August 1, 2021

The clouds forming stochastic patterns of warm shades of grays, the first dawn of August arrived with a beautiful sunrise over a serenely calm Atlantic. 

Sunrise appeared offset right from the radial cloud display this morning. It seemed very odd, and as I studied the horizon to understand how this asymmetry occurred, an osprey plunged into the ocean and plucked a summer flounder out of the water directly in front of where I was fishing. I was schooled by a master, as I continued working futilely on understanding the sky-scape in front of me. Maybe it’s just my subconscious need for symmetry and order.

Dawn arrived today with a return to familiar symmetry in the interplay between clouds and sun. Although the misalignment of these components of sunrise yesterday was jarring, it highlighted that which we accept as being common does not shrink the value of that which is unique. 

The morning arrived under a thick layer of clouds that delayed the appearance of the sun by almost an hour. As the sun burned through the clouds, a refractive twin appeared to the north creating the illusion of a double sunrise. 

Sunrise arrived in a channel between two storm fronts that pushed offshore winds against a surging surf. 

The sun, reddened by the atmospheric moisture, rose over the horizon in an almost liquid shape, as another August weekend begins.

As thunderstorms rushed eastward towards the horizon, the sun made a brief showing over a very still ocean, presenting a very narrow window of opportunity to witness today’s sunrise. 

I almost canceled my walk today based on the forecast. Lesson learned: seize opportunities when you can, because the future makes no promises. 

Some sunrises just predict the type of day ahead. Even without knowing that an advisory for a triple digit heat index is predicted, todays appearance of the sun tells it all with its furrowed cloud brow. 

The many faces of dawn on another day with temperatures headed towards the nineties. Today was like walking through a gallery of sunrise paintings — all dramatic, but beautiful. 

Friday the thirteenth arrived with a sunrise seared into the horizon like a cattle brand, glowing sullenly as the dawn air hung like warm wet blanket over the beachfront. Cooler days are coming soon. 

Sometimes day breaks with clouds muscling out the appearance of the sun and we must wait. Today was just such a day, as the clouds begrudgingly ceded the stage to the rising sun an hour past schedule.