Thursday, 14 September 2006 - Morning sunshine, afternoon storms

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for morning sunshine and afternoon storms.

Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
~Langston Hughes

I intended to write about the qualities of a perfect summer morning (which we enjoyed today). But, a sudden severe thunderstorm (complete with a lightening, torrential rain and intermittent hail) blasted through the foothills around 2:35 PM, changing my feelings about the day.

I tried to photograph the storm, but realized that it's very difficult to capture the full effects of inclement weather. Taking pictures of the storm's aftermath is easy. But, recording the storm, itself, is challenging.

Here are my questions: How do you photograph a storm? How do you capture the angry skies and bellicose storm clouds? How do you catch a bolt of lightening or portray a sense of danger? How do you record the booming thunder and pounding hail?
Maybe it's time to invest in a video camera. Just in case. For days like today.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Photos:
Top: While I take photos of the Red Rock Canyon landscape, T signals that he's ready to resume our morning hike.
Middle: The mid-afternoon storm fills the rain collection bins and floods the patio.
Bottom: Looking west - view over the back fence