Still looking at clouds that way

 Walked my daughter to school the other day. As the sun started rising I was greeted with these stunning views:

Takes your breath away. 

In the words of Forest Gump: "And that's all I have to say about that."

I've looked at clouds that way

 For the longest time I've had a fascination with clouds. Living most of my life on the Highveld of South Africa, I've come to love clouds. Especially Cumulus Nimbus clouds. The fluffy ones that looks like cotton wool.

They make you feel small.

Due to the high summer temperatures in South Africa, these clouds grow massive. And then, BOOM. Thunder storm.

I've been living in Ireland now for almost 4 years, and if you ask me what I miss about South Africa, there are really only two things;

Summer sunsets.

The clouds.

So, if you will indulge my nostalgic pining for clouds...

I will start this nostalgic journey with the fluffy clouds that we all know and love. Taken on a warm (no doubt) spring day in South Africa. The photo below was taken on the same day, believe it or not, but just early in the morning with the sun rising over the reservoir.

 

The following two were taken on the same day during the height of summer. This would have been late afternoon, and I was just amazed at how quickly the shades changed, from lights and fluffy to dark and angry.

And then there is the Towering Cumulus Nimbus. These ones happen when it is especially warm. They are beautiful and huge. Just looking at the photo takes my breath away.

And they do not necessarily happen when the sky is blue...

 

But by far my favorite would be the light and dark clouds. The photos do not pay justice to the sheer size of these.

Love how the light plays with the clouds. The sheer white where the sun hits and the dark tones where the sun gets all but blocked out.

And then, my favorite....

I have only had the pleasure once in my life to see this cloud formation. It is an absolute stunner. Nature at it's best. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Cumulus Nimbus Mammatus:

And wrapping up the African Cloud Pining:

And then, Ireland. Dublin, where I live, would not be known for it's thunderstorm activity, and the clouds here does not really pack the punch that I remember from Africa. Or am I mistaken?

I have recently started really looking at the clouds. And although not the same, it really has it's own charm. The sky in Ireland is spectacularly blue, more so than the heat drenched blue of the South African sky. The contrasts are beautiful. And I have been treated to some spectacular sunrises. The one below is an absolute gem of a sunrise over Dublin.

I have also managed to find my beloved Cumulus Nimbus in all its towering glory. The photo below taken from Bray Head, just outside Dublin.

It is an interesting phenomenon that, once you start looking for things, you tend to notice them. I have now turned my eyes to the sky more and more. If the clouds will obscure my starlit skies, I will hunt them down and photograph them!!