THE NEED FOR AIR

 


If you’re jumping out of an airplane, you’d better hope there’s air beneath you to fill your parachute.  More importantly, you’d better make sure you have a parachute!  1973 - my husband on the left. 

Balloons need air.

Twenty-two years ago during the time I was staying with my cousin in Reno, Nevada while my eldest daughter recovered from a serious boating accident in the hospital there, the annual “Great Reno Balloon Race” was held and every morning for a couple of weeks as I drove down to the hospital, I saw fantastic sights like this.  What a way to start the day! J   

Birds need air to fly, of course.  This is what my sweet Ella might have looked like as she flew around our house or when I took her to settle with a bird lady a few miles away who could take proper care of her, and she flew back to us instead.  What a bird. Y

These are the young eagles, Sunny and Gizmo – Shadow and Jackie’s offspring of last year (’25) – who became successful fledglings in the air over Big Bear Valley in southern California, soaring so gracefully on the wind.

An angel would need air to fly o’er the earth.  This angel, in particular, also needed air to sing a song of comfort to the poor weeping heroine in the melodrama, “Sheepless in Seattle”.

¯ “O Dry Those Tears and calm those fears.  Life is not meant for sorrow.” ¯

That tuba player would certainly need air to play his instrument.  Likewise my son, the trombone player, in 1985.

Daughters needed air to play their flute and saxophone in 1990.

And youngest daughter needed air to play an air guitar at her 12th birthday party in 1986.

Mom desperately needed air after dancing the Can Can in 1978 at the age of 38!

Special costumes like these for a humorous reading during a variety show needed air.

You need air to shake out those new garbage bags before you put 'em in the can.

Balls for different sports need air – particularly the oblong one in front during football season!!!

I need air for the tires on my car.

As did my husband's grandparents for the tires on their car.

This bouncy house for a grandson’s birthday party needed a lot of air!

These, of course, would need air to dry.

And last, but not least, my husband’s go-to breakfast order of blueberry splatter cakes at our favorite café on Sunday mornings need air to produce that ‘hint’ of whipped cream!

J

La Nightingail

Comments

  1. ScotSueOctober 23, 2026 at 3:16 AM

    Such a clever use of how we use "air" with a range of fun photographs - my favourite the can can dancers and the two "fat" ladies!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. La NightingailOctober 26, 2026 at 9:05 AM

      One of the gals in the line was 24 and when we came off the stage after dancing, she was breathing as hard as I was, so I didn't feel so bad about it. :))

      Delete
  2. SharonOctober 23, 2026 at 4:51 PM

    I love the colourful balloon scene. I would love to photograph that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. La NightingailOctober 26, 2026 at 9:06 AM

      They really were beautiful and seeing them lifted my heart just a bit during that difficult time. :)

      Delete
  3. Mike BrubakerOctober 26, 2026 at 8:06 AM

    This was a real treat! Thanks for making me laugh. Now I want to go see “Sheepless in Seattle”!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. La NightingailOctober 26, 2026 at 9:03 AM

      "Sheepless in Seattle" was a locally written melodrama that, after a two-night performance, never saw the stage again. But it was fun. My angel flitting onstage got a big laugh. I had to wait a moment or two to begin my song. :()

      Delete
  4. Barbara RogersOctober 26, 2026 at 8:35 AM

    Such fun to see this variety show of "air" supported activities!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. La NightingailOctober 26, 2026 at 9:08 AM

      I'm glad you enjoyed the fun of it. That's how I meant it to be, of course. :))

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ONCE UPON A TIME

Image
Once upon a time there was a young, newly engaged couple who were planning to marry and go on a honeymoon. For her wedding on the 16th of June in 1909, the bride wore a beautiful gown. Once married, they prepared to take off on their honeymoon. The bride appeared in a handsome ‘Going Away’ suit carrying her luggage. And the happy couple boarded a large boat to carry them to their honeymoon destination.  Unfortunately, we do not know where that destination was. They took pictures of themselves on the boat. Looking exactly like the love birds they were, the bride and groom, having arrived at their honeymoon destination, apparently posed for a photograph. They had 3 daughters. Daughter #1 was born in 1910 in Toronto, Canada.  Daughter #2 was born in 1912, also in Toronto.  Daughter #3 was born in 1925 in Chicago! Sometime around 1925, for reasons unknown, the bride and groom decided to move to southern California – driving there themselves.  At some point along the ...
Read more

A VISIT TO THE MILLINER'S SHOP

Image
  Oh look.  Here's a cute millinery shop.  I need a new hat.  Not that I really need one.  But I love hats and there’s nothing like a new hat to perk one up.  Besides, it's coming on Mother's Day and surely a mother needs a new hat for her special day!  So . . . what sort of new chapeau might I pick?  One with flowers or feathers or ribbons & bows?  And what color?  Red, pink, purple, blue, green, yellow, peach . . .  oh the choices! Red poppies Poppies and ribbon Poppies and straw loops Tall order poppies Estelle in my big red hat.  It's unadorned right now.  Perhaps I should add some poppies . . . or ribbon . . . or a bow or . . .  Smorgasbord Buffet Sweet pink Bold pink Big Bow pink Tall order purple Purple lavender Lavender Wow Lavender green Lavender blue . . . dilly, dilly Much ado about blue Flowery blue reminds me of my once-upon-a-time flowery blue hat Big Bow blue Blue & Green with garden salad Simp...
Read more

FOLLOWING THE FRANK HERBERT BRADLEY FAMILY

Image
  Frank Herbert Bradley at age 24 Frank Herbert Bradley was born in 1880 in Blackburn, England, the son and 12 th child of Abram Bradley and Elizabeth Clegg Bradley.  He came to America, landing in Rhode Island, with his mother and 4 older sisters in 1885 at the age of 5 years.  At some point before 1902 he moved to New York City and learned the silver trade at Tiffany’s.  In 1902 he came to San Francisco where he boarded with the widow, Ella Chase Taylor Smedley, and her daughter, Harriet Bell Smedley who became Frank’s wife in 1906. My Grandma B, Harriet (Hattie) Bell Smedley Bradley with her new husband, my Grandad B, Frank Herbert Bradley in 1906 on their honeymoon. 1919 – Harriet Bell Bradley, with her four children:  Harriet Chase, Frances Marian, Herbert Kinsey (my Dad), and Ruth Ella. Late 1920s – The Bradley family.  Standing: Harriet (Hattie), Frances, Harriet, and Frank.  Kneeling: Ruth and Herbert c. 1930 – Harriet, Herbert, Frances, and...
Read more