Friday, November 26, 2010

Stormy Utah Skies

Because I love storms, I was delighted that thunder and lightning traveled with us on a recent US road trip. Throughout the National Parks in southern Utah, rain was our constant companion...it served to heighten the colour of the red sandstone formations and provided me with hours of blissful sky-watching!Visiting Monument Valley was a special treat...it has been on my travel wish list for years. When black clouds gathered and thunder began resounding through the valley, I knew this was the perfect time for me to have come.





I have never seen rain come down with such power and volume. I was rendered breathless as I watched and listened.


Then as suddenly as it began, the rain came to a stop. Before long the sun poked its way through again, illuminating the valley floor, now richly red, and reflecting off the rivulets that streamed from the mesa tops.





The thrill of watching a storm rage through this magical place
is something I will never forget...


I'm linking this post to Looking At The Sky on Friday, graciously hosted by Tisha of Crazy Working Mom. For more sky pictures, do check out the link below.
http://www.crazyworkingmom.com/hosted
.

72 comments:

  1. Thank you for commenting on my blog. Yes, taking photo with fisheye lens gives you an spice!
    Utah has wild nature that I cannot find in Japan. Your photos are all great. My favorite would be the last one! What a terrific capture.
    Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful weekend.

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  2. These photos are SO awesome when viewed at full screen! A storm at Monument Valley has got to be the best...all I can say is WOW! You captured this territory in its raw form...

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  3. Wow, the clouds, the skies and the color of the earth are all astoundingly beautiful. It must have been wonderful to feel the power of that place, to be right there, in it. Wonderful photos, Lynette. Did you take any home movies on this trip? would be wonderful to watch at home on a cold snowy winter's night!

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  4. Amazing set of pictures and you are very talented with your camera!Congrats!
    Léia - Bonjour Luxembourg

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  5. What a grand sight of sky and earth! Amazing cloud drama and scenic colours!

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  6. Beautiful. I camped out here with my dog about a year and a half ago. It was sooooooo hot and dry. Your stormy pictures are wonderful! :)

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  7. Wow, these are stunning captures.

    Thank you for the visit

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  8. Beautiful photographs Lynette, and what an awesome place to be able to visit.

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  9. oh man. wish I could stand there. explore that mountain in the last picture by climbing up.

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  10. These imposing captures remind me of the song, "Thunder Rolls." Bravo!

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  11. Storm lover here too, Lynette. Nature's drama can be a powerful inspiration. Of course in hurricane country, others think that's nuts but I still love it.

    I wonder if the red earth (clay, I assume) stained your clothes & fingers.

    Stunning images.

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  12. woooooowzers! spectacular geography, captured well!

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  13. Beautiful pics, very fascinating indeed!!
    You have a wonderful blog...
    Have a nice day:-)

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  14. Beautiful pics.... you have really great blog!
    Take care
    Short Poems

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  15. Your pictures are absolutely breathtaking!

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  16. wow, stumbled across your blog, your photos are fantastic. I always mean to travel but I never seem to get very far (!) - lucky and brave you for doing so :)

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  17. Wow,the picture are awesome, so beautiful they take my breathe away! I never imagined that Utah looked like this before. It really is a beautiful place I would like to visit. I too love the lightening and stormy weather.

    Love and Blessings,
    AngelBaby

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  18. Greetings from Finland. This blog is fun to explore, through other countries, people, culture and nature. Come take a look Teuvo pictures blog. And tell all your friends know why you should visit Teuvo pictures blog. Therefore, to obtain your country's flag to rise above the country's flag on my blog collection. Happy end of February. Teuvo Vehkalahti Finland

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  19. Thank you for stopping by my blog! We have traveled to Utah a few times...LOVED IT! Did you happen to take the road past Monument Valley towards Natural Bridges National Monument? I don't remember the road but I know it was by Mexican Hat. It just went right up the mountain! Look foward to following your blog!

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  20. Hi, Lynitte!

    Stunning captures of awe-inspiring landscape and experiences! This landscape is something I never be able to see in Japan: I've never seen such a rich red-colored earth. This place would be on my travel wish-list, too, if I had a chance someday.

    Yoko alias stardust

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  21. Fascinating Monument Valley! I was there in 2001, and would love to go back :-)
    Great photos!

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  22. good grace, what a beautiful set! I'm hooked.

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  23. Stunning pictures!!!!

    oh i want to go there sometimes....

    Thanks for sharing
    Leontien

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  24. I see this is an old post but it really caught my eye because I hope to stop in Monument Valley on my way to California this May. I can't wait to see this beautiful place in person. I really enjoyed seeing your photos! I love storms! :)

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  25. Loved imagining being there with you!
    Thanks for sharing your fabulous shots;o)

    ***
    Have a nice and happy weekend****

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  26. Magnificent. This is the stuff my dreams are made of!

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  27. Hello, you have captured some beautiful skies over Utah. It is such a pretty and colorful state with the red rocks and the Monument Valley.

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  28. Hi Lynette... thank you so much for visiting me at my blog tonight... as now I have found yours... I will look at your other one next... Utah is my home and I love Monument Valley... many beautiful Native American superstitions surround that area... and the thunder and lightning storms are spectacular... my sister has a Native American shop and I love hearing the stories her craftsmen and women tell her... off to look at your other blog now... xoxo Julie Marie

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  29. Hi Lynette-I have been to Utah, it's beauty is awe inspiring. Mother Nature did a great job...I love seeing the play of light n' shadows. It is amazing; breathtaking photos!!! Thanks for sharing~

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  30. Thanks so much for your visit!

    Love your selection of photos here. The colors are so vibrant and I love thunderstorms too. I listen to storm sound cds to block out hubby's television at night so I can drift out to dream land. I love it!

    Blessings!

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  31. Beautiful landscape and impressive sky! Well done!
    Kathy

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  32. Wow, what great scenes from canyon country. Often I think a cloudy, moody sky makes the land more interesting than a sunny day. Your pictures certainly seem to support that.
    Thanks for stopping by my blog. I enjoyed my visit to yours!

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  33. Your pictures are amazing. The earth certainly does have its treasures.

    (I appreciate you stopping by and leaving a lovely comment.)

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  34. awesome landscape photos. I think my husband downloaded photos of this place.

    Thanks for visiting.

    I note from your profile that you are a bookstore support staff, what do you do?

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  35. Hi! so glad to have found your blog, I'll follow you for sure, as I love travels pics.
    Regards from France!

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  36. Amazing photos. I love Monument Valley, it's such a magical place. I visited there in 2001, and would love to go back some day.

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  37. These are some of the most powerful and dimensional photos I've ever seen. Those skies! Wow.

    I’m A-Z Blogging on Langley Writes about Writing and Langley’s Rich and Random Life

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  38. These are outstanding shots of a park I have to visit someday! Wonderful post.

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  39. Lynette-
    I wanted to pay a visit to your blog and although it has been a while since you posted - I was thrilled to see this fabulous post. We are going out west for 3 weeks this fall - a visit to all the National Parks that we can work into that time - we will most definately be visiting monument valley! Your photos are amazing - wow is all I can say - they are gorgeous! Can't wait to be there and take some photos myself!

    vicki

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  40. Fantastic captures, Lynette! I, too, love to watch storms and having lived in Utah for a brief time, I did see some incredible ones along with such dramatic skies! Really superb! Thanks so much for your visit, comments on my blog! Always appreciated! Enjoy!

    Sylvia

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  41. The last one is stunning... Wow... I just love how the cloud fits the shape of the mesa...

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  42. Incredible pictures.

    This is my first time here. It's nice to "meet" you.

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  43. Hello Fellow Canuck !
    Thank you for stopping by my blog Lynette : )
    These are amazing pictures and I understand how you feel about storms .. they are fascinating and frightening at the same time .. who can resist that feeling of edginess ? LOL
    Beautiful pictures !
    Joy .. a Canuck in Kingston

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  44. Wow! What a magnificent series you have here! I'm so glad that you stopped by Portland Oregon Daily Photo so that I could then find you, Lynette.

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  45. These shots are awesome. Unbelievable landscape and sky. Love that stormy sky. In storms you feel what power the weather really has.

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  46. Wow! Not just good, they are amazing! It's hard to get it all in a camera because it's suck a huge scene. You captured the feel of the place perfectly!

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  47. Would love to visit Monument Valley again, just thinking of ways to do it. Last time, it was in the snow. it was so weird !

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  48. Lovely pictures - also loved a post of yours in July last year, and left a comment.
    Caroline

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  49. Those are remarkable skies!! Thanks for stopping by and introducing me to you! New follower!

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  50. These pictures are extraordinary. Thank you
    for letting me in on your adventure.

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  51. My first time visiting this blog - your photographs are amazing!!!

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  52. Those are fantastic shots! Thanks for the visit!


    Kim,USA

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  53. Wonderful shots of the place, very well composed.

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  54. Beautiful stormy skies against that red, red earth!!! Thanks for stopping by MammothLakesDP!!!

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  55. The valley is aptly named monument valley. Beautiful captures!

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  56. Beautiful shots of the stormy sky! Monument Valley is on my list of places to visit.

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  57. I love these stormy sky shots. Very beautiful landscapes and contrast.

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  58. Thanks so much for your visit, much appreciated. Stormy skies can be wonderful but also frightening as I have discovered from time to time. Your pictures are amazing. Check out my post on
    http://lifeincharente.blogspot.fr/2010/08/magic-of-nature-fiery-sky.html I only have a cheap supermarket camera but it did not take such bad photos. Keep well Diane

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  59. Those really are dramatic skies and what a place to experience them!

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  60. Thanks for the visit and comment. Those skies are amazing, I love that second shot the clouds are fantastic and there looks like a hand coming in from the right hand side. I love making shapes out of clouds, they change so quickly. Great photos. Take care Diane

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  61. stormy skies are fantastic to see but I don't like to be in one.

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  62. Hi, Lynette, I was so glad to hear from you. This post is amazing. You do lead a very interesting and exciting life and can describe your photographs beautifully. As a reader I felt as if I was there with you experiencing what you saw and felt.

    I remembered your name right away and see you haven't posted in a while. You should because you have two great gifts that I can see, writing and photography.

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I'm glad your travels have brought you to my little corner of blogland! I'm Lynette and I'm interested to know where you've been and what you think...