Build up to a sunset...

...I took these shots on the day before the first cold front landed, and as usual a bit of patience was required.

It was icy cold, and now ways was I going up to a high spot to get the full sunset, as then I would have been exposed to the elements. You can imagine what a cold wind would do to one when you surrender yourself to its wiles in the open. I could just as well stripped naked and jumped into a bath of cold water filled with frozen ice cubes. So, I rather remained in our front garden at home, dressed in a warm jacket to watch the advent of the sunset.

This was how it started, and I had a feeling that it would be good.

Gradually this little crowd drifted into the show.

And the clouds started to grow bigger.

Some passenger clouds climbed on top of the bottom cloud.

Then they all seemed to amalgamate, but the wind had other ideas.

As it ripped that cloud open, and it also brought in some other clouds.

In the three photos below, you will see how that first cloud stuck around at the bottom of that cloud formation.

And finally, the black stuff also started to roll in, and this is the last shot that I got of the sunset.

It is amazing how quick the weather can change here, as for instance it took me a while to follow the sequence of the sunset buildup, and then within minutes, after the last shot, it was all blown away. I couldn't even sing a serenade to the sunset before it disappeared, and I think the wind was jealous as I stopped taking shots. So, yes there is still beauty around to be found in these dark and stormy days.

Soon it will all clear and the weatherman reckons that we will have nice weekend weather. I really hope so, but I also know that anything can happen at any time. So, we will not be making any plans at this stage of the fight. It really grieves me to have to stay in the house for a whole day, as I am a rather restless soul that has to stay busy every day, but you can't always have things your own way and sometimes you have to compromise.
Such is life.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures and the story.

Photos by Zac Smith. All-Rights-Reserved.

Camera: Canon PowershotSX70HS Bridge camera.

Until next time, cheers, until I see you again!