Weekend Sky #93

It always fascinates me on how quickly weather can change. This morning we woke to 7+ inches of snow and by noon the sky was clearing to an amazing sky this afternoon.

All over the sky were separate clusters of heavy wispy clouds with thick bright centers that reflected the brightness if the sun. The one below seem to have a laser shooting down from it.

This one below is a favorite as it looked like a large white bird flying down the sky. I know my imagination gets away with me sometimes when looking at clouds but they are so beautiful. They remind me of a simpler time as children when we would lay on the grass making shapes out of clouds. Ah, the purity of youth. If life were always that simple and gentle.

Come along and join in with Hammad Rais and Weekend Sky and see the beauty after a storm or the gentleness of a peaceful sky.

And as always, I remind you of the beauty of kindness and how it can change the look of any sad situation.

Always Be Kind

Weekend Sky #71, Aug 20

Hammad Rais has a fun challenge for Weekend Sky and today was a good day for sky watching. When we started out in the morning, we only had a 15% chance of rain. So you can imagine our surprise when our outing at church got us “drowned rat” wet. It was not a great look but it did give us an event to always remember.

And I saw another line of storms coming around 2:00pm. After getting back home, and dry, I though that would be a great time for a nap…wrong thought. Aside from the lightening and thunder being on top of us, the wind and rain was so intense that it knocked down my sunflowers – remember my post about Sun and Mood 2 days ago. Yep, gone. They were wonderful though and I have picture to prove it. LOL.

So back to the sky. After the storm blew through I got these pictures of the amazing clouds as they cleared the area.

I hope these clouds can encourage you and help you know, regardless of the storm you may be going through, there is always a peace and beauty after the storm leaves. Hang on to that hope, you have got this and if you feel like you can’t hold on by yourself, God always has a hand stretched out to you for you to hold onto. Grab it and hold tight. He will never let you go.

And remember to always be kind, regardless of your storm.

Encouraging Light After a Storm

When storms come through the areas where we live, their is usually a rich beauty in the sunset mixed with the clouds once the storm leaves.

The clouds seem to enhance the redness and brightness of the light. It was a beautiful sunset Friday night. I think that philosophy goes with people as well. When we go through stormy times of our lives, we have the chance to come out brighter on the other side.

Remember to share kindness as you come out of a hard time. It will help encourage you as much as it blesses those whom you are kind with.

Mid-Week Sky

I enjoy joining in with Hammad Rais and the gorgeous skies that can relax you at the end of the week, but we had a storm early this morning…that I spelt through. So I did not take these photos but thought they were awesome to share. The local TV station took them and posted them on FB. Spring and summer can create some pretty horrific storms here in the Midwest and with it being as hot as it has been, it is no wonder we had one this morning, only to be topped off with more triple digit heat. Enjoy the pics.

Even when we are faced with the rough side of nature, we can still find was to be kind. Being kind to others also brings peace to you.

Weekend Sky, July 30

After a week of cloudy skies, which I am not complaining about because of the cooler temps, it was nice to see the clouds clear away showing their artistic whims as they left. Hammad Rais reminds us to look up at our constantly changing sky and catch its beauty as it changes.

If you get the chance to be still and study the sky, ponder on its beauty and the fact that it does constantly change – at least at least as we see it. An different attribute that is seen that we can make as a constant in our lives is…kindness.

Weekend Sky #60, 3/26

Today we have more fun with Hammad Rais and Weekend Sky #60. I just had to play along as the sky today has been tumultuous, from rain to spiting snow and now the wind is crazy. We are under a wind advisory. BUT, it makes for great pictures. Even though I am no professional, it is fun to join in. So come show us your beautiful sky.

The Red Tailed Hawks are not even having to do anything but stretch out their wings and float on the currents of the wind. But the contrasting gray colors with the occasional blue patches of sky is what makes it so beautiful.

Since we are talking about weekend skies, I leave you with a sunset image of kindness for you to reflect on.

**Always Be Kind** ***enough so that the deaf may hear your kindness and the blind can see it.***

Have a great weekend.

A Morning of Encouragement

I step out to the early autumn day to feel the light coolness still present from the night before. The summer has been hot and we are ready for it to move on. With camera in hand I head out to see the beauty of the day. The sun is awake but the trees are hiding its heat for we know summer is not ready to fully let go.

My gourds are still blooming but the vine has seen its better days. I find it interesting that the older sections of the vines are becoming dry and leafless while yet it determines to reach out with new life.

My neighbor still has cherry tomatoes robustly growing. They have grown over the fence daring anyone to stop their journey. The dew is quite heavy this morning beading up on the fuzzy leaves to drip further down the plant to nourish the lower limbs.

Further onward I see sweet peas displaying their rich dark red color including splashes of yellow. They too are covered in this morning’s heavy dew.

I am always fascinated with droplets of dew or water drops that cling to leaves and flowers after a shower; God’s attempt to refresh the earth.

As the sun reaches higher into the sky, the clouds begin to make their way further on in their destination wherever that may be.

The beauty of nature shows us the beauty of God as he left us these sights for us to enjoy his creation. He created all of it for Himself to enjoy but then gave it as a gift to us so we could enjoy it together with Him.

As you enjoy the beauty of this earth, remember the beauty of you, as you are part of His creation as well. We are all beautifully and wonderfully made.

As you remember the beauty of everything around you, remember the beauty of kindness and share it as much as you can.

CFFC : Tomorrow

What a fun challenge Cee has given us to match pictures with a song. Here are some pictures that I think may work for this song…

When I am stuck with a day that is gray…

The sun will come out…

So you gotta hang on…

Remember even when your day may be gray, you can still be kind. It make may the day shine bright again.

CFFC Orange

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge gives us an opportunity to look at things differently if need be. Her challenge this week, Orange, could be fruit or color. I went with color and I first look to nature for that.

Then you have the garden where multiple shades of orange show their likeness.

Then we have a purpose. Orange is a standout color to grab attention what what better way to show people the much need value in fresh water to those in need.

I did not take this picture of the young boy who is reaping the benefits of clean water, but what a happy face. I do walk for this cause – multiple times and what a great way to show orange.

Remember in all that you do, the power of kindness. It has unquenchable power.

Mother Nature at Her Worst

A Derecho

Life can be hard but as you will begin to see

It seems easy compared to what happened to me

The storms clouds came in thick and dark as night

It took us by surprise, no one expected this sight

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The winds began to blow as they roared down the plain

D 4

Tearing everything up it touch, like a runaway freight train

Those along the coast know how hurricanes can be

But here in the midwest, its tornadoes we usually see

The width of the destruction on an in-land hurricane

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Makes our widest tornado look like a minor pain

A reminder to us all, no matter where we live

Mother Nature is a force, her respect we must give.

Anita Neal

When you get slapped in the face by something you can’t describe or understand, you write about it to help ease the pain. I was a very fortunate being through this fiasco but I have many friends who were not as fortunate. Some paid with their lives.

There are still areas without power, and cleanup will be for months. Some of these trees were decades if not over 100s of years old. Two other picture I wanted to include but it didn’t fit in the poem was one house was hit by an airplane wing that had been ripped off of a plane and sent flying. The other one was where a house was destroyed and a beam from it was sent through a house across the street.

If you are a prayerful person, please send this part of the US your prayers. Much loss of homes, business and the farming industry was crushed. And I don’t even want to talk about the wild animals that were killed and displaced.

If you care to see further pictures, they are all over the internet. Look for Iowa 2020 Derecho.

It is hard for me to close as I always do, but now more than ever, this world needs to see, feel and receive as much kindness as we can share with each other. There are lots of storms facing all of us all over this world. Please always be kind.

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