The Cloud Appreciation Society

“What a spectacle the subtle vapors that have their habitation in the sky present these winter days! ... Who watched the forms of the clouds over this part of the earth a thousand years ago? Who watches them today?”

H.D. Thoreau, Journal, 1859

Well, of course kite fliers watch clouds all the time. Often the clouds are seen as an attractive backdrop for the kites, but they can be even more attractive when viewed as living entities in their own right. I would encourage all kite fliers to get to know more about clouds — how they are classified, how they work, what meteorological events they portend. A useful and popular guide is The Clouspotter's Guide by Gavin Pretor-Pinney. This is the inaugural publication of the Cloud Appreciation Society, and aims to fight ‘blue-sky thinking’ and teach us to enjoy the contemplation of clouds, nature’s poetry.

The Cloud Appreciation Society has over fourteen thousand members. Join them! Or at least visit their website.