Hot Dog! – Ankeny Field Work

April 30, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Back in February, after church, Teresa and I met Sheri down in Ankeny at Naughtea for lunch. Naughtea specializes in serving a variety of bubble teas and Korean hot dogs. I had no clue what a Korean hot dog was, but I was more than game to find out.

You can get your K-Dog with either half cheese and half hot dog, all hot dog, all cheese, or either combination wrapped in American cheese. I got the Hot Cheetos K-Dog with half cheese and half hot dog. I would actually recommend going all cheese cause quite frankly the hot dog is nothing to write home about. I don’t know what kind of hot dog they use, but it isn’t one that would ever make it to my fridge and on my grill. I’m not exactly a hot dog snob. Well… maybe a little bit. But I would never use the “e word” to describe my relationship with hot dogs.

Here are some pictures from the day:

For the bubble tea I got the Mango Princess Jasmine Milk Tea with the Mano Jelly Boba. It was 100% delicious.

My K-Dog was also delicious. However, for somebody like me, one K-Dog probably doesn’t do in the appetite. But since K-Dogs are relatively inexpensive (anymore if I can get out of a restaurant paying less than $15, that is a win and if I can get out for less than $10 I alert the media) I would maybe get 2 next time. But then you factor in the $7 drink, I’m suddenly becoming an expensive date.

I would definitely go back, but I don’t think I would search it out. At least not for a meal. Maybe if I was hardcore craving a bubble tea.

Naugtea is located at:

1810 SW White Birch Circle
Suite 115
Ankeny, Iowa

The next food adventure will take place in Altoona, Iowa.

Animals

Jestering

April 29, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

One of my favorite parks is Jester Park. I try to get there at least a half a dozen times a year, if not more. I made one such trip in late December of last year to check out the elk and bison. The bison weren’t hanging out close to the fence, but I got a few pictures of the elk.

There are actually quite a bit more elk pictures to share in the future.

Night, Road Trip, Street Photography, Travel, Work, WPC - Reminder

Viva Las Vegas Day 5B

April 28, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

Despite the constant rain storm, I hung out by the Bellagio Fountains waiting for the show. While I was soaked, oh well, it gave me a feeling of solitude that I didn’t get very much in Las Vegas. No matter where you go, there are people everywhere. Tony is a fantastic roomie and I have zero complaints about him. But even in the room you don’t get much alone time. Besides, why would you want to hang out in your room when there is so much to see and experience in Las Vegas. I don’t think I ever made it more than 6 blocks from Planet Hollywood and I still know I missed a million street photography opportunities.

What I’m trying to say is that I was pretty much the only person to watch the Bellagio Fountain Show. At least from the sidewalk of Las Vegas Boulevard. It was like my own personal show. I’m not going to hate on that.

Here are some pictures of the fountain:

I still have one last collection of pictures from Las Vegas to share and then we can move on to my trip to Chicago. Probably.

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

ROAD TRIP

ROAD TRIP! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE! This is one of my favorite themes for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. It isn’t just because I am one of the few universally recognized Masters of the Road Trip. Okay, maybe it is.

But what in the Sam Hill is a ROAD TRIP photo? Simply put, it is a picture that is taken on a ROAD TRIP or in preparation for a ROAD TRIP. It doesn’t have to be a picture of a road or a car or a map or snacks. I LOVE a good ROAD TRIP snack. For example, if you are taking a ROAD TRIP to Pella to do a little flowertography this weekend, then a picture of anything you encounter on that ROAD TRIP is fair game. It doesn’t have to be a grand ROAD TRIP. You don’t have to leave the state on this trip. And judging by where many of my submissions come from, many of you haven’t left the state since Theresa Becker was the Iowa State women’s basketball coach*.

Happy photo harvesting!

*If you don’t get the reference, are we even friends?

Flowers, Macro

Just Kids

April 27, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Were we just kids, just starting out
Didn’t we know then love was about
Were we just fooling, playing around
Were we ever gonna get out of this town

All in a moment, all in a sound
All in a day’s work, we’re tumbling down
Down by the old school, trash in the street
Searching the eyes of the strangers we meet
Asking will it get better?
Will we be alone?
Turning the wheels of our bicycles home
Over the rainbow, out in the snow
-Brandi Carlile

Thursdays are for flowers. Today’s flower collection was taken back in January. A bouquet thrown in the snow.

Would you believe that I’m out of flower pictures?

Art, Black & White, History, Nature, Road Trip, Street Photography

Muscatine County Aux. – Vol. 3

April 26, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Time for yet another collection of images from Muscatine County. One of my favorite counties that I visited. At least that wasn’t in the Loess Hills or the Driftless Area. Definitely Top 5. No lower than Top 10. This is not the collection that will show the dragon I bought the best watermelons of my life. However, there is pictures of Wildcat Den State Park that has a mill that I think is one of the most photographed tableaus in the state of Iowa. Plus an Old Stone Church that is set in a breathtaking rural Iowa vista.

Wilton

Walcott – Based on Balmoral Castle

Buffalo – Scott County

Old Stone Church

Methodists!

The only thing I hate more than bigotry is power lines.

Wildcat Den State Park

There are plenty more pictures to share from this road trip. We haven’t even made it to Muscatine yet!!

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Art, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Naima, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Self-Portrait, Shannon, Street Photography, Tamara, Teresa, Travel, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 397 – FRIENDS

April 25, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

It is the last collection of submissions of the month, so it is a good time revisit the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE FAQ:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE

What skill level photographer can participate?

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

Award winning photographers? Really?

Yes. I can think of at least 5 photographers that participate regularly that have won a photography award of some kind.

Is this a competition?
No.

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

Yes. That limit is 3. If you send me more than 3, I will post the first 3 that you send. I’m not trying to harsh your photography buzz, but any more than that start to overwhelm the other submissions and it takes me about 5 minutes to take a picture from my inbox to code it on the website. So I have to manage my workload.

If participation rates climb, that limit of 3 is subject to lower.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Are there resolution requirements for submissions?

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

What format should my submission be?

.JPG but .PNG also works.

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

No. Photography is art that should stand on its own. Only exception is the SLICE OF LIFE theme.

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

Suggestions are closed for next year’s list. It will be a minute before they open up for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

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Well things worked out correctly.

I boarded an airplane.

I flew back to the Cyclone State.

I made it through the road construction on Fleur.

Made it to Ted’s Coney Island.

Had a badass tenderloin.

Onion rings.

And some delicious baklava.

Delivered popcorn to Elizabeth.

Greeted Naima. She was glad to see me.

Took her for a car ride.

Took her to Dickcissel Park.

Watched the show I’m currently binging. (SUCCESSION)

Did some laundry.

Then finally did all the coding necessary for you to see all the FRIENDS submissions.

So without further adieu, I present the post on this WEEK 397 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE…

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FRIENDS! They are pretty great to have in your life, but do a lot of people have FRIENDS in their life that they could photograph? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, April 17, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Porter Degeneffe – 1 week
2-Scott Degeneffe – 2 weeks (2)
3-Mary Green – 2 weeks (3)
4-Jesse Howard – 2 weeks
5-Alexis Stensland – 2 weeks
6-Sabas Hernandez – 4 weeks
7-Mindi Terrell – 8 weeks (3)
8-Suzie Brannen – 13 weeks (2)
9-Monica Jennings – 13 weeks
10-Mike Vest – 14 weeks
11-Tamara Peterson – 24 weeks (2)
12-Brandon Kahler – 34 weeks
13-Linda Bennett – 38 weeks (2)
14-Sarah Toot – 39 weeks
15-Angie DeWaard – 43 weeks
16-Dawn Krause – 47 weeks
17-Kim Barker – 52 weeks
18-Joe Duff – 54 weeks
19-Logan Kahler – 54 weeks
20-Teresa Kahler – 65 weeks (2)
21-Carla Stensland – 65 weeks
22-Micky Augustin – 66 weeks
23-Andy Sharp – 68 weeks
24-Bill Wentworth – 69 weeks
25-Cathie Morton – 73 weeks
26-Elizabeth Nordeen – 74 weeks
27-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 75 weeks
28-Kio Dettman – 78 weeks (3)

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

Andy Sharp (Iowa) – 69 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 48 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Illinois) – 44 weeks

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 67 weeks

Kim Barker (Illinois) – 53 weeks

Kim Barker (Illinois)

Scott Degneffe (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 9 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 14 weeks

Monica Jennings (Iowa) – 14 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 75 weeks

Heather Courtney (Iowa) – 1 week

Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 66 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa)

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 35 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Nebraska) – 70 weeks

Cathie Morton (Illinois) – 74 weeks

Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 66 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas) – 55 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas)

Kio Dettman (Iowa) – 79 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 39 weeks

Linda Bennett (Kansas)

Christopher D. Bennett (Iowa)

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 56 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa)

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Utah) – 76 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (California)

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 40 weeks

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania)

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 25 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa)

Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Alexis Stensland (Iowa)

26 participants! That is a pretty good week all things considered.

There were submissions this week taken in the following states:

+ California
+ Illinois
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas
+ Utah

Thanks to Shannon’s bee road trip, we added two states to the map! California and Utah!

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Illinois
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ New Jersey
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Missouri
+ North Dakota
+ Oklahoma
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Dakota
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming

24 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive!

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ British Virgin Islands
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

My submission was taken 360 miles from my front door.

This week saw the first ever submission from Heather. I don’t know if that is a sign of things to come or a one-off, but I hope it is a sign of things to come.

But it wasn’t all good news. There was a veritable bloodbath of streaks falling though. Porter couldn’t build on his submission from last week. Mary’s streak snapped at 2. Sabas’ streak is history at 4. Most tragically, Vest’s 14 week streak is gone!

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:

ROAD TRIP

Sorry got sidetracked. Your ROAD TRIP could be a jaunt around the block or down to the grocery store. I don’t judge. Or it could just be a picture of preparations for a ROAD TRIP to PELLA to do some flowertography.

While considering possible subjects for your ROAD TRIP submission, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt that you will come up with an amazing idea:

All he needed was a wheel in his hand and four on the road.
-Jack Kerouac

I look forward to seeing your interpretation.

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. There is a limit of 3 submissions per participant. To be considered the photographer, you have to be the one that takes the picture. Don’t be stealing the work of other artists. You can submit pictures for other photographers that took pictures with your camera or phone, but give credit where credit is due.

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

That is it. Thems the rules!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of ROAD TRIP in this place that is more of a journey than a destination next Monday.

Art, Drone, Nader, Road Trip

Rodan 139: The Gorge

April 25, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

While I was in Dysart with Nader, I also took Rodan139 up to photograph their most famous illusion The Gorge. It needs to be painted, but it still gets the job done. It is an indication of how small of a town that Dysart is that there biggest tourist draw is painted right now their main street. It even includes a spot that tells you to “Stand Here” that is right in the middle of the street.

Here are some pictures from the sky:

The next time we take Rodan139 up to the friendly skies, it will involve Teresa’s back yard.

Road Trip, WPC - Reminder

Week 398 – Reveal

April 24, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

If things have worked out correctly, I’m currently in Chicago working for the Man, helping the Computer Mine sell its myriad of mining products at a convention aimed at our exact clientele. Which mean, I’m nowhere near a computer… Okay I’m probably surrounded by computers, but I still can’t stop and put together a blog that reveals the many stunning and no doubt heartwarming FRIENDS pictures that are waiting for me in my email inbox or on my Pixel 5. In fact, I won’t be able put together something like that until I close down this convention, board an airplane, fly back to the Cyclone State, get off the airplane, get back to my car that hopefully isn’t parked in the Gray Lot… again, maneuvered through the constant construction on Fleur, taken a left and made my customary trip through the Ted’s Coney Island drive-thru, maybe stopped at Jester Park to eat such a delicious meal, waved at the buffalo and elk, drove the rest of the way back to Boone, parked my car, greeted Naima, texted all the people that care if I made it home from Chicago alive that I made it home safely (both of them), taken her for a car ride and weather permitting, a walk around Dickcissel Park, drove back home, unpacked my suitcase, maybe started a load of laundry, sat on the couch, watched an episode of whatever show I’m currently binging, and taken a nap. Maybe.

After that, I will get off the couch, roll into my home office, fire up PHOTOTRON, start downloading the submissions, renaming the submissions, upload them to the internet, categorize and label them in the gallery, open up the STREAKS document that is saved on my Google Drive, login to photography139.com backend, go to Posts, add a new post, and start coding this entry, copy and paste the things that are in the post every week (the reference to GONE WITH THE WIND, the quote from PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, the reference to Hank Williams Sr.), verify if any new states were added to the map, see if anybody reached any new milestones, mourn the end of any streaks, check all the proper categories, make sure the post is Featured, and then click on Publish.

At that point, WordPress will fire up the plugin MailPoet, MailPoet will access the subscriber list and then fire off emails to the inbox (and quite honestly the SPAM and promotional and junk folders) of all the current subscribers. At which point all the subscribers should see an email to open up and enjoy all the wonderful and heartwarming FRIENDS pictures that were no doubt submitted.

But when will all this happen? Either sometime Tomorrow night or the day after.

However, just because I’m in Chicago working like a dog, that doesn’t mean you have to wait to see the FRIENDS pictures to start on this week’s submissions. No, in fact you can start on it the moment after you finish reading this post.

The theme for this week is:

ROAD TRIP

While considering possible subjects for your ROAD TRIP submission, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt that you will come up with an amazing idea:

All he needed was a wheel in his hand and four on the road.
-Jack Kerouac

I look forward to seeing your interpretation.

RULES

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

That is it. Thems the rules!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of ROAD TRIP in this place that is more of a journey than a destination next Monday.

Carla, Self-Portrait, Tenderloining, Teresa

BurgerTime: Ankeny Field Work

April 23, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Between church and watching a community theater play a few weeks back Carla, Teresa, and Humble Narrator went to the only other Iowa Best Burger Finalist that is in my natural grazing area. We went to Ben’s Burgers in Ankeny. To be honest, I don’t really consider Ankeny to be in my natural grazing area. Mostly because I don’t really like Ankeny. It is mostly corporate franchise hell stuff, which is not to my liking. Being a paragon of the shop local ethic. Every once in a while, there is a diamond in the rough. Like the Korean corn dog place. (Note to self, did I take enough pictures of the Korean corn dog place to make a post.) Or in this case, Ben’s Burgers.

Here are some cruddy cell phone pictures from out trip to another one of the finalists for Best Burger in Iowa:

When I sent this picture to Elizabeth, she told me it was gross. Like that is a bad thing.

I asked the lad that took my order if Ben’s Burgers was nominated for a particular burger. Flight in Huxley was nominated for The Foundation Burger. I was told, no particular burger but most people order the Gourmet Single Cheeseburger.

It was a good tip, but I don’t possess a normal appetite. I went for the Gourmet Double Cheeseburger.

The menu describes it thusly:

Gourmet Double Cheeseburger includes lettuce and tomato + red ions + house sauce.

It was a perfectly good burger. I don’t know I think it is one of the 10 best in Iowa. But I would probably go back. I don’t think I would seek it out, but I would definitely go back.

The #3 Combo cost me $15.71. I also got a raspberry shake for the road. That was probably another five smackers.

We did get to meet Ben. He was very good at customer service and very attentive.

Of the 2 Best Burger Finalists that I have tried, I would rank them in the following order:

2. Ben’s Burgers
1. Flight Bar + Grille

You can find Ben’s Burgers here:

1325 SW Oralabor Road
Suite 200
Ankeny, Iowa 50023

It is open daily from 11 AM to 8 PM.

I don’t know that I will get to try any of the other finalists. None of them are particularly close, but I will see what I can manage. You know I love a good road trip.

Amanda, Animals, Black & White, Boone County Fair, Candid Portrait, Dahlia, Event, Greyson, Logan, Nature, Russ, Still Life, Street Photography, Teresa

The Next Second You Were Gone

April 22, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Seems like a good time to clean up the July backlog. This collection of images was taken in July of last year, but never really found a spot in a previous “An Artist’s Notebook” entry. Some pictures are of a storm. Some are from the Boone County Fair. Some are of a baby bird, or an immature bird. Some are from Dahlia’s birthday party.