Around the Fire Looks to the Sky. What is it about Rainbows?

Be thou the rainbow to the storms of life!
The evening beam that smiles the clouds away,
And tints tomorrow with prophetic ray!
~Lord Byron
One day, we were out to dinner with friends. The restaurant is like a giant greenhouse with plants hanging and standing in every available space. We were enjoying one another’s company and looking out the window for the deer and turkeys that often visit when I saw it. The end of the rainbow. It was right there in the field. It didn’t really touch the ground, but that’s where it ended. I’ve always seen this gorgeous phenomenon in the sky. Never touching the ground. But there it was. Nope, no leprechauns, no pot of gold, only the riches of its glory that I treasure in my heart. This was before cell phones, so in my heart and mind are the only places I can hold it. 
I’ve always pulled off the road or gotten out of wherever I was when it seemed perfect timing for a rainbow sighting. My favorites are when there are doubles. I’ve been able to capture several of these. On one of my friend’s wedding days, it rained but paused in time for a few quick pics. It wasn’t until the photos came in that a perfect double rainbow was behind them.
Rainbows are seen whenever there are water drops in the air and sunlight shining from behind at a low altitude. There are a few things to unpack from this.
One of my books, called Rainbow Sprinkles, has the tagline After the storm come the rainbows. Storms blow through our lives. Even the worst storm will come to an end, though. That’s our hope, isn’t it? That in the end, we’ll find our rainbow. But only if we look. I love that the sunlight shines through the rain and brings such a colorful beauty. 
I havea few pictures of rainbows. And some, if you really look, are doubles. And if you still haven’t had enough, here are some interesting facts about them.

• You can see a circular rainbow from the sky. While you’re on the ground, you can only observe the classic semi-circular rainbow (hence the word ‘bow’). However, when you’re flying in an airplane and looking down below, sometimes you can actually see a rainbow as a complete circle! 
• You are less likely to see a rainbow in the winter because of snow! In the winter months, temperatures in the upper atmosphere drop to freezing, causing the raindrops to freeze into snow, blocking the light from passing through the drop or the snowflake.
• A double rainbow appears when light reflects twice in a raindrop. They are two distinct reflections that are coming from two different angles. It will be a little bit higher and fainter in color than the primary rainbow, and the colors will be reversed. 
• Earth is the only planet in the solar system with rainbows.
• The longest-observed rainbow lasted for nearly 9 hours.
• The average rainbow is observable for less than an hour. But in 2017, students and professors of a Chinese university observed a rainbow for 8 hours and 58 minutes.
• No two people see the exact same rainbow. If you and a friend are standing next to one another looking at a rainbow, you’re still not seeing the exact same rainbow! That’s because a rainbow has no physical presence; it is purely optical. Its precise shape, arc, and the width of its color bands will be slightly different according to the eye of the beholder. That means every rainbow is unique to you!

To me a rainbow is hope and promise for the future. A beauty and comfort that I’ll never take for granted. What things make you stop in your tracks just to enjoy them?

After the storm come the rainbows.
About
Retired and widowed Gloriana Jones is forging on with the plans she and her late husband dreamed of—bringing joy and happiness, one ice cream cone at a time, to Lake Unami. But bad weather is drowning her dream. A trip to Upstate NY is bittersweet for Nathan James. He is excited to see his first granddaughter but without his wife he’s lonely. When his car breaks down, he heads to the only light he can see, an ice cream shop. With aid from a heavenly source, electricity sparks, but will the two weather the summer storms and find love a second time? Or will their hopes and dreams melt away?
A peek inside.
“Do you mind if I wait until the tow truck gets here?” He plucked the wet shirt away from his chest with the long fingers of one tanned hand. “It must be electrical, even the radio stopped working.”
“No, you’re welcome to hang around as long as you need.” Gloriana riffled through a cardboard box under the counter, pulled out an extra-large t-shirt, and tossed it to him. “Here you go. The restroom is through there.”
Mr. Gorgeous beamed a perfect toothy smile. “Thanks. I’ll be right back.”
When he disappeared into the hallway and the door clicked shut, Gloriana fanned her face. What the hot fudge was wrong with her? “Coffee. Make coffee.”
 
About the Author
Hi, my name is D. V. Stone. I am a multi-genre author of two independently published books. Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar is a fantasy romance. Agent Sam Carter and the Mystery at Branch Lake is a mid-grade paranormal. Recently, Rock House Grill was released by Wild Rose Press. Rainbow Sprinkles, a novella released on July 8th. I also host Welcome to the Campfire and A Peek Through the Window, both weekly blogs. Here’s a little more about me.
Born in Brooklyn, D.V. Stone has moved around a bit and even lived for a time on a dairy farm in Minnesota before moving back east. Throughout her wandering, she always considered herself a Jersey Girl. She met and married the love of her life, Pete—a lifelong Jersey Man, and moved this time to Sussex County. They live with Hali, a mixed breed from the local shelter, and their cat Baby.
D.V.’s career path varied from working with the disabled and becoming a volunteer EMT, which in turn led to working in hospital emergency rooms and then in a women’s state prison. After a few years, she took a break from medicine and became the owner of Heavenly Brew, a specialty coffee shop in Sparta, NJ, and a small restaurant in Lafayette. Life handed some setbacks. She ended up back in the medical field, but this time in a veterinary emergency hospital. 
“Thank you for taking the time to read about me. Each time you open the pages to one of my books, I hope you’ll be swept away by the story and find encouragement in your own life, never to give up on hope.”
 D.V. Stone