Try outrunning this...

I got off work at 4:30, right when the thunderstorm warning was announced. As I walked home, dark clouds were approaching behind me and they seemed to be gaining speed.

I was making good time, I seemed to be a step ahead of the storm, even though the wind was picking up and the temperatures were dropping.

As I was approaching home, I felt little drops of rain and heard the distant rumbling of thunder. I was still hoping to outrun this storm coming up on my heels. I finally made it inside, when it started to downpour with hail and heavy wind. The thunder and lightning  was very intense. Good thing I outran this storm and got to watch it from my apartment window.

Sunrise

Overnight, I had trouble sleeping due to severe stomach cramps. I barely had any sleep and not to mention my upstairs neighbors were blasting their television at 6:18 AM. They were watching American Dad and you could hear the dialogue loud and clear, not only in my apartment but in the building stairwell. I couldn't fall back asleep due the cramps and hearing every word of American Dad. I decided to walk to the store to get some Coca-Cola to settle my upset stomach and a couple other things. As I walked to the store, it was slowly becoming light outside and I noticed the sun rising among the glowing clouds. I barely get the chance to see an actual sunrise and I decided to take some pictures. Sometimes it's worth getting out of the apartment.

Golden sun slowly rising

Bright golden obelisk gently making it's appearance  

A bright rising sun illuminating the silvery clouds

Full moons rising

I have always been fascinated by the sight of the full moon. Last Friday coming home from work at dusk, I noticed the almost full moon (known in scientific terms as "waxing gibbous" moon) rising amongst the bare tree branches and dark lavender sky. Had to take a picture:

A glowing yellow dot amongst bare branches.

Earlier tonight I noticed the full moon glowing amongst the increasing clouds. A big bright yellow dot rising from the rooftops and bare tree branches. I tried to get a good picture, but it was difficult with all the streetlights (damn light pollution) and the zoom focus on my Samsung is not as great (my previous cell phone-a Nokia had great zoom power). This is the best one:

Bright glowing moon eerily rising from neighborhood rooftops.

Hole in a cloudy sky

I went out to the store during a lull in the torrential rain and wind today. On the way back home, I saw a patch of bright blue within the clouds. I thought my eyes were giving me problems or I was coming down with a migraine, but it was a blue sky peeking out from the moving clouds. I only had seconds to catch this photo, because the clouds were moving real fast.

Full Moons

I have always liked the sight of the full moon, when it is glowing on a clear night or when it is trying to shine through moving clouds on a cloudy night. I try to take a good picture with the cell phone, but sometimes it can be hard. 

Full moon trying to shine through the clouds as seen from my bedroom window, Spring 2011.

Finally a clear shot of the full moon through my bedroom window, Spring 2011.

Another clear shot of the moon shining through the bedroom window, Spring 2011.

A glowing full moon amongst bare branches, December 2011.

Whenever I see the full moon, I think of the song "Silver Moon":

 

Sunsets

Have you ever happened to come upon a beautiful sunset and just had to take a picture of it? These pictures were taken in 2010 and 2011:

A pre-Hurricane Earl sunset with bands of  bright yellow, desert rose, and light blue, September 2010.

An ultraviolet winter sunset, January 2011.

A golden vapor trail lit up by the sunset, November 2011.

An yellow gold setting sun caught in a swirl of blue and orange clouds. November 2011.

Last week I tried to take a picture of a pre-Thanksgiving blustery sunset, which consisted of bands of blue-ultraviolet and hot fuchsia with an red orange sun, but I could not get a good photo.