Week 8 - Why we needs clouds

Besides the obvious correlation between clouds and precipitation, I find that clouds a a depth of beauty to the sky that I miss when faced with a clear-blue sky day after day. Take a sunrise, for example. The sun making it's way into an empty sky is pleasant; it foreshadows warmth and predictability. But the sun pushing through layers of clouds creates a sense of wonder; it highlights the expansiveness of nature and paints glorious images that stay in our memory. This morning, as I drove down highway 99 from the stormy north, I was privy to one of these awe inspiring sunrises. I doubt any photo could have actually captured it, and these below, taken through the window of the moving car, only hint at the reality. It was the kind of sunrise that didn't seem to be distant, just on the horizon. I felt like I was driving right through it.