Should we have brought rain jackets?

for Six-Word Saturday 9.4.21

Arbre et un ciel bleu français*

for Six Word Saturday, Squares: trees, and Life in Colour: blue

*Tree and a blue French sky

Early this morning we’ll be on our way to Wyoming for a very welcome vacation, so I’ll be taking a hiatus for several weeks. The break’s due to two factors: taking time to enjoy time off and the fact that we have no internet while there. I can get email and check online a bit but I won’t be posting or looking at posts. You’ll of course read and see all about it when I get back. In the meantime, thanks for being there and enjoy your time while I’m away.

Trees with clouds and blue sky

Low clouds or fog can take an ordinary photo (if any photo in Yosemite can be thought ordinary) and take it to a higher level.

for Squares: trees and Life in Colour: blue

Wordless Wednesday…Yosemite in white

for Life in Colour: white

Blanketed in white

Last year on my way home from Wyoming, I came to a halt just before heading down the mountain. I was at about 7,000′ altitude with a view from this spot that normally seems to encompass the entire eastern side of the state. However, this morning it looked as if cotton had filled everything as far as I could see with an astonishing beauty.

for Life in Colour: white

Travel photo 5

My nomination for this travel photo challenge came from Su at Zimmerbitch. Same old same old: one travel photo, no explanation necessary. Today’s invitation goes all the way to Finlan, where Ritva is trying to survive the dark of a Scandinavian winter. Take us away to somewhere sunny, Ritva, and if you do, link or pingback to my post/blog. Or just enjoy my photo when it gets dark.

Morning at the Preserve…three views

Usually there aren’t any clouds in the sky in Arizona but when there are, they not only provide a bit of shade but the opportunity for a spectacular sunrise (or sunset if you’re at the other end of the day.) A few days ago at the Preserve, this one stunned me, the perfect way to start a day, so I share it with you.

Storm watching

Ever since we got married (36 years ago next month), we’ve been driving the same route to Wyoming, whether from Cleveland’s east side or Chicago’s southwest side. This year, except for the last 30 miles or so, it was new territory. I’d planned to get up at 4 am, but woke earlier, heading out in the dark to cover just under 700 miles, a trip that would take over 10 hours. I don’t stop much with a goal of gas/bathroom stops coinciding. I had food packed, tea in my Contigo thermal cups, plenty of snacks, and the wonderful BBC radio “Lord of the Rings” production for the CD player. Incidentally, that recording has made the trip with us for almost all those years, first on tape, now on CD.

I didn’t see much scenery the first several hours, the sky only lightening around 5:30 am. I saw where a wildfire had devastated acres and acres and then it was through the White Mountains, onto I-40 (paralleling or overlapping with historic Rt. 66 in many place, and to Albuquerque, where my route turned north towards Raton, New Mexico just south of the Colorado border where I’d stay overnight.

Rain in this part of the country and at this time of year is scarce. We’ve been in Arizona since the end of March and have experienced only a couple “showers”, in quotes because there often not enough to measure. But past Santa Fe near Wagon Mound, there was more than the promise of rain, although most of it was to the west of me. It looked wonderful!

I could see the rain coming down in the distance. All these shots were taken with my iPhone while driving BUT with one hand firmly on the wheel and eyes on the road. It gives point-and-shoot a whole new meaning and also means lots of deleted shots when I finally stop, but I often get some good ones, too.

A tree growing into the clouds?

for Six Word Saturday

One Word Sunday…night

for One Word Sunday