The sun is coming up! The sun is coming up!

The Eastern Sky from my house at 6:50 a.m.

I grew up on the east bench of Farmington, Utah, with a long deck spanning the width of our house, and a view of the Great Salt Lake. Every night my parents would talk about the sunset; calling us and each other out to see it.

I never got it. I thought it was pretty enough but hey guys, it happens every day. Are we really amazed that the sun goes down every day? They just got so dang excited about it.

It's like the weather. Have you noticed? Only old people go on and on about the weather. That and worrying about someone having to drive around THE POINT OF THE MOUNTAIN! (This is the spot where Salt Lake County turns into Utah County, and is essentially the dividing line between the more metropolitan worldly Utah and the ultra-conservative, ultra-Mormon, BYU-land Utah.)

They think that dragons and trolls are there and will throw your car off the road or something. I think it didn't use to be paved or something but dear everyone over 50, it is just a freeway now. I think we can handle it.

The Eastern Sky at 6:55 a.m., almost to Sam's ride. It looks so bright because a headlight altered the exposure.

Anyway, I grew up with the belief that the Place To Live was on the East Bench in the Salt Lake Valley because of the views. OH THE VIEWS. And yes, there are some spectacular ones. But most of them aren't that amazing.

The best kept secret in Utah is the views from the south west end of the valley. From here, we can see the entire mountain range to the east, and another one to the west. We see the sunrises AND the sunsets. And the sunrises are amazing.

I have to leave at 6:45 a.m. to get Sam, my 13-year-old, to his ride by 7:00 a.m.  This is the perfect time to watch the sun come up.

I guess I am getting old, or maybe it's the new view, because you don't even think about the sunrise when you live halfway up the west side of a mountain.  The sun sort of comes up over your shoulder. You can't really watch it. It's not there and then the world gets lighter and suddenly the sun is in the sky. Meh.

The city lights look like smoldering coals.

I think this fascination has something to do with my age because Sam doesn't seem to be so impressed. It's like my own light show every morning, in the sky. In technicolor! Why are you playing your DS? THE SUN IS COMING UP! "Yes, mom. The sun comes up every day."  Wait, didn't I say that to my parents?

So here's what happens: I'm supposed to be taking my 7th grader to school, and instead of my usual driving activities of focusing on the road, consuming caffeine, listening to NPR & texting at red lights, I'm doing all of the above plus staring, pointing and shouting at the sky. Then in the ultimate exercise in man vs. nature futility I'm pulling over, holding my little iPhone camera up to the magnificent and enormous heavens, and taking cell phone pictures.

I know. It's embarrassing.

I think especially in the winter, due to the way the air flows and the clouds gather, the morning skies are extra spectacular. I guess we'll find out as we move into spring and summer, won't we?

About two minutes after this, the sun popped up.

Oh yes, this is just the beginning of the sky photos you're going to see. Ryan is subjected to them almost daily.  You thought you were going to sleep in, did you? TOO BAD! DID YOU KNOW THE SUN IS COMING UP??? YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS! He's such a good sport about it too, bless him.

If no one else appreciates the sky in the morning, does that mean the show is just for me? The answer is, not anymore, because I'm going to share it with you!

Next time I'll carry my real camera and maybe my 10-22 lens and see what I can get. I know you can't wait! I bet Sam will be excited to leave a little earlier so we can do this project.

I'm such a nerd.

(For more nerdy goodness, click on each photo for a larger view. I did not alter these in Photoshop.)

Green man says go!