations of kite-flying adventures, I wonder how the concept became twisted into a sort-of curse. I’ll think about that tomorrow. Today, I’m going to enjoy Fly a Kite Day.
I hope you do. There’s something innocent and freeing about kite flying … despite the dismissive connotation that can be used.
As a child, my kites always tangled with trees. Now I prefer to make a quilt or read a book.
For me, every little pleasure that I may come across in my daily life always makes me happy, be it just to greet some stranger on the store checkout line, or I’ve just discovered a new restaurant that serves yummy food. As for flying kite as a kid, my brother and I would use some plastic grocery bag, tie the two “handle holes” together with some string, and run on the field on a windy day – viola, a high flying “kite”! Those were our precious memories.
Amazing how many of us had kite-eating tree encounters.
For me, every little pleasure that I may come across in my daily life always makes me happy, be it just to greet some stranger on the store checkout line, or I’ve just discovered a new restaurant that serves yummy food. As for flying kite as a kid, my brother and I would use some plastic grocery bag, tie the two “handle holes” together with some string, and run on the field on a windy day – viola, a high flying “kite”! Those were our precious memories.
That is a great memory! I’m going to have to try that with a grandchild.
When there aren’t any worries and I can focus on my writing and follow my normal routine, that’s a happy day.
Amen. Hope you have lots of happy days.
This post reminds me of “Let’s go fly a kite” from “Mary Poppins”. That movie still makes me smile even after 6o years.
Exactly. It was the first thing that came into my mind when I saw it was national Kite Flying Day.
Kite flying was a fun activity growing up on the farm but hard to do raising kids in town—too many lines to contend with.
Used to fly kites as a child ..I love being outside
Congratulations to Alicia Haney who won a copy of The Perp Wore Pumpkin.