Category Archives: WPC

Alexis, Candid Portrait, Elainie, Kupono, Nature, Road Trip, Vacation, WPC - Reminder

Loess Hills

January 8, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 14 Comments

Back during the week of Labor Day, I took a week of vacation. I believe it was the only full week of vacation I took in 2020. One of the things I did while on vacation was take a road trip out to the Loess Hills. My ultimate destination was Preparation Canyon State Park. I think I may have entered from the wrong side, because I didn’t really find all that much there, but a few miles from the State Park, I found a beautiful Loess Hills observation deck. Here are some pictures:

If you don’t know about the Loess Hills, here is some information from the Wikipedia:

The dominant features of this landscape are “peak and saddle” topography, “razor ridges” (narrow ridges, often less than 10 feet (3 m) wide, which fall off at near ninety-degree angles on either side for 60 feet (18 m) or more), and “cat-step” terraces (caused by the constant slumping and vertical shearing of the loess soil). The soil has a characteristic yellow hue and is generally broken down into several units based on the period of deposition (Loveland, Pisgah, Peoria). Loess is known locally as “sugar clay” because it can be extremely hard when dry, but when wet, loses all cohesion. The Loess Hills of Iowa are remarkable for the depth of the drift layer, often more than 90 feet (27 m) deep. The only comparable deposits of loess to such an extent are located in Shaanxi, China.

It is a uniquely beautiful part of Iowa.

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is FAMILY:

FAMILY

FAMILY! The first theme of the 8th (full) year of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

What defines a FAMILY photo? First, you need to define what makes a FAMILY? Is it a group of people that share the same Deoxyribonucleic Acid? Or does the definition stretch a little bit farther than what can be placed in a test tube? Is a FAMILY a group of people that have a common set of beliefs? A common set of values? A common set of goals? A common set of experiences? Or perhaps the one thing that binds a group and makes them a FAMILY is LOVE? I’m sure there are more than a few that have come from a dysfunctional FAMILY would argue that love does not define a FAMILY. And others that would argue that just because you share that double helix with somebody, doesn’t make them FAMILY at all.

Personally, I like to think that FAMILY is more than what is in the blood in your body, but is more defined by the people (sentient beings) that you would spill blood for. Yours or others.

There is a scene in one of my favorite movies (Top 100 for sure) GARDEN STATE where the main character (Andrew Largeman) is discussing the idea of home with his romantic interest (Sam). They have the following interaction:

Andrew Largeman: You know that point in your life when you realize the house you grew up in isn’t really your home anymore? All of a sudden even though you have some place where you put your shit, that idea of home is gone.

Sam: I still feel at home in my house.

Andrew Largeman: You’ll see one day when you move out it just sort of happens one day and it’s gone. You feel like you can never get it back. It’s like you feel homesick for a place that doesn’t even exist. Maybe it’s like this rite of passage, you know. You won’t ever have this feeling again until you create a new idea of home for yourself, you know, for your kids, for the family you start, it’s like a cycle or something. I don’t know, but I miss the idea of it, you know. Maybe that’s all family really is. A group of people that miss the same imaginary place.

Happy photo harvesting!

Alexis, Andy, Becky, Candid Portrait, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elainie, Elizabeth, Jesse, Kio, Kupono, Micky, Monica, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 277 – TRANSPORTATION

January 4, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

This is the final week of the Hall of Fame THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE themes. TRANSPORTATION is a good way to end it, I suppose. 66! That is the number of weeks in a row we have hit double digit submissions! WooHoo!

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:

Kio Dettman

Becky Parmelee

Christopher D. Bennett

Tamara Peterson

Carla Stensland

Dawn Krause

Micky Augustin

Elizabeth Nordeen

Cathie Raley

Monica Henning

Andy Sharp

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Jesse Howard

If you want to take a look back at all the images submitted for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – HALL OF FAME, click on the link below:

Weekly Photo Challenge – HOF

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:

FAMILY

FAMILY! The first theme of the 8th (full) year of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

Personally, I like to think that FAMILY is more than what is in the blood in your body, but is more defined by the people (sentient beings) that you would spill blood for. Yours or others.

Andrew Largeman: You know that point in your life when you realize the house you grew up in isn’t really your home anymore? All of a sudden even though you have some place where you put your shit, that idea of home is gone.

Sam: I still feel at home in my house.

Andrew Largeman: You’ll see one day when you move out it just sort of happens one day and it’s gone. You feel like you can never get it back. It’s like you feel homesick for a place that doesn’t even exist. Maybe it’s like this rite of passage, you know. You won’t ever have this feeling again until you create a new idea of home for yourself, you know, for your kids, for the family you start, it’s like a cycle or something. I don’t know, but I miss the idea of it, you know. Maybe that’s all family really is. A group of people that miss the same imaginary place.

Sam: [cuddles up to Andrew] Maybe.

Meditate on what FAMILY means to you and take an image that shows exactly that.

Then send me you submission(s) by 11 AM next Monday. Remember, while I might consider you FAMILY, the picture has to 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 (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of FAMILY in this not quite imaginary, but not quite real place next Monday.

Fisheye, Flowers, Mom, Nature, Road Trip, Teresa, Vacation, WPC - Reminder

Dubuque Monument

January 1, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

I’m not the type of person that makes New Year’s Resolutions. So I don’t have any for you. Originally I was going to include a bunch of year in review stuff here. However, we are closing in on Post #4000 pretty soon, so I don’t see a need to do that now and then do it again in a few more weeks. So I’ll just say, Happy New Years! If you are the sort that celebrated.

Back on Labor Day, I took a road trip to Mines of Spain with my Mom and Teresa. I’ve already published all the pictures from Horseshoe Bluff. Now I want to post the pictures from the Julien Dubuque Monument.

Mines of Spain is definitely one of the prettiest parks I’ve ever visited.

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is TRANSPORTATION:

TRANSPORTATION

A TRANSPORTATION image is any picture where the subject is something that is used in transporting something or somebody somewhere.

Happy photo harvesting!

Aaron, Calendar, Carla, Cathie, Flowers, Jesse, Kim, Kio, Macro, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Nature, Road Trip, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 276 – ROAD TRIP

December 28, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

The September image for the 2021 Photography 139 Calendar is a picture of an orange gazania that I sprayed down with a water bottle. This gazania was grown in the Photography 139 Flower Garden. It is one of the bucket flower pots that lives in the front yard next to my front porch. This picture was taken on June 27, 2020.

Here are details of the photo:

DETAILS

CAMERA: Sony ILCE-7M2
LENS: FE 50mm 2.8 Macro
FOCAL LENGTH: 50mm
APERTURE: f/5.6
EXPOSURE: 1/100
ISO: 100
FIELD OF VIEW: 39.6 degrees
LATITUDE: 42.05523
LONGITUDE: -93.87072

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The theme that will be revealed later in this post for this week is the last theme in the run of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE HALL OF FAME themes. We will start a fresh new set of theme as we change to a new calendar. Particularly, if you have received a Photography 139 Calendar, you will see that the new theme for every week is printed on every Monday. I did not include any of the Hall of Fame theme is the next set of 52 themes. When we get to those set of themes next Monday, my description of every theme might sound a little bit difference to my descriptions in the past.

Here is a look at the next 52 Themes:

1. FAMILY
2. COMMERCIAL
3. HOBBIES
4. BLACK
5. USE OF SPACE
6. WIND
7. SYMMETRY & PATTERNS
8. LINES
9. PLAY
10. PICTURE IN PICTURE
11. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
12. LOVE
13. LOCAL INTEREST – SLICE OF LIFE
14. DRINKS
15. SHADOW
16. HANDS
17. TRAVEL
18. FACE
19. LIGHT
20. GOVERNMENT
21. IN THE AIR
22. WORDS
23. RED
24. WHITE
25. COMMUNICATION
26. ADVENTURE
27. HISTORY
28. MUSIC
29. ARCHITECTURE
30. PATHS
31. TOY
32. MOVEMENT
33. FRIENDS
34. PEOPLE
35. ‘SCAPE
36. JUNK
37. WORK
38. DREAM JOB
39. FLOWER
40. TIME
41. PASSION
42. GREEN
43. HERO
44. BUSINESS
45. RELIGION
46. REFLECTION
47. NATURE
48. BLUE
49. ODD CAMERA ANGLE
50. CANDID PORTRAIT
51. HOLIDAY
52. EDUCATION

There are many themes that we have tackled in the past. Some that haven’t been used in years. Some that have never been used before. Thanks to Andy for being the one person to suggest themes for what will be the 8th Year of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE… born the RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO EXPERIMENT a decade ago.

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ROAD TRIP was another theme that triggered plenty of creativity, despite the holiday season. I had double digit submission before I even went to bed Sunday night! 65 straight weeks of double digit submissions.

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:

Aaron Barnett

Kio Dettman

Tamara Peterson

Kim Barker

Micky Augustin

Christopher D. Bennett

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Michelle Haupt

Jesse Howard

Cathie Raley

Monica Henning

Carla Stensland

TRANSPORTATION

TRANSPORTATION! What a great theme! But what is a TRANSPORTATION picture? Any picture that has to deal with transporting things from point A to point B. A road is used in the example, but cars that drive on that road could be used. So could railroad tracks. Trains. Planes. Boats. Horses. Anything that takes anything or anybody from point A to point B is fair game!

Here is a look back at all the times in the past that TRANSPORTATION has been a theme:

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 42 – TRANSPORTATION

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 67 – TRANSPORTATION

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 114 – TRANSPORTATION

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 180 – TRANSPORTATION

WPC – WEEK 256 – TRANSPORTATION

I look forward to seeing the new interpretations!

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HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

The picture has to be taken the week of the theme. This isn’t a curate your pictures challenge. This is a get your butt off the couch (my personal experience) and put your camera in your hands challenge. Don’t send me a picture of you next to the Eiffel Tower, when I know you were in Iowa all week. I will point out that I have let that slide some in the past. I will not in the future. Since it is literally about the only rule.

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

I now allow people to text me their submissions. In the past, I had made exceptions for a couple people that aren’t real computer savvy, even though it was an inconvenience for me and required at least 3 extra steps for me. I am now lifting that embargo because I have a streamline way of uploading photos. I’m not giving out my phone number, but if you have it, you can text me.

It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very transported Monday!

Art, Black & White, Calendar, Christianity, Holidays, Mom, Nature, Road Trip, Teresa, WPC - Reminder

Merry Christmas – 2020

December 25, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

I need to start by wishing everybody a Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!

Many of us (me included) aren’t having our typical Christmas, or even the Christmas that they remotely wanted. Remember it is okay to feel a mixture of feelings today, because this isn’t the Christmas you wanted. Maybe it is the first Christmas without somebody. Maybe it is a Christmas you can’t spend with the people you want because of the pandemic. It is okay to feel whatever you feel. It is with those thoughts that I still say (and remember joy and happiness are not the same thing):

Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!

And of course to remember who that baby in that manger grew up to be:

JESUS WAS
A Radical.
A Nonviolent Revolutionary.
He hung out with lepers, hookers, and crooks.
Was NOT American.
Did NOT speak English. (Spoke Aramaic, if you were wondering)
Was ANTI-wealth.
Was ANTI-death penalty.
Was ANT-public prayer.

NOT ANTI-gay.
NEVER mentioned abortion. (Yes, abortion pre-dates Jesus by at least 1600 years)
NEVER mentioned birth control. (Yes, birth control pre-dates Jesus by at least 1850 years)
NEVER called the poor lazy.
NEVER justified torture.
NEVER fought for tax cuts for the wealthy.
NEVER asked a leper for a co-pay.
NEVER slut-shamed. In fact Jesus was anti-slut shaming.

WAS long-haired.
WAS brown-skinned.
WAS homeless.
WAS a refugee.
WAS a community organizer.
WAS a middle easterner.
WAS a Jew.

TOLD us to love one another.
LOVED poor people.
HUMANIZED everybody, regardless of their background.
MET people where they are at.
WAS considered a troublemaker by the authorities.
WAS ultimately murdered by the police.

Let every heart prepare room!

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The June calendar image is taken from when Fly Iowa was in Boone back in 2019. Remember big events, when you could be around other people. Safely. Yeah. Good times. Good times. This picture was taken on August 3, 2019.

Here are some details of this photo:

PHOTO DETAILS

CAMERA: Sony ILCA-77M2
LENS: 120-400mm F/4.5-5.6
FOCAL LENGTH: 180mm (270mm 35mm equivalent)
APERTURE: f/5
EXPOSURE: 1/2000
ISO:250
FIELD OF VIEW: 7.6 degrees
LATITUDE: 42.05149
LONGITUDE: -93.84873

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Today I’d like to share some pictures I took back on another holiday… Labor Day. On Labor Day I loaded Mom and Teresa up into a car and drove to Mines of Spain because I wanted to see Horseshoe Bluff. I posted some drone pictures of this day in the past. Now I’m getting around to pictures that are more for you land lovers. Or is that spelled land lubbers! I’m not sure, it has been so long since I’ve had my sea legs. Or lake legs. Or river legs. Or small farm pond legs. But we don’t need to talk about the last time I was on a boat in a farm pond.

Mom and Teresa did not want to get up and leave as early as I did. They have both volunteered to be a part of a future town sign harvesting road trip. Hopefully, they remember how early these trips need to leave dock…

Here are some pictures from one of the most beautiful parks in Iowa.

I would love to go there again. It would probably make a beautiful winter subject as well. Plus, less lousy with people. People, the enemy of nature photography.

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is ROAD TRIP.

ROAD TRIP

A ROAD TRIP photo is any picture taken during a ROAD TRIP or making preparations for a ROAD TRIP or spoils that came from a ROAD TRIP. What constitutes a ROAD TRIP? I’m pretty lax, but I would say that as long as your car leaves the driveway, it is a ROAD TRIP.

Happy photo harvesting!

Calendar, Carla, Cathie, Elizabeth, Flowers, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Macro, Michelle, Micky, Road Trip, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 275 – COLORFUL

December 21, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett 4 Comments

The February image for the Photography 139 2021 Calendar is a macro photo of my favorite flower, the moonflower. It is taken with a flash ring. It was taken on July 28, 2020.

Here are some details on the picture:

DETAILS
CAMERA: Sony ILCE-7M2
LENS: FE 50mm f/2.8 Macro
FOCAL LENGTH: 50mm
APERTURE: f/8
EXPOSURE: 1/60
ISO: 160
LATITUDE: 42.05226
LONGITUDE: -93.87074

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COLORFUL is a theme that really spoke to a ton of people. I had double digit submission before I even went to bed last night. That is 64 straight weeks. Also exciting, is there was a first time contributor in Elizabeth’s son Alexander!

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions!

Elizabeth Nordeen

Alexander Jackson

Elizabeth Nordeen

Robyn Augustin

Micky Augustin

Kio Dettman

Tamara Peterson

Carla Stensland

Joe Duff

Kio Dettman

Christopher D. Bennett

Kim Barker

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Michelle Haupt

Cathie Raley

Jesse Howard

Kim Barker

ROAD TRIP

ROAD TRIP! What a great theme! But what is a ROAD TRIP photo? A ROAD TRIP photo is any photo you take while on a ROAD TRIP. Or if you aren’t leaving your house this week, any picture that could be taken while planning for a ROAD TRIP. What qualifies as a ROAD TRIP? To me, it is any time your car leaves your drive way. I mean, my Mom lives 3 blocks from me and I can crush a whole bag of Funyuns in that drive, which makes that journey a ROAD TRIP to me.

Here is a look back at all the times in the past that ROAD TRIP was a theme:

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 51 – ROAD TRIP

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 59 – ROAD TRIP

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 134 – ROAD TRIP

WPC – WEEK 199 – ROAD TRIP

WPC – WEEK 249 – ROAD TRIP

I look forward to seeing your new interpretations!

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HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very road worthy Monday!

Aaron, Art, Becky, Cathie, Elizabeth, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Micky, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 274 – FACELESS PORTRAIT

December 14, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

63! 63! 63 straight weeks of double digit submissions! I was a little worried about FACELESS PORTRAIT, but I had double digit submissions before I even rolled of the couch this morning.

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:

Kim Barker

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Micky Augustin

Tamara Peterson

Becky Parmelee

Aaron Barnett

Joe Duff

Christopher D. Bennett

Cathie Raley

Elizabeth Nordeen

Kio Dettman

COLORFUL

COLORFUL! What a great theme! But what is a COLORFUL image? A COLORFUL image is simply a picture with bold, saturated colors. Wow, that seems easy! Especially in a time with so many Christmas decorations out there in the world. Of course, there is more than one definition for the term COLORFUL.

Here is a look back at all the times in the past that COLORFUL was a theme:

RWPE #24 – COLORFUL

RWPE Y2 #19 – COLORFUL

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 124 – COLORFUL

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 163 – COLORFUL

WPC – WEEK 220 – COLORFUL

I look forward to seeing your new interpretations.

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HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very colorful Monday!

Candid Portrait, Carla, Cathie, Elizabeth, Jesse, Kim, Kio, Michelle, Micky, Mom, Naima, Shannon, Tamara, Teresa, Toby, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 273 – FOOD

December 7, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

It is with a heavy heart that I want to start today’s post by honoring my cousin Alan, who suddenly passed away last Monday morning. He was a wonderful person and will definitely be missed. Here is his obituary, so you can get to know him a little bit as well:

Alan Lee Johnson
May 3, 1967 – November 30, 2020

Alan Lee Johnson, age 53, died suddenly on Monday, November 30, 2020 from a massive heart attack.

Alan, the son of Sheryl and Terry Johnson, was born at Boone County Hospital, May 3, 1967, at 8:17 a.m. and weighed 8lbs and 3oz.

He attended Lincoln Elementary School and was baptized at Central Christian Church where he attended Sunday School, participated in choir, Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF), and represented the youth at The Sanctuary Cornerstone Dedication Ceremony. In 1985, he graduated from Boone High School where he was an active member of the Swing Choir, chorale, theatre, and yearbook committee. Post high school he attended one semester at Iowa State University before moving to Los Angeles, California; Ames, Iowa; Jacksonville Beach, Florida; and most recently Des Moines, Iowa where he was employed at Vision for Less.

Alan loved music. He loved singing it, playing it on the piano, dancing to it, listening to it and sharing it with his nephews. Alan also enjoyed listening to the many programs on National Public Radio and reading a wide variety of books. He kept quotes that spoke to him and cherished his books. He enjoyed creating and viewing art with his sister and nephews and attending live musical and theatrical performances. Alan spent many years living two blocks off of the beach in Jacksonville, Florida. He relished the relaxed, unhurried attitude, beautiful scenery, and mild weather. Walking with his best friend David and his dog Humphrey along the beach while collecting sharks’ teeth, was a favorite activity along with piloting the family’s speed boat for his friends and family. Alan’s quick wit, gentle spirit, accepting, loyal and selfless nature made him a friend to all who knew him.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents: Doris and Lyle Paris, Maxine (Peg) and Richard (Dick) Johnson, aunt Charlene Paris, uncles Gerald Bennett and Dean Walter, cousins Olivia and Samuel Bennett.

Alan is lovingly remembered by his parents; Terry and Sheryl (Paris) Johnson; sister Dee Ann (Johnson) Wulbern; brother-in-law Shands Wulbern; nephews Carsten Alan and Andrew Shands Wulbern; closest friend David Henderson; aunts Charlotte Bennett, Delores (Dee) VanDePol, Lori Sebring and Dianna (Annie) Walter; uncles Lyle (Butch) Paris, Gary Paris, Richard VanDePol, Roger Sebring; and many loving cousins.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the family requests no home visits, and a visitation is not planned. Thoughts, prayers and cards will be appreciated, 702 Fremont Street, Boone, IA 50036. A private burial will be held at Linwood Park Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be given to the Boone Food Pantry at IMPACT Community Action Partnership – Boone at 606 Greene Street, Boone, IA 50036.

Special thanks to all of the precious friends, old and new, that have held Alan in their hearts throughout the years.

I live in the same town as most of my cousins (on my Mom’s side of the family). There are a couple spread out in other states, but most live in central Iowa. That being said, it is rare that I see any of them. With the pandemic, I see them even less. Alan is the last cousin I’ve seen in person. That was in May, I think. His parents took over my Grandma’s house and I was over there looking through some of Grandma’s possessions. Alan was there helping point out some of the best stuff or we were laughing at some of her “worst” stuff.

When I heard of his sudden passing, it made me think about the last time all of the cousins were together. It was 2002. At Grandpa’s funeral. Grandma passed away on Christmas Day in 2019. She had a visitation a couple weeks later. Not all of the cousin’s made it back for that, cause there was supposed to be a family burial service on Mother’s Day weekend, where she was to be lain to rest next to Grandpa. That was another thing taken away from us by this pandemic. When the service happened, it was limited to 10 people.

I don’t know that all of my cousin’s would’ve made it back for the funeral, but I like to think they would have.

When I heard the news, I went to a trunk where I had put away some old pictures. In there I found a picture taken on the day of Grandpa’s funeral. The day that would end up being the last day that all of us were together. 18 years ago.

If you are wondering which one in the picture is Alan, he isn’t in the picture. When everybody gathered up on the stage in the Fellowship Hall of the Central Christian Church, he wasn’t there. He had ran home to take some medication (if memory is correct). I don’t know why we couldn’t wait 15 minutes for him to get back to take this picture. My memory doesn’t hold that reasoning.

If I had to take a guess, it was because it was thought that we would be able to get this cousin picture at the next family gathering. A wedding. A family reunion. God forbid, another funeral (and there have been too many in the following 18 years). Somewhere along the way, a picture with Alan in the mix would be taken. It just never happened. That makes me even sadder, that whatever happened on the day of Grandpa’s funeral that caused this picture to be taken without Alan happened.

Since I don’t have a picture of Alan easily available, I lifted this picture off his Facebook page:

It was from near the last day I saw him. He was helping sort Grandma’s attic treasures down to the garage for the family to go through. I’m sure it isn’t the best picture of him out there, but I think his personality and sense of humor really comes through in it.

Rest in peace Alan. You are missed.

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62 straight weeks y’all. Sorry, I meant 62 straight weeks all of you! Good to see so many of you have good food in your lives! Also glad to see a submission by a 9, or maybe a 10 year old. Makes me proud to see that THE RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE ripples across generations.

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:

Elizabeth Nordeen

Kim Barker

Kio Dettman

Christopher D. Bennett

Tamara Peterson

Michelle Haupt

Jesse Howard

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Cathie Raley

Katelyn Augustin

Micky Augustin

Mike Vest

FACELESS PORTRAIT

FACELESS PORTRAIT! What a great theme! But what is a FACELESS PORTRAIT? A FACELESS PORTRAIT is simply a picture of somebody that doesn’t include their face. It doesn’t even have to include their head. It is also possible to do this theme without including any parts of their body at all. Pictures of objects that are unique to a person can also be a FACELESS PORTRAIT.

Click on a link below to have a look back at all the times in the past that FACELESS PORTRAIT has been a theme:

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 6 – FACELESS PORTRAIT

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 81 – FACELESS PORTRAIT

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 144 & WEEK 145

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 181 – FACELESS PORTRAIT

WPC – WEEK 252 – FACELESS PORTRAIT

I look forward to seeing the new interpretations!

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HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very faceless Monday!

Alexis, Birthdays, Brandon, Elainie, Flowers, Frank, Johnathan, Logan, Macro, Mom, Russ, Teresa, WPC - Reminder

On the Rocks

December 4, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

I need to start the day by wishing a couple people a happy birthday. I need to start with my nephew Brandon. Happy birthday Brandon!

I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be!

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It is also Frank’s birthday. Frank was instrumental in getting this website up and going. Its first home was the webserver living in his basement. He helped get it set up originally and hosted it for free and helped with the domain registration. I don’t think I’ve seen Frank since the pandemic started, and that really sucks. Happy birthday Frank!

I hope your birthday was as amazing as you want it to be!

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I started my freezing flowers in blocks of ice with your standard daisy. But I thought I would try some flowers with more color. So next I tried Brown-eyed Susans and Zinnias.

I wasn’t done playing with this idea still. So there are more ice block flower pictures yet to be curated.

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is FOOD:

FOOD

A FOOD photo is any image of FOOD or people eating FOOD or ingredients to make FOOD or people preparing FOOD or people cleaning up after eating FOOD.

Happy photo harvesting!

Aaron, Andy, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jesse, Kio, Micky, Ruins, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 272 – RUINS

November 30, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett

61 straight weeks! I had to rattle a couple of cages this morning,

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:

Kio Dettman

Cathie Raley

Tamara Peterson

Kio Dettman

Aaron Barnett

Christopher D. Bennett

Micky Augustin

Elizabeth Nordeen

Andy Sharp

Dawn Krause

Jesse Howard

FOOD

FOOD! What a great theme! But what is a FOOD image. A FOOD image is simply a picture of FOOD, FOOD preparation, people eating FOOD, or things that will become FOOD.

Here is a look at all the times in the past that FOOD was a theme:

RWPE #34 – FOOD

RWPE Y2 #15 – FOOD

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 123 – FOOD

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 189 – DESSERT

WPC – WEEK 197 – BREAKFAST

WPC – WEEK 226 – FOOD

I look forward to your new interpretations.

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HOUSEKEEPING

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION

Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.

It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.

That is it, them’s the rules.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION

Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.

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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very foody Monday!