Today while driving to my daughter's house I was treated to the vista of a deep blue sky with powder-puff clouds. Painting perfect!

Which got me thinking, as such a view usually does; why do clouds float?

I had my theories and went to check them online.

My theory was wrong. I thought it was for the same reason steam rises but, though there is a similarity, that isn't how they work.

The particles that the water condenses on are tiny but they do have weight and all together the particles in one cloud can weigh tons. They float because they are spread out enough and small enough to be buoyed up by the warm air around them. That's where the similarity is: the steam is warm and the air is warm. The article I read compared it to dust motes, another lovely subject.

Science aside, clouds are compelling. They can appear all fluffy and happy or they can be powerful and threatening. We see white clouds, varying shades of grey clouds, and black clouds. At sunrise and sunset they are amazing shades of red, orange, pink, yellow and purple. In massive thunderstorms they can look as green and full of water as the ocean. There are mare's tails, cotton puffs, majestic mountains, wisps and solid featureless layers that blanket the sky. Sometimes, they even look like Snoopy or Micky Mouse.

Go outside. Look up. What kind of clouds do you see?