Sun style

02/16/12, 11:40 am, looking east

On an overcast day, even a glimmer of sunlight can make an impression. So it was with this warm glow in the late-morning eastern sky below cumulus clouds. 


The Sun in Sun style refers not to the star that is the center of our universe, but to the T'ai chi movements developed by Sun Lutang.


Since T'ai chi opens the channels of energy through the body, it seemed a fitting analogy to the opening of sunlight through the clouds.

Spring-like day

02/15/12, 11 am, looking southwest

So the high today is forecast to be about 60 degrees F and the pale sun is shining on the crocuses, daffodils and sweet winter daphne. It is mid-February and feels like spring. This winter we've had about five days (and nights) that were wintry. Winter as in cold, dark, frost on the car, frozen bird baths, and icy steps.


These cirrus clouds were some of the few in the sky which was a robust blue this morning. Rain is on the way tomorrow.

Cumulus Valentine's Day

02/14/15, 2 pm, looking north

So of course I am selecting which clouds to paint and composing them on the paper, but I had to paint this one. It really did look like a fluffy white heart with a hole in it.


The warming trend produced even more cumulus clouds and a few showers later in the evening on Tuesday, February 14th. The week continues to warm with highs in the 60's forecast for Wednesday.

Clouding up

02/13/12, 5:30 pm, looking northwest

Late in the day on Monday, February 13th, the clouds began to gather with a mix of cirrus and cumulus clouds. A weather change is on the way with warmer temperatures and rain later in the week. 


Monday's high was 35 and low was 18 degrees F. Even though it was cold, one could feel the warmth and humidity on the breeze. The rest of the week looks more like highs in the low 50's and lows in the mid-30's.


Days are longer now with sunset coming by 5:45 pm and later each day. These mostly cirrus clouds were not yet stained with sunset colors, but had lovely lavender shadows.

Pale and cold

02/12/12, 7:15 am, looking up and west

This waning gibbous moon was pale and cold in the early morning sky. The temperature on the back porch was 14 degrees F. The bird baths were frozen solid and the crocuses and pansies were closed and hunched with cold. The moon was at 67% illumination, It looked like the dark spots on the face of the moon merged into the sky.

Sleet, snow, sunset

02/11/12, 6:20 pm, looking west

On Saturday, February 11th, the weather treated us to sleet, snow, thunder and lightning, and a dramatic sunset clearing just before dark. This mass of dark clouds lifted enough to see the last of the sunset colors in the west. It was a dramatic finish to a dramatic weather day.

Cold front

02/10/12, 11 am, looking northeast

Here are the clouds rolling into Virginia bringing rain and cold. I was up at 5 am and the sky was mostly clear with the moon still visible in the west just above the horizon. By mid-morning the clouds streamed in. By noon, the sky was completely overcast.


These morning clouds still provide a glimpse of blue sky.