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Foto Friday Fun 481: every picture tells a story

This week’s Foto Friday Fun features images chosen by 13 readers including Southwest red rock, South African wildlife, and friends.

The Wave Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness AZ

The Wave Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness AZRita chose #9207, one of two in a panorama.  These ancient dunes turned to stone tell a story over time of changing wind directions that leave behind the lines called bedding planes.  The Wave, Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, Arizona/Utah border.

Stream Drakensberg hike KwaZulu-Natal ZAJo chose #1900, the time of late guests arrival.  This, a stream in her nearby Drakensberg Mountains, seen while hiking with her son during my 2010 visit to South Africa.

Gaelyn Coyote Buttes North Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness AZSherry chose #8987.  That’s me on the hike to the above Wave.  Then entire landscape is amazing.

Gaelyn South Kaibab Trl Grand Canyon National Park Arizona

View N to E from S Kaibab trail GRCA NP AZAlan and random dot org chose #381.  Me on a another hike.  In November 2010 headed down the South Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch, the bottom of Grand Canyon.  Plus that’s the view I was enjoying along the way.

Clouds over canyon from Lodge NR GRCA NP AZGypsy chose #3116.  Grand Canyon from the North Rim Lodge.  I believe you can see the trail I was on above, just right of center.

Buffalos at waterhole Addo Elephant NP SASallie and Bill chose #7812.  A herd of Buffalo at a waterhole in Addo Elephant National Park.  Not the best shot, but hopefully you can see our Bison, called buffalo, look nothing like these true Buffalo.  Happy Birthday Sallie!

Sunrise Pilanesberg GR SACathy chose #0004.  While on safari I saw more sunrises than normal for me.  Best time to see wildlife.  This shot from Pilanesberg Game Reserve, South Africa.

Last light thru storm clouds Vallecito Mts Anza-Borrego Desert SP CAJodee and Bill chose #2516.  A stormy last light and the Vallecito Mountains in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Last light on Santa Rosa Mts Anza-Borrego Desert SP CALiberal Warrior chose #1982.  A few days earlier than the above shot, last light on the Santa Rosa Mountains, Anza-Borrego.

Sasha White Pocket Vermilion Cliffs NM AZDiane and Nigel chose #1308.  Today is Diane’s birthday so her greeting comes from Sasha, a dog she met while visiting the Southwest.  I only wish the two of them could have made it to White Pocket with Sasha.

Widforss Point & temples from Transept trail NR GRCA NP AZBarb chose #1717.  A morning view of Grand Canyon from the Transept Trail on the North Rim.

Fog & snowy view over Transept canyon from RV window NR GRCA NP AZJennifer chose #0816.  My RV view of Transept Canyon the end of April, 2014.  Yes, that’s spring, and before the North Rim Grand Canyon National Park opens May 15th.

Elephants Addo Elephant NP SAJeff chose #7772, “what we spent today to fill the RV freezer with Marion’s pizza.”  It must be good and I hope to hear more about those pizzas.  In Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa, what’s good is watching wildlife by a waterhole.  In fact these elephants were seen earlier on the same day at the same waterhole as the above pictured Buffalo.

Diane & Nigel at Lodge NR GRCA NP AZ from Diane

Diane taking photo NR GRCA NP AZ

Diane through old window Lees Ferry GLCA NRA AZ

Diane & Gaelyn by CO R Lees Ferry GLCA NRA AZMy choices in celebration of Diane’s birthday today, when Nigel and her visited me at Grand Canyon June 2016.  We also went to Lee’s Ferry along the Colorado River.  So glad I met you both.  Happy Birthday my friend!

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

I love meeting people in real time, and also online.  That’s why I’m organizing a meetup.  I’m really leaning towards early October on the North Kaibab National Forest, not too far from Grand Canyon.

Foto Friday Fun 8 Comments

Rain and monsoon photography in Arizona

storm clouds Skull Valley AZTemperatures held in the 80s last week while humidity climbed into rain just about every day providing possibilities for monsoon photography and trying new ideas with multiple cameras.  Predictions for the week went from 30% chance—that often misses me—to 100% when sure enough, the rain came.  I’m a ceraunophilia who loves thunder and lightning.  Those negative ions provide a natural high.

Bunting bird molting Skull Valley AZBeing the trail cam hasn’t caught anything more than me and cows in over a week I figured to move it.  But when I walked around looking for a safe (from cows) place nothing appealed.  So it’s still mounted on the 5th-wheel ladder pointing towards some water bowls.  Food and water should attract wildlife.  I don’t feed animals but have put out some bowls for water.  Of course with all the rain lately they don’t need my water bowls.  Except a cow broke one getting a drink.  I spotted some kind of Bunting bathing in a bowl and managed a photo through the window.

Gaelyn looking out window Skull Valley AZ

stormy view E with rain Skull Valley AZI’d been working on a video when the rain came, and came down with force along with thunder and lightning.  So I set up the tripod and put the rarely used lightning trigger on the Nikon and pointed it towards the storm through the window hoping for some monsoon photography.  Didn’t get a thing and there was definitely lightning in sight.

hummingbird moth Skull Valley AZThe wildlife I’ve seen lately has likely been too small for the trail cam.  I was filling water bowls and saw a lovely White-lined Sphinx moth furiously flitting about.  Probably took 50 photos to get two.

squirrel collageI stacked more rocks around the cheap plastic bowls for camouflage.  And wouldn’t you know it, a squirrel came by and pushed one of the rocks away, with intention, then sniffed it over and seemed to rub and leave its own scent, perhaps to cover mine.

view E clouds Skull Valley AZ

view S sunset clouds moon Skull Valley AZAnother fun day of clouds with some rumbles but few sprinkles that left with a pretty sunset that even included the moon.

Brushy Mt low clouds Skull Valley AZRained over night and the humidity and chances of rain continued to increase.  It felt sticky.  I walked down to the wash to check for moisture there as I had to drive across it early the next morning.  Looked good so I didn’t bother to move the truck.  Just before noon it started to sprinkle and continued with a gentle female rain for about an hour.  That light rain just soaks into the ground unlike the hard rains that saturate, float, and flow.  Mostly the clouds just teased staying over the mountains to my east and west.  Worked on blog posts and finally put the Geogypsy Journey page together.  There’s a tab under the new header shot.

boulders Watson Lake clouds Prescott AZI don’t like early.  But needed to get a blood draw for some routine lab work and that meant fasting for 10 hours.  So I was at the lab shortly after they opened and thankfully had an adept phlebotomist.  In 20 minutes I was out the door to morning coffee already made and waiting for me in the truck.  Then I met Joann for breakfast and she drove us to Watson Lake.

boulders clouds Watson Lake Prescott AZbouders North Shore trl Watson Lake Prescott AZ

We got there before the predicted rain so took a short walk along the North Shore Trail.  The granite boulders are magnificent yet do make walking a challenge.

granite Datura flowers Watson Lake Prescott AZDatura

white Datura flower Watson Lake Prescott AZclosed Datura flowers Watson Lake Prescott AZ

Many crevices offer good conditions for the beautiful Sacred Datura to grow and bloom.  It’s a hallucinogenic poisonous plant so you could get high, or die.

ducks under bench Watson Lake Prescott AZSee the ducks?

Although swimming isn’t allowed in the lake, kayak rentals are available, or bring your own, or a paddle board.  I put together a video about Watson Lake.  We didn’t stay long as the heat, humidity, and mosquitos were brutal.

grass forest Granite Crk Prescott AZ

Granite Crk Prescott AZAlso made a quick stop by Granite Creek.  But once again the mosquitos chased us off.  As much as I love to get out for some monsoon photography, I just can’t tolerate the mosquitos.  Joann went on her way and I spent the afternoon indoors doing chores like laundry and shopping.

Cumulus cloud Skull Valley AZCumulus clouds billowing to the east over the Bradshaw Mountains didn’t bode well for catching full moon rise.  Yet those same clouds sure made for spectacular monsoon photography.

I set the phone in a window and took time lapse.  Another new to me photography idea.  I’m sharing the first one taken and learned to allow for more space above.

storm clouds Skull Valley AZThe nepholographer in me can’t stop taking pictures of clouds throughout the day.

Roadrunner bird Skull Valley AZ

cow thru window E Skull Valley AZSaw a Roadrunner and some of the neighbors came by.

full moon clouds Skull Valley AZ

full moon clouds Skull Valley AZStayed cloudy for the full moon rise though it peeked through just a bit much later.

storm clouds view E Skull Valley AZTime lapse is fun, and easy.  Just set up the shot and push start.  My phone will take ten minutes of shots spaced 30 seconds apart with a choice of speeds 4x, 8x, 16x, and 32x.  After the first try at 8x I bumped it up to 32x.  I mean who wants to watch ten minutes of cloud video?  Plus when the filming stops I used the remote to start it again, and again, and again.  Then those can be put together in Movie Maker and one hour of shots can become 1.7 minutes of time lapse monsoon photography.  And I think it looks really cool.

camera on tripod from RV storm clouds Skull Valley AZ

camera on tripod Skull Valley AZBecause there were great clouds and lightning but no rain I sat the Nikon on tripod outside with the lightning trigger.  Luckily I also brought it in just as the rain began but never captured any of the lightning that was going on.

storm clouds view E Skull Valley AZ

misty view W Skull Valley AZThe rain fell for a couple of hours and the clouds continued their show so I did more time lapses from inside.

view W storm clouds rain shaft Skull Valley AZMore wonderful clouds and opportunities for monsoon photography the next afternoon.

rainbow view E SKull Valley AZThen just before sunset with a hard rain from the north, the sun came out and I searched hard until I could see a rainbow to the east.

raining Brushy Mt clouds sun setting crepuscular rays Skull Valley AZI tell you, at the end of the day, this pluviophile finds immense joy and peace of mind.

view W sunset clouds Skull Valley AZAnd then, if the mosquitos aren’t too bad, I step outside to breath deep of the petrichor.

Arizona, monsoon, photography, Places I've been, Skull Valley, United States , , , , 14 Comments

Foto Friday Fun 480: every picture tells a story

This week’s Foto Friday Fun features images chosen by 12 readers including diversity in South Africa, human and nature’s art, Mt St Helens and area mountains.

Orange & black grasshopper Drakensburg hike KwaZulu-Natal South AfricaJo chose #2006. “I won this in ZAR [South African Rands/$] on the Lotto – aiming for the US Jackpot next!”  I hope she wins and visits the US to claim it.  Sadly, no jackpot for me when visiting her backyard where I saw this colorful grasshopper while hiking with her son in the Drakensberg Mountains.     (BTW Jo, many here want to know why you can watch YouTube so remotely in ZA while they can’t in say France or North Carolina.)

N2 W Western Cape South AfricaJennifer chose #4222.  A South African drive under stormy skies on the way to Hermanus along the Indian Ocean where I spent my birthday, March 2010.

Algae on cave walls Cango Cave Little Karoo Western Cape South AfricaRita chose #4023.  The day before the above South African drive I was underground exploring Cango Cave.

Tapir metal sculpture by Ricardo Breceda Galleta Meadows Borrego Springs CaliforniaBarb chose #3400.  Metal sculpture of a Tapir by Ricardo Breceda and displayed at Galleta Meadows in Borrego Springs, California.

Derek hoop dancing Heritage Days North Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaSherry chose #5879, “for the sad number of steps I walked today.”  I doubt this familiar to her performer has to count steps.  Hopi hoop dancer Derek was a regular for many years at the North Rim Grand Canyon’s annual Heritage Days.  Held in August, but not for the two COVID years, I didn’t see his name on the agenda for 2022.

Lions Kruger NP Mpumalanga South AfricaGypsy chose #1022. “Back to the Future date (2015) We’re traveling time all the time…but what were you doing? Near date, I had 2nd grandkid, Phx valley had an earthquake and comet had Rosetta land!”  Me, I was watching lions at Kruger National Park, South Africa.

Fallen female fence Yarnell AZDiane and Nigel chose #208.  They might remember the “fence stories” from 2008.  Berta and I spent a lot of time on this project and an overnight storm blew it down.

Fall aspen FR222 Kaibab National Forest ArionaAlan chose #8158.  The beauty of Autumn Aspen’s gold against the every greens as seen in the Kaibab National Forest, northern Arizona.  It’s this kind of luscious colors that makes an early October meetup in this area absolutely perfect.  Are we there yet?

Watercolor Shoreline WA 1987Liberal Warrior chose #1987, “my son’s birth year who is finally getting married tomorrow.”  I was about his current age back then and already married.  Took art classes in Wenatchee, WA but never did master paint.  Dang watercolors always turn to mud.

Nancy & Serpent metal sculpture Galleta Meadows by Ricardo Breceda Borrego Springs CAJeff chose #3486, “the number of miles from San Diego we’ve traveled to reach our turnaround point.”  He’ll eventually return to this serpent (note his profile pic).  Another one by Ricardo Breceda.

Worm trails on tree Widforss Trail North Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaSallie and Bill chose #819.  Made by worms much smaller than the previous pic.  These are tracks left behind by worms or bugs under tree bark.  Think it would make an interesting rubbing with paper and pencil.  Saw this along the Widforss Trail on the North Rim Grand Canyon National Park.

Mt view from Monks Cowl camp Drakensburg KwaZulu-Natal South AfricaCathy chose #1793.  Back to South Africa, the Drakensberg Mountains in Jo’s neighborhood, and the same hike.

Mt St Helens east flank MSHNVM Gifford Pinchot NF WAMt St Helens south flank

Spirit Lake MSHNVM Gifford Pinchot NF WA pano 8-1998Spirit Lake

Mt Rainier from Gifford Pinchot NF WA Aug 1998Mt Rainer

Mt Adams from Gifford Pinchot NF WAMt Adams

My choices from August 1998, was that really 24 years ago.  I was working at a resort south of Mt St Helens and went for a ride to my old stomping grounds and where I started my career as a Ranger.

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

OK, I’m begging.  If you haven’t already, PLEASE Subscribe to my YouTube channel (if able).  I’d hoped for 100 subscribers per month, it’s been six months and there’s only 170 subscribers.  Thank you for the support.

Foto Friday Fun 30 Comments

Lijit

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