T is for Thunderclouds

I have an ongoing love affair with clouds...I'm often seen gazing at the heavens to catch the inexorable ebb and flow of movement across the sky.

On a road trip several years ago, my husband and I seemed to drift from one storm to another, no matter how far we travelled or how many states we crossed.

Mesa Verde, Colorado

 Awed by the power and beauty, I took shot after shot.

 These are some of the results....

 Monument Valley, Utah

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Antelope Canyon, Arizona

A fairly typical November day here in Vancouver

And after the storm come rainbows. 

I captured this one arcing over the River Lagan in my birth city of Belfast, Northern Ireland.



For more takes on the letter "T", do drop by ABC Wednesday and enjoy the view...





http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.ca/

L is for Looking

In the course of a day, our busy eyes process   

innumerable objects and images. Faces, flowers and 

facts float before us in a frantic bid to catch our 

attention. 

No sooner is an 

item noted than our 

eyes 

are drawn away  to 

something else.

Life can seem like  a flickering  television drama, 

darting quickly from scene to scene, with frequent

explosions of commercials in between, all happening at 

breakneck speed. No wonder we feel time is 

running away from us.

And while we spend our lives looking 

at things, we miss so much of what 

is right in front of us. 

I have 

learned that looking with the heart 

and head, as well as the eyes, can 

slow the world down for a much-

needed break in the day's 

busyness.

Every now and then, stop for a bit. Stand quietly 

and look around you. I guarantee that wherever you 

are, there will be something lovely to capture your 

imagination..

                        The multi-hued brilliance of autumn leaves...

lacy shadows on a woodland trail...

a row of robust pumpkins
 at the greengrocer's.. 

the pleasing symmetry of a

weathered, wooden bridge...

old boots who've 

found a second

home as 

planters...

afternoon sun on 

a pretty vase...

a perfect reflection of 

clouds...

the sweet grace of a garden ornament...

and dappled light as it twirls on sunlit water...

Even vintage film canisters stand to 

attention and beg to be noticed 

when we look their way.

Above all, gaze often at the faces   

of the ones you love. They will be 

the most beautiful and important 

things your eyes will see in a day... 



I am linking to the wonderful ABC Wednesday, where 

you will find many other takes on the letter 'L'.

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.ca/

C is for Clouds

I'm told my head is often in the clouds...

 This is usually said in a fond way...but on occasion, it is clearly 

meant to bring me down to earth when I'm off in my own world of imagination.

I do know the real world must be dealt with. Jobs, children, laundry...all must be addressed with responsibility and attention to detail. If pressed, I can truthfully lay claim to being conscientious in my roles of wife, mother and working woman.

But it's also true that I'm fanciful, forgetful and easily distracted. I spend an inordinate amount of time gazing at clouds or lost in books...and I truly believe that daydreaming is essential to the soul.

My quest for balance is ongoing....

I will happily continue to

nurture my family and pull my weight in the world. I am loved, needed and appreciated in what I do. My life is, indeed, blessed.

 But I cannot..will not..neglect the free spirit who still becomes breathless at the sight of snow, and gets absurdly lost in thought, even in the midst of crowds.

I need her too much..need her wonder and optimism, her childlike ability to get up again when she falls and continue on anticipating the best. She is the balance in my life.

So if you catch me with my head in the clouds, don't be overly concerned.

Give me just a moment to dream, if you will. 

I'll come back refreshed, recharged and ready to take on the busy world once more.

I promise it will be worth the wait...

The photos above were taken on a 2010 trip to Mesa Verde in Colorado.

I'm linking today with ABC Wednesday. Check out the other entries from around the world at...

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.ca

I'm also linking to Skywatch Friday. For wonderful skies, check out this link...

http://skyley.blogspot.ca/

Mesa Verde Skies

.
.
.
I had posted some of these shots previously on a now-defunct sky meme, but thought to share more of them for this week’s Skywatch Friday.

.


 

On a road trip through Utah last year, my husband and I crossed briefly into southern Colorado to visit the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde. The day began sunny and dry, affording us relative ease with which to climb tall ladders and maneuver our way through the compact ruins.
. 

It was not to last…as the afternoon progressed, dark clouds gathered overhead and before long a raging storm had engulfed us.

.

Undeterred, we spent a soggy two hours exploring the rest of this amazing park. How clever the ancient Anasazi were to build under overhanging cliffs that sheltered them from the weather and offered protection from enemy attacks. 

As evening came on and we began to make out way out of the park, the dark sky at last showed signs of lightening up.

. 

 Driving the high, twisting road was amazing with the endless plain stretching out below us and the sun moving ever lower into the cloudbanks that rimmed the horizon.
.

I have never seen such magnificent clouds, and am not sure that I ever will again. My heart still beats wildly when remembering that spectacular evening. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do…..

.

To view more skies from around the world, do check out Skywatch Friday…

.
http://skyley.blogspot.com/
.

Valley Skies

 Because I posted photos yesterday that were taken in Utah after a rainfall, I thought to include shots of the rich blue skies that greeted us on our drive toward Monument Valley, before the rain began.

.

.
.

It was spectacular to ride through this endless, wide valley and watch that big sky fill with clouds that soon tossed long, dark shadows across the golden fields.

.

I could not take my eyes off the clouds...the sky-lover in me had found heaven, and wanted to record every mercurial shift and shadow that magically transformed this incredible landscape.
.

.

.

The clouds grew thicker by the minute and I kept shooting, each new frame etching ever deper into my soul the complete joy I found in this beautiful piece of the world...

.
.

You might like to check out the results here:

.

http://imaginationlane.blogspot.com/2010/11/stormy-utah-skies.html

and here

http://imaginationlane.blogspot.com/2011/03/desert-weekend-reflections.html

.

 .

To view skies from all over the world on Skywatch Friday, click onto the link below and enjoy…

.

http://skyley.blogspot.com/
.

Skywatch Friday:Utah

Yesterday I posted shots of a wonderful abandoned ranch we enjoyed exploring in northern Utah…that is, we enjoyed it up until the moment we got busted for trespassing!

.

.

Because I found the whole area extraordinarily beautiful, I am posting more photos of that day to participate in Skywatch Friday.

.

To view skies from all over the world, click onto the link below and enjoy…

.

http://skyley.blogspot.com/