Thursday, January 22, 2009

Colour My Skies Beautiful


I was enjoying a cup of hot tea on a cold but sunny afternoon last week. The sun shone through the window behind me and was refracted through a light fixture before it landed on my mug. My own personal rainbow had arrived. I took the above picture as the colours were so warm and beautiful on a white January day.


I have never met anyone who is not delighted to see a rainbow. We had a wet summer with frequent afternoon rain storms. It seemed that every week we were treated to a full rainbow. I took many pictures but was never able to get them completely in one photo as I do not have a wide angle lens. The rainbow above was over a gravel pit just outside the city, the same place where I now see Snow Buntings flying over frozen fields.


A recent blast of Arctic air has brought very cold temperatures to our region. Ice rainbows or sun dogs are seen frequently in these conditions. I took this picture of a sun dog over the Grand River on my way into work last Friday just after the sun had risen. There was a second sun dog on the other side of the sun, but again I could not get them both in the picture.


This picture over the same river was taken a few minutes before sunrise this week. There is a water treatment plant downstream and the water that is discharged into the river is relatively warm creating the steam seen in the distance. It was about -20C but the colour of the sky was brilliantly reflected in the water making the river look like a golden ribbon.

Sun and glass, sun and rain, sun and ice,
sun approaching the horizon...
all create an explosion of colour and unique beauty.

Follow this link to view more skies from around the world.

35 comments:

  1. I do so love rainbows and you capture them marvelously. I really like rainbows in your tea cup.

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  2. All your post are great but the last three are amazing! Great words, great colours, great people.

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  3. I have never heard of ice rainbows before. That is why I lover blogging because I learn so many new things.

    Gorgeous photos.

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  4. Love your custom rainbow mug Ruth! Heck, just love rainbows, period!

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  5. Beautiful! I love rainbows and often go out at the end of rainstorms to find them. We saw one in Ireland and were certain that there was a pot of gold at the end.

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  6. Who knew what a sun dog was/is?

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  7. Great colors. Rainbows really are spectacularly beautiful.

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  8. Beautiful pictures.The 'rainbow'mug is special and of course the other rainbows and colorful scenes are lovely. Blessings,Ruth

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  9. What a delightful post! I love the photos, and how your words threaded everything together.

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  10. Beautiful photographs. And you are absolutely right about everyone loving rainbows. I've had complete strangers point out a rainbow and say, "Isn't that lovely?"

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  11. We do love a rainbow and you got some beautiful shots of them..

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  12. Beauty and promise all in one glorious sight. I was really struggling with something once and as I drove home, the foot of a rainbow landed in a field just in front of me (the road curved) .... I took it as a promise ... and the promise came true ... in time.

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  13. I love rainbows and saw one at the beginning of the week. I don't see them very often so this was a treat.....

    I love the photos, each one has a beauty of its own.....the first is amazing.....

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  14. Anonymous2:58 pm GMT-5

    Great shots, beautiful view and text.

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  15. what lovely photos...........it has been nippy cold hasn't it........today is positively balmy though, well at least in my neck of the woods.....

    Gill in Southern Ontario

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  16. What great rainbows. I didn't know what a sun dog was. I'm glad to become informed.
    The rainbow in the tea cup is really interesting and unique.

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  17. Great shots once again Ruth, I love the colors.

    Cheers!
    Regina In Pictures

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  18. Lovely post and so cool pics. Thanks for sharing.

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  19. Rainbows bring a big smile on my face. Thanks for the big smile on my face right now.

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  20. Very cool ice rainbow, Ruth. They're rare so congratulations for capturing it!

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  21. The rainbow is so awesome! I have yet to capture a decent rainbow... you are a pro at these!!!
    Mountain Retreat

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  22. How neat to see a rainbow in the winter!

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  23. Rainbows are a sign of God's convenant to never flood the Earth again.

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  24. i like your rainbow captures...thanks for sharing with us.

    have a lovely weekend.
    erin

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  25. So many stunning shots tonight. I love your rainbows. Beautiful.
    Happy SWF

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  26. Beautiful winter photos. How exciting to have a rainbow on your coffee cup!

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  27. Anonymous9:21 pm GMT-5

    A nice series of sky watch. And the rainbow has always been my favorite. You did it well here.

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  28. Anonymous9:37 pm GMT-5

    that first photo is amazing - I would think that seeing it would be awesome, and photographing it challenging.

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  29. These are wonderful. Rainbows are magical anyway but the lilac light has added an extra dimension.

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  30. I really enjoyed your sky watch photos today. I love the rainbows.

    Have a great week.
    Grammy
    Missouri, USA

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  31. Glorious skies and lovely rainbows!

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  32. Sun dogs? Never heard of them. I don't think we get them. Lovely image though and you must have frozen your fingers off taking the pic. The first rainbow is amazingly sharp and clear. Wonderful job there and the sunrise. Simply dreamy and stunning. -20 BRRRR! That is cold.

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  33. I remember how cool I thought it was when I actually found the end of a rainbow once-no pot of gold though. -Nice post and colorful photos.

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  34. Ruth...Love all your skywatch photos..
    the rainbow teacup is soo nice.

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  35. Thanks to all who commented. Have a nice weekend!

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