This morning when we arrived at the field there was a gentleman by name of Andrew out near the picnic tables, complete with easel and paints.  Both Ian Pullar and Cliff McIver got talking to him, and to admire his work.  Ian went as far as being allowed to take a photo of his watercolour painting -- and while Andrew didn't desire to be identified or acknowledged, he was happy for us to put a copy of the photo on our site.  Thankyou Andrew (and Ian for the photography)!

Click on the photo to the left to see a larger version, or click on the link (here) to get the full size version (right click to download may work best).

Now this isn't just any abstract painitng -- can you recognise the models and modellers? The main model (the one not obscured by the fence) is Fernando Monge's Deja-Vu, and that is Fernando in the shorts on the chair in the club house doorway.  Then down by the transmitter pound is Matthew Marino, and that is his Giles hiding between the pit fence and the Deja-Vu (the pinky coloured model).  And over to the right is Dennis Travassaros's Yak, with Dennis in the chair behind it. You will find the models and model owners in the photo galleries if you want to check the resemblance.

It looks so peaceful!  Had Andrew gone a little to the left he would have picked up a horizontal windsock -- and if he did time lapse water colours you would see it fluctuating by 180 degrees from northerly to southerly (but mostly westerly) over two to three minute intervals.  That is the real reason the models are on the ground and the pilots in chairs!

And if that wasn't enough to make the day, then there was the homing pigeon.  The aerobatic group operate to the rule of thumb that if the birds aren't flying, then perhaps we shouldn't be either!  Certainly if the birds take-off and get blown backwards we don't need the wind speed meter to make the decision not to fly.  So later this Sunday afternoon we were observing a flock of birds standing on the strip, not flying.  But as time went on and most of them departed, we noted one shuffled from place to place, but wasn't going anywhere, even when we taxied near it.  Our resident animal rescue practioner (Fernando -- whose wife runs an animal rescue refuge) went to inspect, and after a few flutters as the bird tried to get away, Fernando captured the ailing bird and brought it back to the club house.  It had an injured wing (don't worry, we can reassure you it was not one of us or our planes that injured it), but also a clear identification tag as a homing pigeon.  Fernando called its owner, and when last seen was on his way to deliver the bird back to its home  . . .