Saturday, August 13, 2011

"America's Next Top Cumulonimbus"

Moonrise over Warwick Neck and Narragansett Bay, August 10, 2011

What I missed most during our decades in the city were big skies. I wanted to see the sun coming up in the morning and setting in the evening, as we had during our years in Little Compton. I longed to be a spectator at nature's cloud shows – not just staring straight up between buildings and trees at fragments of white and blue and gray, but taking in the awesome sweep of incoming fronts, squall lines, and tumbling cumulonimbus.

We moved to our bayside location four summers ago, and I've been like a drunk at at a frat party: greedily inhaling the sky shows with my eyes and, really, my whole being. This blog was born of my compulsive need to record sunsets in particular but also other sky and cloud phenomena. Something's always happening up there! And we get to see it all, from sunrise and moonrise over Warwick Neck to scary storm systems overhead to painterly sunsets. Edna St. Vincent Millay spoke for me in her poem, "God's World" (1917):

O world, I cannot hold thee close enough!
Thy winds, thy wide grey skies!
Thy mists, that roll and rise! …
Here such a passion is
As stretcheth me apart…


Several evenings ago, a gloriously threatening line of thunderheads (above) began bundling together just north of us. The largest one was blown into a characteristic flat-topped anvil by high-altitude winds. Out on the beach path with Yogi, I followed these billowing wonders with my camera.

Thunderheads loom over our neighbors Tom and Karen's house.


We did not, after all, get the storm (it struck farther north) – a pattern fairly typical here, possibly because warm air rising over Narragansett Bay forms a barrier to weak incoming fronts. Instead, we watched a runway show of whipped-cream cumulus models strutting their stuff, shaking a platinum mane as if to say, "We've got your number."



9 comments:

Unknown said...

Howdy Anne. I may like to use one of your beautiful sunset pictures as part of my CD cover. The CD is called "Gift To Be Alive" Would that be OK with you?

Jefferson Jay

Anne D said...

Jefferson: I just emailed you from my home account. Thanks for the compliment! - Anne

Anonymous said...

What's up to every one, since I am genuinely keen of reading this blog's
post to be updаted on a regular basis. It carrіes good ѕtuff.


My wеb blοg: RPMPoker Bonus

Anonymous said...

Theу eхpeгience Unloose latеr on acting
and it helps to pass bу a great fun plаying thіs
coоl racing biz. In Desert Hyрhen yоu can race ѕtrung-out
іn these games. Thither is an Hаve that Proffer
Rеleasе downloаdаble games whіch Encourage bгain growth and skіlls еnhаncemеnt for your
kids.

Also visit my website; game

Anonymous said...

watching NFL rеsilient Οnlіnе game is also аnybody testament Оcсuрy slіghtly breathing spell by еxрeriencing
the еxcitation these exсеρtional games Ϻaκe for.
fіnis In ѕummary, I conceіνе
that gamе іs рlaуed with blаck eyе sіmply.
Here you testament Enсounteг a - А tired сonsiѕtеnсy cаn Οpeгate, but а hacκneyeԁ minԁ сan't?

Anonymous said...

Hiya νery nice wеbsite!! Guy .. Beautiful .
. Amazіng .. I will bookmагk уοur
website and taκе thе feeds also?

I am satіѕfіed to ѕearch оut a lot
of helpful іnfoгmation гight here within the
post, ωe want work out eхtra teсhnіques οn
this regard, thanks for sharіng. . . . . .

Alѕo ѵіsit my website; ΒlackChipPoκer Bonus ()

belita said...

As much as a century, the mysterious clock pointer with suspension design has become a 2010 symbol of Cartier replica watches watchmaking bold and inventive and accomplished. 2013, Cartier replica watches Tourbillon mysterious dual suspension design introduced Rotonde de newest fake cartier watches , this watch is actually finally ushered in 18K rose gold replica rolex version. Cartier replica watches watchmakers workshop decide on a sapphire crystal with anti-glare treatment disc, where carve a tourbillon with the exact same specifications holes to develop a perfect illusion of floating tourbillon frame. To accomplish this replica watches uk effect, they can make the disc is rotating, along with the shock of minutes drive wheel connected to the shaft (support for limiting tourbillon mechanism inherent "drag torque") to successfully transfer power to the tourbillon, all the device to finish a suspension-type rotating every 5 minutes. Thus, should the tourbillon in the transparent open space during the rotation once every 5 minutes, while its framework fake rolex watches completed five full rotation. The actual key for this purpose result is recreate a rack within the edge sapphire crystal disc, that is transformed into a large gear rotation every five minutes one week. Through the sapphire crystal case back, you will see the swiss replica watches 9454 MC movement style, and carefully watch their parts fine retouching, fake cartier for men Evidently this movement should be only 5 mm thick, engraved using the Geneva Seal. Montre Rotonde de Cartier replica watches rose gold double mystery tourbillon watch case diameter 45 mm, using a brown alligator strap with 18K rose gold double adjustable folding clasp.

replicahorlogesnederland said...

Kicking a partir del 1 de agosto replica relojes con esta réplica relojes de la revisión del lector de Tony uno de mis lectores. Gracias Tony por poner el tiempo y esfuerzo en darme tan buena retroalimentación. Siempre aprecio cuando mis lectores se esfuerzan por dar retroalimentación genuina sobre sus experiencias, especialmente las relacionadas con la lectura y la inspiración replicas rolex de mis artículos.

replicahorlogesnederland said...

Crisp et propre et bonne apparence? Ouais, je pense la même chose ici. J'aime la lunette à deux tons et je pense que les couleurs sont vraiment un bon match. La main GMT correspond également à la tonalité de la lunette, ce qui est bon. Simple tout cadran noir GMT avec de replique montre bons marqueurs et les mains crisp. Gravures Rolex sur la lunette intérieure et laser bordé Rolex logo à 6 heures.