This is why I love Colorado. While driving back from a hair appointment, I can gaze out the window at a view like this!
And this.
The clouds that day were unusual for two reasons. A fire is continuing to burn 40 miles away in the Rocky Mountain National Park and there was a heat inversion. That is when warm air is trapped by a cold upper air disturbance. Doesn’t that sound like I know what I am talking about?
Nature sometimes provides such beauty from devastation. Sunrises and sunsets have been glowing in shades of purple and mauve to fiery red-orange. There are more photographs to come.
It is not too late to join in the Use Me and Abuse Me Day – Dancing for Snow Edition. It is a rager! Now you know why we need the moisture. Just drop a link in my comment section and mingle the guests! Click on their links and tell them Susie sent you.
Have a great weekend. Try to stop for a moment to take in the beauty that surrounds you!
Are you a sunset picture taker?
Stunning photos… why would you ever need to leave Colorado with the nature you have all around you… lovely!
Thanks Barry! So true! It is gorgeous here and the clouds are finally rolling in. Yay! Maybe there is some snow coming from beyond those yonder hills…
Colorado . . there I was posting and there you were swinging back a comment at me. I had to come over here just to thank you. It wasn’t an easy thing for me to post on, and so it would make sense that you were there when I posted it.
You’re making a habit of seeing my weak side, huh?
Good. I trust you enough to show it.
But of course. Here I am!
As per usual, your omnipresence gives me comfort.
I am so glad! How are you doing?
Powerful photos–another manifestation of the visual beauty resulting from fire.
Thanks VB! The fire is still raging since we had 70 mph winds overnight….
Great images Susie. Earlier this year when the days were longer, I was obsessed with taking shots of clouds. A few appeared in my blog, but I did not do much with them. Now the days are so short the sun is setting around 4:30. I hate that.
The short days have taken over. What about taking pictures of the moon?
Thanks V! Great to see you!
It’s a good idea, but not an option. Even though it has a night photography setting my camera does not take good night shots and the zoom only succeeds in making the moon look like a speck. I’m just holding out until spring.
I am hoping for some SNOWSTORM photos! Yes I am.
Ugh … unless you’re referring to snowstorms in Colorado. In that case, great.
I just heard a forecaster say there may be SNOW in the forecast! Don’t worry. I am only thinking of how dry Colorado is. There is a huge fire near Estes Park…
j ,aime
Thanks for coming by!
You’re pictures are breathtaking! And you totally sounded like you knew your stuff. Fooled me. Sheesh. I still haven’t shown up at the party. I just don’t know what to wear? Any thoughts?
Thanks Debra! I am so glad I fooled you.
A velour pants suit would be nice. Hahaha! Or tall over the knee boots and a leather mini!
I am up in the mountains on a girl’s weekend and haven’t been on my computer. We went shopping yesterday and I can’t believe how much florescent they are showing. It looks like the 80′s or Hot Tub Time Machine!
Gorgeous shots! And yes, I’m definitely a sunset pictures taker. I can never get enough- the colours keep on changing every minute, and so I have to take more photos to have all the shades of the sunset
Thanks Camile! I agree and snap away when I am trying to capture the fleeting moments. My camera is sloooooww and it freaks me out sometimes since it fades so fast!
Great images!!! Sunsets and sunrises are my favorites… I probably shoot and post more of them than anything else!
Thank you for sharing… these are awesome!!
Glad you can relate! Thanks so much Veronica! My home is full of windows which is terrible for heat loss and hanging artwork, but fantastic for views…
Beautiful pics and country.
Thanks Nelle! It is extraordinary.
On my drive to work this morning I saw a man holding a toddler above his arms, making him fly like superman. They were both giggling and laughing–it was a beautiful picture!
You took a mind snap shot! I love those. It is those simple portraits of love that are so beautiful.
Thanks Ellie!
Colorado- That last photograph is Dali-esque.
Thanks Cayman. There have been many that have been Maxfield Parrish-esque too!
I love wide open spaces, so Colorado is on my list of places to visit.
Come visit me Darla!
Beautiful….amazing shots:)
Thanks so much HR Cowgirl! Thanks for stopping by!
Great photos, Susie. Too bad about the fires. Thanks for the fun party… I should go back and spread some more cheer… FriFic today…
The fire has spread and they have evacuated residents in Estes Park.
After a wild girl’s weekend in the mts. I am trying to catch up here with 3 hours sleep!
Gorgeous skies! Those fires… blech. I hate fire, I really, really do. Dancing for rain, or snow. We had a full day of mist with some rain today and my lawn did a happy dance. I try to push some up to you!
Thanks Tameri!
We would all love that moisture! It is tinder dry here. The fire is still raging and I may have to turn on the sprinkler system!
Amazing images..I would love to see skies like that…sad that it is due to fire…but nature……primal….fascinating.
Thanks so much Zannyro! It is primal and fascinating. The particulate matter causes such brilliant color.
I hadn’t heard about your fire on the news, it’s hard to believe it’s dry enough for a fire when it’s so cold here. I hope it’s not too serious.. that sky is so unbelievable!!
Thanks Barb!
They evacuated residents in Estes Park this morning. We are in dire need of moisture. Keep on dancing!
Susie, I’m blowing as hard as I can to send a little of our precipitation your way. Gorgeous sunsets are fine, but let’s put that fire out and get you a little snow. Cha cha cha (snow dance)
Love it JBW! Keep on dancing! I am virtually dancing with you!
Thanks so much!
Susie, you knew exactly what you were talking about. “That is when warm air is trapped by a cold upper air layer”. With years of working with weather, reporting, forecasting, observing, I don’t think I’ve heard a simpler, more accurate description of the situation you described. By the way, the pictures were gorgeous. I envy you those sunsets as the “permacloud” is about to move into the central great lakes and sunshine will be sparse til springtime.
How’s the dance going? Any success yet?
Paul
Wow! Thanks so much for the compliment! I appreciate that.
The skies have been extraordinary as the fire rages on in RMN Park. I guess the winds picked up yesterday while I was in the mountains.
I am still dancing in hopes that a little precip comes our way!
Thanks again!
Love capturing sunrises and sunsets and rainbows. Beautiful photos:) Your party is a rager and gets so many bloggers together – love that -thanks! Have a Great One:) By the way I did a rain dance and it is just pouring here – danced too much – flooding predicted – YIKES!!!
Hahaha! Dance counter-clockwise for drought! You may need to turn off the faucet! I should study your technique. Nothing but blue skies here…
Thanks Renee!
It is one of the best things about CO: big skies.
We have them, too…but I have you squint my eyes and pretend there are mountains in the distance
Which state are you in?
I love the vistas and the gorgeous landscapes here. And the skiing rocks too!
Thanks so much for coming by!
Texas, Gulf Coast in Clear Lake/NASA area. Tetons have snow…maybe it will come your way!
That would be sooooooo great!
yeah – and after the front visits you guys…it wanders here and rains…which means muddy dog…so you just go ahead and have all the fun and keep the weather up there please
I wish we would get ANY weather. If I do I will try my best to keep it as long as possible..
First they were saying Monday, then Thursday now it will be Saturday before we get any moisture here in Boulder… grumble…
Beautiful photos Susie! I’m sorry about the fires though. Hope they can stop them somehow.
It keeps spreading and today they were evacuating residents in Estes Park… so scary! We may have to turn on our sprinkler system. I will keep on dancing!
Thanks so much M~!
You need to do a super vehement rain dance, no joke!
Super vehement snow dance coming right up! OooooO! OooooO!
Yay!!!
In re: Last time you asked for snow. I’m working on it. Skippy the Weather Guy says you can’t have weather go east to west. Lots he knows. Lovely pictures/
Dang! Maybe it will come around the other way! Take a deep breath and Blooooooooooowwwwww~
Thanks Tom!
Stunning, Susie. Looks like you guys need some of our rain… I’ll send it your way, shall I?
Thank you!
I would love that Alarna! I am hoping that the storm in the west coast comes our way!
I can see why you love Colorado, and I’m totally blown away by the magnificent beauty of your sky photos. My only disappointment is that in the past, I’ve been able to click on your photos and see them full size in all their glory, but I’m not able to do that with your photos here. I know that WP just changed our media upload software, and we now need to choose the option under “Attachment Display Settings” to “Link To: Attachment Page” if we want our readers to be able to click on our photos to see them full size.
And yes, you do seem to know what you’re talking about, with your description of a heat inversion. Lol
Yes, I am a sunset picture taker, but I don’t think that I’ll ever take a better one than this one, that I took in Hawaii, in 2002.
http://walkoffwin55.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/t4-sunset.jpg?w=900 (hope this link works, or I’m going to look kinda silly here. lol)
I can’t really take much credit for this photo as far as my own photographic skills – I was just in the right place at the right time, so I pointed my camera and clicked the shutter. The awesome majesty and incredible beauty of Nature deserves all the credit, and I was just a witness.
You have a beautiful sky above you, Susie.
I do Hook and I love trying to capture its beauty! Thanks!
The pics are great!
Thanks John! Every morning and evening the sky has been ablaze.
Surprised those fires are still going on… How many months now or is this a new blaze? Hope not.
Thank God you asked me John! My link was messed up. I found some info on The Huffington Post. The fire started on October 9th and as of Tuesday this week, it was only 40% contained. It is so dry and warm here. Dancing for snow!
Glad you caught that!
Every year I see this view on my journey- the fire is such a tragedy though.
Love you my sweet
Thanks Linda! I am so surprised to hear that it is still burning. There is very little reported on it and I believe it is up to 1500 acres.
Love you too!
Those photos are stunning!
Thanks so much Sophie!
Lovely!
Thanks Tori!
Beautiful!
It is an amazing place! Thank you.
beautiful Susie. (not the fire though)
It must be somewhat contained since we hear so little about it, but the skies have been amazing because of it.
Thank you!
You can’t escape beauty! These photos are stunning and a reminder to pause, you never know what you’ll see.
I have tried to impress that upon my children who grew up here. The vistas are always breath taking!
Thanks so much!
Exquisite!
Thanks Sheri! The mountain views have been exceptional.
Great pics, Susie; someone is having fun! Cheers!
I don’t go anywhere without my camera! And now that I have a Droid, it is easy!
Thanks Sam for stopping by!
Girl, I am partied out. You have some fabulous friends. I really enjoyed it. You are definitely the hostess with the mostest.
Gorgeous photos!
The party is still raging! Thanks so much for coming by.
Coming from you that is a real compliment! Thank you!
Talking on the cellphone and texting while driving are now illegal and justly so, but taking pictures at 85mph should never be outlawed if you get great shots like this! I like the last photo with the extreme range of hues, including the streak of yellow.
You will be surprised to hear that I actually pulled over to get these shots!
Thanks so much! I have so many more. The particulate matter from the fire give the skies those extreme hues.
Those photos are stunning!
Thanks Julie!