Is This Heaven? No, It's Michigan

Yesterday started out warm and breezy.  The sky was a clear brilliant blue, save for the occasional white cloud drifting by.  It was as close to the perfect summer morning as you could hope for.

As the day wore on, the temperature and humidity rose sharply.  The air felt thick and heavy under what had now become a dull, gray sky.  Even a short walk to the park had transformed into a perspiration inducing task.  It was downright dreary; clear that rain was on it's way.

There is nothing quite like a good summer rain and no better place to view it than a covered porch, so we sat outside and waited for it to begin.  From time to time a dark cloud would spill a dozen or so big drops, but that was about it.  Eventually, we gave up waiting and went about our evening.

Mr. Willoughby was at the back of the yard near the pool when he called up to me.  He told me to step off the porch and come look at the sky.  It was amazing, he said, and I needed to see it.

As soon as I stepped far enough into the yard to see over our house, I was awestruck.  There were colors and shapes and patterns that only nature could produce.  It was powerful and inspiring.  Humbling and breathtaking.  Because I knew that I could never adequately remember or describe it, I ran in the house and grabbed the camera.  I took some still shots and some video (the background noise you hear in the videos is the wind and the chirping of cicadas).

    

It was even more lovely and vibrant in person, like witnessing the descent of Heaven to Earth.

Shortly after the videos were taken, we were treated to an intense light show as jagged bolts and sheets of lightening overtook the sky.  I have spared you the video where Mr. W. impersonates Doc Brown and shouts "1.21 jiggawatts" in the background and I laugh my fool head off, nearly dropping the camera.


Willoughby

*The answer to my "Unanswered Question" post is approximately 250 miles, according to several sources I consulted.

**There is still time to enter my Running T-Shirt Giveaway!  Click here for more info.