Time to share another collection of images from my trip to the Des Moines Farmer’s Market with Teresa last year to do a little bit of street photography.
I’m getting hungry just looking at some of these picures.
Still one more collection of images from this trip left to share.
The last total eclipse to be visible from the United States for the next 20 years was on April 8. Unfortunately to see the 100% totality, I had to leave my beloved Cyclone State. I originally perused a few options. A spot in Missouri. A spot in Illinois. A spot in Arkansas. A spot in Kentucky. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do. Cause I knew that hotels in the areas were outrageous. I was considering driving to like the Quad Cities on the Sunday before the eclipse and then driving the rest of the way in the morning. Then driving back that night. Then the most magical thing happened. I had a trip just kinda fall into my lap.
The Gorshes are well-known eclipse fiends. They went to New Mexico for an eclipse last year. They were going this year. Travelling to Indiana to camp on Jen’s Aunt Linda’s land. They were going to drive all the way through on Sunday. Watch the eclipse on Monday. Then drive back to Illinois and stay in a hotel in Normal. Then drive back to Iowa on Tuesday. They graciously offered to let me 7th or 8th wheel it on their trip.
They were pulling a camper behind Derrick’s serial killer van* with 2 adults, 4 kids, and a dog. As roomy as the van was I elected to take the RAV4 to the Sycamore State cause for 1 person, I pack a lot of stuff. I think the offer was on the table for me to sleep in the camper as well, but I decided to pack a tent and an air mattress and sleep the way the pioneers did. In a tent. On a queen sized air mattress. With electricity for their CPAP, cause I still haven’t hit 3 months and I have to average over 4 hours a night for the old insurance company to kick in some ducats. Also electricity to charge their cell phone and listen to their sleepy time podcasts. Also electricity to charge their fitness watch. Those steps don’t count if they aren’t tracked! Some real old-timey pioneer stuff.
However, a couple days before we were set to leave, Jen texted me and let me know that I had been upgraded from the tent to Linda and Pete’s camper. With the only caveat being that it was still winterized, so there would be no running water. Me? An old-timey pioneer camper? I don’t need no stinking running water! I could brush my teeth in the rain. Or with the water in my Owala water bottle. Just like the pioneers did. And I had already planned on a whore’s bath for Monday anyways. You know. Pits and… well you know.
According to the Google maps, it is a nearly 8 hour drive from my domicile to Linda’s house in Gosport, Indiana.
I don’t want to brag, but we made it in a touch over 12 hours. That is without accounting for the time zone change.
I didn’t take many cell phone pictures on Day 1, but I took a few and here they are:
Stop 2. This gas station was very serious about not letting backpacks in their store.
It was in Davenport.
And they brook no nonsense from kids.
I think they aren’t really sorry for the inconvenience. We stopped at virtually the last gas station in Iowa because it was very important to not buy gas in Illinois cause it is apparently very expensive there.
Stop 3 – Sweet insect exhibit at an Illinois rest area.
All rest areas should have giant rubber bugs. This is not open to debate.
Bug needs to work on his arms. Needing a condiment cup to hold himself up. Do you even lift bro?
I am such a sucker for taking pictures of where I am.
This rest are had a sweet lookout and somebody actually wrote a Joe Dirt quote on the railing.
Do sex drugs own the rock-n-roll? Is this person really into rock concerts sponsored by Viagra?
Stop 4 – Another Illinois rest area. I told you I’m a sucker for taking pictures like that.
This rest area was a dump. Just filthy. No urinals. The only positive was these cherry blossoms.
This thing was cool too. While there Harrison had a meltdown in the restroom because he refused to wash his hands. This standoff lasted like 10-15 minutes. I don’t blame him. It was a bathroom that was so dirty that your hands were probably dirtier after washing them. In retrospect, I should have just offered him some of my Bridgerton scented hand sanitizer. Perhaps Bridgerton Study. They have a light scent. Easy on the nose. I’ve never heard anybody claim they are way too strong and demand that I leave their immediate area, shortly after using one. That seemed like an oddly specific denial.
I’m not sure which stop this was. We stopped at a gas station in Crawfordsville. Then we stopped at a Steak ‘n Shake, also in Crawfordsville.
The Steak ‘n Shake had this weird thing. Weird to me, maybe some of you will look down your nose at me and call me a country bumpkin, but I had never seen it before. When you ordered (which by the way the only option to order was via kiosk – which super boo! Shouted this old man at the clouds.) Your receipt also printed out a QR Code. You had to scan this QR Code to use the pop machine. It only activated the pop machine for so long, so you better act fast AND it only worked like 3 times.
When we got out of the restaurant, Derrick’s van wouldn’t start. Neither us have jumper cables (I keep mine in the Camry) so I had to give him a ride to Home Depot to buy a set.
We got his van going and were on the road again. Willie Nelson would have been proud.
Turns out, Linda and Pete didn’t really live in Gosport. We drove through Gosport and then 10 miles more through 3 different towns before getting to their house.
They live closest to Paragon. But they have a Gosport mailing address because that is the only post office in 3 counties. Also, that is the toilet.
Layla teaching the boys the globalist lie.
When we pulled up to our home for the night Linda approached me and asked me if I played the lottery today. The answer is of course not. I don’t play the lottery. It is a self-imposed tax designed to move the tax burden from the wealthy to the poor, uneducated, and the just plain bad at math.
But what I said was, “No.”
She told me I should have because it was my lucky day. I had been upgraded to sleeping in the house, in the guest bedroom. Not only that, I would have my own bathroom. Suck on that whore’s bath! That might have been an unfortunate turn of phrase but no turning back now.
I got a bed, inside a house, with access to all the running water my heart could desire and all the electrical outlets a true pioneer man could use. I should have brought other things into charge, just cause I could. I should have just sat there flushing the toilet. Cause I could. Brushed my teeth 10-12 times. Cause I could.
But I didn’t. I eventually called it a night and drifted into a nice sleep listening to a Cyclone Fanatic podcast. Tomorrow was a big day after all.
*It isn’t really a serial killer van. It has too many windows. But I like to pretend.
The stop on the Catholic Fish Fry Tour that I was most looking forward to was the Catholic Church in Granger. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Catholic Church. I was looking forward to it, not because of its reputation. I literally know nothing about this fish fry or the Catholic Church in Granger. I expected it be similar or smaller than the one in Boone because Granger is a tiny town.
The reason I was looking forward to it is because they put up giant signs along Highway 141 and for years those signs have called to me. Like a fish fry siren song.
During the pandemic we even sent Jesse’s son-in-law Jeremy to grab us some food from there, but we actually didn’t know the signs were for a church in Granger. We thought they were for a church in Polk City. That is how little we know about the Catholic scene in central Iowa. Turns out, there isn’t even a Catholic Church in Polk City and the he brought us back fish from a local VFW or American Legion. It was good fish, but it wasn’t the fish from the signs. Not the fish from the siren song calling my name.
When I actually did some research, I figured out that the church was in Granger. But once again, there wasn’t really much information on it. Their Facebook page talked a big game, but there wasn’t really any useful information on it, other than where it was and what time it was held. Turns out, it is a pretty big deal.
Here are some pictures:
Jay brought his own drink.
Picture for a photo project I abandoned.
Assumption’s Fish Fry was outstanding! I would definitely go back again. I will say the baked fish was pretty awful, but everything else was fantastic. Probably the second best dessert I had while on the Fish Fry Circuit. The best dessert? Well that is yet to come.
I was definitely impressed with their operation. They really had everything down. Even offering a pizza option for children and Jay. The potato was good. The cole slaw was good. The fried fish was good. Bonus points for playing the Big 12 Tournament. It was like a Fish Fry Sports Bar, which is my kind of sports bar!
Next Sunday’s food adventure will involve a burger in Kansas City.
But…
How is my efforting to live a healthy lifestyle going?
This week my weight went down 2.8 pounds. I am now down 32.3 pounds since starting Noom. I have now reached my May 1 goal weight. WooHoo! 22.3 pounds away from my ultimate goal weight*. My new “short term” weight goal is to be down another 10 pounds by the time I have my CPAP follow-up doctor’s appointment. Which is May 30th. Might not seem super ambitious, but I’ll be gone in New Orleans for 7 days and I have no clue what will go down there. I might come back up 10 pounds. You never know. I’m hedging my bets though.
But weight isn’t the only measure (or even the most important measure) of positive results. This will sound vain, but this week I really got a ton of comments on how much weight I’ve lost from people who see me on the weekly. About how I’ve really dropped a bunch more weight in just the last couple of weeks. I really haven’t, but maybe it is just being redistributed differently. I don’t know. But better than the alternative.
Since I started using Fitbit on February 20, 2024 I’ve:
+ Taken 784,872 steps
+ Averaged 14,935 steps a day for the last 7 days
+ Walked 365.41 miles
+ Walked an average of 6.09 miles a day
That is all to report for now.
*Ultimate goal weight subject to change.
People often talk about how the Iowa State Fair is a great place for people watching. That is correct. All fairs and town festivals are great for such activities. But an underrated place for people watching is a good old fashioned farmer’s market. Like the Iowa State Fair it is also a great place to get great food. Walk in with a big old wad of cash and walk out with an empty wallet. I love a good Farmer’s Market from Rinehart’s Drive-Thru Farmer’s Market by Fraser to the Des Moines Farmer’s Market. The downtown Des Moines Farmer’s Market is maybe… maybe my favorite place in the world (or at least central Iowa) to do a little bit of street photography.
One day last summer I went down there with Teresa and did just that.
This year I plan on making multiple trips to the Des Moines Farmer’s Market AND I’ve talked for years about going to the Farmer’s Market in Valley Junction. This is the year I make that happen!
Still more pictures to share from this trip!
NECESSITY! A great theme! But did enough people find it necessary to submit a photo to make NECESSITY a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!
As of 12:01 PM on Monday, April 8, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore everything in parentheses):
1-Suzie Brannen – 2 weeks (IA)
2-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 2 weeks (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL)
3-Mary Green – 2 weeks (2) (MI, IA, IN)
4-Monica Jennings – 2 weeks (IA)
5-Willy McAlpine – 3 weeks (IA)
6-Deanna McClain – 4 weeks (IA)
7-Johnathan Stensland – 4 weeks (IA)
8-Adam Gordon – 6 weeks (2) (IA, MS, MO)
9-Becky Parmelee – 7 weeks (AR, IA, OK)
10-Sara Lockner – 12 weeks (IA)
11-Lowell Davis – 14 weeks (2) (IA)
12-Michelle Haupt – 14 weeks (IA, MO, KS)
13-Alexis Stensland – 14 weeks (2) (IA)
14-Brandon Kahler – 15 weeks (IA, MN)
15-Scott Degeneffe – 33 weeks (IA, FL)
16-Mike Vest – 38 weeks (IA, MO)
17-Sheri Fakhouri – 43 weeks (2) (IA, NE)
18-Logan Kahler – 44 weeks (IA, MN)
19-Nathanial Brown – 45 weeks (IA, SD, GA, TN)
20-Jesse Howard – 45 weeks (IA, MO, NE, FL)
21-Tamara Peterson – 57 weeks (IA, MN)
22-Mindi Terrell – 60 weeks (IA)
23-Linda Bennett – 89 weeks (2) (KS)
24-Sarah Toot – 90 weeks (PA, NY, VT, NV)
25-Dawn Krause – 98 weeks (IA)
26-Angie DeWaard – 94 weeks (IA)
27-Kim Barker – 104 weeks (2) (IA, CO)
28-Joe Duff – 105 weeks (2) (TX)
29-Teresa Kahler – 116 weeks (2) (IA, NE)
30-Carla Stensland – 116 weeks (IA, MO)
31-Micky Augustin – 118 weeks (2) (IA, IL)
32-Andy Sharp – 119 weeks (2) (IA, NE, AR, MS, MO, TN, LA)
33-Bill Wentworth – 120 weeks (NE)
34-Cathie Morton – 123 weeks (IA, FL, BHS, MO)
35-Elizabeth Nordeen – 125 weeks (IA)
36-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 127 weeks (2) (IA, CA)
37-Kio Dettman – 129 weeks (2) (IA)
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.
It is the third week of the month and on the third week of the month I like to share a map of all the states where people have submitted from heading into today. Here is that map:
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:
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Chico, California) – 128 weeks
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Winnemucca, Nevada)
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 105 weeks
Kim Barker (Ames, Iowa)
Christopher D. Bennett (Near Martinsville, Indiana)
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 90 weeks
Linda Bennett (Kansas)
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa) – 3 weeks
Nathanial Brown (Iowa) – 46 weeks
Lowell Davis (Iowa) – 15 weeks
Scott Degeneffe (Salt Lake City, Utah) – 34 weeks
Scott Degeneffe (Denver, Colorado)
Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa) – 95 weeks
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 130 weeks
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)
Joe Duff (Texas) – 106 weeks
Joe Duff (Texas)
Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Miami, Florida) – 3 weeks
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 44 weeks
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)
Adam Gordon (Iowa) – 7 weeks
Adam Gordon (Iowa)
Mary Green (Iowa) – 3 weeks
Mary Green (Iowa)
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 15 weeks
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 1 week
Jesse Howard (Aruba) – 46 weeks
Jesse Howard (Curacao)
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 16 weeks
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 45 weeks
Logan Kahler (Ames, Iowa)
Teresa Kahler (Boone First United Methodist Church – Boone, Iowa) – 117 weeks
Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa) – 99 weeks
Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa)
Sara Lockner (Johnston, Iowa) – 13 weeks
Willy McAlpine (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa) – 4 weeks
Deanna McClain (Perry, Iowa) – 5 weeks
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 124 weeks
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 126 weeks
Becky Parmelee (Bella Vista, Arkansas) – 8 weeks
Tamara Peterson (Perry, Iowa) – 58 weeks
Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 120 weeks
Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 15 weeks
Johnathan Stensland (Iowa) – 5 weeks
Carla Stensland (Iowa State University – Ames, Iowa) – 117 weeks
Carla Stensland (Reiman Gardens – Ames, Iowa)
Mindi Terrell (Johnston, Iowa) – 61 weeks
Sarah Toot (New York City, New York) – 91 weeks
Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 39 weeks
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 121 weeks
EDITOR’S NOTE: I never comment on submissions. It is one of the base creeds that I operate under for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. No matter how much I want to comment, I don’t. But there is a picture on here that I really need to comment on. You probably can’t even guess which one it is. I’m not going to comment on Elizabeth’s taste in music (although I do approve) or Baby Face Adam (although it does crack me up) or that there were a few pictures of dogs, but no pictures of cats as a NECESSITY. Interesting. Yes, provocative. What I have to comment on is how extremely jealous I am that Scott got to eat at a Taco Time! I’m like burning with jealousy. I’m not even comfortable with how jealous I am. The real ones know that Taco Time is the truth when it comes to “Mexican” fast food. Every once in awhile you will get somebody from dirty Dodge try to force Taco Tico down your throat. Which is uncomfortable because that isn’t how you eat tacos, you have to chew first and Taco Tico is gross. Taco Time is the ONLY fast food “Mexican” I will eat. I won’t even look Taco Bell in the face. I won’t even spit in the general direction of a Taco John’s. It has been years now since I’ve eaten at Taco Time. Now the axe-throwing place at North Grand Mall does a serviceable knockoff of the Crisp Meat Burrito, but at the end of the day… it is still a knockoff. I know it. They know it. The Crisp Meat Burrito knows it. We are living a lie. I miss Taco Time. Screw you Scott for opening this wound back up!
But while I am deeply, to a disturbing level, passionate about Taco Time, you may have noted Lowell’s picture was taken in a hospital. Leah is in the hospital for a few days, so if you are the praying type, keep them in your prayers and if you aren’t, keep them in your thoughts.
38 participants! The exact same participation rate as last week. Better than falling off… I guess…
There were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Arkansas (1)
+ Aruba (1)
+ California (1)
+ Curacao (1)
+ Colorado (1)
+ Florida (1)
+ Indiana (1)
+ Iowa (36)
+ Kansas (2)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ New York (1)
+ Nevada (1)
+ Texas (2)
+ Utah (1)
Thanks to Scott’s “business” trip we added Utah to the map! WooHoo! Thanks to Jesse’s vacation we also added 2 foreign countries in Aruba and Curacao! WooHoo!
Here is the Year 11 list of places where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each places):
+ Arkansas (8.5)
+ Aruba (1)
+ Bahamas (1)
+ California (3)
+ Curacao (1)
+ Colorado (5)
+ Florida (5)
+ Georgia (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Illinois (3)
+ Indiana (3)
+ Iowa (515)
+ Kansas (23)
+ Louisiana (2)
+ Michigan (5)
+ Minnesota (6)
+ Mississippi (1.5)
+ Missouri (10.5)
+ Nebraska (24)
+ Nevada (2)
+ New York (11)
+ Oklahoma (1)
+ Pennsylvania (12)
+ South Dakota (3)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (24)
+ Utah (1)
+ Vermont (1)
+ Virginia (1)
26 states so far! 3 foreign countries! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple places:
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL) – 8
+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS, LA) – 7
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW) – 6
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO, NE, IL, IN) – 5
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL, UT, CO) – 4
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD, TN, GA) – 4
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT, NV) – 4
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL, BHS, MO) – 4
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley (IA, CA, NV) – 3
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO) – 3
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN) – 3
+ Michelle Haupt (IA, MO, KS) – 3
+ Becky Parmelee (AR, IA, OK) – 3
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL) – 2
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO) – 2
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Sara Lockner (IA, MN) – 2
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN) – 2
+ Carla Stensland (IA, MO) -2
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO) – 2
+ Teresa Kahler (IA, NE) – 2
+ Sheri Fakhouri (IA, NE) – 2
Jen is now in the lead to be crowned “The Most Travelled THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Photographer!” Jesse and Andy are in striking distance though!
The big milestone this week was Kio joining the 2.5 Year Streak Club! WooHoo!
But it wasn’t all fun in the sun and delicious tacos this week. Monica’s streak was blinded by the light and is now just a distant memory!
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:
TIME! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!
I’m trying not to explain the themes this year, but sometimes I can’t help myself. ‘m like me at a table filled with Crisp Meat Burritos. Self-control is an issue. But I digress…
If you look closely at the TIME theme reveal image (not that closely) you will see that it is actually 2 separate images put together. On the left is a picture with a “fast” shutter speed that freezes the water. The right side of the image was taken with a “slow” shutter speed that makes the water more of a blur. The idea of the theme TIME is to either freeze TIME in place with a fast shutter speed or show the fluidity of time with a slow shutter speed.
However, I know most people don’t have control over the shutter speed on the camera they use, so as always interpret the theme as you see fit.
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 see your idea of TIME in this place that hopefully passes it for a few of you next Monday.
Today is Faust’s birthday, so I have to wish him a happy birthday.
Hope your day was filled with hockey and grilling out and all the Minnesotan things you can handle!
A couple of months ago I had the pleasure of taking some Senior Pictures for Ben. Thought now would be a good time to share some of my favorite images from the photo shoot:
Always a good time getting together with the Baiers!
The Saturday after the Iowa State Women played for the Big 12 Championship, the Men did the same thing. The played the #1 team in the country, the Houston Cougars. The two teams had split the regular season games. Each team winning on their home floor. Both schools went undefeated at home this year. The only two schools to do that. I was expecting a very tight and hotly contested game, but the rubber match ended up being not much of a game. Iowa State blasted the #1 team in the country by 28 points. The first victory for Iowa State since all the way back in 2022. It was one of the largest margins of victory over the #1 team in history.
It was a completely unexpected result. A conference championship was a little unexpected for the Cyclones at the beginning of the season. They didn’t get a single vote in the AP Preseason Poll. However, they were expected to be at least decent. That lost some pieces from last year’s NCAA Tournament team, but they brought back almost all the key pieces. Plus they brought in some scoring punch for the backcourt in the transfer portal ad they brought in 2 freshman that are expected to play in the NBA. But, Iowa State ended up being much better than expected, thanks mostly to the vast improvement of Tamin Lipsey from his freshman year to his sophomore year.
Here are some pictures from the trip I made to the game with Jesse:
Garth Brooks played the Boone County Fair, we didn’t hang a banner for it.
Pretty much every Houston fan at the game in one picture.
The best point guard in the country, hope he is healthy next year.
This guy made his hat.
MVP!
Best coach in Iowa State history?
BRE!
This picture was for a project I’ve already decided to abandon.
Charlie Hustle had a pop up store. All the clothing in there was super cool!
It was a great day! But it wasn’t the last road trip I took to watch Iowa State play in the postseason!
Last summer I made a road trip to Backbone State Park cause it had been a long time since I had been there. I chose a poor day to go there as it was crazy hot. I still toughed it out and took a few pictures:
Backbone is a Top 5 Iowa State Park for me. Mostly just for the Backbone Trail. I should try and hit it again this year.
Since Easter is tomorrow, thought I would share some pictures from Christmas. I spent the day with Teresa’s family and unfortunately didn’t get to see Carla’s family as they were down with the COVID. Maybe next year.
Here are a few photos:
I hope everybody has as good of a Christmas as I did and I hope all of you also have a great Easter as well!
Today feels like a good time to clean up the backlog from July of last year. These pictures just didn’t fit into previous entries in “An Artist’s Notebook”.
It always feels great when a little bit more of the backlog has been cleared out. One day I’ll even be caught up!
