CloudMaker

CloudMaker4115Cloud Formation Front Range Northern Colorado

When Spring slowly morphs into Summer, like a young girl easing into adulthood, there is a certain amount of drama involved. Spring is an awakening and as the days pass and the maturity of Summer beckons the weather patterns change. The gentle spring days with their warm sunshine and gentle rains begins to alter as the new experiences of longer days and the other influences affect her. There is an anxious volatility now and an expression of anticipation and anger and a desire to rush headlong into this new aspect of life.

This is when we get our late Spring storms. Everyday it seems there is a new formation that can range from slowly moving billowing cloud banks to the fierce and violent thunderheads that lash out with lightning and swirling winds and torrents of rain. Tonight we have something in between.

This particular cloud is undecided at the moment. Not sure if it should develop into a full-blown tantrum or simply pout a little before gently dispersing into the night sky. Without the sun to heat it to the boiling point it’s a good bet that this little bit drama will suffice for the day. But there is always tomorrow, when each new day brings new beauty and new experiences. I can’t wait.

Cloudscapes

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Huge, billowing clouds moving slowly across the sky have always been an arresting sight for me. Memories of childhood float up from the depths and soon you are seeing sailing ships and improbable animals and one that might even look like your loopy uncle Skid, although I guess its possible you didn’t have a loopy uncle Skid. We did and he was great. People travel great distances to see the light and sky of other places but we  have that magic right here in our back yard in Colorado. The images that follow were taken from our deck looking west towards Rocky Mountain National Park as we gently eased into sunset.

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As the sun moved further towards the west the light began to take on a reddish hue

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Soon the blue and white was being replaced by reds and yellows and pinks

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and some of the thunderheads were taking on a pronounced bluish-black underside.

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When the sun goes behind the hilltops and ridges the lower parts of the clouds go dark while the upper parts can be brilliantly highlighted.

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Then as full darkness approaches the gold comes out. There is still some blue in the background because the mountains are lower over there and let the last of the sunlight through.

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An explosion of gold and orange and yellows is brought into even greater contrast by the black undersides of this mammoth cloud. That’s the last hurrah, like that incredible finale at a fireworks exhibition. The only thing missing is the William Tell overture playing in the background.

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The sun is completely set and this last look is tinged in blues and purples with rose highlights, the evenings swansong.