Sky Art

Have you looked up lately?

The sky in southern Maine has been nothing less than beautiful art, perfection. It's been most noticeable to me while I'm driving, anywhere, but specifically along the Scarborough Marsh, or while I'm out running somewhere that is fairly open and not covered over by trees.

The weather has been clear for the past several days with intermittent clouds moving through. A couple days ago, I was driving home and out over the marsh the clouds were layered and light, and contrasted against the vivid blue sky in shades of white, gray and blue. It was a quieting, incredibly beautiful masterpiece.

Driving with my daughter yesterday at sunset we witnessed purples, blues, pinks and reds. It made me want to stop everything and just absorb the scene. Of course I should have as we have a mutual appreciation for sunsets, often calling out to each other in the house, "Come here and look at this!"

A clear blue winter sky can command my attention no matter what I am doing or where I am going. It compels me to breathe deeply and feel grateful. I think it serves to remind me that I am alive and vital; perhaps it's simply one of my connections to nature. (The ocean is right up there, too.) When the sky is clear like this, it enables me to see things that I saw today while running: the waning half moon, the red tail hawk, the small personal plane just overhead, and Mount Washington in the west.

What did you notice when you looked up?