Interesting isn't it, how earthly things resemble one another, although their only association seems to be that they are part of the planet. So deltas look like root systems, water like petals and land like leaves?

Oh, you really mean rock-flipping. I thought it was yet another of those phrases that tried to cross the Atlantic, sank and drowned and was reincarnated in another form. What we call skimming. Index finger curled round a flat stone, low-trajectory throw out to sea, zip-zip-zip count the bounces. Well, kommt der Tag and we will will be in Diafani a facility-less village on the east coast of the Greek isle of Karpathos and there will be time - between bouts of the most profound conversation - to go out and turn a few stones.

Thanks for the links to Vancouver and its environs. Maybe if we flew Business Class... Which I did on my first trip to Canada. The stewardess poured out 1978 Chateau Léoville Las-Cases from a proper size bottle, I listened to Cosi on my Walkman (which the French charmingly call a baladeur)and I suddenly found tears of pleasure rolling down my cheeks. What a sentimental hack I was in those days.

Joe, yes, and that's what attracts us, isn't it?

Barrett, we do seem to get into discussions of variable meanings in the English language! What you call skimming, we call skipping. And how wonderful that you are off to a Greek Island. Maybe we'd travel more if we didn't hate flying nowadays. If we could afford it, First Class might be more pleasant. Of course, everything is much closer in Europe. (And I think you are still a sentimental hack!)

Thanks for the Guernica link, which Heidi and I have just enjoyed. I wonder what Picasso would have thought. I expect he would have approved.

Joe, glad you both enjoyed it, and I agree that the old master would have approved, and been amazed at today's technology.