Sky blue beauty

Skylite with marshmallow

Do you remember summers long ago when you and your friends would find a perfect spot on a grassy lawn, plop yourselves down and just look up at the sky for hours? Skygazing--that's what we called it, and it quickly turned into a game of "that cloud looks like your _________", filling in the blank with any gross or vivid interpretation your adolescent mind could create. It was usually mid to late summer when we'd do this, wasting many a day just lying there being all dreamy and cool. At least we thought we were. Those days may have been among my first existential experiences--the conversation invariably turned towards heaven and what are we here for anyway, that sort of thing. What great memories.

Cloud amoebas becoming one above church steeple

This summer, I have a young woman helping me out in the design studio. She's not a kid, and she's not an adult... she's a teenager (scream). At that in-between age of I'm so over you, but I still need help with school projects. It's an insidious age for parents, I believe. Half the time, I struggle to see if I'm getting through to her or if I am simply being tolerated.

Former pod of whale clouds

Today I asked my teen apprentice if she wanted a snowball-- it was on me--as we had been running around all afternoon, and I thought it would be a nice break. She said no. What? No. You heard right. How does anyone turn down a free snowball in the summer? I tried to convince her, but she was just not 'into' it-her words. I got one anyway; snowballs are my favorite summer treat. I embarrassed her when I ordered skylite blue and then I got marshmallow all over my face (how can you not have marshmallow with that color?) I didn't wipe it off on purpose; it was killing her as I walked by a group of girls who rolled their eyes better than I ever did at their age.

What you should be eating right now

When our break was over, we went back to work , or so I had planned. That didn't happen; I grabbed my camera instead and headed out to the highest point in our neighborhood, mortified teenager in tow. The clouds were majestic, and I thought it was a perfect day for some skygazing. Miss I'm-Not-Talking-Right-Now looked at me like I was crazy. Didn't care. I made her sit on the grass at the top of a beautiful hill and gaze up at the sky. She complained initially but I got some feedback after 5 very long minutes. She had spotted a warlock-ish man next to a pre-historic bird, and the game had begun.

Separated baby doll parts cloud

Angsty girl turned back into fun-loving teen after about the 5th cloudscape passed us by. I think my cool stock may have risen a little at that point.

Cloud heart