A Sunset From Happier Times

I've noticed that with the current drought, the sunsets are not as dramatic as they sometimes are. There is little moisture in the air and that means fewer clouds and fewer opportunities for great sunsets.

I took this photo over three years ago, in March 2008, and just came across it while reviewing my old photos for the blog. The view is from the road out of our development. I was struck by it's beauty and stopped by the side of the road to take a few shots. Sunsets can be overdone, but it's obvious why.

The road, in the lower left, drops off just in front of my vantage point and I like the way the two trees frame the picture. I've adjusted the shadows a bit to bring out a little detail, but not too much. In the original photo, the foreground is completely black. The sun has just dropped below the horizon and the streak of clouds adds a dramatic touch.

It's now September and there's a cool front coming through which will drop the daily highs from around 105 to the low 90s. It's still hot, but I'll take a 10 degree drop.

The trees are continuing to drop their leaves and it looks like an early fall. The amount of daylight is the main cue to trees that the days are getting shorter and fall and winter are approaching. This year the trees are dropping their leaves sooner than normal due to the drought. Hopefully, cooler weather will bring some rain.