Soft Pastel Mornings

It has gotten to be a routine the last month or so. I check the weather before going to bed to see if we will have skies worth looking at during the night hours or at dawn.

I would like to get a shot the works out of the Milky Way before it leaves the hemisphere this year. However I find that it is awful hard to get up and go look on the clear nights.

I got a free app for my Smart Phone that lets me know where the moon will rise and set from wherever I am at, the same with the sun. I find it quite handy! When I start going to Jersey Valley or Sidie Hollow for fall sunrises or sunsets I'll know the exact place and time for them!

So I got up on the morning of August 2nd and glanced outside. The morning didn't look like it would be a spectacular sunrise, however I was awake and the weather for the rest of the week predicted clouds and rain.

At 5:15 am, I left with my travel cup of coffee and started up the driveway. As I passed my neighbor's house, I glanced at her office window. She was up and at work as she is every day. She teaches English to Chinese students on line. She adores her job. The time difference between our countries can be a challenge, but she has worked that out.

I've gotten used to seeing that light on in the mornings when I go for my excursions. I lift my hand in a wave that I am pretty sure she couldn't see anyway.

When I got to the ridge I was sort of surprised by the fog I could see way off in the distance. I shouldn't have been. It hovers over the Kickapoo River Valley and from my high spot on the ridge, I can see pretty far.

I pulled over and parked on our little gravel road. There was not going to be a spectacular blaze of colors this morning. I was a bit disappointing but thought perhaps this would be a challenge to come up with something more interesting.

I included our road with the cropland. Getting the focus and the light right was a huge challenge. But I liked the way it came out.

The skies gave off a beautiful pastel glow.

And then, in just a few moments, it was gone.

I swatted the bugs and watched the fog in the distance. Then I drove over to 'fog' island and got a quick shot.

I took the gravel road down into the valley and got surrounded by fog. The sky turned gray and everything was steeped in murky fog.
I thought about taking a shot of Black Bottom but the fog was so dense, I didn't feel like the effort would be worth it, so I turned around and headed back home.

I went past the Harless place and snapped a quick shot of some of his latest acquisitions. Not sure why he bought them or why he moved all of these broken down mobile homes onto his land, but there you go. He had old cars and other items he is collecting also.

With my coffee finished and the fog moving in, I headed home. I'd put a fresh pot of coffee to brew on when I left.

The pastel morning and fog had been worth it.
Mornings are definitely my time of day.

I had stood alone next to my Subaru on the ridge watching the sun glow on the horizon while coyotes barked and sang their farewells to the night. I'd witnessed night turn to day in that magical time of twilight.
I was refreshed and ready to go start my day.