“Needless to say that Rainbows in the sky are the personification of Nature’s brilliance.”
 Chandrababu V.S., Indian author

Upon leaving Humboldt, the sun was just breaking through as a rainbow arched across the sky. Only minutes before there had been a sudden cloudburst. Considering the area is a rainforest, this was not out of the ordinary. Amongst the redwoods on California’s northern coast the weather was breezy, clear and unseasonably mild – perfect for an outdoor graduation. Thankfully we arrived home to  cooler temperatures than when we departed. A weekend of brilliant young adults surrounded by the brilliance of nature – life is good.
Bright Sunshine, Pacific Ocean, Raindrop Blue, By-the-Sea Blue, Sunset Violet, Sky’s the Limit Blue, Celestial Blue, Pacific Blue, Solar Blue, Clean Water Blue, Starry Night, Storm Cloud Black, Fresh Air, Sun Glow, Sunny Day, Icy Snowflake Blue, Sunny, Sunset, Lightening Lemon, Sunset Orange, Spring Green, Maui Sunset, Sky Blue, Blizzard Blue, Metallic Sunburst, Amazon Rain Forrest, Blue Glow in The Dark, Blue Sky, Blustery Blue, Solar Flare, Sunshiny Yellow, Surfs Up, Tropical Rainforest, Twilight Blue, Twilight Lavender, Heat Wave, Frost Bite, Spring Frost. Winter Sky and Twister.
Just visualizing these colors prompts imagination. A weather watcher need look no further for good description. All of these can be found in a recognizable and iconic small box.
For many, they were the only school supplies GUSD required for first grade other than a large pencil and eraser. In September we were given one of each: white, black, red, blue, yellow, orange, purple and brown. All eight colors were lined up neatly in a little box, ready for action.
The simple and oh-so wonderful … box of Crayola Crayons.
Since 1903, children (no age limit) have created and explored the world of color with a blank sheet of paper and crayons. The original eight colors evolved over the years into 755 different label color names. Some have survived, some changed and some were discontinued.
During the Civil Rights Movement of the ’60s, “Flesh” was replaced by “Peach.” In 1999, “Indian Red” was changed to “Chestnut.” My favorites are “Mac & Cheese” and “Dirty Dog,” although blue remains      Americans’ favorite.
The first crayon was black. The first box cost a nickel, compared to 99 cents today. The scent of a crayon is number three in recognizable scents. Numbers one and two are coffee and peanut butter.
A single box of crayons holds a rainbow, a child’s first academic tools, an art palette and basic weather words.
A typical May weather pattern has begun to settle in. The familiar “night through morning low clouds” describes the upcoming days. Sunday is predicted to be the warmest, reaching into the 80s. Monday cools down as an onshore flow dominates.
Memorial Day is Monday, so enjoy it with an appreciation of our freedom.

Sue Kilpatrick is a  Crescenta Valley resident and Official Skywarn Spotter for the National Weather Service. Reach her at suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.

  Sue Kilpatrick