Dear J: Pics With The Digital Camera
Hi [J].
The ‘White Fire’ pic was indeed clouds. All the rest of the sky that afternoon was a very dark gray, with the exception of that little spot which I photographed. The sun was trying to peak through that opening, and the clouds seemed to form a smoldering fire (thus ‘white fire’). I took it while riding in a hay wagon in east central Pennsylvania.
Speaking of clouds at night, the northern lights are supposed to be spectacular over the next few months due to heightened sunspot activity. I hope to get very far north (such as in Maine) in March to see them and maybe get some good pictures of them.
Just bought this digital camera a couple months ago and have really been enjoying learning how to use it. These things are so complicated these days that mastering one is almost as involved as learning to play a musical instrument!!! Lots of bad pics initially. 
But they’re getting better, now that I know how to use the auto and manual focus more effectively.