Tuesday, February 18, 2014

CLOUD SPOTTING--Legitimizes Doing Nothing

My photo of summer thunderheads
The wonderful thing about clouds is they are egalitarian.  That is, they favor all people equally since we all have a view of the sky.

My photo of mammatus clouds ready to dump a hail storm
I was reminded of this while watching Gavin Pretor-Pinney’s TED Talk about the Cloud Appreciation Society.  

My photo of an approaching cloud burst
He encourages all of us to return to doing something we excelled at when we were kids—looking up at the clouds and letting our imaginations run wild.

A sign in the heavens from a member of the Cloud Appreciation Society
This activity can save us considerable amounts in psychoanalysis by looking for shapes and analyzing our thoughts.

The Grim Reaper captured by a cloud spotter
Pretor-Pinney is the founder of The Cloud Appreciation Society.  He asks each of us to slow down, calm down and see the exotic which can be found in the every day.


Another cloud lover is the storm chaser, Camille Seaman.

Her photos of what she calls “lovely monsters,” the supercells, are amazing and beautiful.  You can see more of them in her short talk found here.

http://www.ted.com/talks/camille_seaman_photos_from_a_storm_chaser.html

Green clouds over our house.
Even when we are enduring the rotten weather of late winter it’s a good idea to take a step off the digital treadmill, look up and admire the sky.

My post about green clouds.

10 comments:

Jenny Woolf said...

Some of these are truly amazing. I shall follow the links - I am always fascinated by different clouds and always love staring at them. As you say, a good way of idly wasting time!

Linda Sue said...

the "grim reaper" looks more like a guy shoveling snow. You know how our sky is...a cloud, a poofy white cloud...is more rare, and when the sky comes out from it's grey flannel blanket, people actually stop what they are doing to admire clouds. Like party decorations.

Leenie said...

Linda Sue: I agree. You're right about the "grim reaper." Around here both spell out DOOM, especially this time of year.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh I get all excited seeing the clouds and the formations that become part of my vivid imagination. Thank you for sharing the links and the beautiful photos. Yup looks like a snow shoveller to me too:) Hug B

Anonymous said...

That's definitely the grim reaper ready to bend his back into the scythe.

Anonymous said...

I love your cloud photos - but we have seen far too many rain clouds this winter!!

Terry and Linda said...

I so agree...I love the clouds and the sky...they do lift me up!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Val said...

Thunderheads. Reminds me of Mary O'Hara books about the Goose Bar Ranch in Wyoming, and Richard Bach's Illusions.

Carla said...

Clouds have always fascinated me. When I was a girl, the green clouds meant a tornado was not long away.
Thanks for sharing.

Florida Farm Girl said...

Oh, skies can be the most amazing things. I haven't laid on my back on the grass in way too long, gazing at the skies and watching the clouds change shapes.