How
often to you take a few moments to just pause and stare at the
sky?
From
stunning sunrises and sunsets, to remarkable artistic swirls and
colors, off into the simple activities of nature, it can be a
remarkable and visually impressive canvas.
We
could get into some scholastic or scientific exploration, and
talk about the atmosphere… the way the spin of the planet and
temperatures and oceans and more create scenarios and patterns…
and all of the different ways that influence how the clouds move
and why the seasons change and how weather is created.
Let’s
not.
Instead
let’s just appreciate what’s in front of us. The brilliance of
blues and reds and yellows. The puffy clouds, the complete overcast,
and the varieties in layering. Spotting balloons and hawks and
kites and geese. Watching as the wind twists and shifts perspectives,
as leaves blow and trees bend along the edges of your views.
Do
you ever stare? Do you gaze off on a regular basis? Do you pause,
with no real thoughts in your mind, perhaps in a chair with a
beverage at your side, and just appreciate the sky?
I
do.
Our
current home is a bit of a marvel for appreciating nature. There
are some eagles nesting not all that far away, and we’ve seen
them on occasion in the sky or perched in trees. After an overnight
or two on the ground, a blanket of snow reveals the trails being
explored by deer and other wildlife. And then overhead…
There
is little in the way off to the east and west, meaning that while
the views aren’t perfect there is little obstruction from sunrise
to sunset. Watching the sun come through a field of corn in the
morning is a pretty fantastic way to begin a day.
The
trees and brush aren’t all that tall or thick, which brings about
a fairly open tapestry directly overhead. So far, we’ve been talking
about daylight hours, when the complete reality is that the stargazing
is pretty sweet as well.
On
a great summer evening, you can cook dinner and start a fire.
Make some s’mores, grab a drink, and relax as the light fades
and fireflies appear. Then, as the fires dies and embers cool,
lean back and enjoy the arrival of constellations and shooting
stars. That right there is a spectacular way to invest a few hours
with family and friends.
Ever
heard of radiational cooling? I promised to avoid the science
talk and classroom subjects, so let’s tread in with only the most
basic of ideas. Overcast cloud cover insulates. Earth cools more
quickly on clear nights. If you live in the northeast United States,
you may suddenly have some ideas about radiational cooling on
an October day that hadn’t occurred to you before.
Streaks
overhead from planes inspire fantasies of travel and faraway lands.
Flocks of birds act as reminders of seasonal changes and possible
migration patterns. Clouds moving quickly create thoughts of approaching
storms.
There’s
more to the sky beyond being blue… more to the sky beyond why
it’s blue. Pausing to stare can be a wonderful thing.