In my desert community, homes are spaced so closely together that large chunks of the views are of stucco exteriors, cinder block walls and rooftops. In many ways it seems like a concrete jungle, which is why I often walk and watch the sky from nearby natural areas. But it is possible to enjoy the sky close to home.
Stepping outside the door early Sunday morning, I spied the full moon through the trees and could also hear owls and coyotes.
Standing in the middle of the street, facing east and zooming in all the way with my camera, I found a serene canyon view.
Checking out bits of the sky in the late afternoon:
Going out to the sidewalk for a bigger view of the sky:
At sunset, focusing close-up on a jojoba plant, it became a dark silhouette in front of warm colors. I wondered if sunset colors would have been any better from somewhere else, somewhere more "special" with less concrete.
But the question fell away, and what remained was a peaceful connection to those colors and to everything beyond.
To view posts from other participants who like to watch the sky from wherever they happen to be, visit
Skywatch Friday.
Desert Drama 8:45AM
Foothills 5:55PM
Midtown Mystery 6:00PM
The last picture was taken by my son near the university. He called to ask if I could see the weird cloud. I couldn't see it so he sent me the photo. Thanks Brian!
I was out for a stroll last Saturday evening and the sky started getting all colorful. I quickly walked towards the nearest open area to get a picture without so many houses in the way. I liked some of the ones I took along the way so I included them here.
To see more sepia images, visit Sepia Scenes, a fun photo meme hosted .
Early the next morning we enjoyed some much needed rain.
The clouds turned pink briefly before fading away.
Meanwhile, the real sunset was taking place in the opposite direction, to the southwest.
On the way home, a delicate sliver of the moon appeared beyond the mesquite and juniper trees.
To see sky pictures posted by others from around the world, visit Skywatch Friday hosted by Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy, Louise and Sylvia.
Today for Skywatch Friday I'm sharing some experiments with camera movement while taking sunset pictures.
Standing in the middle of the street, facing east and zooming in all the way with my camera, I found a serene canyon view.
Going out to the sidewalk for a bigger view of the sky:
At sunset, focusing close-up on a jojoba plant, it became a dark silhouette in front of warm colors. I wondered if sunset colors would have been any better from somewhere else, somewhere more "special" with less concrete. 
But the question fell away, and what remained was a peaceful connection to those colors and to everything beyond. 
