A Moment for the Sublime

Every now and then, you just need to stop and appreciate the world around you. After several days of hectic activity and stress, today offered a wonderful opportunity to do just that:

This picture really does not do justice to the real thing. For one, the colors aren't quite right. They were so much richer, stunning purples, oranges and reds. The bright spot where the sun is setting wasn't quite so distinct, and rising from that area was a region of relatively uniform width that seemed like the beam of a spotlight shining straight up. It was wonderful to just take a break from things for a moment to enjoy this beautiful, fleeting moment.

And, for those who enjoy chuckling at the paranormal, orbs!

Does this flash make my orbs look big?

Clearly, ghosts love to watch the sunset, too.