After the Storm

We had an apocolyptic storm last night with torrential rain, wind, lightning, thunder, the works. Then it blew out and as the front left, the timing was perfect for the sun to be dipping below the edge of the clouds to set. As is often the case after a storm, the sunset was incredible. An entire half hour of spectacular, ever changing color and light. Here is a little photo essay. This is the sun through the neighbor's trees and looking down the end of the street.






Here is the play of light and shadow to the east as the sun just came under the rim of the storm front. The trees in the foreground are dark and the ones in the back are totally effused in an ethereal golden light that is the closest I can get to alpenglow out here in the flatlands of the east. I'll take it though.







Here is the clearing storm get set ablaze by the sinking sun. I love the sihouette of the trees in front of the drama of the tempest's exit.







The fading blue sky contrasts with the glowing clouds. These pictures just pale in comparison to the real thing. I feel like Emily in Our Town. I just want everyone to enjoy every sunset, every day! Do you realize the beauty outside your window! I know there's not always time, but oh, what a gift to savor every day.







This is another feeble attempt to capture the million different colors of gold the sun turned the sky.










And now the finale. The sky was like this for maybe 2 minutes and then, poof, nothing but grays and blues and darkness. This is on the dark side, but oh, the colors! The reds were so different from the golds of the previous 5 minutes, and the clouds converged in waves as the front passed overhead. The sun catching them from underneath made me feel like I was looking at some magical upside-down sea.






Thank you for your indulgence in my romantic flights of fancy through the sunset. I am renewed every day by the beauty around me, and this was just too good not to share.