“Don’t forget: beautiful sunsets need cloudy skies.” —Paulo Coelho
I love how the day began with blue skies and by late afternoon the clouds slowly moved just in time for a majestic sunset. While it doesn’t happen often, all the elements for a perfect sunset aligns itself like they did on our desert mountain tour of Joshua Tree National Park. The first photo I took of a solitary Joshua Tree, a giant member of the lily family displayed cool hues of bluish-grey to match the cooler temperatures at 6,000 feet in the Mohave Desert. By the time we made our descent to lower elevation of the Colorado Desert, the golden yellowish colors began to show itself. Just when you think the show is over, the underside of the clouds light up. I like it even more when the clouds start to stretch apart as they get ready to break the horizon with one final golden orange burst of color before transitioning to a natural blending of sunset and twilight—like the stages of a watercolor painting coming together.
When Cecile and I made our way to Ontario Airport, the sky was grey and the air smelled of smoke as it did when we arrived home to Silcon Valley. The contrast from the calm and clean desert air proves once again how nature can be as benign and as it is violent. Our hearts go out to those affected by the raging fires in our beautiful state.
