Closer to You

It is -9 degrees as I sit down to write this entry. I don’t mind the cold too much, but it still makes me long for warm August days and the Iowa State Fair. Standing in the Discovery Garden, photographing flowers.


Unceasing Effort - 2021

Unceasing Effort - 2021

Unceasing Effort - 2021

Unceasing Effort - 2021

Unceasing Effort - 2021

Unceasing Effort - 2021

Unceasing Effort - 2021

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2021

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2021

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2021

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2021

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2021

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2021

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2021

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2021

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2021

Closer to You

Closer to You

One of my organizational projects of 2021 is to get my flower galleries better organized and get the naming conventions nailed down better. For example, I name any hibiscus picture I take “Unceasing Effort” for the Alan Key quote, “Some people worry that artificial intelligence will make us feel inferior, but then anybody in his right mind should have an inferiority complex every time he looks at a flower.”

It shouldn’t take anywhere near as long as fixing all my past broken blogs has taken and continues to take, but it is a larger project than I want it to be.

+++++++

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


WEEK 332 - TRIANGLE
TRIANGLE

TRIANGLE! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

But what is a TRIANGLE image? It is simply a picture where the subject includes or is a TRIANGLE. Isosceles, equilateral, scalene, obtuse, acute, or right. Doesn’t matter. When you start to look for them, you will realize that TRIANGLE(s) are every where. Commonly used in construction and logos, for example. Heck, sometimes even love has a TRIANGLE.

Happy photo harvesting!

Southwest Iowa Auxiliary Images Vol. 6

Here is the final collection of auxiliary images I took on a couple of road trips to southwest Iowa to harvest town signs. Most of these are in Page County, but a few are in Ringgold County.


Page County - Clarinda
Clarinda

Page County - Clarinda

Page County - Clarinda

Page County - Shambaugh
Shambaugh

Page County - Shambaugh
While the Facebook algorithm is destroying humanity, this robot is out there doing God’s work.

Page County - College Springs
College Springs

Page County - Blanchard
Blanchard

Page County - Blanchard

Page County - Blanchard

Page County - Northboro
Northboro

Page County

Page County - Coin
Coin

Page County - Coin

Page County - Coin

Page County - Coin

Page County - Clarinda
Clarinda again

Page County

Page County

Ringgold County
Maloy

Ringgold County

Ringgold County

Ringgold County

Ringgold County - Benton
Benton

Ringgold County

Once again, those towns, I think are correct, but it has been awhile since I made these road trips. Next time we look at some auxiliary images, it will involve Monona County.

Town Sign Project: Cedar County

A few weeks back I made a solo road trip to harvest the town signs of Cedar County.

Here are some facts about Cedar County:

+ Population is 18,505 making it the 38th most populous county in Iowa. Below Poweshiek County and above Dickinson County.
+ Tipton is the largest town and county seat.
+ Formed on December 21, 1837. Named for the Cedar River.
+ Birthplace of President Herbert Hoover.
+ Major highways are I-80, US-6, US-30, IA-28, and IA-130.
+ Adjacent counties are: Jones, Clinton, Scott, Muscatine, Johnson, and Linn.
+ Population peaked in 1870 at 19,731.

The Cedar County Courthouse isn’t much to look at:


Cedar County Courthouse
The Cedar County Courthouse in Tipton, Iowa.

The Cedar County Freedom Rock is located in Tipton, Iowa, right next to the courthouse:


Cedar County Freedom Rock

Cedar County Freedom Rock

Cedar County Freedom Rock

Cedar County Freedom Rock

With Cedar County completed, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:


Town Sign Project - 54 Counties
PURPLE=COMPLTED

54 counties completed. 54.5% of the Cyclone State conquered!

One note before we get into the town signs of Cedar County. I normally don’t consider a mural to be a town sign unless it is the only town sign in the town, or it is at the busiest intersection entering that town. The amount of high quality murals in Cedar County has made me rethink this policy somewhat.

Another note, Wilton is slightly in Cedar County, but just slightly. I will hold onto that town sign until I harvest the rest of Muscatine County.

Here are the town signs of Cedar County:


Tipton, Iowa
Tipton, Iowa
TIPTON
EST. 1840
Population: 3,149 (-72)

West Branch, Iowa
West Branch, Iowa (Partially in Johnson County)
BIRTHPLACE of HERBERT HOOVER
Historic West Branch
Population: 2,509 (+187)

Durant, Iowa
Durant, Iowa
welcome to DURANT
Population: 1,871 (+39)

Clarence, Iowa
Clarence, Iowa
CLARENCE
“WELCOMES YOU”
Population: 1,039 (+65)

Mechanicsville, Iowa
Mechanicsville, Iowa
HEAVEN AMONGST THE CEDARS
MECHANICSVILLE, IOWA
Population: 1,020 (-126)

Lowden, Iowa
Lowden, Iowa
Welcome to LOWDEN
incorporated 1869
Population: 807 (+18)

Stanwood, Iowa
Stanwood, Iowa
WELCOM TO STANWOOD
1869
Population: 637 (-47)

Bennett, Iowa
Bennett, Iowa
BENNETT
Population: 347 (-58)

For the most part, I don’t think there is a bad town sign in Cedar County. If there are any that just bore me, they are the town signs of Tipton and Durant.

I think that the best town sign in Cedar County is really a no-brainer. While Bennett is the best named town in Iowa and I do love their sign, I have to give it to Lowden.


Lowden, Iowa
Lowden – Best in Show – Cedar County

There were a few alternate town signs in Cedar County:


West Branch, Iowa
West Branch – Alternate

West Branch, Iowa
West Branch – Alternate

Tipton, Iowa
Tipton – Alternate

Tipton, Iowa
Tipton- Alternate

Stanwood, Iowa
Stanwood – Alternate

Lowden, Iowa
Lowden – Alternate

Lowden, Iowa
Lowden – Alternate

Durant, Iowa
Durant – Alternate

Here is the current list of Best in Shows:


Fontanelle, Iowa
Best in Show – Adair County

Nodaway, Iowa
Best in Show – Adams County

Audubon, Iowa
Best in Show – Audubon County

Norway, Iowa
Best in Show – Benton County

Moingona, Iowa
Best in Show – Boone County

Readlyn, Iowa
Best in Show – Bremer County

New Hartford, Iowa
Best in Show – Butler County

Manson, Iowa
Best in Show – Calhoun County

Coon Rapids, Iowa
Best in Show – Carroll County

Anita, Iowa
Best in Show – Cass County

Lowden, Iowa
Best in Show – Cedar County

Dougherty, Iowa
Best in Show – Cerro Gordo County

Murray, Iowa
Best in Show – Clarke County

Ricketts, Iowa
Best in Show – Crawford County

Dexter, Iowa
Best in Show – Dallas County

Weldon, Iowa
Best in Show – Decatur County

Popejoy, Iowa
Best in Show – Franklin County

Tabor, Iowa
Best in Show – Fremont County

Scranton, Iowa
Best in Show – Greene County

Beaman, Iowa
Best in Show – Grundy County

Menlo, Iowa
Best in Show – Guthrie County

Stanhope, Iowa
Best in Show – Hamilton County

Britt, Iowa
Best in Show – Hancock County

Ackley, Iowa
Best in Show – Hardin County

Bradgate, iowa
Best in Show – Humboldt County

Ida Grove, Iowa
Best in Show – Ida County

Lynnville, Iowa
Best in Show – Jasper County

Anamosa, Iowa
Best in Show – Jones County

Titonka, Iowa
Best in Show – Kossuth County

Springville, Iowa
Best in Show – Linn County

Lucas, Iowa
Best in Show – Lucas County

East Peru, Iowa
Best in Show – Madison County

Pleasantville, Iowa
Best in Show – Marion County

Haverhill, Iowa
Best in Show – Marshall County

Malvern, Iowa
Best in Show – Mills County

Onawa, Iowa
Best in Show – Monona County

Grant, Iowa
Best in Show – Montgomery County

College Springs, Iowa
Best in Show – Page County

Plover, Iowa
Best in Show – Pocahontas County

Bondurant, Iowa
Best in Show – Polk County

Malcom, Iowa
Best in Show – Poweshiek County

Maloy, Iowa
Best in Show – Ringgold County

Nemaha, Iowa
Best in Show – Sac County

Elk Horn, Iowa
Best in Show – Shelby County

Collins, Iowa
Best in Show – Story County

Tama, Iowa
Best in Show – Tama County

Gravity, Iowa
Best in Show – Taylor County

Creston, Iowa
Best in Show – Union County

New Virginia, Iowa
Best in Show – Warren County

Humeston, Iowa
Best in Show – Wayne County

Badger, Iowa
Best in Show – Webster County

Buffalo Center, Iowa
Best in Show – Winnebago County

Joice, Iowa
Best in Show – Worth County

Woolstock, Iowa
Best in Show – Wright County

The next time we hit the open road for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT we will visit Monroe County.

WPC – WEEK 331 – ROCK

It appears that ROCK was a fairly popular theme. There were a decent amount of submissions.

Heading in to the second week of Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, these were the current streaks:

* Micky Augustin – 1 week
* Linda Bennett – 1 week
* Monica Henning – 1 week
* Jesse Howard – 1 week
* Logan Kahler – 1 week
* Carla Stensland – 1 week
* Evie Gorshe – 2 weeks
* Layla Gorshe – 2 weeks
* Teresa Kahler – 2 weeks
* Becky Parmelee – 2 weeks
* Andy Sharp – 2 weeks
* Bill Wentworth – 3 weeks
* Dawn Krause – 4 weeks
* Cathie Raley – 7 weeks
* Elizabeth Nordeen – 8 weeks
* Kim Barker – 10 weeks
* Shannon Bardole-Foley – 10 weeks
* Kio Dettman – 13 weeks
* Tamara Peterson – 13 weeks

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


WEEK 331 - ROCK - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (14 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 331 - ROCK -  BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (4 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 331 - ROCK - EVIE GORSHE
Evie Gorshe (3 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (9 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (3 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 331 - ROCK - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (1 week)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (5 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause

WEEK 331 - ROCK - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (2 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (11 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley (8 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (2 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (11 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest (1 week)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee – (3 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - MONICA HENNING
Monica Henning (2 weeks)

WEEK 331 - ROCK - MONICA HENNING
Monica Henning

20 submissions by 16 participants. Sadly, streaks ended for Linda Bennett, Logan Kahler, Carla Stensland, Layla Gorshe, Teresa Kahler, and Tamara Peterson. Tamara’s streak was all the way up to 13 weeks. That leaves Kio as the sole King of the Streaks at 14. With Shannon and Kim in second at 11 weeks a piece.

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:


WEEK 332 - TRIANGLE
TRIANGLE

TRIANGLE! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

But what is a TRIANGLE image? It is simply a picture where the subject includes or is a TRIANGLE. Isosceles, equilateral, scalene, obtuse, acute, or right. Doesn’t matter. When you start to look for them, you will realize that TRIANGLE(s) are every where. Commonly used in construction and logos, for example. Heck, sometimes even love has a TRIANGLE.

While considering your possible TRIANGLE subjects, meditate on the following quote:

If triangles had a god, he would have three sides.
-Baron de Montesquieu

I look forward to seeing all your three sided interpretations.

RULES

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 TRIANGLE in this place that is little more than a love triangle amongst me, myself, and I next Monday.

Jayton – Volume 1

As I indicated last Sunday, Sundays are going to be about formal portraits I took in 2021 for the foreseeable future. For a little bit anyways.

Today I’m going to share the first collection of images from a photo shoot I had with Jayton Poole. Jayton is a senior at Boone High School. I got together with his family to take some senior pictures of Jayton a few months back now.


Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Jayton Poole

Next Formal Portrait will involve a kid named Kyle.

2011-04-12 & 2011-04-16

The pictures in the folders 2011-04-12 & 2011-04-16 are of two varieties. One set will no doubt be very confusing to you. 98% (probably higher) will think that those picture are rubbish. They are more pinhole camera pictures. It has been months since I published pinhole camera pictures. What sets these apart is that they are taken with filters.

The second set of pictures are more straight forward. Simply pictures of Iowa State’s 2011 Spring Game.


The Better

The Better

The Better

The Better

The Better

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

Iowa State Spring Game - 2011

By adding these pictures to the Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK #68
IOWA STATE SPRING GAME

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve tulips.

What Can I Say

Today felt like the right day to start sharing pictures I took of the flowers at the Iowa State Fair. As you know, the Discovery Garden is one of my favorite parts of the Iowa State Fair and I try to spend at least sometime there every year.


Unceasing Effort - 2020

Unceasing Effort - 2020

Digging for God - 2021

Digging for God - 2021

Digging for God - 2021

Digging for God - 2021

Digging for God - 2021

Digging for God - 2021

Digging for God - 2021

Digging for God - 2021

There are still more flowers from the Iowa State Fair left to share. But maybe not as many as usual.

+++++++

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


WEEK 331 - ROCK
ROCK

ROCK! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a ROCK photo? Well, there are several types of rocks. Igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. All you have to do is find a rock you like (I’m partial to igneous) and take a picture of it. And ROCKs have so many uses, they can hold historical markers, they are canvasses for artists, and people build things out of them. Just to name a few. Of course, ROCK can have multiple meanings. There is the type of ROCK that Twisted Sister wants to do. Which isn’t all that different from the kind of ROCK that AC/DC salutes those about to engage in or that Queen wants to do to you. Whatever definition of ROCK you use, it will be the right one for you.

I’d be remiss, if I didn’t point out that ROCK was a theme suggested by Angie. Thanks for the suggestion Angie.

If you don’t like ROCK as a theme, you can call her to complain. Her phone number is 555-2368.

Happy photo harvesting!

Southwest Iowa Auxiliary Images Vol. 5

It is time once again for another collection of auxiliary images I took the couple of times I went to southwest Iowa to harvest some town signs. I’m pretty sure all the towns are lines up correctly this time, but it was a long time ago. All these pictures were taken in Taylor County.


Taylor County - Sharpsburg
Sharpsburg

Taylor County - Sharpsburg

Taylor County - Sharpsburg

Taylor County - Sharpsburg

Taylor County - Sharpsburg

Taylor County - Gravity
Gravity

Taylor County - Gravity

Taylor County - Gravity

Taylor County - Gravity

Taylor County - Gravity

Taylor County - Gravity

Taylor County - Gravity

Taylor County - Gravity

Taylor County - Bedford
Bedford

Taylor County - Bedford

Taylor County - Bedford

Taylor County - Bedford

Taylor County - Bedford

Taylor County - Bedford

Taylor County - Bedford

Taylor County - Bedford

Taylor County - Bedford

Taylor County - New Market
New Market

Taylor County - New Market

I still have one more collection of images to share from this area of the state.