Category Archives: Scottie D.

Night, Scottie D., State Fair, Street Photography

Iowa State Fair – Day 2 – Alpha

February 16, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

I told you I would give you the info on as many local area fish fries as I could, on this the opening day of Catholic Fish Fry season. Here is the list I have compiled:

St. Malachy, Madrid
Feb. 16 & 23 & March 8 & 22
4:30-7
Prices Unknown

Sacred Heart, Boone
Feb. 16 & March 1 & 15
5-7
Prices: Unknown

Saint Cecilia, Ames
Feb 23 & March 1 & 8
5-7 PM
ADULT: $12
CHILD: $5

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Ames
Feb. 16 & March 22
5-7
Adult $10
4-12: $5
Group of 4: $35

Assumption, Granger
Feb. 16 & 23 & March 1,8, 15, 22
5:30-7
Prices: Unknown

Sts. John and Paul Catholic Church, Altoona
Every Friday
4:30-7
Adults $14
Children 6-12 $6
5 and younger – FREE
1401 First Ave. S., Altoona

Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Catholic Church, Ankeny
Feb. 23, March 8, and March 22
5-7
Free Will Offering
510 E. First St., Ankeny;

St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church, Ankeny
Feb. 16, March 1, and March 15
4:30-7
Free Will Donation
1102 NW Weigel Drive, Ankeny

All Saints Catholic Church, Des Moines
Every Friday except Good Friday
5-7
Adults: $11
Children 5-12 $8
Under 5: FREE
650 NE 52nd Ave., Des Moines

Basilica of St. John, Des Moines
Feb. 16 & 23; March 1, 18, 15, & 22
4:45-6:30
Adults: $12
Children 4-10: $5
3 and Under: FREE
Max of $50 for families
1915 University Ave., Des Moines

Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Des Moines
Feb. 16 March 1 & 22
5:30-7
Adults: $12
Kids 5-11: $6
2926 Beaver Ave., Des Moines

St. Ambrose Cathedral, Des Moines
Feb. 16 & 23 & March 1, 8, 15, & 22
11:30-1
Flat $8
607 High St., Des Moines

St. Joseph Catholic Church, Des Moines
Feb. 16 – March 22
4:30-7
Adult: $13
Kids: $5
Under 6: FREE
Family Max: $40
3300 Easton Blvd., Des Moines

St. Mary of Nazareth Catholic Church, Des Moines
Feb. 16 & 23 – March 1, 8, & 22
5-6:30
Adult: $13
Couple: $25
5-12 $7
Under 5: FREE
4600 Meredith Drive, Des Moines

St. Theresa Catholic Church, Des Moines
Feb 16 – March 22
5:30 – 7 PM
Free Will Offering
1230 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines

St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, Norwalk
Every Friday during Lent
5:30-7
Adult: $12
5-12: $10
720 Orchard Hills Drive, Norwalk

St. Boniface Catholic Church, Waukee
Every Friday during Lent
5-7
Adult: $12
5-7: $7
4 and under: FREE
1200 S. Warrior Lane, Waukee

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, West Des Moines
Every Friday during Lent
5:30-7
Adult: $14
4-10: $7
Under 4: FREE
Family Max: $45
1627 Grand Ave., West Des Moines

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, West Des Moines
Every Friday During Lent
5:30-7
Adults: $15
6-11: $5
Under 6: FREE
7075 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines

I think I’m going to hit up the fish fry in Boone tonight. FNSC is going high end the following Friday, but then I might be back on the Fish Fry Circuit the following Friday. I definitely want to hit the fry in Granger at some point. Maybe one in Ames. Maybe one down in Des Moines. What can I say? I like fish and some of the ones in the Des Moines area are very intriguing. Some have fish tacos. Who has 2 thumbs and loves fish tacos? You can’t tell but right now I’m pointing back at me with both my thumbs. Take my word for it.

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It feels like a good time to release some of the pictures I took on my trip to the State Fair with the Degeneffes. I went down there with them to help and document Austin competing in the State Fair barbecue contest. We got to the fairgrounds like 4:30 AM. Which seems early, but is a great time to roam the fairgrounds in the dark with virtually nobody there. It is actually kind of amazing, actually.

Here are some pictures:

I hope somebody I know makes it to the State Fair barbecue contest again next year, so I can wander around the fairgrounds mostly alone again.

Still plenty more pictures to share from this trip to the fair to share!

Boone FUMC, Christianity, Elizabeth, Holidays, Lists, Music, Olympic Sports, Scottie D., Still Life, Street Photography

RAGBRAI – LUTHER

February 14, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

Today is a rare double holiday. It is both Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day. As always, if you are not out romancing it up tonight, I invite you to come to the Boone First United Methodist Church for our Ash Wednesday service. Full disclosure, I won’t be there. I am neither out romancing it up or going to get my ashes on in some stray church. I’ll be in Hilton Coliseum (AKA The Cathedral) watching an Iowa State women’s basketball game with the rest of the real ones.

Since I won’t be getting ashes this year, enjoy this picture of me on Ash Wednesday from a couple of years ago:

I always like to share a devotional type thing on these holidays. So today I’m going to share one from Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church. This one by Reverend Doctor Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon to be exact:

We Are Ashes – Abiding in Hope
by Rev. Dr. Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon (Senior Pastor Collegiate Methodist in Ames)

As we lean into Lent, I wrote this poem for Ash Wednesday. If you are into interactive reading, you can look up the passages in Daniel and John that I reference in the poem. I was working with the idea that ash is a transformed remnant of something: a piece of wood, the remains of a meadow, a life, and in that transformation, it always carries the memory of what it was before, just now it is changed. I apply the idea of God’s unquenchable fire (such as displayed in the burning bush and maybe Biblically remembered in the story of Daniel) that changes and transforms us. As the ashes we use on Ash Wednesday come from the burnt palms of the previous Palm Sunday, that image, too makes its way into the poem.

We Are Ashes

What is born from the flame is ash, life transformed,
black and silvered memories of being held
in fire — maybe like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
who walked in the heat, the flames licking their hands
that were folded in prayer even as they were almost scorched
with a knowledge of God too great for them,
even as they became living ashes:
ones who did not forget but were sent as testimonies,
touched but not burnt, maybe with a sign on their foreheads. [i]

The alchemy of loving means we die and no longer die.
What is here is ash from firelight, also dark and essential,
the ashes we become in grief and in forgiveness and in mercy.

Our pretenses have been burnt away.
We are gathered up in dimly lit certainty,
we are the remnant, you and me
and those who kneel who might be far from us
whose heads are also smudged:
“remember you are dust and to dust you shall return” —
the ash is everywhere – –

hopefully faithful, hopefully able to feel
the webbing root buried in the earth that nurtures us,
and the branch we graft to that stretches
out our lives and then the love,
and then the smoldering embers
of all that is the first and the last;
all that is in each moment.

We are secretly the palms that were spread on the road
where Jesus came to collect us on his way to Jerusalem [ii]
and now we are ashes, smeared
with the oil of His hands,
we are the remnant
from the fire of His resurrection
we are the ashes that mark the way to Him.

Let us be spread again, let us be smudged,
let us be carried from the fire into the world
our bodies some sacred event born in ashes and returned,
the name of love written on our foreheads
the sound of hope sung from our prayers
the burden of care held firmly in our hands
and knowing home in the One who heals us,
in the flame that is never quenched, Alpha and Omega, amen.

[i] Daniel 3: 13-30 (the image I draw is poetic license)

[ii] John 12: 12-17

If you are curious:

Daniel 3: 13-30 – Amplified Version

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in a furious rage gave a command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; and these men were brought before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you shall be thrown at once into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you out of my hands?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you on this point. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up!”

Daniel’s Friends Protected
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and his facial expression changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then he gave a command that the furnace was to be heated seven [a]times hotter than usual. 20 He commanded certain strong men in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 Then these [three] men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their turbans, and their other clothes, and were thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. 22 Because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace was extremely hot, the flame of the fire killed the men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king [looked and] was astounded, and he jumped up and said to his counselors, “Did we not throw three men who were tied up into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” 25 He answered, “Look! I see four men untied, walking around in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt! And the appearance of the fourth is like [b]a son of the gods!” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing furnace and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out [of there]! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. 27 The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s counselors gathered around them and saw that in regard to these men the fire had no effect on their bodies—their hair was not singed, their clothes were not scorched or damaged, even the smell of smoke was not on them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and rescued His servants who believed in, trusted in, and relied on Him! They violated the king’s command and surrendered their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego shall be cut into pieces and their houses be made a heap of rubbish, for there is no other god who is able to save in this way!” 30 Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

And John 12:12-17 – Amplified

12 The next day, when the large crowd who had come to the Passover feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took branches of palm trees [in homage to Him as King] and went out to meet Him, and they began shouting and kept shouting “Hosanna! Blessed (celebrated, praised) is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; just as it is written [in Scripture], 15 “Do not fear, Daughter of Zion; Behold, Your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 His disciples did not understand [the meaning of] these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified and exalted, they remembered that these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him. 17 So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to tell others about Him.

If you are looking for a place to get your ashes, our service is at 6:30.

While Ash Wednesday is meant to remind us of our own mortality, it doesn’t have to be all gloomy because Ash Wednesday also means the Catholics are going to start having Fish Fry Fridays! WooHoo! Bingpot!

I’m going to break down some area fish fries for you, my people, but I will wait until Friday to do that. Don’t worry, I’ll feed you baby birds!

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It is also Valentine’s Day. So I need to wish you all happy Valentine’s Day in my way:

LOVE STINKS!

So first things first. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Second. You might be wondering why this picture is called “Love Stinks”. This was at the insistence of my photo assistant for this project. She complained that this heart shaped sparkler absolutely wreaked! She backed this up by claiming that the sparkler gave her a sore throat for like 5 days. Because she suffered for my art, I have granted her request that the name of this photo is “Love Stinks”.

On holidays like Valentine’s Day I do like to do power rankings. Last year I did romantic comedy power rankings. However, I know many people who absolutely despise Valentine’s Day. So I thought rather than doing something positive about the concept of love, I would do a power rankings based on the negatives of love. My power rankings this year are the 5 Worst Couples! This is a personal list. No apologies if you think, “wait I’m in that couple or throuple” (no judgment). The couples that personally annoy me. Cause love stinks! It often has lots of sulphur and gives you a sore throat for several days. Metaphorically speaking of course!

5 WORST COUPLES POWER RANKING

5. EXCESSIVE PUBLIC AFFECTION COUPLE
I don’t run into this couple that much any more. Mostly because I don’t run with a lot of teenagers or college students and most of the couples I know have been married for years, so the concept of public affection went out the door years ago. But you know the couples. They can’t stop touching each other, right in front of you. All you are trying to do is eat a bowl of soup and they are treating you to the opening scene of BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR*. There is also a variant of this couple that wants to go into great details about their sex life. I didn’t sign on for any of this. Put it in your diary. The phrase “get a room” exists for a reason.

A sidenote on this couple. It doesn’t have to be physical. This can also be the couple that has the just too precious nicknames for each other. PUKE! And couples that call each other “mom” and “dad”… GROSS!

4. THE CONSTANTLY BREAKING UP COUPLE

You know this couple. They’ve broken up 7 or 8 or 9 times, at the very least. And every time, you have to hear about it. You listen to all of the terrible things that one of the people in the couple did. You hear about all of their inadequacies and flaws. Then 24 hours later, the same friend that was dumping all of this stuff on you, they are back with this deeply flawed person that does all of the terrible things. In a couple weeks you will be hearing all the same things again and you stopped caring somewhere around the 3rd breakup.

3. THE SIT ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE TABLE WHEN DINING ALONE COUPLE

This couple probably seems harmless to you. Maybe I can’t defend how I feel about this couple, but I find them SUPER creepy. Sit on opposite sides of the table! At least then you can stare into each other’s eyes lovingly, while eating the Super Nachos Deluxe you ordered for an appetizer. It is well documented that nachos are the most romantic appetizer, but that is a power ranking for a future Valentine’s Day.

2. THE PUBLIC FIGHTING COUPLE

All couples fight. Not all couples have to fight in front of you, all the time. They might argue that fighting is just an example of their passion. They might even argue that fighting is their love language. My love language is handing you a card for a therapist. Go to counseling!

1. THE HOSTAGE COUPLE

This couple can’t do anything alone. Donna is going out for margaritas with her high school girlfriends. But Donna insists on bringing Bob along, cause Donna can’t do anything without Bob. Or Donna does finally join her friends without Bob, but the entire time she is having to check in with Bob. And Bob is having to check in with Donna. This same couple probably has shared social media accounts. The worst! If they don’t have a shared social media account, these are the ones that post super flowery tomes about the greatness of the significant other. They have to know that everybody is reading this is thinking, “oh, they about to get divorced.” And I’m not saying I’m rooting for divorce when I stumble across these… but I’m not saying that I’m not NOT rooting for divorce. Even if it is fleeting.

This list is definitive and is beyond contestation. No interviews at this time.

When I decided to do an anti-love post for Valentine’s Day, I checked in with some of the most ardent haters of Valentine’s Day I know. I simply asked them what couples they think are the worst. Almost without exception, I instead got a long diatribe about why they hate Valentine’s Day. Which wasn’t what I asked, but I did find hilarious. I confess I didn’t really read that part of those messages, cause it was a lot of blah, blah, blah, same things I’ve heard for years. I assume.

Interestingly, only Scottie D. asked me what I think about Valentine’s Day. And I might just tell you someday.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all who celebrate! Happy Valentine’s Day to all the people who bah humbug it! Happy Valentine’s Day to all the people who dread it because it makes them feel all alone! I can save all of you a seat at the Iowa State women’s basketball game!

If you don’t do the Juicy Wiggle, was it really even a holiday?

+++++++

After we left Jefferson, Logan and I parted ways. I went home for a bit and then decided to go check out RAGBRAI in Ames. As a lark, I decided to head up to Luther since it was one of the towns that RAGBRAI was passing through. I really thought that by the time I got there, it was going to be too late to see much of anything going on. But Luther was packed! I bet Whatcha Smokin’ made a mint that day!

I was impressed with the job that Luther did with RAGBRAI. I hung around and took a few pictures:

I’d never heard them before, but they were a pretty solid classic rock cover band.

Oh man, I haven’t had wheat grass since Sara got over it.

I’m not a badmouth the younger generation guy. But in my day, when we climbed on a roof, it wasn’t to stare at our phone. We were probably breaking stuff. Okay, maybe the younger generation is better.

Still one more collection of RAGBRAI pictures from this day to share.

* I actually haven’t seen BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR, so I have no clue what the transpires in its first scene. It could be very boring. I understand the historical and cultural significance of the movie, but pornography just isn’t my bag.

Alexis, Amy, Andy, Angie, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Johnathan, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Lowell, Michelle, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nathanial, Railroad, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 439 – TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES

February 12, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES! A potential Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest class! But was that enough to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out:

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, February 5, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Adam Gordon – 1 week (2)
2-Evie Gorshe – 1 week
3-Willy McAlpine – 1 week
4-Jason Stensland – 1 week (2)
5-Elainie Hernandez – 3 weeks
6-Sara Lockner – 3 weeks
7-Monica Jennings – 4 weeks
8-Suzie Brannen – 5 weeks
9-Lowell Davis – 5 weeks
10-Michelle Haupt – 5 weeks
11-Alexis Stensland – 5 weeks (2)
12-Brandon Kahler – 6 weeks
13-Mary Green – 6 weeks (2)
14-Scott Degeneffe – 24 weeks
15-Sabas Hernandez – 25 weeks
16-Mike Vest – 30 weeks
17-Sheri Fakhouri – 34 weeks
18-Logan Kahler – 35 weeks (2)
19-Nathanial Brown – 36 weeks
20-Jesse Howard – 36 weeks
21-Tamara Peterson – 39 weeks
22-Mindi Terrell – 51 weeks (2)
23-Linda Bennett – 80 weeks
24-Sarah Toot – 81 weeks
25-Angie DeWaard – 85 weeks (2)
26-Dawn Krause – 89 weeks (2)
27-Kim Barker – 95 weeks
28-Joe Duff – 96 weeks (2)
29-Teresa Kahler – 107 weeks (2)
30-Carla Stensland – 107 weeks (2)
31-Micky Augustin – 109 weeks
32-Andy Sharp – 110 weeks
33-Bill Wentworth – 111 weeks
34-Cathie Morton – 115 weeks
35-Elizabeth Nordeen – 116 weeks
36-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 118 weeks
37-Kio Dettman – 120 weeks (2)

Reminder. Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

1. The picture must be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.
3. Sometimes, for special people, for special circumstances, we can negotiate something.

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates or streaks or the rules of the challenge or how to submit. You came to see the submissions and what streaks continued and what streaks flamed out:

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - ALEXIS STENSLAND

Alexis Stensland (Ames, Iowa) – 6 weeks

Amy Peterson (Uptown Garage Brewing – Ankeny, Iowa) – 1 week

Amy Peterson (Uptown Garage Brewing – Ankeny, Iowa)

Angie DeWaard (Kate Mitchell Elementary School – Ames, Iowa) – 86 weeks

Andy Sharp (Ely, Iowa) – 111 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 112 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska)

Brandon Kahler (I-35 – Story City, Iowa) – 7 weeks

Carla Stensland (Boone, Iowa) – 108 weeks

Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 116 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Marshalltown, Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Les’s Auto – Boone, Iowa) – 90 weeks

Dawn Krause (Les’s Auto – Boone, Iowa)

Deanna McClain (Ames, Iowa) – 1 week

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 117 weeks

Jen Enlsey-Gorshe (Colorado Airspace) – 1 week

Jennie Green (California) – 1 week

Jesse Howard (Boone, Iowa) – 37 weeks

Joe Duff (League City, Texas) – 97 weeks

Joe Duff

Johnathan Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 1 week

Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 96 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 121 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 81 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 36 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

Lowell Davis (Bliss Cancer Center – Ames, Iowa) – 6 weeks

Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 6 weeks

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 110 weeks

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 31 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 52 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Monica Jennings (Ames, Iowa) – 5 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Jefferson, Iowa) – 37 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 26 weeks

Sara Lockner (Johnston, Iowa) – 4 weeks

Sarah Toot (E. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania) – 82 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 25 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 119 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 35 weeks

Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa) – 6 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Rochester, Minnesota) – 40 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 108 weeks

Willy McAlpine (Ledges State Park – Boone County, Iowa) – 2 weeks

38 participants! That is a great week! Ties CIRCLE for the most participants in a week this year!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ California
+ Colorado
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ Minnesota
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

Thanks to Tamara’s trip to Minnesota, Minnesota was added to this year’s map! Thanks to Jen’s work trip, we also added Colorado AND California as well!!

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each state):

+ California (1)
+ Colorado (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (231)
+ Kansas (9)
+ Michigan (2)
+ Minnesota (1)
+ Nebraska (8)
+ New York (1)
+ Pennsylvania (6)
+ South Dakota (2)
+ Texas (11)

12 states so far! No bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple states:

+ Mary Green (MI, IA)
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY)
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO)
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN)

There were a couple of major milestones this week. Sabas joined the Half-Year Club! WooHoo! Then Mindi joined the 1 Year Club! That is a double WooHoo!

Another awesome development. The first ever submission from Deanna McClain. Hopefully the beginning of big things in the future! It was also the first ever submission from Jennie Green! I expect that to be more of a one-off, but you never know. You never know.

But it wasn’t all good news. Quite a few streaks bit the dust! Adam, Evie, and Jason couldn’t build on last week’s submission and their streaks were over before they started. Elainie’s streak is over at 3. Worst of all, Mary’s streak is no more after 6 solid weeks.

But enough dwelling on the past. Time to look to the future. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future! This week’s theme:

ORANGE

ORANGE! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to your interpretation!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of ORANGE in this place in this place that loves all colors next Monday.

Elizabeth, Jay, Scottie D., Still Life, Tenderloining, Teresa

Tenderloining: Boone Food Truck Field Work

February 11, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

Last Sunday I reported that I was out of food adventures to… uhh… report? Then on Saturday one just kind of fell into my lap*. A tenderloin food truck came to Boone. I’m not hitting the tenderloins hard, as they do fly in the face of my eating healthy journey, but I’m budgeting to eat about 1 a month. Since I had zero in January and it had been 2 months since I’ve had a tenderloin, my favorite enabler said I should do it. And I listen to people when they tell me exactly what I want to hear.

On the positive, a tenderloin actually isn’t super unhealthy. It is a healthy cut of meat. The real problem is that it is fried. The bun also doesn’t help much. The fries I ate as a side were way unhealthier than the tenderloin. Probably. I’m not a food scientist. I just play one on the interwebs. But there are no “red foods”. Only “green foods”, “yellow foods”, and “orange foods”.

I met Jay up there after a trip out to Wally World to pick up a new record, some pastel paper, and a Lego set.**

Jay got their pulled pork as he is not a fan of tenderloins.

Here are some pictures:

I’ve never heard of this brand of condiments.

Assist to Jay for holding the box open in the wind.

Picture by Jay.

On a technical note, these images are the first foodtography images I’ve taken (well for mass public consumption) since I switched from the Pixel 5 to the Pixel Pro 8.

But you probably care more about the food.

The Good for starters:

+ The fries really hit the spot. Maybe it was because they were the first fried food I’ve had since… well it has been a minute. Unless you count air fried foods. Then it hasn’t been all that long. Unless kolaches are fried. If that is the case, the first fried food since I ate a poppyseed kolache 4 hours earlier***.
+ The tenderloin was a good thickness.
+ The bun-meat ratio was right on.

The Bad:

+ The breading on the tenderloining was salty. Not to a point where it was inedible, but definitely to a point where you knew it was there and you didn’t love it.
+ Jay said his pulled pork was also very salty. Still good but too salty.

The Ugly:

+ Scottie D. and his crew went up there shortly after we did. He was not impressed with the food safety of the crew working the joint. He noted a decided lack of gloves. Their tenderloins tasted like plastic. He said they definitely had a decided plastic aftertaste. I definitely didn’t experience that and I’m not sure what would even cause that. I did not observe the cooks at work. Jay did the ordering and I just mostly stood back and waited, wondering why it was so much colder in the Dollar General parking lot than it had been on the High Trestle Trail just a few hours earlier. Jay did note that he saw some plastic gloves blowing around (so they did have them) and it is just speculation that maybe some of those blew into a fryer.

The Final Verdict:

+ I wouldn’t eat there again. I mean I would if I hit a small town festival and they were the only food truck there, I would imbibe, but I definitely would not go out of my way to eat there and if I saw them serving up grub on the side of the road I would just drive by.

I don’t exactly have another food adventure in the hopper, but I have a sorta food adventure that I am considering.

* Teresa gets the finder’s credit for letting me know there was a food truck setting up shop.
** Teresa also gets the finder’s credit for finding this sweet Lego set that you build into a film camera.
*** You want to see a picture of the kolache don’t you? I took one, but it stays between me and my Czech friends. Better luck next kolache.

Adam, Alexis, Andy, Angie, Art, Bill, Black & White, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elainie, Elizabeth, Evie, Jason, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Lowell, Mary, Michelle, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nathanial, Railroad, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 438 – CIRCLE

February 5, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

EDITOR’S NOTE: It is possible that this will publish late this week. I am getting my taxes done at 11 this morning and when this publishes is dependent on how long that takes. BIG BUCKS! NO WHAMMIES!*

CIRCLE! 360 degrees of fury! But is there enough fury in a CIRCLE to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, January 22, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Myriah Sharp – 1 (2)
2-Elainie Hernandez – 2 weeks
3-Sara Lockner – 2 weeks
4-Monica Jennings – 3 weeks
5-Suzie Brannen – 4 weeks
6-Lowell Davis – 4 weeks (2)
7-Michelle Haupt – 4 weeks
8-Alexis Stensland – 4 weeks (2)
9-Brandon Kahler – 5 weeks
10-Mary Green – 6 weeks (2)
11-Scott Degeneffe – 23 weeks (2)
12-Sabas Hernandez – 24 weeks
13-Mike Vest – 29 weeks
14-Sheri Fakhouri – 33 weeks (2)
15-Logan Kahler – 34 weeks (2)
16-Nathanial Brown – 35 weeks
17-Jesse Howard – 35 weeks (2)
18-Tamara Peterson – 38 weeks
19-Mindi Terrell – 50 weeks (2)
20-Linda Bennett – 79 weeks (2)
21-Sarah Toot – 80 weeks
22-Angie DeWaard – 84 weeks
23-Dawn Krause – 88 weeks
24-Kim Barker – 94 weeks
25-Joe Duff – 95 weeks (2)
26-Teresa Kahler – 106 weeks
27-Carla Stensland – 106 weeks (2)
28-Micky Augustin – 108 weeks
29-Andy Sharp – 109 weeks
30-Bill Wentworth – 110 weeks
31-Cathie Morton – 114 weeks
32-Elizabeth Nordeen – 115 weeks
33-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 117 weeks
34-Kio Dettman – 119 weeks (2)

Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

Adam Gordon (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

Adam Gordon (Boone, Iowa)

Evie Gorshe (Iowa) – 1 week

Willy McAlpine (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

Jason Stensland (Lake Waubay, South Dakota) – 1 week

Jason Stensland (Lake Waubay, South Dakota)

Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Sara Lockner (Johnston, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Monica Jennings (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa)- 5 weeks

Lowell Davis (Ames, Iowa) – 5 weeks

Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 5 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 5 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Ogden, Iowa)

Brandon Kahler (Ames, Iowa) – 6 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa) – 7 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa)

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 24 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 25 weeks

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 30 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa) – 34 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 35 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

Nathanial Brown (Jefferson, Iowa) – 36 weeks

Jesse Howard (Ames, Iowa) – 36 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 39 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 51 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 80 weeks

Sarah Toot (New York City, New York) – 81 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Des Moines, Iowa) – 85 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa) – 89 weeks

Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa)

Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 95 weeks

Joe Duff (League City, Texas) – 96 weeks

Joe Duff (League City, Texas)

Teresa Kahler (Ankeny, Iowa) – 107 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa State University – Ames, Iowa)

Carla Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 107 weeks

Carla Stensland (Ames, Iowa)

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 109 weeks

Andy Sharp (Mason City, Iowa) – 110 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska)- 111 weeks

Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 115 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 116 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 118 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) 120 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

Christopher D. Bennett (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa) – 542 weeks

38 participants! That is a new high for this year!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ New York
+ South Dakota
+ Texas

Thanks to Jason’s trip to South Dakota and Sarah’s trip to New York, we can add those to this year’s list!

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each state):

+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (195)
+ Kansas (8)
+ Michigan (2)
+ Nebraska (6)
+ New York (1)
+ Pennsylvania (5)
+ South Dakota (2)
+ Texas (9)

The big milestone this week was the first ever submission from Jason! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all good news. Myriah couldn’t build on last week’s submission and her streak was over before it even began!

WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES

TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES – POTENTIAL PUFFERBILLY DAYS CLASS

TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to your interpretation!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES in this place in this place that was heavily influenced by a book on trains next Monday.

*There were no BIG BUCKS! But there were also NO WHAMMIES! But at least I didn’t owe any money.

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elainie, Elizabeth, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Lowell, Mary, Michelle, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nathanial, Olympic Sports, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Still Life, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WEEK 437 – RULE OF THIRDS

January 29, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

It is the last Monday of the month and on the last Monday of the month I like to revisit our Frequently Asked Questions. Who asks these questions? I mostly ask them of myself. But that isn’t a Frequently Asked Question. These are:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE

What skill level photographer can participate?

THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is open to photographers of all skill levels. From award winning photographers to professionals to the highly ranked amateurs to those that are just beginning to those who don’t even know how to focus a camera. All skill levels are encouraged and welcome. You can’t be too bad and you can’t be too good! Everyone has room to learn and be challenged!

Award winning photographers? Really?

Yes. I can think of at least 10 photographers that participate regularly that have won a photography award of some kind.

Is this a competition?
NO. It is a challenge. There are no winners and losers. Well the people that don’t participate are losers.

Is there a limit to the number of submissions I can have each week?

Yes. That limit is 2. If you send me more than 2, I will post the first 2 that you send. I’m not trying to harsh your photography buzz, but any more than that starts to overwhelm the other submissions and it takes me about 5 minutes to take a picture from my inbox to code it on the website. So I have to manage my workload.

If you are going to submit more than one picture, I strongly urge you to choose completely different subjects for each submission. If you are submitting multiple pictures of the same subject, make sure that each picture is saying something unique.

If I start to average like 45 participants a week, I will lower the limit to 1.

Can I send you several pictures and have you pick the best one?

No! No! NO! If those words come out of your mouth or your keyboard, I consider that to be a non-submission.

Do you ever question whether somebody’s submission fits the theme?

Meh. Only if I think somebody is clearly confusing this week’s theme with last week or next week’s theme. Otherwise, if the submission makes sense in your head, that is good enough for me. However, I would urge you to not try to fit your favorite subject into the theme every week. This isn’t a challenge to share a picture every week of your kid or your business or your pet. It is a challenge to take pictures of different things every week. Which isn’t to say subjects can’t be repeated, but you shouldn’t become reliant on the same ones.

Why can’t I submit after 11 AM on Mondays if the post doesn’t publish until 12:01 PM?

I go to lunch at 11 AM. I leave my office. I’m not near a computer. At 11 AM I hit “Schedule” and then I go throw food down my throat. 167 hours is more than enough time to send a submission. Okay, 166 hours and 59 minutes. You got me.

Do I have to wait until Monday morning to submit?

Absolutely not! In fact (AND CAN’T EMPATHIZE THIS ENOUGH) I appreciate the submissions that make it to me by Sunday evening. Makes the job of putting this together on Monday morning much easier!

Are there resolution requirements for submissions?

I won’t turn down submissions that are too small. I will probably ask you for a picture of greater resolution if it is really small. The typical 4 x 6 image posted to my website has a resolution of 1280 pixels x 853 pixels. While a 400 x 300 image might look okay on your phone, it looks like trash on a computer monitor. I prefer images that are at least 1000 pixels at their widest point, but don’t ban smaller pictures at this point. But don’t tempt me!

What format should my submission be?

.JPG but .PNG also works.

If I write a description of my image will you include that in your post?

No. Photography is art that should stand on its own. Only exception is the SLICE OF LIFE theme. But if you let me know where the picture was taken, I will include that. In fact, I appreciate you letting me know where a picture was taken. If you don’t let me know, I will assume the picture was taken in the state you live in.

When will you start accepting suggestions for next year’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE themes?

I will take suggestions only and ONLY in the comments sections of the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE posts the last week of October and the 1st week of November.

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RULE OF THIRDS! The first technical (and we’re not talking very technical here) theme we’ve had for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE in quite some time. Was it technically a popular theme our did a third of our participants last week throw in the towel at this theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, January 22, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Elainie Hernandez – 1 week
2-Sara Lockner – 1 week
3-Willy McAlpine – 1 week
4-Johnathan Stensland – 1 week
5-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 2 weeks
6-Monica Jennings – 2 weeks
7-Suzie Brannen – 3 weeks
8-Lowell Davis – 3 weeks
9-Michelle Haupt – 3 weeks
10-Alexis Stensland – 3 weeks
11-Brandon Kahler – 4 weeks
12-Mary Green – 5 weeks (2)
13-Scott Degeneffe – 22 weeks
14-Sabas Hernandez – 23 weeks
15-Mike Vest – 28 weeks
16-Sheri Fakhouri – 32 weeks (2)
17-Logan Kahler – 33 weeks (2)
18-Nathanial Brown – 34 weeks
19-Jesse Howard – 34 weeks
20-Tamara Peterson – 37 weeks
21-Mindi Terrell – 49 weeks (2)
22-Linda Bennett – 78 weeks
23-Sarah Toot – 79 weeks (2)
24-Angie DeWaard – 83 weeks
25-Dawn Krause – 87 weeks
26-Kim Barker – 93 weeks
27-Joe Duff – 94 weeks (2)
28-Teresa Kahler – 105 weeks
29-Carla Stensland – 105 weeks
30-Micky Augustin – 107 weeks
31-Andy Sharp – 108 weeks
32-Bill Wentworth – 109 weeks (2)
33-Cathie Morton – 113 weeks
34-Elizabeth Nordeen – 114 weeks (2)
35-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 116 weeks
36-Kio Dettman – 118 weeks

Here is the updated list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 119 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 117 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 115 weeks

Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 114 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 110 weeks

Andy Sharp (Council Bluffs, Iowa) – 109 weeks

Micky Augustin (Hickory Grove Park – Story County, Iowa) – 108 weeks

Carla Stensland (West Lake Okoboji – Arnolds Park, Iowa) – 106 weeks

Carla Stensland (Lower Gar Lake – Arnold’s Park, Iowa)

Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 106 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas) – 95 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas)

Kim Barker (Ames, Iowa) – 94 weeks

Dawn Krause (Rooster’s – Boone, Iowa) – 88 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 84 weeks

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 80 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 79 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas)

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 50 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 38 weeks

Jesse Howard (Boone, Iowa) – 35 weeks

Jesse Howard (Boone, Iowa)

Nathanial Brown (Jefferson, Iowa) – 35 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 34 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

Sheri Fakhouri (6th Avenue – Des Moines, Iowa) – 33 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Mercy Hospital – Des Moines, Iowa)

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 29 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 24 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 23 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa)

Mary Green (Iowa) – 6 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa)

Brandon Kahler (Story County, Iowa) – 5 weeks

Lowell Davis (Copa Classico at TBK – Bettendorf, Iowa) – 4 weeks

Lowell Davis (Copa Classico at TBK – Bettendorf, Iowa)

Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa)- 4 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Linwood Cemetery – Boone, Iowa) – 4 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Boone County, Iowa)

Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Sara Lockner (Woodward, Iowa) – 2 weeks

Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 2 weeks

Myriah Sharp (Hawaii) – 1 week

Myriah Sharp (Hawaii)

Christopher D. Bennett (Memorial Park – Boone, Iowa)

35 participants! That is a great week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Kansas
+ Hawaii
+ Iowa
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

Thanks to Myriah’s trip, Hawaii was added!

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken:

+ Kansas (7)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (153)
+ Michigan (2)
+ Nebraska (5)
+ Pennsylvania (5)
+ Texas (7)

There weren’t any major milestones this week, but there are some on the horizon! There were a few streaks that bit the dust. Willy and Johnathan couldn’t build on last week’s submission and their streaks are over before they began. Jen’s streak is gone after 2 weeks.

CIRCLE

CIRCLE! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to your interpretation!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of CIRCLE in this place in this place that has a pretty large circle of trust next Monday.

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Bill, Birthdays, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elainie, Elizabeth, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Johnathan, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Lowell, Mary, Michelle, Micky, Mindi, Nathanial, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Self-Portrait, Shannon, Sheri, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 436 – BREAKFAST

January 22, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

Toda is Sheri’s birthday so I need to wish her a happy birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I hope it is as good of a birthday as is possible!

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BREAKFAST! Some say that is it the most important meal of the day! I don’t know that it is, but was it important enough to enough people to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, January 8, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week
2-Monica Jennings – 1 week
3-Suzie Brannen – 2 weeks
4-Lowell Davis – 2 weeks
5-Susanna Funk – 2 weeks
6-Michelle Haupt – 2 weeks
7-Alexis Stensland – 2 weeks
8-Brandon Kahler – 3 weeks
9-Mary Green – 4 weeks (2)
10-Scott Degeneffe – 21 weeks
11-Sabas Hernandez – 22 weeks
12-Mike Vest – 27 weeks
13-Sheri Fakhouri – 31 weeks (2)
14-Logan Kahler – 32 weeks
15-Nathanial Brown – 33 weeks (2)
16-Jesse Howard – 33 weeks
17-Tamara Peterson – 36 weeks
18-Mindi Terrell – 48 weeks (2)
19-Linda Bennett – 77 weeks (2)
20-Sarah Toot – 78 weeks
21-Angie DeWaard – 82 weeks (2)
22-Dawn Krause – 86 weeks
23-Kim Barker – 92 weeks
24-Joe Duff – 93 weeks (2)
25-Teresa Kahler – 104 weeks (2)
26-Carla Stensland – 104 weeks (2)
27-Micky Augustin – 106 weeks
28-Andy Sharp – 107 weeks
29-Bill Wentworth – 108 weeks
30-Cathie Morton – 112 weeks
31-Elizabeth Nordeen – 113 weeks
32-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 115 weeks
33-Kio Dettman – 117 weeks (2)

Reminder. Here is the updated list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Willy McAlpine (Iowa) – 1 week

Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 1 week

Mary Green (Manchester, Iowa) – 5 weeks

Mary Green (Manchester, Iowa)

Andy Sharp (Iowa) – 108 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 83 weeks

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 107 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 33 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 87 weeks

Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 2 weeks

Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 34 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 49 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 1 week

Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 22 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 23 weeks

Johnathan Stensland (Iowa) – 1 week

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 32 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)

Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 105 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Iowa) – 34 weeks

Kim Barker (Iowa) – 93 weeks

Lowell Davis (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 118 weeks

Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 113 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 78 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Carla Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 105 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 116 weeks

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 28 weeks

Sarah Toot (E. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania) – 79 weeks

Sarah Toot (E. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania)

Joe Duff (League City, Texas) – 94 weeks

Joe Duff (League City, Texas)

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 37 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 109 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska)

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 114 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa)

Christopher D. Bennett (Boone, Iowa)

37 participants this week! That is definitely the high for this year! WooHoo!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Kansas
+ Iowa
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

No new states added this week.

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken:

+ Kansas
+ Iowa
+ Michigan
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

The big milestone this week is Linda hitting the Year and a Half Club! WooHoo!!

But it wasn’t all rainbows and puppies. Funk’s streak came to a screeching halt at 2 weeks. Hopefully she gets back on the mountain this week!

RULE OF THIRDS (SUGGESTED BY SARAH TOOT)

RULE OF THIRDS! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I’m not explaining the themes this year, unless it is something technical.

Here is the definition of the RULE OF THIRDS from the SLR Lounge:

“In photography, the rule of thirds is a type of composition in which an image is divided evenly into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, and the subject of the image is placed at the intersection of those dividing lines, or along one of the lines itself.”

You will notice on the theme reveal image I have left the RULE OF THIRDS lines there so you can get an idea of where they are. Every camera gives you the ability to put these lines on the display screen before you take the picture.

I look forward to seeing your interpretation!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of RULE OF THIRDS in this place that doesn’t follow many rules next Monday.

Carla, Dahlia, Formal Portrait, Jesse, Logan, Nader, Road Trip, Scottie D., Still Life, Tenderloining, Teresa

Tenderloin Trail 2.0: Audubon Field Work

January 21, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

A couple months back Jesse and I hit the open road and ended up at The Feed Mill Restaurant in Audubon, Iowa. It was the 9th stop (technically 10th – but I’ll cover that) on the Tenderloin Trail 2.0. Leaving me just one stamp short of earning my Tenderloin Trail 2.0 shirt!

Despite being one of the closer Tenderloin Trail 2.0 restaurant stops to Boone, I didn’t know if I was ever going to be able to cross this one off the list. Their hours are pretty awful. They are only open a few hours a week. Which is too bad, because their food is excellent!

The Feed Mill Restaurant is inside Waspy’s Truck Stop and that gas station itself has really good food. There are two Waspy’s. One in Audubon and another in Templeton. If you are in the area, I think it is worth the stop. But you know me, I’m partial to food in gas stations. Casey’s Pizza. The Filling Station in Madrid. The Filling Station in Ames. Joe’s in Kansas City. You get the point.

Here are some pictures from the outing:

Tenderloin Trail 2.0: The Feed Mill Restaurant

As you know, in addition to being a noted tenderloin fiend, I also love me a great cheese curd. Fried or otherwise. If I remember correctly their cheese curds were muenster. It made a fine cheese curd, but it wasn’t decidedly different from your standard cheddar cheese curd. So I’m saying it was pretty great!

As for the tenderloin. It was a pretty great tenderloin! Now the question is, would I eat there again? Would I go out of my way to go there? Would I make a special trip to get this tenderloin?

It is a great tenderloin. The problem is that it is just down the street from Darrell’s Place and the Darrell’s Place tenderloin is the O.G. great tenderloin in Iowa. So being put in the situation of having to choose one, if I was in the area, I would choose Darrell’s Place.

That isn’t a reflection on The Feed Mill. Just nothing is Darrell’s Place.

The Feed Mill Restaurant is located at:

2079 US Highway 71
Audubon, Iowa

Located in Waspy’s Truck Stop.

But I’m not done with this post quite yet. Earlier I wrote that this was the 9th Stop on the Tenderloin Trail, but technically the 10th. That is because back in 2022 I visited the Wood Iron Grille in Oskaloosa with Carla and Teresa and knocked down their tenderloin. However, I didn’t have my Passport on me, so I didn’t get it stamped.

You can understand my frustration because it takes 10 stamps (out of 14, but really 13) to get the free shirt. So shortly after my trip to Audubon with Jesse I made a return trip to Oskaloosa with Teresa. With passport firmly in my hands.

I don’t need to cover the Wood Iron Grille tenderloin again, but I thought I could share 2 pictures from that trip:

The last bite of Tenderloin Trail 2.0.

The passport.

I got my shirt and this letter within a couple weeks of mailing in my Passport:

I’m not going to share a picture of the shirt yet. I have a whole photo session for that worked up in my head. Which means you will probably never get to see it, unless you catch me in the wild wearing it.

However, I would be a poor tenderloin enthusiast if I didn’t thank those people that helped me in fulfilling this dream. An accomplishment that some are calling “the greatest in the history of mankind”. So thanks to everyone who at least sat across from me while I knocked down a tenderloin on this trail:

+ Austin Degeneffe (Iowa Taproom)
+ Porter Degeneffe (Iowa Taproom)
+ Scott Degeneffe (Co-Founder of the Tenderloin Appreciation Society) (Iowa Taproom)
+ Jesse Howard (The Feed Mill, Birdies, Burgers & Brews, and The Pub at Pinicon)
+ Dahlia Kahler (Whatcha Smokin’)
+ Logan Kahler (Whatcha Smokin’)
+ Teresa Kahler (Whatcha Smokin’, Grid Iron Sports Bar & Grille, Stumble Inn, and Wood Iron Grille)
+ Nader Parsaei (Darrell’s Place, Birdie’s Burgers & Brews)
+ Carla Stensland (Wood Iron Grille)
+ Phil Webb (Grid Iron Sports Bar & Grille)

The only stop on the trail I made solo was PrairieMoon on Main.

You might be asking yourself what my future tenderloin plans are since I am eating healthier these days? It is true. I don’t really eat much fried food any more. Really hardly at all. That doesn’t mean tenderloins are off the menu. I have a plan for a more structured tenderloin quest this year. I want to make 1 special tenderloin trip a month. 1st on my list is the reigning 2023 Best Tenderloin at Cliff’s Place in Manning.

I haven’t had this month’s special tenderloin, so I’m going to effort to go to Manning next week and if that doesn’t work out, some place else. Also on my list are the 3 tenderloins on the Tenderloin Trail 2.0 that I haven’t tried. Jethro’s is also on the list, but I’ve had that tenderloin. It isn’t great. Plus my understanding is that the owner of Jethro’s is not a great person and I have limited desire to line his pockets with any of my green. Also on that list is the other finalists from last year. Plus any of the past champions that I haven’t tried.

Drop me a line if you want to go on one of these tenderloin quests. I already have you marked down Michelle. I haven’t forgotten.

The next food adventure I will share will be the last time I ate ice cream. At least I’m pretty sure the last time I ate ice cream.

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Bill, Black & White, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Funk, History, Holidays, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Lowell, Mary, Michelle, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nathanial, Photoshop, Sabas, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Self-Portrait, Shannon, Sheri, Suzie, Tamara, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 435 – UGLY

January 15, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day! I forgot to mention this last Monday cause it had slipped my RADAR. The Computer Mine doesn’t care about civil rights all that much, so while government employees, schools, and bankers get the day off, I’ll be working it to the bone all day.

I don’t know if it the type of holiday where you say “Happy (insert holiday here)!” While it is definitely good to honor the man and all of the civil rights accomplishments this country has made over the years, there are large swaths of this country where basic human rights are not only being threatened, they are being walked backwards by regressionist political policies.

I mean, they are banning books! You want to know who the bad people are. Every single time in history, the bad people were the ones banning books! Always!

As always, I like to share a photo when celebrating a holiday. Here is a picture of the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Civil Rights Museum was built on the same property where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. One of those rare times where a place that was the scene of tragedy was turned into a place of veneration and education.

As you celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. today don’t act like the battle for basic human rights is over. The fight is as alive today as it was in King’s day.

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UGLY! This was a theme I thought I might struggle with. After all, I’m a person that doesn’t find much to be UGLY. I mean, more than a few of you have had me text you pictures of public bathrooms. I love old. I love rusty. I love the unusual. I love the weird. It is hard for me to find something that is UGLY. Besides racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, islamophobia, antisemitism, xenophobia, jingoism, misogyny… you know… the basic tenets of hatred. But to find out if other people took camera in hand to photography something UGLY, you will have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, January 8, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Suzie Brannen – 1 week
2-Lowell Davis – 1 week
3-Susanna Funk – 1 week
4-Michelle Haupt – 1 week
5-Willy McAlpine – 1 week
6-Alexis Stensland – 1 week
7-Brandon Kahler – 2 weeks
8-Mary Green – 3 weeks (2)
9-Scott Degeneffe – 20 weeks
10-Sabas Hernandez – 21 weeks
11-Mike Vest – 26 weeks
12-Sheri Fakhouri – 30 weeks (2)
13-Logan Kahler – 31 weeks
14-Nathanial Brown – 32 weeks
15-Jesse Howard – 32 weeks
16-Tamara Peterson – 35 weeks (2)
17-Mindi Terrell – 47 weeks (2)
18-Linda Bennett – 76 weeks (2)
19-Sarah Toot – 77 weeks
20-Angie DeWaard – 81 weeks
21-Dawn Krause – 85 weeks (2)
22-Kim Barker – 91 weeks
23-Joe Duff – 92 weeks
24-Teresa Kahler – 103 weeks (2)
25-Carla Stensland – 103 weeks (2)
26-Micky Augustin – 105 weeks
27-Andy Sharp – 106 weeks (2)
28-Bill Wentworth – 107 weeks
29-Cathie Morton – 111 weeks
30-Elizabeth Nordeen – 112 weeks (2)
31-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 114 weeks
32-Kio Dettman – 116 weeks

Heading into this week, this is the 2024 THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE SUBMISSION MAP:

Maybe the map will get more filled in today!

Reminder. Here is the updated list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 5.
3. Sometimes, for special people, for special circumstances, we can negotiate something.

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 106 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Sommerset, Iowa) – 115 weeks

Kim Barker (Iowa) – 92 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Boone, Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 77 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas)

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Boone, Iowa) – 33 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Boone, Iowa)

Lowell Davis (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Rural Boone County, Iowa) – 21 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 82 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa)

Joe Duff (League City, Texas) – 93 weeks

Joe Duff (League City, Texas)

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 117 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Rieman Music – Ames, Iowa) – 1 week

Sheri Fakhouri (Mercy Hospital – Des Moines, Iowa) – 31 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Mercy Hospital – Des Moines, Iowa)

Susanna Funk (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa)

Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 22 weeks

Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 33 weeks

Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

Brandon Kahler (Ames, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 32 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 104 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 86 weeks

Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 112 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 113 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 36 weeks

Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 107 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Carla Stensland (Boone County, IA – 216th Dr. Near Ogden) 104 weeks

Carla Stensland (Boone County, Iowa)

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 48 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Sarah Toot (E. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania) – 78 weeks

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 27 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 108 weeks

34 participants! That is a pretty great week!

There were submissions this week were taken in the following places:

+ Kansas
+ Iowa
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

No new states added this week.

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken:

+ Kansas
+ Iowa
+ Michigan
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

There were some big milestones this week. Sarah joined the Year and Half Streak Club! WooHoo! Both Carla and Teresa both joined the 2 Year Streak Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all happiness and rainbows. Willy couldn’t build on last week’s submission. His streak is over before it even began.

BREAKFAST

BREAKFAST! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to seeing your interpretation!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of BREAKFAST in this place that like a little #wafflelife next Monday.

Alexis, Anders, Andree, Andy, Baier, Becky, Bill, Birthdays, Brandon, Calendar, Carla, Colleen, Dawn, Derrick, Elainie, Elizabeth, Fran, Jay, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Johnathan, Jorge, Kim, Kio, Layla, Logan, Lowell, Michelle, Monica, Nader, Nora, Russ, Russell, Sabas, Sara, Scottie D., Teresa, Vest, Willy

Calendar Favorites

January 10, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett

Today is Lowell’s birthday so I need to wish him a happy birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOWELL!

If you don’t know, Lowell is not Kim and is not the tall guy.

It is one of my most profoundest birthday wishes that today is a good day.

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This is one of my favorite posts of the year. To share what people said was their favorite calendar image from the 2024 Photography 139 Calendar. There is still 1 calendar left to distribute, but I don’t know when that will happen. I got a response back from most people I gave a calendar to. Some people must have just immediately thrown it in the garbage and never given it a second thought. But that’s okay. Maybe opens up new calendar recipients for 2025…*

Some of these picture below are of different people in the same family that got one calendar, in case you are wondering if I gave, say 6 calendars to the Baiers.

Here we go:

FRONT COVER