It was Tuesday evening around 7:00. The rain had stopped, the air was still,
and there were pictures that had to be taken.
Even in the land of amazing skies, I don't remember ever seeing one like this.
The feral beast accompanied me down the path to the back 40,
and we stopped often to watch the clouds and the sunbeams.
And then it started...a noise, a rumble, a sound of unknown origin.
It was coming from the west, on the other side of those mountains,
but far far away, like Arizona-far.
The longer we stood there, the louder it got,
and the more perplexed I got. Aliens? Tanks?
North Korea is off in that direction...an intercontinental ballistic missile?
The feral beast couldn't figure it out either.
I followed his lead and ran toward home, feeling immensely guilty
that I was abandoning my herd in the back 40 to the likes of Kim Jong-un.
But then the noise was on top of us and the wind went from 0 to 60 in a split second.
Who knew weather fronts could make that kind of noise? Not me.
Lesson learned. Though I'll still be on the lookout for aliens, tanks and ICBMs.
And the herd is fine, of course. Right?
ReplyDeleteWOW, what amazing photos! The noise though ... that's kinda creepy, scary.
ReplyDeletethis is scary, glad you are all ok. it is beautiful to look at.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful skies, amazing photos. Glad you and the feral beast took heed. Little JCC could have become airborne! I had heard of the noise a tornado makes, but this is a new one on me, too.
ReplyDeleteI will be humming the 5 notes from Close Encounters all day now :-) those are amazing pics. The sound and wind were likely from an invisible space shape. That's the only logical explanation, right?
ReplyDeleteKinda sounds like one of those microburst things. But I didn't know they made any kind of a noise on their approach.
ReplyDeleteThose pictures are stunning ... especially that 3rd one down -- Wow!! Hugs from CO ... Marcia
The pictures are SPECTACULAR! It's a little disappointing that you weren't videoing so we can't hear what you heard OR what you must have said! SCARY!
ReplyDeleteWrong direction from Roswell? Beautiful photos though.
ReplyDeleteTornadoes sound like a freight train. It is terrifying. We had a microburst in MA when I lived there. The difference is that the wind blows straight instead of in a vortex. It still ripped 300 year old trees out of the ground like an angry giant.
ReplyDeleteBeing a cloud watcher, I oh so wished I could have been there with you...those photos
ReplyDeleteare absoutely beautiful...I have never seen something like that either....The noise, not
so much....Hope the mini me dough boy shuts up and goes away...LOl
Glad you and the trail blazer made it home without incident. As for the herd, I think they
weathered whatever was out there...Right?
Love from NC
Right! Mini me dough boy...what a great descriptor.
DeleteThose rays of light make me think of biblical events the way movies show them. WOW I think we've all seen small versions of this, but your display is spectacular. I knew right away when I saw the photos that there's a name for such an event and had to go look it up. I followed Google to Wikipedia and read about crepuscular rays, also known as God rays. They frequently happen at twilight when the difference between dark and light is most obvious. Then I had to try to find out if microbursts cause a loud noise. I found a forum where one person told of experiencing one and said it made them think that a tornado was coming. You just happened to be in the right place at the right time to witness both events at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI always learn so much from your comments, Peg. Thanks for doing the research.
DeleteHere in the mtns. of Kern County, CA, we're having WIND too. Several days already & more to go. It was really noisy last night & kept waking me up. I'm guessing 40-50 miles per hour. It must have been scary to hear such noise. Glad you're all safe. Sandy
ReplyDeleteare your babies okay?? these photos are amazing!
ReplyDeleteThey're all okay.
DeleteThank goodness it wasn't a tornado. It could have blown you, the herd and the feral beast to Oz! Now that would be interesting.....
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures! Love your sense of humor, too!
ReplyDeleteStunning and creepy at the same time. I would have scared myself trekking out there to take photos. But I would have done it just for those amazing shots.
ReplyDeleteUgh - I heard a sound like that at 2 am during hurricane Matthew when the eye wall rolled over us. 0 - 75 instantly. Made the hairs on my neck stand straight up...
ReplyDeleteAround here we call those glory clouds. :D
Glory clouds - perfect name for them.
DeleteNuzzling Muzzles talks about those kind of flash storms; I believe she called them 'haboobs' (don't know if that is a technical term or not).
ReplyDeleteI've seen pictures of haboobs moving through Arizona - massive wind storms that roll through stirring up all the dirt and swallowing towns. There wasn't any dust with my noise, which almost made it stranger.
Deleteyour place is so attractive that even aliens want to come to visit you! I would say a military testing of some high altitude drones
ReplyDeleteWow, how beautiful! I love seeing those. Sounds like an "Auntie Em" moment to me :-O
ReplyDeleteLiving in southern California, near the 29 Palms Marine base, I wake up every morning and look for mushroom-shaped clouds. I have no idea what I would do if I ever saw one...probably bend over and kiss my #@@ goodbye! I feel your fear.
ReplyDeleteSometimes here we gets storms with big wind gusts, and because we are in a forest on the back side of the highest hill in the area, at times the gusts roar right over us, the worst of them only clipping the tops of the trees as they go by. It is quite amazing how loud they are and how spooky it is hearing them coming and wondering if this will be the one that takes down a tree onto the cottage!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos!!!
ReplyDeleteAlways best to follow an animal's "advice" regarding weather changes!
I think they are more in tune with nature than we are! ;)