strange but true

 Most of the time the weather forecast for the valley is fairly mundane, sunny and warm with the fluctuating factor being just how warm. Yet I have found that when storms do come they often have an unusual flair that captures my attention. Thursday morning the sky was trying to spit some rain but it wasn't 'til late afternoon when there was enough moisture falling to take notice. When the first drops fell the sun was shining brightly but starting its decent toward the horizon. I stood under the carport and attempted to capture the raindrops sparkling as they fell. Back in the dry kitchen I figured I should check what was happening on the mountain side of the view (it is not unusual when we get rain to find a rainbow or two sprawled across the mountain). Yup, there it was but this time the rainbow as contained in the clouds while the blue sky next door pretended that it was a typically sunny day.

Sunset arrived before the rain finished and the mountains, still clinging to the rainbow, along with the surrounding clouds turned an eerie orangish hue.

 

The neighbors across the street were wanted to come look for gold at our house, from their view the rainbow seemed to end in our backyard.

And the sun went down, the close of another photo-op day in the Valley of the Sun.

sky art

sun-rez sunset

Driving into the mountains to the San Carlos Rezervation for a Wednesday evening service at Cowboy Ministries we watched the storm clouds that ended in a double rainbow.

 

 We arrived on the Rez just in time for the service, that is if the service had been a white man's church. But we were now on Rez-time and there was plenty of room for me to run back and forth in my pretty church-going sandals through the mud exclaiming at the light show and clicking away as the sun sent rays of light across the freshly washed landscape.

 

owl sunset

 

We have an owl that frequents our neighborhood.   I often hear him but rarely see him. When he does show himself it is typically too dark to even think of photographing him. Just the other day, however, I heard him questioning before the sun had completely set. I grabbed my camera and followed the who-ing hoping to spot him before I startled him and he relocated elsewhere. I found him on the phone pole a stones throw down the street and was pleased to click the shutter a couple of times capturing  his silhouette.

new moon

The start of the seventh month, Tishri, and the beginning of the fall feasts.

evening reflection

It was that time of evening, just before the sun sets, when for a few minutes the mountain turns a breathtaking rose color. I ran outside to quickly return something to the camper when my attention was drawn to the reflection of the mountain and clouds in the window. The lines of the blinds added a modern art twist.

sundance

Dressed in my fluffy lavender bath robe, I dashed to get my camera the other morning in order to capture these fiery clouds.

Dressed more appropriately for outdoor photography Jay made a similar sprint when he saw this beautiful display as the sun was setting.

sunset serenade

I was working in the kitchen preparing acorn squash for dinner.

When I looked out the window the sky was almost all pink.


Dinner forgotten, I grabbed the camera and tripod and headed out to see what I could capture.


abstract sunset


What delightful pictures God was painting on His Arizona sky canvas.


a sunset serenade


goodnight Arizona

dancing at dusk

Last night I took the tripod and camera to the patio with hopes of capturing the light changes on the mountain as the sun set.

I took photos every 5 minutes and was surprised how quickly the whole process was over.

Next time I think I'll try every 2 minutes.

Good-night mountain.


After the last shot of the mountain I walked to the west side of the house and photographed the sunset.