Thursday, August 19, 2010

SkywatchFriday: Dog Days

Although I suppose they're officially over, we're feeling the Dog Days of summer around here: hot, sultry, heavy, oppressive, and did I mention hot? Even the clouds I've been watching look overheated.

Typically for me the summer heat wave usually corresponds with midterm exams and grading, so I've been out of communication over the last week or so. It rained rather heavily a couple of days ago, and on Tuesday we managed to get a night's sleep with windows open and A/C off. It rained again for a bit yesterday, but it looks like it'll be a while before we get any more. The small photo above is another iPhone shot I snapped as the front began to move in. The opening image is from the Nikon--one of many I took in hopes of snagging something terribly dramatic. I didn't, but I still enjoyed looking up for reassurance that change might come. Cumulus clouds offer a bit of promise, but sometimes a cloud is just a cloud, and nothing happens.

The heat is even getting to the local raptors, and our neighborhood sharp-shinned hawk paid a visit to the yard, looking for water or a tasty tidbit (i.e. a smaller bird enjoying the bird bath). I grabbed the camera and shot through the window, so the result's pretty fuzzy.

The feature section of the Friday paper is always about gardening, and more than one story this morning was about how nobody could work in the garden while the weather's like this--so at least I don't feel like a reprobate for hiding inside. And I actually did read the paper out of doors. It didn't take long for the heat to drive me back inside, but I felt pretty virtuous for a few good minutes. Most of the mosquitoes have been fried by the heat, making it safe to enjoy the relative coolness just post dawn.

Hope everyone has a comfortable weekend and some good skywatching.

11 comments:

Carolyn said...

Wonderful captures of your beautiful skies and I love the photo of the sharp-shin hawk. We have had the heat here but not as near as oppressive as you have had it which has been usually for us as we are a temperate rainforest climate! Thanks for sharing.
Smiles

D said...

Love your billowy cumulus clouds. Late we are seeing our cloudless skies transformed and cumulus mounding along the horizon and farmland edge. And now if we could just get some rain... none since June. Wishing you a "cool" er weekend.

Jim said...

Wonderful clouds.
Sydney - City and Suburbs

Sylvia K said...

Terrific clouds/skies! Amazing that Oregon is having such a heat wave -- we still haven't gotten out of the 80s and it's been a really cool summer! Hope you have a great weekend!

Sylvia

Unknown said...

I think a lot of us are getting weary of the dog days, wherever we live...your clouds are cool and soothing looking, even if they don't bring any relief from heat yet. Soon enough...

chasity said...

gorgeous cloud shots.

Eds said...

Lovely entry!!! :)

http://edsmommylife.com/?p=1507

jabblog said...

'Even the clouds I've been watching look overheated.' That made me smile and it certainly looks true in your second shot. Across the world the weather seems to be out of sorts - the gods are trying to tell us something!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful clouds and the bird of prey looks a little too warm to be out hunting!
Any time spent outdoors in August is to be rewarded in the Autumn 10 fold! That is what I keep telling myself at least.
Keep cool!

clairz said...

Glad I'm not the only one who is overheated and overwhelmed with this part of the year. I love your overheated clouds.

Dave Coulter said...

A fine cloud shot :)