Where the weather is schizophrenic and the rules don't apply

I love spring.  I love the feel of the warm sun on the backs of my arms when it’s finally nice enough to go outside without a coat.  I love seeing the first wildflowers, nay weeds, emerge and give us a pop of color.  And I love seeing newborn calves, lambs and goats frolicking across pastures.

I also love spring clouds.

The skies in the spring take on a new dimension.  Gone are the shapeless, blah grey clouds of winter.  In their place are spring clouds, towering, swirling lifeforms that brighten the sky in a multitude of blue, pink and purple hues.  It’s as if the skies are trying to compete with the ground below.

“Oh you think your little alyssum flowers are pretty and colorful?  I’ll show you.  There, take that.  A rainbow and a gorgeous sunset.  Ha!”

These clouds and the storms they form are unpredictable.  Squalls can pop up from seemingly out of nowhere.  You might get a light spattering of rain or a total downpour.  Welcome to spring…where the weather is schizophrenic and the rules don’t apply.

Last night, I got to witness the volatility of spring first hand when several thunderstorms rolled over the top of the bird farm.  This was one of my favorite shots from the night. It’s taken about halfway between Yoder and Hawk Springs, looking north toward Torrington, Wyoming.

I stood on the road and just soaked up the moment…lightning to my north, a light breeze on my arms and the chorus of frogs croaking as background music.

I know there are scientific explanations for spring clouds and spring storms.  But I like to think it’s also Mother Nature giving us her version of a cup of coffee…something to stimulate our senses and stir our souls after a long winter’s nap.

Either way, this Goshen County photographer is grateful.

–Teresa