shades of gray

I've said before that I could never live in a place that never has clouds. Blue, sunny skies are boring, not to mention very mean to my pasty epidermis.

Not that there has been a shortage of sun here this summer. There's actually been a perfect amount. And I haven't yet made it through the fall and winter months, when the sun allegedly hides itself and doesn't come out to play till late spring, but I'm digging the clouds so far. They are splendid in their unpredictability.

Seattle has brought to my attention just how many shades of gray there can be, as far as clouds go. Gray can be, in fact, absolutely beautiful, and it's not a boring color at all. There can be a seamless, solid blanket of your typical gray cloud-cover, or pretty, bubbly gray patches with various textures. There are multiple hues of gray-violet, as well as countless gray-blues, and even warmer shades of pinkish gray or with tinges of orange, depending on the time of day. There are infinite various patterns of holey clouds, where sun rays can peek through, giving that majestic look to the heavens, if you like that kind of thing (I, in fact, do). And there's your everyday wispy or puffy cottony whitish clouds, when the sky feels like being a conformist.

In conclusion, clouds are the bomb and people who say this town is too gray can suck it. That's like saying that Quebec is too snowy in winter, having never experienced the joy that comes with playing in the fluffy deliciousness of it. Or like saying there are too many nuts in banana bread. Which is clearly impossible.