CLOUDSPOTTING!
Posted 08-28-2010 at 07:55 AM by STM
Well folks,
cloud spotting, why not. One of the weirdest hobbies I have ever heard of and quickly became enthralled in. I suggest to you, my fellow forumers, to join me in my plight for soul enlightenment through those puffy little fellers up in the sky.
Ok, basically three years ago my mums mate bought me a cloud spotters book for a laugh a few xmas' back. I dismissed it at first but after exorcising the library that is my bedroom of all but the dullest of books, I decided to take it up and finish it. One of the greatest books I ever picked up. The actual book, "The Cloud Spotters Guide" written by "Gavin Pretor-Pinney." Is fantastically articulated and written with confident yet subtle humour allowing for one to deeply enjoy the marvels that are the clouds.
What's great is it's so calming to actually sit down in my garden at different times of day and spot the different cloud "genera" and "species" for example, cumulus humilis, the little fair weather clouds that are small and puffy, rarely exist after 15:00 when there is not enough evaporation to sustain them, therefore, they dissipate. Possibly more fantastically is that the clouds can transform and evolve from CH1 to CH4 for example.
The book helped me relax and keep my anger at bay, it also allowed me to keep sane through my increasingly stressing GCSE's and I thought it might do the same for you lot. So go fort hand collect the clouds.
If you are interested I suggest the following in the following books in the following order:
The Cloud Spotters Guide - Gavin Pretor-Pinney
The Cloud Book, How to understand the skies - Richard Hamblyn
The Cloud Collectors Handbook - Gavin Pretor-Pinney (again)
Basically a real laff!