There's nothing as dark as a cloud that crosses the moon.

The Moon, Behind a Thin Cloud, July 14, 2011

Copyright © 2010 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

When the moon is full, there's always something a little odd in the air. People and other animals seem to behave a little bit differently from the way they normally do. I'm not the first to observe this; I won't be the last.

The Moon, Darkened by a Cloud, July 14, 2011

Copyright © 2011 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

I've seen similar skies during full moon in July many other years. But not every year.

Moon and Cloudy Sky, July 14, 2011

Copyright © 2011 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

The moon showed its face many times, but each time that face was different.

The Moon, Partly Showing, July 14, 2011

Copyright © 2011 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

The full moon didn't emerge for a while last night, and when it did it played hide and seek for as long as I was able to stay up to observe it.

The Moon, Mostly Obscured, July 14, 2011

Copyright © 2011 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

Well, the moon doesn't yield itself up easily. Sometime you really have to fight hard to get a decent shot of it.

Viewpoint with Moon, Nov 2, 2010

Copyright © 2010 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

When there's a beautiful sunset, you don't have much time to work with. It all changes by the second.

Clouds after Sunset (II), Aug 24, 2010

Copyright © 2010 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

I took several close-ups of the clouds, which were orange, red and pink:

Clouds after Sunset, Aug 20, 2010

Copyright © 2010 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

Before I resume my journey to the Viewpoint, I want to post some photos of a sunset I saw about a week ago. Well, the sun had actually already gone down by the time I noticed what was going on:

Afterglow, Aug 20, 2010

Copyright © 2010 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

This morning there were stripes of orange across the eastern sky. By the time I arrived at the Viewpoint, maybe fifteen minutes before sunrise, the orange color was much paler. I waited for the sun to clear the horizon. I was not alone.

Clouds at Sunrise, Jan. 10, 2010

Copyright © 2010 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

Waning Moon

The moon has waned a bit since the other night, but with the clouds this evening, the scene at the Viewpoint was nevertheless spectacular. I took a couple pictures with my phone, but I don't know how much of an image I'll get on either of them, once I upload them. And to try to put in words such a complex and unfamiliar arrangement of light and dark and various subtle colors would be almost pointless. Let me just say that it was an image worthy of the most vivid dream.

There was no one else at the Viewpoint except for some teenagers in an SUV on the neighboring street, and they disappeared soon after I arrived.

The smell of sage was in the damp air. As I walked, I encountered a snail. How easily I could have accidentally crushed it under my foot! The word "hapless" crossed my mind.

Sunny and Windy

Green and gold and blue and gray and white and pale red. Not pink--but pale red. These were the colors I saw from the Viewpoint today. It was sunny and windy. Large cumulus clouds passing quickly overhead made for a very dynamic light and color situation, especially in the area of the bay, where the water was visibly choppy, even as seen by the naked eye. I took a couple photos with my phone.