What a Wonderful World
The view from Chrysalis Inn and Spa. Photo Credit: Mindy Stern
I’m a sucker for beauty. My husband is too. So, in anticipation of our son and his family moving far away, and to mitigate the sadness I knew would set in after they left, I arranged a mini-retreat for us in Skagit and Whatcom counties, just a few hours north of Seattle. After dropping the kids at the airport, we packed our bags and drove to Bellingham. The miles of farmland with Mount Baker in the background soothed our souls. Our hotel was right above the water, and our eyes feasted on birds, fish, and marvelous cloud formations that made an already beautiful sky even more dramatic.
The Harbor in Bellingham. Photo Credit: Mindy Stern
For two days, we explored natural and human-made beauty, from inlets along Samish Island,
Samish Island Vista. Photo Credit: Mindy Stern
to the glass art of Dan Friday, the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, a hidden gem. https://www.monamuseum.org/future-artifacts
Dan Friday’s Lifesize Glass Salmon. Photo Credit: Mindy Stern
Dan Friday’s Glass Feathers and Anchors. Photo Credit: Mindy Stern
We met with a dear friend who recently moved to Bow, to a cottage with serene water and mountain views. We ate fresh figs, and kouign-amann (a delectably sweet, buttery, Breton pastry), and baguettes from the Breadfarm, a destination bakery, for sure!
Photo of Kouign Ammann from The Breadfarm
Our souls were not exactly healed, but we felt more peaceful, and ready to face our new lives without grandkids nearby.
Then we drove to the high desert of Eastern, WA. Arriving Just as the sun was setting over Nahahum Canyon, the sky treated us to gold and peach colors. The clouds had an other-worldly shape, and as the colors intensified, I tried to capture the scene on my cellphone. Snap! I checked the picture – it looked good. Hands trembling with excitement, I fiddled with the camera settings, talking myself through how to take a panorama. I breathed, trying to calm down. Snap! The panorama looked great.
Wondering what kind of natural phenomenon we were witnessing, I sent my photo off to Cliff Mass, the University of Washington professor who teaches atmospheric science.
Dear Dr. Mass,
I took the totally UNDOCTORED photo below on Friday night as the sun was setting in Cashmere WA. The shape of the clouds reminds me of a photo I once saw of Mt Rainier with an explanation that it “creates its own weather.”
Can you please help me understand what weather phenomenon is the cause of this striking cloud formation?
Thanks!
Mindy Stern
He responded almost immediately,
“Those are magnificent photos...and you are exactly right...those are mountain wave/lenticular clouds. Tremendous example. I am going to blog about them today.....would it be ok if I show your picture (with credit, of course, to you)...”
I said yes! Here’s a link to Dr. Mass’ blog with a fuller explanation of how moist air passing over the mountains creates clouds shaped like plates.
Lenticular Clouds, Nahahum Canyon, Cashmere, WA Photo Credit: Mindy Stern
After four nights away, we returned home. Our hearts were still achy, but also full of awe for the beauty we had just soaked in. What a wonderful world!