You know it's hot when...

the sky brings forth a cumulonimbus cloud.

Nature photo of the day: anvil cloud traveling northbound.

cloud watchers know
just as mushroom hunters do
that certain specimens are best left alone
when the temperatures soar
so do the anvils
high up in the sky
waiting for their moment 
to throw a bright strike
down to earth
from out of the blue
there are no out of bounds 
for there are no rules
when it comes to summer storms
who survives, survives,
who gets hit takes a chance
and who hides 
well, it depends
on the circumstance.

- Cheryl M.

Yesterday the temperature in Breb hit an all time high of 38°C (100.40°F). The sky was bright and sunny until the humidity peaked and a series of clouds rolled in around four in the afternoon. The wind picked up and slammed the open windows shut as one storm came from the south, to collide with another further east.

It happens often in the mountains that clouds vie for attention in the sky, this time the easterly clouds picked - and won - the fight.

The picturesque cloud in question threw some illuminating bolts, only minutes before Roland was due to get off the bus at the top of the road - from there our home is a 35-minute walk.