Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Messages From Clouds

One day last summer, 'long our Lake Ontario beach,
we glanced at the cloud-laden sky.
Unusual formation of broad diagonal bands
seemed to criss-cross...other narrower clouds.
I noticed the sandy ripples ... at the water's edge.
Rivulets from far-away waves, gently washed ashore.
I loved to barefoot walk through crystal-clear waters
to feel these little ridges ...tickling my toes.

I was driving to Toronto ...
and dominating the sky
was a large irregular puffy "white"
quickly scudding eastward.
The trail of six or seven smaller puffs
moved in unison...behind the engine a-front.
Chug-a-chug, chug-a-chug, chug-a-chug
the train seemed to spell...in its hurried sky-run.

The early eve sky...projected a rare scene
of a dark and ominous cloud
with gaped open mouth and sharp devouring teeth
as he chased the prey to its soon-to-end life!
I gazed at this formation...so, so bizarre...
knowing that this monster...wouldn't catch me!

My third floor balcony's NW exposure
oft' portrays glorious sunsets.
As  I stitched an autumn tapestry,
a strange phenomenon met my eyes.
Low lying blue clouds accented the silvery white sky!
Before they fled behind tall maples,
my camera's photo verified the view.
Like Life ~ everything may not be
as it appears to the naked eye!

A sunny winter day, I left Connecticut state.
No snow on the ground; no flurries in the air.
The cloud formations...they spoke volumes.
A steel gray cloud...hugely patched the sky.
From behind this curtain, came golden rays...
rays streaking, stretching toward our Mother Earth.
I pensively...wondered,
“Is God speaking to us Earthlings?”
or “Is this Nature's promise
of a Good Weather Day?”

My scenic trek.. from the eastern seaboard
was to Southern Ontario near the Great Lakes.
These waters we share as well as two oceans.
The sky became “marbled” with clouds and blue sky;
with wind up above, they quickly re-assemble...
seems, a large continent, of a cloud-shape design.
Yes, there's contoured France, Spain, Portugal;
the Mediterranean, Monaco and Italy's famed boot.

Our countries both share Rocky Mountain beauty.
I've frequently observed...and imagined that...
marshmallow-puff-clouds oft' appear mountainous.
I recall the “Three Sisters” near Canmore, Alberta...
so distinctive and pristine 'gainst the sky's blue horizon!

The wind scuds the clouds, behind me now travelling.
Another gray cloud...very high-sky...westward lurks.
Now I question, "What is the cloud's intended motive?"
Gray speaks sadness...oft' pervading our lives
which may threaten us...and try to discourage.
Suddenly,  “silver linings” accent the upper crust.
So glorious to behold!
'Tis like the pot o' gold at the rainbow's end!
Remember, this is Life!
When in despair, look for “the silver lining”!

Stopping at a Service Center, west of Syracuse,
my car needed gas; for me, coffee and lunch.
The 20-minute rest rendered massive clouds.
WOW! Looked like the Himalayas and the Andes Mountains
with their mighty peaks shrouded...in tons of snow!
The two mountain ranges, side by side
invited me “to come” although far, far...far away.
These may be the Himalayas, I'll best ever see.
The Andes, I've viewed from Chile's Santiago;
flew to Argentina...over this lofty range.

As I neared I-90's western end to exit for Niagara,
the clouds conveyed a Special Message!
The mountain ranges moved close together
joining at their bases and snowy upper edges.
The layered colour depths...from snowy white to oyster,
then to silvery gray...formed a “diamond-shaped-window”
to the far, far beyond!
At the bottom of the opening, was an igloo-shape cloud
and above it, a cave-like view...to an azure blue heaven.
The “Window of Opportunity” it gave to me...
which...If We Search...We Shall Find!

The Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls
crossed the turbulent river to my Ontario.
Like transitions, it reinforced convictions
that...”Nature is in tune with Man;
           Man is in tune with Nature”
We need only to ...Take the Time.
We need only to ...Understand the Correlation.
We need only to ... Communicate.

The foregoing represents...Merle's “Pearl of Wisdom” for this publication.

Interesting Facts About Clouds

The process of condensation results in the formation of clouds. Different clouds form under  different circumstances. There are numerous cloud types...
here are 4 recognizable ones:
         Stratus:       “low clouds” up to 6500 feet often covering the entire sky.
         Altostratus: “middle clouds” 6500 feet to 18,000 feet
         Cirrus:         “high clouds” above 18,000 feet
         Cumulus:     “clouds with vertical development”

A cloud is a large collection of very tiny droplets of water or ice crystals.
The droplets are so small and light; they can float in the air.

Clouds are white because they reflect the light of the sun. Light is made up of
the colours of the rainbow; and when you add them all together, you get white. The sun  appears a yellow colour because it sends out more yellow light than
any other colour.  Clouds reflect all the same colours, the exact same amount,
so they look white.

Gray Clouds: If the clouds get thick enough or high enough, all the light above
does not make it through; hence the dark or gray look. If there are lots of other
clouds around, their shades can add to the gray...or multi-coloured gray appearance.

Clouds move with the wind. High cirrus clouds are pushed along by the jet
stream sometimes travelling at more than 100 mph. When clouds are part of a thunderstorm, they usually travel at 30 to 40 mph.

Must confess that my cloud choice would be
Cloud 9 ~
the desirous feeling of elation and blissful happiness.
(The 9th cloud is also regarded...as the location of heaven.)

Merle Baird-Kerr . . . written January 9, 2012
Comments appreciated ... scroll down (may sign in as “anonymous”)
or ... inezkate@gmail.com

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