Painting!

The great national nightmare, or maybe it was just my nightmare, is finally, virtually over. The 2 day house painting party this weekend is over and my house is painted!

Just a couple splashes of paint here and there, and hanging a few things up and it is over.

So thanks a million to my amazing Saturday Painting Crew:

  • Jesse
  • Teresa
  • Baier
  • Will
  • Ben
  • Monica
  • Jeff
  • Scottie D.
  • Melissa
  • Porter
  • Dalton
  • Anders
  • Ian
  • Mom
  • Shannon

Equally as great was my awesome Sunday Painting Crew:

  • Willy
  • Jesse
  • Derrick
  • Teresa
  • Carla
  • Jen
  • Evie
  • Layla
  • Jay
  • Kelly
  • Anna
  • Anthony
  • Alisa
  • Erica
  • Shannon
  • Jeff
  • Terrence
  • Mom

I’m in such good spirits that I’ll even thank the people that just stopped by to gawk:

  • Terry
  • Grandma
  • Sherrie
  • Steve
  • Andy (In fairness Andy would’ve helped if there were any work left to do).

 
Since I wasn’t able to photograph anything on Saturday on Sunday because I was covered with paint, at this time I don’t have any pictures of the actual painting to share. However, I do have some pictures of the aftermath. Some of the things might make you wonder about the cleanliness and skill level of my people. You should know that many of them are highly skilled painters: Derrick, Baier, Carla, and to my admitted shock Willy (to name a few), but everybody contributed on some level. Therefore, imperfections, spills, messes, I actually love these things. These are reminders that on one beautiful fall weekend 15 people on Saturday and 19 people on Sunday decided to come to my house and help me paint rather than do something that society may have considered more fun and more interesting. Society can go suck an egg!

I call it the house that love painted and that is even at least partially true. If nothing else, I have at least a healthy start to my Birthday Party Invite List. Don’t worry, there will be other chances to earn a coveted invite to The Party of 2016*. Not many granted, but I’m sure those chances will be out there.

Any way, here is a collection of photos of my Painting Party Aftermath:



A piece of tape leftover from where Alisa and Erica did a crackerjack job of painting the front porch!


An unintended sweet design left behind from Carla painting the house numbers!


Paint left behind from where my frog rain gauge sits. Possibly left from when Anna or Willy painted the rain spout? Actually that is probably my spill.


That cardinal even looks sweet on the brick.


Normally I would be sad if my beautiful, lush lawn looked so downtrodden and pathetic, (I pay good money for somebody else to fertilize it for me) but this is actually a sign of how many people were there painting my house at any given time. Can’t hate on that.


Cleaning out paint trays lead to this sweet white streak of grass.


The gold paint. The finishing touch that really adds some flair. Alisa and Erica also knocked it out of the park with this paint and my gate. Shannon also rocked the front threshold with this paint.

Another awesome aspect of this painting project was how much equipment I was loaned. One neighbor Stan loaned me 2 scaffoldings. The other neighbor Roger loaned me a ladder.


Stole the idea of using dish tubs to hold paint from my mission trip to South Dakota. Fortunately while painting cedar siding sucks, it doesn’t suck as bad as painting stucco.


More than a few people were infatuated with my house’s “nipple”. It is my kitchen vent. Don’t be weird, creeper. Either way, Anders and Ian did a dynamite job of painting it.


Just a few of the ladders that were used in the project. Not pictured is 1 of 2 family heirlooms used in during the project. A ladder my Grandpa Bennett bought in 1969 to paint the house at 415 Greene Street.


A few of the rollers that survived usage by Teresa the Roller Killer.


It took about 10 gallons of cardinal paint, 3 gallons of white paint, and 1 gallon of gold paint to complete this project.


Lots of experimental painting was done by me on this project. Some paint tools are excellent. Some are a waste of money. Such a waste of money.


On Saturday night I bought a gallon of gold paint and a whole set of paint brushes to use with the gold paint. When the time came around to use the gold paint, all those brushes, except one had been used for cardinal. This solo cup is an artifact left behind by Alisa and Erica from painting the gate gold.


Earlier this year I moved this wood pile from where it is pictured to the brick patio for use in the Firetub. I have had exactly zero social fire tub fires this year. Will and Ben moved the pile back to its original location. Very thankful I didn’t have to do that. Although since I am retiring the Firetub this fall, I should have one last social fire soon. What will become of the Firetub? Stay tuned. Same bat time. Same bat channel.


The other family heirloom that was used in this painting project. This step stool also belonged to Grandpa Bennett. When it isn’t being used in painting projects, it holds frog statues. It will no doubt be used when I complete Fall/Winter House Project #2 sometime soon-ish.


This was the Painting Party Cafeteria. Many a burger and dog were consumed here over stimulating conversation. Such as what do you do when you have to go to the bathroom on a 100 mile run? Loyal Instagram followers will recognize the chairs I stripped and painted John Deere colors and the plastic chairs I did a very poor job of painting Iowa State colors. The bench was built by Teresa. It normally is housed between the cherry trees and holds rain gauge no. 2 and more frog statues. Naima enjoyed her time in the cafeteria. Especially when Evie tried to bribe her with a hot dog to go on a walk.


This dog. She was in heaven with so many people around. She converted a couple of kids that were afraid of dogs and was a wonderful playmate for Layla and Evie as well. She even tried to help with the painting.


I set up the tent for its annual airing out and as a place for children to play. I think Jay might have been the one who played with it the most. Willy and Jesse helped set it up. It is always my pleasure helping people learn survival skills.


Naima’s tail got an extra shade of gold when she tried to help with the gate painting.


The best part of painting during the fall is that it doesn’t matter what happens to the flower that surround my buildings. I would have photographed the hosta that Melissa dumped (much to the chagrin of Scottie D.) quite a bit of white paint on, but we all know that hostas are weeds. So who cares what happens to them? Not this guy!


I did almost all the scraping myself. Let me tell you, scraping cedar siding is the worst. Here is just a small sampling of the piles of scraped paint chips that surround my house.


I think I had 5 paint trays going all at once on Sunday. Might have been 6.

So once again. Thanks to everybody that helped me with this project!

If you are wondering what the house actually looks like now, you might have to visit**. Or maybe that will be covered in a blog post in the future. I don’t know what the future holds.

*Actually, I can’t guarantee that the party will be that great***, but the invitations will be very amusing to at least 3, maybe 4 people.
**But don’t ring my doorbell, that freaks me out.
***Although the partial party playlist was endorsed by Anna and she knows about such things. I’m sure.

Weed

Saw this spot of purple in my backyard so I figured I better photograph it. After all, somebody once said that “if you don’t notice a spot of purple in nature, it pisses God off.”




Okay, that isn’t the exact quote, but I’m not feeling the motivation to look it up. Google is all the way on my other monitor. Looking over there seems like a ton of work suddenly.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-65V
FOCAL LENGTH: 60mm (90mm – 35mm equivalency)
ISO: 160
APERTURE: f/4
EXPOSURE 1/100
DATE: 09-28-15 – 17:08
LATITUDE: 42° 3′ 18.5″
LONGITUDE: 93° 52′ 14.8″
ALTITUDE: 346.78 meters

Weekly Photo Challenge Week 2 – SIGNS

Apparently signs didn’t trip the trigger of many people. Hopefully this week’s category prompts more participation.

This week’s submissions:



Angie DeWaard


Becky Perkovich


Becky Perkovich


Christopher D. Bennett

Time to reveal next week’s exciting new theme!



Camera

Camera… hmmm…. interesting.

CAMERA – noun – a device for recording visual images in the form of photographs, film, or video signals.

As always, feel free to interpret this theme in any way you see fit.

Could you say, I took this picture with a camera and so it meets the theme? Sure. Why not? Let your imagination go wild!

Yello

I thought I would conclude the work week with another flower from the Iowa State Fair.

Painting this weekend. You’re still welcome to come over and throw some paint on to my house. With a paintbrush or roller.




I’m hoping after this weekend I will have the creative time to start taking photos on a more regular basis again. But we will see.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONLY SLT-A65V
FOCAL LENGTH: 60mm (35mm equivalency – 90mm)
ISO: 1250
APERTURE: f/4
EXPOSURE: 1/160
DATE: 08-22-2015 18:16
LATITUDE: 41° 35′ 42″
LONGITUDE: 93° 33′ 5.4″
ALTITUDE: 213.01 meters

The Experts – Week 4 Results

Looks like the new kid on the block Faust dominated the action this week.

This week’s standings:

1. CAF: 23-6
2. CDB: 20-9
3. JLB: 19-10
4. RMK: 16-13
5. DRE: 15-14

OVERALL STANDINGS

1. CAF (1)
1. JLB (1)
1. RMK (1)
4. CDB (0)
4. DRE (0)


THURSDAY GAMES

CLEMSON 20 LOUISVILLE 17
CDB: CLEMSON – 1-0
JLB: CLEMSON – 1-0
DRE: CLEMSON – 1-0
RMK: CLEMSON – 1-0
CAF: CLEMSON – 1-0

BRONCOS 31 CHIEFS 24
CDB: CHIEFS – 1-1
JLB: CHIEFS – 1-1
DRE: CHIEFS – 1-1
RMK: BRONCOS – 2-0
CAF: CHIEFS – 1-1

FRIDAY GAMES

FLORIDA STATE 14 BOSTON COLLEGE 0

CDB: FLORIDA STATE – 2-1
JLB: FLORIDA STATE – 2-1
DRE: FLORIDA STATE – 2-1
RMK: FLORIDA STATE – 3-0
CAF: FLORIDA STATE – 2-1

FORT DODGE DODGERS 47 WATERLOO EAST TROJANS 0
CDB: FORT DODGE – 3-1
JLB: FORT DOGE – 3-1
DRE: FORT DODGE – 3-1
RMK: FORT DODGE – 4-0
CAF: FORT DODGE – 3-1

BOONE 27 PERRY 10
CDB: BOONE – 4-1
JLB: BOONE – 4-1
DRE: PERRY – 3-2
RMK: PERRY – 4-1
CAF: BOONE – 4-1

ROLAND-STORY 19 SOUTH HARDIN 0
CDB: ROLAND-STORY – 5-1
JLB: ROLAND-STORY – 5-1
DRE: SOUTH HARDIN – 3-3
RMK: ROLAND-STORY – 5-1
CAF: ROLAND-STORY – 5-1

LOGAN MAGNOLIA 39 AUDUBON WHEELERS 21
CDB: AUDUBON – 5-2
JLB: AUDUBON – 5-2
DRE: AUDUBON – 3-4
RMK: AUDUBON – 5-2
CAF: AUDUBON – 5-2

SATURDAY GAMES

NORTH CAROLINA 48 ILLINOIS 14
CDB: NORTH CAROLINA – 6-2
JLB: NORTH CAROLINA – 6-2
DRE: ILLINOIS – 3-5
RMK: NORTH CAROLINA – 6-2
CAF: NORTH CAROLINA – 6-2

OKLAHOMA 52 TULSA 38
CDB: OKLAHOMA – 7-2
JLB: OKLAHOMA – 7-2
DRE: OKLAHOMA – 4-5
RMK: OKLAHOMA – 7-2
CAF: OKLAHOMA – 7-2

KANSAS STATE 39 LOUISIANA TECH 33 (3 OT)
CDB: KANSAS STATE – 8-2
JLB: KANSAS STATE – 8-2
DRE: KANSAS STATE – 5-5
RMK: KANSAS STATE -8-2
CAF: KANSAS STATE – 8-2

OKLAHOMA STATE 69 TEXAS SAN ANTONIO 14
CDB: OKLAHOMA STATE – 9-2
JLB: OKLAHOMA STATE – 9-2
DRE: OKLAHOMA STATE – 6-5
RMK: OKLAHOMA STATE – 9-2
CAF: OKLAHOMA STATE – 9-2

NOTRE DAME 30 GEORGIA TECH 22
CDB: NOTRE DAME – 10-2
JLB: GEORGIA TECH – 9-3
DRE: GEORGIA TECH – 6-6
RMK: GEORGIA TECH – 9-3
CAF: NOTRE DAME – 10-2

LSU 45 AUBURN 21
CDB: LSU – 11-2
JLB: LSU – 10-3
DRE: LSU – 7-6
RMK: LSU – 10-3
CAF: LSU – 11-2

TEXAS TECH 35 ARKANSAS 24
CDB: ARKANSAS – 11-3
JLB: ARKANSAS – 10-4
DRE: ARKANSAS – 7-7
RMK: ARKANSAS – 10-4
CAF: TEXAS TECH – 12-2

FLORIDA 14 KENTUCKY 9
CDB: FLORIDA – 12-3
JLB: KENTUCKY – 10-5
DRE: KENTUCKY – 7-8
CAF: KENTUCKY – 10-5
RMK: FLORIDA – 13-2

CALIFORNIA 45 TEXAS 44
CDB: CALIFORNIA – 13-3
JLB: TEXAS – 10-6
DRE: TEXAS – 7-9
RMK: TEXAS – 10-6
CAF: CALIFORNIA – 14-2

IOWA 27 PITTSBURGH 24
CDB: IOWA – 14-3
JLB: IOWA – 11-6
DRE: IOWA – 8-9
RMK: PITTSBURGH – 10-7
CAF: IOWA – 15-2

STANFORD 41 USC 31
CDB: STANFORD – 15-3
JLB: USC – 11-7
DRE: USC – 8-10
RMK: USC – 10-8
CAF: USC – 15-3

TCU 56 SMU 37
CDB: TCU – 16-3
JLB: TCU – 12-7
DRE: TCU – 9-10
RMK: TCU – 11-8
CAF: TCU – 16-3

OLE MISS 43 ALABAMA 37
CDB: ALABAMA – 16-4
JLB: ALABAMA – 12-8
DRE: OLE MISS – 10-10
RMK: ALABAMA – 11-9
CAF: ALABAMA – 16-4

UCLA 24 BYU 23
CDB: UCLA – 17-4
JLB: UCLA – 13-8
DRE: BYU – 10-11
RMK: UCLA – 12-9
CAF: UCLA – 17-4

UNI 34 CAL POLY 20
CDB: CAL POLY – 17-5
JLB: UNI – 14-8
DRE: UNI – 11-11
RMK: UNI – 13-9
CAF: UNI – 18-4

SUNDAY GAMES

CARDINALS 48 BEARS 23
CDB: CARDINALS – 18-5
JLB: CARDINALS – 15-8
DRE: BEARS – 11-12
RMK: CARDINALS – 14-9
CAF: CARDINALS – 19-4

VIKINGS 26 LIONS 16
CDB: LIONS – 18-6
JLB: VIKINGS – 16-8
DRE: VIKINGS – 12-12
RMK: LIONS – 14-10
CAF: VIKINGS – 20-4

BENGALS 24 CHARGERS 19
CDB: BENGALS – 19-6
JLB: BENGALS – 17-8
DRE: BENGALS – 13-12
RMK: BENGALS – 15-10
CAF: CHARGERS – 20-5

PATRIOTS 40 BILLS 32
CDB: BILLS – 19-7
JLB: PATRIOTS – 18-8
DRE: PATRIOTS – 14-12
RMK: PATRIOTS – 16-10
CAF: PATRIOTS – 21-5

COWBOYS 20 EAGLES 10
CDB: EAGLES – 19-8
JLB: EAGLES – 18-9
DRE: EAGLES – 14-13
RMK: EAGLES – 16-11
CAF: EAGLES – 21-6

PACKERS 27 SEAHAWKS 17
CDB: PACKERS – 20-8
JLB: PACKERS – 19-9
DRE: PACKERS – 15-13
RMK: SEATTLE – 16-12
CAF: PACKERS – 22-6

MONDAY GAME

JETS 20 COLTS 7
CDB: COLTS -20-9
JLB: COLTS – 19-10
DRE: COLTS – 15-14
RMK: COLTS – 16-13
CAF: JETS – 23-6

TIE-BREAKER

TOLEDO 30 IOWA STATE 23 2OT
#4 CDB: IOWA STATE 13 TOLEDO 10 (-13) – (-30)
#1 JLB: IOWA STATE 24 TOLEDO 21 (-13) – (-8)
#5 DRE: IOWA STATE 21 TOLEDO 17 (-14)
#1 RMK: IOWA STATE 24 TOLEDO 21 (-13) – (-8)
#1 CAF: IOWA STATE 24 TOLEDO 21 (-13) – (-8)

The Experts – Week 4 Games

This week’s games for prognostication. If you want in, email me your picks for 5 PM Thursday. A little analysis wouldn’t hurt either.

TIEBREAKER

CHIEFS AT PACKERS – MONDAY 7:30 PM (ESPN)

THURSDAY GAME

RACISTS (1-1) AT GIANTS (0-2) – 7:25 PM (CBS/NFL)
CINCINNATI (2-1) AT MEMPHIS (3-0) – 6:30 PM (ESPN)

FRIDAY GAMES

BOISE STATE (2-1) AT VIRGINIA (1-2) – 7 PM (ESPN)
MASON CITY MOHAWKS (1-3) AT FORT DODGE DODGERS (4-0)
BOONE TOREADORS (1-3) AT DALLAS CENTER-GRIMES MUSTANGS (3-1)
NORTH POLK COMETS (2-2) AT ROLAND-STORY NORSEMEN (1-2)
MAPLE VALLEY-ANTHON-OTO RAMS (3-1) AT AUDUBON WHEELERS (3-1)

SATURDAY GAMES

KANSAS (0-2) AT RUTGERS (1-2) – 11 AM (BTN)
#22 BYU (2-1) AT MICHIGAN (2-1) – 11 AM (ABC)
MARYLAND (2-1) AT WEST VIRGINIA (2-0) – 2 PM (FS1)
RICE (2-1) AT #5 BAYLOR (2-0) – 2 PM
NORTH TEXAS (0-2) AT IOWA (3-0) – 2:30 PM (ESPNU)
#24 OKLAHOMA STATE (3-0) AT TEXAS (1-2) – 2:30 PM (ESPN)
TENNESSEE (2-1) AT FLORIDA (3-0) – 2:30 PM (CBS)
#3 TCU (3-0) AT TEXAS TECH (3-0) – 3:45 PM (FOX)
CALIFORNIA (3-0) AT WASHINGTON (2-1) – 4 PM
MISSISSIPPI STATE (2-1) AT AUBURN (2-1) – 6:30 PM (ESPN2)
#25 MISSOURI (3-0) AT KENTUCKY (2-1) – 6:30 PM (SECN)
#9 UCLA (3-0) AT #16 ARIZONA (3-0) – 7 PM (ABC)
#18 UTAH (3-0) AT #13 OREGON (2-1) – 7:30 PM
#19 USC (2-1) AT ARIZONA STATE (2-1) – 9:30 PM (ESPN)

SUNDAY GAMES

FALCONS (2-0) AT COWBOYS (2-0) – 12 PM
COLTS (0-1) AT TITANS (1-1) – 12 PM
CHARGERS (1-1) AT VIKINGS (1-1) – 12 PM
STEELERS (1-1) AT RAMS (1-1) – 12 PM
49ERS (1-1) AT CARDINALS (2-0) – 3:05 PM
BILLS (1-1) AT DOLPHINS (1-1) – 3:25 PM
BEARS (0-2) AT SEAHAWKS (0-2) – 3:25 PM
BRONCOS (2-0) AT LIONS (0-2) – 7:30 PM (NBC)

PET

Sunday was my church’s annual block party to kickoff Sunday School. Once again, I manned the PET Obstacle course. Only this year it was more like a PET Area, with a couple of chairs thrown out there.

There were way more people there this year, so it was more than just me and one kid hanging out for two hours. So that was cool.

Some pictures.



Jentry


Anna


Anthony


Mackenzie


Jentry Bustin’ a Move


This is what you do when the Methodist Men are cranking out the Lecrae Pandora Channel.


More Dance Moves


Alisa videoing Pastor Sarah


Pastor Sarah


Dick, My Partner in Crime

This was just a small part of a great weekend that included FNSC, lots of scraping, the Majors Family Reunion, and concluded with a 5 year old’s birthday party. Other than the lack of sleep, it was a pretty great weekend.

And it is like the old saying goes: You can sleep when your house is painted.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Week 1: Night

This was an awesome week of participation! Hopefully this continues.

A quick note because I forgot to mention this last week. The photo needs to be taken the week of the challenge. This isn’t a I have this photo I took 3 years ago that fits the category challenge. This isn’t a curate challenge. This is a get out and photograph challenge.

This week’s submissions:



Angie DeWaard


Becky Perkovich


Micky Augustin


Angie DeWaard


Michelle Haupt


Christopher Bennett


Dawn Krause


Mike Vest

Now is the moment where I reveal this week’s challenge!



SIGNS!

Sign
noun
plural noun: signs

1. an object, quality, or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the probably presence or occurrence of something else.
2. a gesture or action used to convey information or instructions

verb
3rd person present: signs

1. write on’es name on (a letter, card, or similar itemt) to identify oneself as the writer or sender.
2. use gestures to convey information or instructions

Remember to get you submission to me by noon next Monday, however, the earlier the better!. Email me at bennett@photography139.com.

I can’t wait to see next week’s submissions!