Foto Friday Fun 456: every picture tells a story

This week’s Foto Friday Fun features images chosen by 15 readers including Southwest forests and red rock, mud, South African wildlife and fossils.

Sherry chose #8367.  Always dicey when going for a forest drive during monsoon season but oh so worth the rainbow reward.  Seen in the Kaibab National Forest 9-26-14.

Jeff chose #4136 for the acres burned in the CalFire/Airport Fire when he posted last week.  Don’t think was a “forest” fire, but California has seen plenty of those.  Thinning occurs on the Kaibab National Forest in an attempt to return the Ponderosa Pine forest to the open like environment it should be.  When out for a drive in Lookout Canyon I found a horse-camp with this wonderful old rail fence.

Susan chose #1914, “the year my Mom was born.”  Summer of 2014 was the year Pat visited from Serbia via Seattle.  When folks come to the North Rim, where I was working, I try to show them other places as well and Zion is another nearby national park.

Sue chose #2224, “for our home arrival.”  That’s today as I type.  My home tends to be wherever I park it, like when staying at Mojave National Preserve in February 2016.  Glad I didn’t have to use these human chipped hand and toe holes to get home.  Saw these on the equally daring Banshee Canyon Rings Loop Trail near Hole in the Wall camp.

Diane and Nigel chose #1802.  A most unusual gall growing on an Arizona White Oak tree in Yarnell.

Keith chose #1209, “the date we closed on the land.”  That being near one of my old stomping grounds Tonasket, Washington.  This shot from another of my old stomping grounds, Bryce Canyon National Park in 2010 long before I worked there.  Look closely to see the natural rock bridge visible from Farview lookout.

Cathy chose #1939.  When camped at Toroweap Grand Canyon National Park, one needs to walk carefully to the rim so as not to disturb the cryptobiotic soil.  Instead it’s best to follow the well beaten road one mile to the rim.

Sallie and Bill chose #2263, “My daughter’s birthday and age.”  Not as old as the stars that were seen at the Star Party on the North Rim Grand Canyon.  Here, setting up one of the many telescopes.

Gypsy chose #8012.  Visited the South Rim Grand Canyon with a friend the day before my birthday in 2015.  Seemed strange looking across canyon to my North Rim summer home at the time.  Bright Angel Canyon is where one hikes on the North Kaibab trail and the green at bottom left is Phantom Ranch.  Hmmm, where should I celebrate my birthday this year and will you join me?

Wanda chose #8930.  So much beauty in the Southwest and Valley of Fire is only an hour from Las Vegas.

Rita chose #0391.  A restaurant dinning deck provides opportunity to see wildlife pretty darn close in the private Pilanesberg Game Reserve.  Caption please.

Jennifer chose #2498.  She likes rocks so I presume that includes fossils.  Look closely for the impression, or trace fossil, of a crinoid in this piece of limestone on a fallen Juniper seen at the North Rim Grand Canyon.

Alan and random dot org chose #3598.  One of the big “tuskers” seen at Kruger National Park.

Jodee and Bill chose #5421.  They see ocean way more frequently than I.  Imagine my excitement to wake in camp and walk down to the shore of the Indian Ocean.  More shots coming of the sunrise at the end of the post.

Jo chose #4218.  After taking friends to visit White Pocket in northern Arizona this is the House Rock Valley Road drive north into Utah in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument.

As I was search for photos on 2-22-22 and found Jodee’s photo along the coast taken 2-22-14 it seemed like a no brainer to share a few more shots of that amazing day starting with sunrise, then a privately guided beach walk to the fabulous Mzamba fossil site, and ended with dinner and a beer at MacBanana’s.  All in a day in South Africa.

Thank you for playing along with Foto Friday Fun which allows me to share these photographs and memories.  For more of the story just follow the links.  Please join in next week by leaving a number between 0001 and 9999 in your comment.

Do you have a favorite this week?

Thanks for the memories

For those new to the blog and/or Foto Friday Fun I want to explain how I do this.  I have always been diligent about labeling my photos.  When I scanned prints and started shooting digital I added numbers to the descriptive labels (usually starting over daily or monthly) instead of using the camera default number, which I finally accepted many years later.  That means that a lot of old photos have very low numbers.  Anyway, when you leave a comment with a number, I start with my oldest photos stored on external drives and run a search with your number.  I usually choose the oldest on file that hasn’t been published on the blog already.  Bonus, for years I’ve added a code to my label that identifies where pics have been posted.  Guess I don’t have to explain my complicated system any further.  Needles to say, I am OCD about labeling my photos, amongst other things.