July 1, 2015

Giant Cows, Helixes and Windsocks

Giant cow windsock flying over Kitty Hawk Kites, Jockey's Ridge.

Giant cow windsock over , Jockey's Ridge.

There's a tradition at Kitty Hawk Kites of flying a gigantic animal windsock from the top of the flagpole at their Jockey's Ridge Crossing store. It's a giant cow right now, and has been for the past few years.

Everyday the question is the same. “Did someone remember to put the laundry up?” or “Did you remember to bring the laundry in?”
That windsock, which is very specialized and not sold in the retail store, is a great introduction though to windsocks, spinners and banners and all those things that decorate , yards, porches and just about anything where there is a little to create motion.

Heather Doyle, who started working for Kitty in college and has been with the company as long as anyone else, is the buyer for all those extras. She has a degree in fabric design from East Carolina University so when she says a certain company makes a particularly good product she knows what she's talking about.

“The windsocks from Wind's Edge Studio are beautiful and they're really well made,” she says. “The woman who makes them is a quilter and she's very artistic.” She also points out that the 's Edge are double hooped—a hoop in the front a hoop to the rear so that even in very light winds or no wind they hold their shape.”

The Wind's Edge windsocks are just one of many extras the company sells. Heather notes that windsocks are popular but the helix, a spinning circle that will extend 3' or 4' into the air, have been a big part of and yard decoration for years.

There's a kite package that the stores sell that include a 6' delta, two streamers and a helix, the she seems really like. “I think it's the coolest kite package we sell,” Heather says. “And it's only $49.95.”

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