It was April of yesteryear. The Murphy Brothers were about 4 and almost 6. We had new kites and a strong, spring wind! Thanks to Papa Murph’s speed, we were able to launch the kites successfully!! All was going well until a strong gust tore the kite out of Murphy Boy Wonder’s hand. We raced after the runaway kite but it was no use. 😢 The wind was faster than even Mr. Murphy and the kite was swept over the houses and out toward the highway. (We were only slightly concerned when we later heard sirens! 😳 A coincidence, surely! 😬)We consoled the Murphy Bros. with a purchase of ice cream and plans to make another kite.
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| My attempt at a pop-up card! 😂 |
The history of the kite is long and interesting. Man has been flying kites for various purposes for close to 3000 years. For most of that time kites were the only aviation there was. The first manned flight was recorded by none other than Marco Polo in one of his manuscripts about life in the Far East! (It was a drunk guy, strapped to a kite! Yikes! 😳) Kites have had many uses over the years, including but not limited to: war, the discovery of electricity, weather science and most importantly, POSTAL DELIVERY! Apparently, during the Civil War, one Virginia town regularly used kites to carry letters across a river to neighbors in Maryland...possibly the first regularly scheduled air mail. 😊📬 ✈️
Kites remain extremely popular. There are festivals and clubs and conventions. April is National Kite Month! To celebrate you can make a kite or buy a kite or read a book about kites or watch a movie about kites or sing a song about kites or go fly a kite (a perfect social distancing activity! 🪁) OR do all of the above and then make some kite inspired mail, recounting your kite adventures, and send it flying around the world via the marvelous postal system!!
XOXO,
Mrs. Murphy
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