Chasing Rainbows

I spent last summer taking care of Bev Pettit’s five horses in Skull Valley, Arizona, just south of Prescott. Bev is an international award winning photographer from Minnesota with jaw dropping credentials and a body of work I never grow tired of. 

Granite Mountain 

Bev’s ranch was eight miles back into the mountains and her property bordered the Prescott National Forrest, facing Granite Mountain. 

Monsoon cloud over Granite Mountain

Before I went to Skull Valley I had heard about the monsoon season and how much the  Arizonian's looked forward to it. People would talk to me about the monsoon season, their eyes lighting up as if they were watching fireworks or something. I was told the monsoon skies are some of the most beautiful in the world.

This rainbow was so bright that it reflected like neon on my truck window.

One night while I was doing chores, there were monsoons rolling through the sky. I brought my camera with me to the barn. I didn’t want to miss out on any good photo op’s, and I was not disappointed.

This double rainbow was so big I couldn't fit it in my lens

It typically took me an hour to take care of everything with the barn and horses, but that night it took me three hours to get everything done. I kept stopping to watch the skies and ended up chasing three rainbows that night. I had never seen so many vivid rainbows before and all at once! I kept running back and forth on the ranch from one corner to another capturing the ever changing skies. 

Another view of Granite Mountain

 

This rainbow was literally miles long and lastest for just over two hours. 

I chased this rainbow until there was nothing left of it.

It was so surreal, I didn't want it to end.

The rainbows got pushed aside by a huge fuchsia monsoon. The thunder that accompanied it, was a slow rumbling boom that echoed through the mountains of the national forest. It was a pure photographic ecstasy for me to witness. I can still hear the echo in my head.

And of course, my blog entry would not be complete with out an equine image. Miss you girl!