May Cloud and Sky Moods #SkywatchFriday

Today, a variety of May cloud moods from where I live in the Southern Tier of New York State.

Blue hour before sunrise, May 12. 

Clouds of Drama

Clouds playing May 18th Follow the Leader 

Clouds before a change of weather this past Wednesday. 

Clouds on a peaceful Sunday afternoon.

Around sunset, May 7. 

Joining Yogi and other skywatchers for #SkywatchFriday. 

 

 

Early January Sunrise #SkywatchFriday

The sky has been so dreary this week where I live in the Southern Tier of New York State. The norm is white skies with little sun or blue showing.  So I was surprised when I looked out on January 5 and saw a beautiful sunrise already in progress. 

I apologize for the blurry pictures.
 

It was a treat seeing this, although we ended up with still another dreary day.

But then again, it's January, and we also have a break from our colder than normal weather.

At least yesterday we finally got some sun.  I even took a puddle picture yesterday, which I hope I remember to post later this month.

Joining Yogi and other skywatchers for #SkywatchFriday. 

Like Day and Night #SkywatchFriday

Moods of the sky in the afternoon this week.

 Monday noontime - puffy

Later that afternoon - snow coming out of clouds (fell as rain)

 

The best was yet to come, though. I rarely do nighttime photography but Wednesday night was an exception.  We had a snow squall come through after dark.  I was not about to go out but the view through my kitchen window was so spooky I decided to shoot through the window.  The yellow dot is a light some distance away.

I tried to get a good one.

Spooky, no?

I even got a sunrise picture yesterday morning, after the squall.

Joining Yogi and other sky watching bloggers for #SkywatchFriday. 

Note:  due to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge taking place the entire month of April, some of my Skywatch posts may post on Thursday instead of Friday.  My next Skywatch post will be on Thursday, April 6th.  

Spring Tempts #SkywatchFriday

T.S. Eliot thought April was the cruelest month, but I beg to disagree.

February is, at least, where I live in upstate New York.  At sunrise now, the birds are singing, preparing for spring.  Buds are appearing on the trees.  Soon, I'm sure I'll be seeing the glow in the upper branches, indicating sap is rising.

But it's still cold, and snow still threatens.

Meanwhile, the sun still rises every morning.  It starts out small.

Then spreads (it's hard to see, but there's a little orange block in the lower left hand side - this is the sun reflecting off a building.).  Pink appears.

Slowly, the glow grows.

Finally, the sunrise sweeps its way to a stand of Bradford Pears.   Visible to me, but not to you in this picture, are their buds.  It's a bit early, and I know that they are only teasing me.

Their buds await the signal that will send the trees into glorious bloom.

Until then, I dream of spring.

And sunsets.
It's Friday, and I'm joining the bloggers who watch the sky (led by Yogi) at #SkywatchFriday.

Rosy Fingered Sunrise #SkywatchFriday #blogboost

When I was in high school, growing up in New York City, I wasn't much into sunrises or sunsets.   Nor was I much interested in classic literature.

I was so bored by us having to dissect (every year, it seemed) the ancient Greek classic The Odyssey.  The translator gushed about "rosy fingered dawns".

Never did I realize that, one day, I would love sunrises and sunsets.

Like this sunrise yesterday.  It was about 18 degrees outside, and my fingers did not want to be exposed to the cold.  Nevertheless, the beauty finally got my courage (and heat) up, and out my cam...I mean, phone came.

This isn't the first of the series.  A couple of the photos came out so blurry you couldn't see anything.  It's a problem I'm seeming to have more and more with my iPhone SE.

As I walked along, I enjoyed the view.

These three Bradford Pears patiently awaited the sunrise.

I couldn't wait any longer, but the sun was getting ready to make its appearance.

What a show!

Joining up with Yogi and #SkywatchFriday as I do each Friday.

Day 24 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

Look Up From That Phone! #SkywatchFriday #blogboost

As I left for work yesterday, I wasn't sure if we would have a wonderful sunrise.  My instincts said "yes", but as the sun brightened the eastern horizon, I didn't know just how wonderful it would get.

As I walked to the bus stop, facing east, it was just beginning.

On the bus, as the driver drove east, the sunrise unfolded and even the driver remarked on how beautiful it was.  I was resigning myself to watching and not photographing because it is difficult to photograph on a bus.  But I looked around, and most of the other passengers were staring at their phones, oblivious.

I wanted to scream "People, LOOK OUT THE WINDOW!"

Well, I didn't scream.  Just whipped out my phone when we stopped for a light and used my phone for what it is intended for.  Photography. (OK, only kidding, my point of view is that a smart phone is a camera you can text and talk to other people on. And, oh yes, the Internet.)

As the driver drove, I photographed.  And people continued to stare at their phones.  Their loss.

This is what I saw as we drove east. (Please forgive the reflection towards the top of the photo from a fluorescent light.)

By the time I got to my bus stop in downtown Binghamton, the fireworks were over.

But it was still pretty.

Join Yogi and other sky watchers each Friday for #SkywatchFriday.

Day 3 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Grateful Skies #SkywatchFriday

Tomorrow, winter begins.  Today, we treasure the next to last Friday of 2019.

Perhaps next Friday I'll feature a little retrospective of skies, but for now, we are starting to experience the wonderful sunrises and sunsets of late December and early January.

Trouble is, where I live in upstate New York, we don't always see them.

So I treasure the sunrises and sunsets I do get to see, whether or not they are spectacular.

December 12

I get to see this one because my loving spouse is taking me home.

And this one, because he is taking me to work.

This one, because it has trees.

This one, because of the cloud formation.

And this one, just because.

I am grateful for these skies.  As dangerous as our winter weather can be, we are not in the midst of wildfires or other natural disasters.  And, unlike many, I don't have to travel this holiday season.

Want to see more pictures of the sky?  Join Yogi and other sky watching bloggers at #SkywatchFriday.

Seeing the Sunrise and Sunset #SkywatchFriday

It's been so cloudy in the past couple of weeks, here in the Southern Tier of upstate New York.  It's been a rare thing to see a sunrise and a sunset.

Yesterday, I got to see both.

Yesterday morning, it had gotten cold (a good sign for clear skies) but I didn't want to stand outside.  So I missed the best of the pre sunrise reddish color.

But I did get to see this before I headed to work. I need to explain that there are six Bradford Pear trees that I like to track through the seasons.  They are just about the only landscaping left from a flooded historic factory building on this property that was torn down several years ago.

From the east, just before sunrise.

And this view from the west.

Then, when I got out of work, the sun had just set, but I was treated to this.

And this.

Nothing unlucky about posting this on Friday the 13th.  I hope we get to see the sky today, but the prediction is rain. (At least it isn't snow.)

As always, each Friday I join the skywatching bloggers who are part of Yogi's Skywatch Friday.

Green Leaves #SkywatchFriday

November is almost gone.  Just a few more days and the really grim weather of winter will be hitting us here in upstate New York (so far we've only had a taste of it.)

Clouds and grey skies abound - this sunrise is from November 8.

But  I never would have expected to take this picture yesterday.

Broome County Library, Binghamton, New York

It isn't the blue skies, although they aren't that common in mid November.  It's the trees with green leaves among the brown.

Green leaves. 

This never used to happen on November 21 in the Binghamton, New York area.  This isn't an isolated tree, either.  Years ago these trees (I think they are Bradford Pears) would have been bare by the first of November.


Joining with Yogi and the other sky watching bloggers at #SkywatchFriday.

Sliding Away #SkywatchFriday #blogboost

Oh, such sweet sky memories.

Two weeks ago, I was watching a beautiful sunset over Lake Ontario in Oswego, New York, wearing shorts and a short sleeved shirt.

And, on the last day of September, this sunrise awaited me.  I was wearing a short sleeved shirt and capris in the early morning warmth.  Two days ago, it was in the 80's. (27.2 C)

Fast forward to last night.  They put the wrong slide up on the weather channel.  Right?

Right?

Someone tell me it's a mistake, and our growing season isn't sliding away.

Hopefully you aren't shivering as I join Yogi and other sky watching bloggers today, and every Friday,on #SkywatchFriday.

Day 4 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

Quantico #SkywatchFriday #AtoZChallenge

Several times now, I have traveled on the Auto Train, a daily train that runs from Lorton, Virginia to Sanford, Florida (near Orlando).  This year spouse and I made the round trip from Lorton to Sanford and back again in January.

At the southbound beginningwe pass over the Potomac River, and through a Marine military base called Quantico.  On the way back from Florida to Virginia the sun has usually already risen.  But our train was so early, the sun was starting to rise as we approached Quantico.

Things are a little blurry and there are reflections, as I am taking pictures through a moving train's window.

As the sun continued to rise you could see the first buildings of Marine base Quantico.

One last picture.

Do you like to take pictures from planes, trains, or automobiles?

Join Yogi and other bloggers who watch the sky each Friday on #SkywatchFriday.

"Q" day on the #AtoZ Challenge.