Time to enjoy a sunset (and collecting a rainbow).

Last night, as we were sat at our little table drinking red wine and chatting, I happened to look out the window and see the most incredible rainbow superimposed on the grey clouds.  Quick as a flash I grabbed the camera and we sprinted barefoot down onto the street outside.  It was such a dramatic moment, the houses were golden in the sunset and the rainbow looked a little like it might be pouring out from our roof.  I'd like to think it was.  All the doors along the street were open and people carrying cameras and mobiles phones were leaning out to take photographs.  It felt like a special rainbow appreciation society gathering.  I wish there was such a thing.

Anyway, that gives me a nice 15 points for my cloud collection.

Once everyone had grown tired of the rainbow and headed back in for their suppers, we took some pictures against the sunset.   Although our little flat is perfect, the street we are on usually looks pretty grotty, so I felt I had to make the most of the illusion that we live in a nice area!  It really did look a little magical.

Adventuring with waterfalls.

This weekend we went on a mini adventure.  You might almost be fooled into thinking we were somewhere jungly, exotic and exciting, not just the Welsh Valleys.  Despite fairly epic collective hangover as a result of the 'Birthday Olympics' (soon to be making an appearance) it was a wonderful walk with wonderful friends.  I actually felt quite romantic about how perfect life could be, until the boys spent an hour climbing trees then the rest of the walk complaining about the mud/moss on their jeans. 

The walk follows the river through a valley and uncovers four waterfalls, the final one you can actually walk behind (although I do not have photographic evidence to prove this as it really is quite wet back there).  Everyone in Britain should make the pilgrimage to the Brecon Beacons.

The start of my most beautiful collection yet.

 

After sitting in my Amazon Wishlist for about 6 months, I felt revision was finally reason enough to treat myself.  The Cloud Collectors Handbook (by Gavin Pretor-Pinney) is a publication from the Cloud Appreciation Society.  I mean who doesn't appreciate clouds, right?  The concept of this little book is simple, go out, pay attention and collect clouds to earn points (kind of like low maintenance pokemon).  I may have also bought a copy for James.  We may or may not be getting a little competitive about out respective collections.

Here is the start of my collection, I hope you start your own.

Mostly though, I love knowing what I am looking at; the descriptions of how they form, what classifies them and even on occasion what weather they predict, is fascinating.  It is a good way of making the time in the library pass a little quicker!