Summer

Yesterday when I was driving home there was a thunderstorm. I had to cut my speed through the rain so I only got home at about eight, just before dark.

The sky was black, and raining, horizon to horizon - except for one huge hole in the far west, just above the mountains. Through this jagged crater of blue golden light poured out. Blinded, I looked away - and I saw a rainbow.

I always take note of rainbows - if there's any chance of one happening I check outside every thirty minutes or so just so I don't miss it - so I've seen a lot of them. But this one was totally unique. Because it was happening in the golden glow of twilight, the red, orange and pink were profoundly vivid against the grey skies - and because the sun was just passing beyond the horizon it was a huge and unbroken arc from horizon to horizon. It lit up the sky, turning the stormclouds a shade of purple; a rainbow through gold; all the shades of red banded by the thinnest of blues and greens.

It was there for only five minutes before the sun set and it disappeared. Sunsets and rainbows are beautiful because they're so transitory - but the memories I make of them will carry on so long as I do.

World's still beautiful. Merry Christmas.