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September 25, 2006
An after dinner conversation between father and daughter
After a hearty meal of a highly modified "Mexican Casserole" (thanks South Beach), I noted a gorgeous sky begging for attention from our garden...err, backyard.
As Kimberly has noted to me several times, the Midlands is regularly blessed with beautiful skyscapes, between grey downpours of course. I chalk it up to being on an island.
Anway, I brought my daughters outside and they took turns sitting upon my shoulders to get a better vantage over the fence towards the horizon. Araceli then asked the obvious question, "Daddy, why are the clouds different colors?" Now, I think it's very important to try to answer all of my children's questions very directly, and when comprehension is out of reach, I generally don't let them off with simplistic nonsense.
My reply was something along the lines of "Well honey, the shallow angle of the sunlight means that some the light is travelling through more atmosphere than the rest. That slows it down and enlarges the wavelengths. So when the light bounces off water in the clouds at different elevations, you see the difference as colors. I think..."
She was silent for a moment. Then she said "I guess I'll understand that when I'm older."
I chuckled. "Sooner than later, I'll bet."
She pointed, "Look! That cloud is happy because it's pink!"
Perfect.
Posted by SunSword at September 25, 2006 01:34 AM
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