It's a bird, it's a plane, it's ...Superman? I was working things out with my new camera, practicing on seagulls in flight when I heard an engine running. I searched around trying to identify the sound when suddenly, appearing out of nowhere, I spotted this powered paraglider floating in the sky near the mountain. I thought he had come off the top of the mountain, and wondered, with all the snow that's up there in February, how he had managed to do that. A few moments later he changed direction and I noticed that he was coming straight for me, creating a rare photo opportunity I had never expected. As he approached, my lens followed him and I snapped off several shots. Not having eyes in the back of his head, I wonder if he even knew this flock of birds was following him?

I have since learned that powered paragliders (PPG) can take off from the ground, and don't need a mountaintop or a jump from an airplane to get started.  This exhilarating sport might be  my best chance to fulfill the fantasy of my dreams. My older brother built and flew model airplanes, and I used to dream of taking a six foot wing off of one his airplanes and holding it out in front of me to fly through the air. I would hold onto the back edge of the wing with both hands and twist with my wrist, moving the front edge up and down to propel me through the air currents. In another variation of my dreams, I would use my arms to tread air as if I were treading water.

The story of the pied piper originated in Hamelin, Germany in 1284. The city was infested with plague carrying rats, and presenting himself as a rat catcher the piper struck a deal with the mayor to rid the city of rats for 1,000 guilders. Dressed in colorful clothing he played his flute, luring all of the rats to follow him to the river and drown themelves. Refusing to pay him, the mayor accused him of extortion, claiming he deliberately infested the city himself.  Striking back in revenge, while all the adults were in church, the piper played his flute and lured all of the children out of the city. One version of the story says he led the children to a cave where he kept them hid until the mayor paid him his 1000 guilders. Another version says that he led the children to a far away place, never to be seen again, and yet a third variation says that he led them all into the river to drown. What I felt was the most creative part of the story, is that we only know what happened to the children because three of them remained to tell the adults. One was deaf and could not hear the flute, one was lame and could not walk, and the third was blind and unable to follow.