An overcast day only hinting of sun suits my mood. I like taking walks in it. When dusty clouds tinged with peach, pink, turquoise and orange hover, my thoughts are romantic. Pathetically I imagine living in that old gothic building jutting over the Hudson, or have a cotton-headed fantasy about the preference bestowed upon me by the universe, wherein hordes of lovely people who like my books buttress my existence with praise and favor in all manner, form and “activity.”
The texture of clouds and colors on these days are the canvas for the depths of my thoughts and for the melancholy hue of self-indulgence. I’m not afraid to allow myself to be seen, to reveal myself in this atmosphere, and can discuss with myself, out loud – if walking on a quiet road — how to handle an ongoing conflict with the obese service worker, or the blatant truth about the direction of my life, or the spiritual benefit of never blaming anyone other than myself.
Centuries old artists capture the beauty of the powdery, melancholy sky as a palette against the flora or peasant’s valley. As a transporting exercise in recreation, I imagine the woods across the street against a pastel textured, dark-hued sky a hundred and fifty years past.
I prefer this to the harassment and shock of a sheer blue day. The demand, the brightness shining on every flaw of my life are too much for me to endure at times. The intrusion is audacious — it embodies the collective idea that it’s the perfection of days and that I should be impelled to romp about in it to serve my health.
What crap is this? The sun burning my eyes, my chest clenched with the weight of all this expectation. Bah. My name is Sandee, and I’m not a great fan of the overbearing sun.
1800ukillme 
Sandee be thy name: I love these two phrases: “melancholy hue of self-indulgence”; and, “the harassment and shock of a sheer blue day.”
Good stuff!
G
Thanks Gigi! I appreciate the feedback.
Beautiful piece, Sandee. That sky is absolutely amazing. I would take that over the blue, too. A melancholy sky does seem to bring out pondering and wondering, a certain quietness. It seems to encourage reflection.
See, I knew I wasn’t the only one! Thanks BF!
Lovely!
And nothing beats a photograph taken on an overcast day.
Thanks TW! I’m going to invest in a nice camera soon so I can take nice photos on days like this often — all the ones below except for the two taken with my cheap phone camera — I got from wikimedia commons.
wow!
🙂
I never knew you wrote prose pieces.. what a pleasant surprise
“The demand, the brightness shining on every flaw of my life are too much for me to endure at times. “.. that alone could make a poem.. I know this feeling well and I too prefer a hint of cloud cover, makes me feel better..
much enjoyed this!
Thanks! I’m spending these lately writing prose outside of my blog. I think the exercise has bled into my blog a little.
I love what you wrote here, lady. I call this feeling, “Expansive.” It does have a romantic quality to it. I don’t think everyone experiences these moments, to be honest. It’s a little spiritual, isn’t it? It’s like you feel your place in the universe and it makes you question and think deep thoughts. Maybe it’s the weather or a hiding sun that brings it on?
For me it’s the beach — something about the waves coming in and going out and the sound and the sand beneath my feet… I always feel that euphoric, sort of expansive feeling there.
Anyway, carry on my beautiful friend. You don’t have to have a fantasy that people love your writing, we do!!! LOVE!
Have a great Day!!
Lisa
Thanks Lisa! I like “expansive.” I think I’ll muse a bit on that word 🙂 I enjoy the beach also. I feel really peaceful and relaxed hearing the sound of the waves. I hope you’re enjoying your day as well. I’m off now to do laundry — yay!
Love it!
And I think this is exactly why I loved living in Seattle. There’s a certain mystique about it. Alas, I live in Florida,The Sunshine State.
Thanks Adrienne! With my preference for these types of days in mind, I recently wondered if I’d like living in Seattle, or Oregon.
I’d say yes.
Coming from such a sunny place I loved living there. It made me really appreciate sunny days because in the winter they were so few and far between. It does rain there but it’s a nice light mist. I loved everything about the weather there.
I’m a HUGE fan of the sun, but also of Sandee, which pretty much make me bi-lingual, right? =p
Aw thanks Stacie — mucho appreciato! I’m blushing…
Nicely “painted,” Sandee. Sometimes we need a seduction of the senses, not a full-out assault! xoxoM
So many cool phrases I’m getting from these comments — ‘seduction of the senses’ — I like that one! Thanks Margarita!
Beautiful. I love the pictures too
Thanks! I took the last two with my free phone camera so the quality isn’t the best, but I was hoping everyone would see the idea. I’ve got to get a real camera soon — I do enjoy taking pictures.
I’m more of a sheer blue day person, I admit. Those days force me to peek out from under the gray clouds of my own making.
Hmmm… It’s really interesting to see how different people react to the atmosphere of a day. Today’s a pretty bright one for sure. I just got back from jogging in it — not so bad.
Wow. You outdid yourself with this post, Sandee. Lovely. You always make me think of things in different ways. I never really thought so specifically about climate conditions influencing my interactions with others or my outlook, although I know bright sunshine makes me feel better. But melancholy gray days have their purpose in my life too.
Thanks Carrie! I’m glad you could appreciate this. I also think that just like the changing climate, the seasons, etc., we shift and change also at some level outside of the core. Maybe I’ll be a bright sunny day person at some point.
I’m not really a bright sunny person, but if I didn’t get sun from time to time, I’d be a beast for sure!
Hahahaha! I think I probably need the bright sun here and there as well.
Beautiful…
BTW did you get a date from your personal ad!?
Aw thanks Sistasertraline! I’m glad you liked it.
Haha! — I must say that that post was just a gag! I always say I’d never actually sign up for online dating, but you know what they say, never say never.
I’d stick with that strategy if I were you 😉
I’m with you!
A fellow admirer of the ‘gothic’ skies.
This reminds me of a poem that I wrote when I was a teenager. I mean that as a compliment. Ugh, let’s start over.
That was wonderful. I like an overcast day myself. There’s nothing complicated about cloudy days. Lovely, Sandee.
Aw, I get the compliment! Thank you Emily!
I’m glad you could appreciate reading it…
Sandee-
you don’t need that photograph in this piece as your beautiful words masterfully paint a clear, vivid image in my mind. Wonderfully done
Oooh, thanks Audra! What a compliment. I’ll take it on this cloudy day!
Those are beautiful photos, Sandee. I’ve always preferred nighttime to daytime, and cloudy or partly cloudy to sunny days. They’re more interesting, more moody, and I totally get what you mean about the melancholy hue of self-indulgence—well said, that’s the perfect way of describing it.
It’s so nice to write about these things and see that other people can relate. Thanks MW! I’m glad you could appreciate it.
I love the look of a bight sunny day. I don’t like it to touch me skin. My kids call me a vampire. lol
Bright sunny days do have their appeal, but I think my romantic side comes out when the day is overcast.
BF is the best!
Lovely written piece!
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it!
Sandee, this was just magnificent! The pictures, your words — all of it. I like that you talk out loud to yourself — I do that a lot myself. That path — is that the one you walk on? It’s gorgeous. I love cloudy days too. And great big thunderstorms.
Thanks so much Brigitte! You made me remember that I also like thunderstorms, especially the lightening bolts — as long as I’m inside, however…