Creativity in the Clouds

Yesterday, I detoured on the way home from work and went the "long" way down residential roads instead of toward the freeway because I spotted a really cool cloud to the east, and I wanted to get a better look. I took a grainy picture of the cloud while I was at a red light:

It was totally worth the extra minutes I added to my commute. What do you see? I see a gorgeous cloud that looks like it is erupting out of the mountain - but I also see a baby laying on his back, his right arm crossed over his chest, cocooned in fluffy blanket. I love the first wonder of seeing a striking cloud, followed by the art the unfolds when I look closer.

This afternoon, I used a one-minute break between calls to hop up and take this picture of the view outside my window at work (the white lines are reflections in the glass):

What do you see? At first, I see a gorgeous cumulus cloud, but then I see two faces in profile, looking to the north (left), one looking like an early period dandy, the one on the right more wide-faced - I almost think I'm looking at the human versions of Lumiere and Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast. 

This evening, while walking to my parking spot from the office, I stopped to gape and took this photo:

What do you see? A stratus cloud is usually less obvious to me. I just see beautiful patterns but sometimes, I see a crowd of people or a row of teeth. Toward the top right, I see a monkey facing right and holding his right arm up like he's getting ready to go into a boxing match but doesn't really know how to box. 

To me, clouds are as noteworthy as seeing the aurora borealis (though I would pause a lot longer if I ever had the opportunity to witness that in person). Each cloud is so distinctive and can change so much. Each one is a gorgeous work of art.

I love challenging children to tell me what they see in the clouds, and making up stories about the cloud art. The same challenge can be applied to adults. Apparently, some people don't see the people and dancing animals every time they look at a cloud, ha! Enjoy the next set of clouds that come your way and challenge yourself, and the people you are with, to be creative, and look for the cloud art. 

Application to teaching music:

This is a fun way - you can cut out giant, fluffy clouds, and place them all around the room, then hide things beneath them - the song to sing, an action for the song, a trivia question about the song - I hid a cloud on the ceiling once, and it was so fun to help the kids figure out where I hid the last cloud.