Well they say it's my BIRTHDAY......

so I am going to thank mom for her hard work getting me here so many years ago! I was commenting on tildabelles post tonight and found myself in happy tears remembering all the wonderful camping adventures with my folks over the years, and how I have learned that during hard times I can throw myself in the lap of Mother Earth and find great comfort there and healing....

Teach your children that love of nature, it will serve them far better in distant years to come when you are not always there to comfort them than all the toys and glitter you can give them in presents...

Most of this series is reworked images that I am submitting for a weather guide calendar, so wish me luck! Come see the slideshow and vote on your faves if you have time and inclination...

www.flickr.com/photos/starlisa/sets/72157623030612533/show/

thanks!

UPDATE 2/11/2010

This image is going to ge used for the Weather Guide Calendar 2011, and I was asked to write up more information on this storm and my experience, so I am posting that info here as well

Altocumulus lenticularis cloud, December 5, 2008 as photographed by Darlisa Black. ( image copyright date would actually be 2008 if you go by when it was taken)

Mt. Adams, in the southern Washington State Cascade Mountain Range, near the towns of Trout Lake and Glenwood, Washington, is a dormant volcano. The volcanos of the world often gets little hats called Lenticular clouds that rest gently on the peaks, and now and then one builds up in Altocumulus lenticular layers that are magnificent for miles away.

On December 5, 2008, as I started the day in the Columbia River Gorge, I noticed a small little lenticular to the SE of Mt. Adams, and as the day went on I saw more and more of these little babies floating around up there... I call this a "Lenticular sort of Day", they slowly build up here and there in the sky over the day or sometimes over a couple days as the weather patterns begin to change. This cold December day I finally broke free of other obligations and began to drive north to Trout Lake where the view would be better. Along the way I saw more and more signs of several different formations, some farther to the north towards Mt. Rainer. Being somewhat of a real nut when it comes to clouds, I was having to pull over often to update my photo essay of the day, and from in Husum I could see the hint of a BIG one forming up on the SE flanks of the mountain, and what looked like a huge one somewhat top shaped up north, and I started getting really excited! In Trout Lake it was obvious that a HUGE cell was indeed forming up, still obscured by clouds partly, but I had great hopes, and it so happened the road up into the forest to a favorite viewpoint was open still. Racing on up to my viewpoint I was just in time to see the large stack formed up and dwarfing the mountain. There were several other clearly large stacks both to the North and to the SE. Over the next hour and a half I took photos as the cloud solidified and then turned fiery orange in sunset colors, fading to this lavendar after the sun went down. I even got shots of the cloud glowing with color still after the stars came out! Later I saw photos other people had taken of large stacks around Mt. Rainer, and I suspect that some of the ones that look smaller are really just farther away over Mt. Adams and other peaks.

The joy I feel standing out under the Beautiful skies of this world, smelling the fresh air of mountain forests or desert blooms, is a joy from deep within that brings back the warm comforting memories of childhood. My parents were good at teaching us appreciation for nature in many climates, and I have found there is great healing for the soul in nature. Teach your children that love of nature, it will serve them far better in distant years to come when you are not always there to comfort them than all the toys and glitter you can give them in presents...

Regarding these clouds, a Flickr friend sent me this statement:
"Altocumulus lenticularis. These formations are caused by wave motions in the atmosphere and are frequently seen in mountainous or hilly areas. They are often called wave clouds. They may be triggered off by hills only a few hundred metres high and may extend downwind for over 100 km. The cloud elements form at the windward edge of the cloud and are carried to the downwind edge where they evaporate, as can be seen here. The cloud as a whole is usually stationary or slow moving." ~ Flickr user glenelg48

Some more technical information on these cloud formations can be found here

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altocumulus_Lenticularis