Vol IV: #66 Head in the Clouds
Publishing this because I need it out of my Drafts. It’s a collection of observational thoughts rather than a story. All I really wanted to communicate is: Clouds are a small part but wondrous detail of life on our planet.
Over the last six weeks, I’ve developed an obsession with clouds. I’ve stood outside and stared at them, taken pictures, and used my finger to follow the outline of the various puffy shapes in sky. I’m not sure what I look like to the neighbors, but I hope they are amused. My goal is to make use of real live examples while I have them. Late March through mid-May is the best time of year to observe clouds, when they billow and streak across the sky on a regular basis. By late May they’ll be all gone, replaced by the occasional thin wisp during the hot summer months.
I’ve recently learned the of importance of blue ozone and light are to how perceive a cloud. Both sky and sun reveal texture, depth, and shape. And not only that, they provide perspective. The best time of day to cloud watch is early or late as the sun is low on the horizon and the angular sunlight casts deep, colorful shadows. And, of course, not all clouds are the same. Some are thing and formless, preferring to hang out high in the sky, while others are thick and low. The truth is each cloud is unique, like finger print or snow flake. And this uniqueness challenges me in my attempt to replicate them.
After all, what does a cloud really look like? The answer starts with “what type of cloud” then progresses to angle of the sun, air temperature, and time of year.
