Grateful for Clouds

I am so grateful for the clouds above, for how they coat the sky and interplay with the brilliant blue background. They are ever changing and always inviting. They form an expansive blanket that often appears like a patchwork quilt.

I live in an area where we can go for many days with clear blue skies and without a cloud in sight. So, when the clouds are present it seems like a feast for the eyes. And one of the wonderful things about them is that they are never truly the same...new formations, new vistas in the sky.

I'm thankful for the beauty created by those vistas...but that's not all. I'm ever so grateful for the gift of shade from the sun that the clouds provide. They subdue the heat and the intensity of the light.

Last weekend, as I sat for hours at a track meet, I appreciated the cloud cover protecting us from the bright sun. During a thankfully rainy day, it seemed as if we were placed under the one patch of sky without precipitation. And much to our surprise, we also had bright sun show itself at times throughout the day. But, it was the clouds I appreciated most as they gently protected us from the sun's rays. I was probably more aware of this because I hadn't thought of bringing a hat on such a rainy day.

So, go see if you can find some cloud formations...and enjoy the designs they form in the sky.

This is Day 7 of the Thirty Days of Gratitude. Last year, on the 11th day of the 30 Days of Gratitude Photos, I was thankful for the clouds of the Super Cool Sky.