Ring Around the Sun

Posted on May 13, 2005 in Weather

My travels took me to the sea, on the bluffs south of Laguna Beach. While having lunch, I looked up. A layer of cirrus clouds looking like torn up tissue paper caught the rays of the sun and dyed themselves the brilliant colors of the rainbow. Another spectrum circled the sun overhead. There was no rain or threat of it. The sea waited for the weekend’s sailboats and surfers.

Earlier, one of my lunch companions, had told us about “green flash” sunsets. These occur under exacting atomospheric conditions off the coast of California. Just as the sun sets, there is a verdant explosion. Then all goes dark. My friend had seen this happen twice.

“Well,” I said to her. “It seems to me that you attract miracles.” She laughed and looked at the clouds through her polarized glasses so she could see the fine pores of the overhanging steam.