This week’s Foto Friday Fun features images chosen by 10 readers including Grand Canyon, double numbers, and my dear ole Dad.

Cathy chose #0618, the first time, “for my little nephew’s 1st birthday coming up.”  And that’s the west view over Grand Canyon from Desert View Watchtower on the South Rim.  But then, she realized her mistake and asked for the true birthday, #0617.  And for that, she gets barefoot at the beach, Bandon, Oregon.

Jennifer chose #0234.  Called “Toadstools”, these are sandstone so not for eating.

Sue chose #9999 for her first number which brings up a Painted Lady butterfly seen on the North Rim Grand Canyon.  Then she changed her mind when thinking about boating the Colorado River, prompted by a photo last week, so chose #1993, “the year I spent six days and nights on the Colorado.”  Spring 1993, I stood along the Elwa River (before the dam was removed) on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington watching Wood Ducks for the first time in my life.

Jo chose #9564.  Today’s towering sandstone cliffs show bedding planes indicating which way the wind blew sand dunes in the past.  These were seen along the return hike from the Wave.

Alan chose #1104.  Natural Bridge Canyon in Death Valley National Park is an alluvial deposit of rock, gravel, and sediment washed to the base of an ancient mountain and cemented together.  I learned that from a Park Ranger on a guided hike.

Diane and Nigel chose #1706.  The Vermilion Cliffs along the north side of SR89A tower above the tiny berg of Hatch where Cliff Dwellers is located.  When they visited we drove past this place on the way to Lee’s Ferry and back to the North Rim.

Jeff chose #8888, “for the first home night game of Chicago Cubs on Aug 8, 1988 after Wrigley Field was the last stadium to install lights.”  Although I grew up in the Chicago suburbs, I never visited Wrigley Field.  However, I did spend a lot of time at the Grand Canyon where this shot was taken from Walhalla overlook on the North Rim.

Sherry chose #610, one of three in a panorama.  Watching an afternoon storm over Grand Canyon from the North Rim, a favorite monsoon pastime.

Rita chose #8164.  A Kudu seen at Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.

Jodee and Bill chose #5390.  They’ve been visiting the Great Lakes and thought they looked big enough to be oceans.  Well, this really is the Indian Ocean off the South African Coast somewhere.

My choice for Dad’s birthday today, he would have been 99.  This was in 2009.  Miss him everyday.

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

This week’s Foto Friday Fun features images chosen by ten readers including lions, lakes, Grand Canyon, and mushrooms.

Jo chose #4128, from her current home country.  While out in the early morning on safari there’s always a likelihood of seeing lions on the road even if the pavement is damp, in Kruger National Park, South Africa 2-15-14.

Rita chose #779.  Wahweap Bay of Lake Powell 5-15-09 when there was water.  This area is now dry and if you follow this link to Lone Rock Beach you’ll see more views.  Today, you could walk to Lone Rock instead of boat.  Lake Powell is currently 177 feet below full pool, the river still flows through Glen Canyon as drought returns what humans flooded and reveals silted geologic and archaeologic wonders.  Would you paddle into the ancient canyons and crevices of time?

Liberal Warrior chose #1953, “the year Wallace Stegner published his important work on John Wesley Powell _ ‘Beyond the Hundredth Meridian’. and Powell’s prophetic call for protection from development of the Southwest’s unique lands, waters, and vistas.”  It should not be the work of man humans to tame a mighty river.  This sunset shot downstream, though you can’t see the river, from Toroweap overlook, Grand Canyon National Park, my first visit 9-26-10, but not my last.  It is one of the narrowest points on the Colorado River slipping between walls of rock 3000 feet high and flows through Lava Falls, the most formidable rapid in the park rated as a Class 10.  Sure was a wild ride when I rafted it in 2011 with the National Park Service.  BTW, Powell was right.

Cathy chose #3121.  A view she’ll recognize along the Bright Angle Point trail on the North Rim Grand Canyon National Park.  I miss roving that short .75 miles (1.2 km) yet dramatic and often difficult for visitors with it’s drop-offs and the 8000 foot elevation.  Yes, people climb the rocks.  Not me.

Alan chose #4301.  I think he’ll like the funkiness of this pic.  A photo of a slide of a painting by Noel Ashton of a harpoon used to kill whales.  2010 found me celebrating my birthday in Hermanus, South Africa and I visited the Whale Museum that shared some rather sad history.  Sadly for me, I wasn’t there at the right time of year for the now protected endangered right whales to congregate.

Jennifer chose #4545.  The day following the lion sighting seen above in Kruger National Park this sighting happened.  So wonderful to experience different wildlife than seen in America’s national parks, and on Jen’s webcam in Canada.

Diane and Nigel chose #1006.  While visiting Death Valley National Park with friend Ranger Jeremy after our 2009 summer season at Grand Canyon we explored explored Emigrant Canyon with this amazing view of the Panamint Range.

Jeff chose #1935, “the year Beacon Rock became a Washington State Park.” (See last week’s post.)  During 1935 the North Rim’s Grand Lodge was under construction after a fire in 1932 burned down the original.  I was standing on the “new” lodge’s verandah for this morning shot showing early light on the tip of Angles Gate.  Rangers may get paid in sunsets, but sunrises are overtime. 

Sherry chose #6122.  Another morning view blocked by low clouds, this time from a BLM camp near the southern entrance to Joshua Tree National Park during an early March 2015 visit.

Sue chose #617, “for the day I hope to win another VFYW contest on Andrew Sullivan’s blog.”  I’m crossing fingers and assume we’ll hear is she does win.  Was a win for me to find mushrooms along the Widforss trail on the North Rim Grand Canyon National Park.  A friend took my picture while I took the out of focus shot of an unidentified mushroom.

I tripped on this 1974 scanned print of my parents celebrating their June birthday’s (would have been next week for both) where I took them to Dianna’s Greek restaurant in Chicago.  Boy did we all get drunk on that rotgut Greek wine.

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!