"Silent Illumination:" As much wind as there was yesterday trying to blow me down, I almost didn't realize until this moment how uncannily silent the lightning seemed, as if unaccompanied by its usual sidekick, thunder. Whether the wind kept me from hearing it or it truly wasn't as audible, I am not sure. But something about this image just looked devoid of sound. The sun had just set and the sky grew suddenly dark. Here, the lightning stole the show in its own solo act.