Tarantula rescue

I was packing the truck Friday morning and on the second trip I looked down to see what I’d almost stepped on.  Read more here.

On the road again

Back to Grand Canyon. And Mike is following me up to the North Rim for the 3-day holiday weekend. Yipee!

SWF – Raven’s “Fly thru”

Dang, that guy closed the lid, now I’ll have to open it myself.

Brought you some fries honey.

Great, but you forgot the burgers.

I’m on my way, that order is now ready.

To view more skies from around the world, or to share your own, go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.

Headed to Yarnell

Off the plateau on Highway 89A east

By the time you read this I’ll be on the road to my winter home.

House Rock Valley and Vermilion Cliffs on Highway 89A east

It’s a seven hour drive through some extremely pretty country.

Echo Cliffs behind Marble Canyon

With three days off I’m going to see my Sweetie plus load the slide-in camper on the truck for future camping fun.

Painted Desert along Highway 89 south

Hope to go thrift storing with Berta on Thursday while Mike’s at work. 

Forest fire on San Francisco Peaks

And just maybe, when I have to leave on Friday, Mike will follow me back to the North Rim for the holiday weekend.

Bradshaw Mountains from Iron Springs Road

Sure wish I had a tow bar.

Weaver Mountains

May snow at Grand Canyon

I awoke to an inch of snow on the ground yesterday morning.

It was dry fluffy little balls of snow. Probably a special name for that.

Had to let the truck warm up a bit before leaving for work, if you can call it work, then drove about a mile to park.

 

At first I was shivering.

But soon I forgot to be cold and just enjoyed the sights.

No snow on the South Rim this morning.

Met a few visitors who were excited about experiencing snow at the canyon.

By the time I headed back down the trail toward the Grand Lodge under a clearing sky there was noticeably less snow.

I spent about two hours on Bright Angel Point trail.

MWT - Recent Rove Grand Canyon National Park

Morning light over Bright Angel Canyon and the South Rim

One of my scheduled duties as a Park Ranger allows me to rove on trails, chat with visitors and answer questions. (Yes I get paid to do this.)

Bright Angel Point trail, the nearest to the visitor center, provides awesome canyon views walking along a .25 mile (.4 km) ridge with canyons on both sides. The last two days have been so windy with gusts up to 55mph that I’ve had to hang onto my hat going out to the point.

Look down to the north into Roaring Springs Canyon is the water fall that furnishes all water needs to both the North and South Rims.

Beyond, Bright Angel Canyon disappears into the distance.

To the south, Trancept Canyon, where the wall of Widforss Point clearly displays the ancient rock deposits of limestone, sandstone and shale.

Eroded boulders of Kaibab limestone tower overhead.

The Curled-leaf Mahogany shows spring is on its way.

Yet this morning, this is what I woke up to. Will summer ever come to the North Rim?

For more views from around the world, or to share your own, go to My World Tuesday by clicking here.

Watch out for this beetle

Iron Cross Blister Beetle

I posted a photo of this colorful beetle here but didn’t know what it was. Then wouldn’t you know it, fellow bloggers helped me with an identification. Kathie of Kathiesbirds alerted Doug from Gossamer Tapestry and he identified this Iron Cross Blister Beetle. So I Googled it.

“Normally these beetles emerge in large numbers in mid to late spring and move together in bands crawling or running across the ground. [I only saw one.] They feed on succulent leaves and flower petals. The larva stage is subterranean and likely is parasitic in nests of ground-nesting bees.

“Iron Cross Beetle's conspicuous coloration is related to the fact that they carry cantharidin toxins that can interfere with the vertebrate nervous system - i.e. it is an aposemtic [coloration] warning. In case you were wondering, you should not eat these insects.”