Project 365: Day 31, Impending Storm

These photos were taken yesterday, 

as the impending storm made it's way towards us in North Carolina.  

The storm wreaked havoc across the Southeast.  Tornados in Georgia, flooding in our NC mountains.  Here in the Piedmont Triad we had lots of rain and very heavy winds.   We had a tornado watch (which means that conditions are right for a tornado, but one hasn't been spotted).  There were reports of trees down, and that's really what I was most afraid of.  We've got lots of trees in our yard.  But we were, thank God, just fine.  

For us, it was nothing more than water and wind.

These photos were taken about an hour before the rain began.  It was certainly windy... the clouds were racing across the sky and I finally went inside when a small branch was blown out of the tree and landed on the ground beside me.

All of these photos are SOOC.

This is the first day I've skipped my photo a day... I took nearly 70 photos yesterday, so I guess that's okay. I'm still going to count this as Day 31.  :)

Skywatch: Snow Day!

Snow is pretty rare in our part of North Carolina, and everyone gets excited when it comes!  We actually had a thundersnow, which is even rarer.  Thunder, lightning and snow all at once.  Strange, amazing, and oh so cool.  We ended up with close to 3" at our house, but this is North Carolina and it is fast melting.  The sun is out, the sky is blue.  After a week of gray skies and rain, this is such a nice change.

The best part?  In our neck o' the woods, everything shuts down when it snows.  The grocery store shelves are emptied of bread, milk and eggs (french toast, anyone?) and we prepare to hunker down.  Sounds silly, I know.  But that's just the way it is here "in the South".  Soooo, school was cancelled (SNOW DAY) and I spent the morning with the girls playing in the snow -- quick!  before it melts!

Last night, as the snow started falling

The snow was melting so quickly off of the top branches that it seemed to be raining.

And this little guy was hanging out in our front yard.

Skywatch: Episode 27

Thursday, 3pm.  A cloudy day.  This burst of sunshine was poking brightly through a circle in the clouds, and was positioned perfectly behind the spire of a church.  It was truly magical!

Sunrise, Wednesday.  Just a sliver of moon.

Just after sunrise, Thursday.  The sun was burning brightly behind the clouds, trying to burn them off.  Carolina blue sky waiting patiently behind.  Alas, the clouds won.  This photo was taken about 8am, and the first photo (with the church spire) was taken about 3pm in the same day.  SOOC

Tuesday.  We've had unseasonably warm days (and even warmer coming up this weekend!), and the birds are out full force.  There were several way, way up at the top of the trees, and despite the zoom the birds were blurry.  Took a little artistic liberties with this one; I really like it!

Linking up to Skywatch!  Take a minute to explore the skies throughout the world.  Click the photo below.

Project 365: January 4, 2013, Day 4

Sunset.  Darn those power lines.