Light broken down

A little over 300 miles north of Downey, just off the California 99, is Yosemite National Park. We took some time off and stayed there this past weekend. This is Lower Yosemite Falls. Above this, out of view, is Upper Yosemite Falls and the middle cascades. The entire falls is 2,425 feet tall.

I was lucky enough to be there when the sun was hitting it so that a rainbow was produced from the mist. A rainbow is white light separated into its wavelength parts. In this picture I think I can see the red, yellow, blue, and violet colors. Somewhere in there is also orange, green, and indigo.

"A rainbow is the product of physics working for your appreciation of beauty."
~ Kyle Hill

Colors of the rainbow

Saturday was windy and rainy and the perfect day to stay inside with the fireplace going. Sunday started out gloomy, but I headed out to run some errands anyway. As I was walking out of Target, I was surprised by this rainbow. It looks so small in the picture, but it seemed so brilliant at the time. I wasn't the only one stopping to appreciate it and take a picture. There is something about a rainbow—seeing one always seems like a gift.

Gratitude is the real treasure God wants us to find, because it isn't the pot of gold but the rainbow that colors our world. 
~  Richelle E. Goodrich

Rainbow lagoon

There are definitely advantages to having to visit Hawaii for business. One of them is the sheer beauty of my surroundings. On my evening walk, I rushed down to order garlic shrimp from the Gilligan's Island Shrimp Truck, which closes at 7pm. I hurried past the people enjoying the end of the day along the beach, intending to get back to my room while my food was still hot, I was in a hurry.

But, I couldn't resist one last look at the lagoon as I rushed past. I was so glad I did. I had missed this beautiful rainbow streaking across the sky. It made for a magical evening and made me realize that my dinner being hot wasn't so important after all.

Double rainbow

I walked out of work the day before yesterday and saw this dramatic sky and rainbow. It was after I pointed the rainbow out that someone commented there were two rainbows...you can see the second one just to the right of the big one.

The rainbow was a gift. It was a beautiful way to finish my day.

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle" 
~ Albert Einstein

Unexpected rain

I was going to take some pictures of the Warren High School baseball team practice this afternoon, but I got there too late. I had just gotten out of the car when it started to rain. The players wasted no time getting off the field, collecting their gear and heading to their vehicles. The reason I didn't think it would rain while I shot some pictures was that the storm cloud covered only half the sky and I was under the clear half. We drove home without any pictures, so I decided to show you this view of the storm. The sun is shinning through the clouds and it's still raining.

But looking the other way gave you a view of a rainbow.

"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow."
~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

Rainbow blessing

It had been a long day at work. When I have those days, I often come home and spend some time outside in the yard, just puttering around to relax.

As I was watering some plants with the hose, I realized that the combination of the water and the angle of the sun caused this beautiful little rainbow for me. It was a fun blessing for my afternoon and a good reminder of the beauty that is often around us if we have the eyes to "see" it.

"May the warm winds of heaven blow softly upon your house.
May the Great Spirit bless all who enter there.
May your moccasins make happy tracks in many snows,
and may the rainbow always touch your shoulder."
~ American Indian Cherokee Blessing

Double rainbow

This weekend I drove up to Livermore, which is is about 5 1/2 hours north of Downey, While it rained for most of the drive, about half way there, the rain stopped and all of a sudden there was a double rainbow we spotted off to the side of the road (which I snapped quickly while driving). It was a beautiful gift to see. It was as if the sky was celebrating the end of the rain...and a few minutes later it was raining once again.


“May God give you...For every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and an answer for each prayer.”

 Irish Blessings quotes

Rainbow surprise

Tonight there was a beautiful sky at sunset. I love this time of day when the sun is low and gives everything a warm glow.

I particularly liked how the light was shinning on the front of this church and the way the palm trees shadows were caught by the sun.

I did not even notice the little piece of rainbow right in the middle, behind the church.

"May God give you...For every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and an answer for each prayer.”
~ Irish blessing