The Daily Joe

  Farm just over the hill and one small cloud   My wife and I were out for a drive this past weekend and we stopped at a park to let our dog stretch his legs. As we walked, I spied a farm in the distance. I was just over a rise. The blue sky over it had one lone cloud in it.  I thought this view was almost like one might find in the midwest, but here in PA. I liked it.

  Lone tree against the dusk sky Last evening, I saw the colors in the sky fading and had to go out for a quick walk in the neighborhood.  The sky was almost devoid of clouds. Clear as a bell, they say. But the colors still held to sunset hues.  I found our neighbor's tree silhouetted against the sky and with the hills in the distance.  I thought it a pretty photo.

Big blue sky over the open fields About a week ago, I was out for a walk with my youngest and we saw the same field where I take many of my sunrise photos, but in the afternoon sun. I wanted to capture the "other side" of the scene where the light was totally different.

  Sunrise through the bare trees Yesterday morning was almost too clear for photos.  I drove to work and noticed the small amount of haze and a few clouds near the horizon. Those elements blended nicely with the pre-spring trees to make for a good photo of the sunrise.

  Glorious sunrise sky   Some skies are better than others.  This sky was there just before sunrise, less than a mile from my home. It really looks like it should be from some western US area but we've been lucky, this winter. The sunrises have been just glorious.

  Morning clouds and lonely trees The set of trees seemed to be lonely on this early morning. It may have just been my mood, but the cold blue sky, the rusty color of the clouds - all seemed to make one feel solitude. 

  Out fishing on a warm winter afternoon   I managed to catch this gent out in the creek while out on a walk with my youngest child.  We were talking the dog along the creek and found a number of folks taking advantage of the warm afternoon to fish.  This man was in the middle, some ways up the creek and the scene seemed so peaceful - I had to capture it.

  Pine trees backlit by the sun   It finally got warm enough, and I felt good enough, to go exploring our local roads on foot. In  the afternoon, I spied these pine trees in the neighbor's yard with the sun behind them.  The wispy afternoon clouds added to  the drama, along with the foreground shadows. I'll be walking more in the coming months.

  Sunrise through the trees in the front yard   As the seasons move on, the sun rises earlier and I have to catch it when and where I can.  On this morning, I was late enough that I caught it coming up through the trees in our front yard. 

  Sunrise sky and frost on the grass   A cold morning brought frost on the grass (and on my windshield).  But the sky was just turning on the colors and jet-trails streaked through the sky. A beautiful morning sky is what I like, despite the cold.

  Bright oranges and yellows of the sunrise   From the car, we could see the dark, early morning transitioning into what would be a pretty sunrise.  We were in a hurry, however, and couldn't stop to take pictures whenever it suited.  So, I had to grab this one from the passenger side while moving.  It's a little blurry, but the colors made up for it.

  Streaky clouds after sunset   Some days you just get lucky. I wasn't counting on any sunset sky - and the sunset, itself wasn't that great, but after the sun set, these clouds came streaming in and made the sky photo worthy!

  Sun rising over the hill and pines   There are many times when I see the sun rise on my way to work. Sometimes, there are no clouds and it doesn't pique my curiosity for a nice photo. On good days, I don't catch the sun, but the sky is glorious and I try to capture the splendor.  On rare days, the timing is right and I can catch the clouds and the sun.  The colors are amazing and with the rolling blue hills and the trees - it can be, well, awesome.  This was one of those days.

  Sunrise sky over the hills   Some mornings make me feel like I'm somewhere else.  This scene seems to be from somewhere out west - it's just a feeling I get. The sky, the shape of the mountain, the trees - all come together for that feeling.

  Reaching up into the sunrise sky   Perhaps not as spectacular as some mornings (and we've had more than our share, this year) - the sky was subtle with color - almost calming. The bands of clouds just above the horizon, the thin bands of orange - you knew the sunrise was coming. The trees seemed to be reaching for the sunrise.

  Creek side predawn sky   Last week, I was running early and didn't see the actual sunrise, but I did manage to catch the pre-dawn sky just before the sun rose.  The creek reflected the subtle warm oranges and cold blues of the morning. It was going to be a good day.

  Early sunrise on the road We had another road trip yesterday to Virginia from Pennsylvania.  Believe it or not, this was taken across the car through a window, while it was moving. I'm getting better at those because, in many cases, that's the opportunities I get. Enjoy the day.

  Farm bathed in sunrise light When I saw the beautiful sunrises - I remembered some advice I'd seen in my past - "always turn around to see what may be waiting to surprise you." In this case, that was wonderful advice.  The sun hitting the clouds and the barn were just beautiful.

  Sun just peeking out over the pond     The morning's clouds were beautiful and did not hinder the sun from showing itself to the land. The sun just started to peak over the hills and trees, bringing the orange light of dawn to the air and water. 'Twas a morning scene worth waking up for.

  Sunrise view out over the valley Yesterday morning, the sun's rising, along with the clouds, just grabbed me.  I took many photos (you'll likely see them in coming days) - but this one truly see my area in a wonderful light. The farms, the rolling hills, the bucolic environment nestled between towns.  But yet to see this view in the peaceful, early morning - that is a blessing.

  Sunrise with all the colors Yesterday morning, I was frustrated when I realized that there was frost on my car.  The frost didn't do it, but looking up at the colors in the sky over my house did it. Luckily, the colors brightened as the sun rose and I was able to capture it. I need to relax and let things be.

  Dawn starting to break If you look VERY closely just to the right of the base of the tallest tree, you can see a small, really small, bright spot.  That is the sun JUST as it breached the horizon.  I loved that and the varied colors in the pre-dawn sky. The only thing better would be a bit warmer (air temperature).

  The clouds squeezing the sunset colors down to a very this line Some nights, you just get lucky. My wife and I were out shopping last evening. I noted to there fine line at the horizon but with the shopping centers and roads, there was not a chance to get a photo. I managed to get this on the way home out of the car window - the very last bit of color.

  Early dawn colors at the lake   When you have an early morning at the lake, you never quite know how the colors and clouds will show themselves.  The mist that morning was lifting, the sun was trying to rise despite the clouds - and the colors spread out everywhere. I hope you all have a great day!

  Clear dusk sky bringing in the bitter cold   We were driving home after a quick run to the store last evening. The sunset had been so-so with clear skies.  By the orange lit up after the sunset.  A few clouds helped to make it more interesting. But the cold that came with the clear skies...brrrr.

  Sunrise over the creek I see this view (of the creek) quite often on my way to work.  I try to find little niches on campus where the sun can fall in a particular location.  I'd been waiting for the sun to rise just an the low point between the far hills. Finally, it came.

  Sunset just before the clouds took over   This day, I got lucky - the sun was setting but there were plenty of clouds. The sun peeked out from the clouds just before setting - and the clouds overtook the sky. A nice ending to the day. 

  Backyard sunset sky The other evening - I walked down into the backyard to put something in the garage - I wanted to get down and back before it got dark.  I caught a glimpse of the sky and on my way back, I saw the clouds light up behind the trees.  This is the result.