Falling Slowly

December 21, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

I don’t know you, but I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me and always fool me
And I can’t react

And games that never amount
To more than they’re meant
Will play themselves out

Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can’t go back
And moods that take me and erase me
And I’m painted black

Well, you have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It’s time that you won

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We’ve still got time
Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice
You’ve made it now

Falling slowly, sing your melody
I’ll sing it loud
Oh

Take it all

I played the cards too late
Now you’re gone
-Written and performed by Marketa Irglova & Glen Hansard

The song “Falling Slowly” is from one of my absolute all-time favorite movies, ONCE. Those of you that have had the courage to watch it, know of its greatness. It is a movie made by the Irish filmmaker John Carney. The songs for the next 3 Thursdays will also come from John Carney films.

All of his films have the same basic themes. People that have been broken by life meet in a chance encounter and begin making music together. Through the act of making music they begin to heal themselves and each other.

ONCE is the story of two struggling musicians that meet in Dublin. Guy a busker at night and Girl a Czech immigrant that is fleeing an unhappy marriage. Together, they start writing songs and record an album and maybe fall in love.

When Guy asks Girl is she still loves her husband.

She responds: “Miluji tebe”.

What does that mean? You’ll have to find out that for yourself. Cause I won’t give any more of the movie up.

The music in ONCE is phenomenal. The stars of the movie are actually musicians and not really actors. They toured for awhile as the band The Swell Season. I saw them one time at First Avenue in Minneapolis. One of the best concerts I ever saw in my life! Nobody in the world has a voice like Glen Hansard.

“Falling Slowly” is not my favorite song from ONCE. That would either be “Leave” or “Say It to Me Now”. But “Falling Slowly” is definitely the most romantic song in ONCE and the song that most people know from the movie. It would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Maybe the best song to ever win the award.

But Thursdays are for flowers! This flowertography collection is from my hard:

Next Thursday’s flower collection will also be flowers from my yard.

Animals, Art, Becca, Bethany, Billy, Candid Portrait, Colleen, Dory, Formal Portrait, J.T., Laura, Nate, Nora, Road Trip

Minnesota Independence Day Road Trip – Day 1

December 20, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Back in July I took a road trip up to Minnesota near the 4th of July to visit family. Here are a few pictures from Day 1 of the trip:

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Coming across Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store was a welcome surprise. Apparently Nora has wanted to go there forever, but Bethany has always shot her down, but this time I talked them into guy. Cause that is what I do. I make dreams come true. Especially dreams that involve candy.

A collection of pictures from Day 2 is still to come!

Boone FUMC, Music

Boone FUMC Christmas Pageant

December 19, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

Sunday was the Christmas Pageant at Boone First United Methodist Church. I think it was the first one that we’ve had since the pandemic, but I could be wrong about that. The play the kids put on was call “The Three Wise Guys” and told the story of how a mafia Godfather Don Amato gave the three gifts that the three wise guys gave to baby Jesus. It was messy, chaotic, hilarious, meaningful, and everything a Christmas pageant should be.

Here are some pictures of it:

I think they should put on a play every week!

Andy, Angie, Animals, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Micky, Mindi, Nathanial, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Street Photography, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 431 – STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

December 18, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Friendly Reminder: Next Monday is Christmas. While the bank and government employees get the day off, there are no holidays for Photography 139. If you are busy on Christmas (and a lot of people are) plan on getting your submission in early this week.

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY! One of my favorite themes! But it is also a notorious streak buster. But this year was it actually popular or did it once again end a ton of streaks. You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, December 11, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week (3)
2-Monica Jennings – 1 week
3-Alexis Stensland – 1 week
4-Sara Lockner – 3 weeks
5-Willy McAlpine – 3 weeks
6-Susanna Funk – 5 weeks
7-Scott Degeneffe – 16 weeks
8-Sabas Hernandez – 17 weeks
9-Mike Vest – 22 weeks
10-Sheri Fakhouri – 26 weeks (2)
11-Logan Kahler – 27 weeks (3)
12-Nathanial Brown – 28 weeks
13-Jesse Howard – 28 weeks
14-Tamara Peterson – 31 weeks
15-Mindi Terrell – 43 weeks (3)
16-Brandon Kahler – 66 weeks
17-Linda Bennett – 71 weeks (3)
18-Sarah Toot – 73 weeks (3)
19-Angie DeWaard – 77 weeks
20-Dawn Krause – 81 weeks
21-Kim Barker – 87 weeks
22-Joe Duff – 88 weeks
23-Teresa Kahler – 99 weeks (2)
24-Carla Stensland – 99 weeks (2)
25-Micky Augustin – 101 weeks
26-Andy Sharp – 102 weeks
27-Bill Wentworth – 103 weeks
28-Cathie Morton – 107 weeks
29-Elizabeth Nordeen – 108 weeks
30-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 110 weeks
31-Kio Dettman – 112 weeks (2)

The third week of each month I like to share a map of all the states that have had pictures taken in them that were submitted for this calendar year. Well, I checked my calendar and this is the third Monday of the month. Here is the map, heading into this week:

That is a lot of states filled in. In fact, going into this week, there are only 9 states that haven’t been visited and photographed by somebody that submits here. I don’t think there is any chance we will fill in the entire map this year, but we sure have gotten a lot closer than I ever would have guessed! There are 3 weeks (including today) left in this calendar year. I don’t anticipate any more states being filled in at this point.

WPC 431 - STREET PHOTOGRAPHY - MICKY AUGUSTIN

Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 102 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Des Moines, Iowa) – 111 weeks

Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 88 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Pella, Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 72 weeks

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 1 week

Suzie Brannen (Iowa)

Nathanial Brown (Bayard, Iowa) – 29 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Iowa) – 17 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 113 weeks

Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 78 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas) – 89 weeks

Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Ames, Iowa) – 2 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 27 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)

Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 18 weeks

Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 29 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 67 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 28 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Pella, Iowa) – 100 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Oskaloosa, Iowa)

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 82 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa)

Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 4 weeks

Cathie Morton (Iowa) – 108 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) 109 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 32 weeks

Andy Sharp (Council Bluffs, Iowa) – 103 weeks

Carla Stensland (Sioux City, Iowa) – 100 weeks

Carla Stensland (Iowa State Campus – Ames, Iowa)

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 44 weeks

Sarah Toot (New York City, New York) – 74 weeks

Mike Vest (Iowa) – 23 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 104 weeks

29 participants this week! Not a high number by current standards. But I think STREET PHOTOGRAPHY is a hard concept for some people to grasp or love. But not 29 or you… more or less.

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Kansas
+ Iowa
+ Nebraska
+ New York
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Hawaii
+ Idaho
+ Illinois
+ Indiana
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Kentucky
+ Louisiana
+ Maryland
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Mississippi
+ Missouri
+ Montana
+ Nebraska
+ New Hampshire
+ New Jersey
+ New Mexico
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ North Carolina
+ North Dakota
+ Ohio
+ Oklahoma
+ Oregon
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Carolina
+ South Dakota
+ Tennessee
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Vermont
+ Virgin Islands
+ Washington
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming

41 states and 1 district and 1 territory! That is pretty impressive! Over 80% of the way there! Every continental state west of the Mississippi is now accounted for.

The missing states are:
+ Alabama
+ Alaska
+ Connecticut
+ Delaware
+ Maine
+ Massachusetts
+ Rhode Island
+ Virginia
+ West Virginia

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ Spain
+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Canada
+ Peru
+ France
+ Austria
+ Germany
+ Italy
+ Slovenia
+ Belize

There were quite a few big milestones this week. Angie joined the Year and a Half Club! WooHoo! Teresa and Carla both joined the Triple Digit Club! WooHoo! Bill joined the 2 Year Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all great photography in a public place. Monica and Alexis couldn’t build on last week’s submission. Willy’s streak ends at 3. Worst of all, Funk’s streak slid back down the mountain at 5.

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:

GREEN

ONCE AGAIN. DON’T FORGET THAT NEXT MONDAY IS CHRISTMAS! PLAN ON GETTING YOUR SUBMISSION IN AROUND THE HOLIDAY! OTHERWISE, THERE COULD BE A TON OF STREAKS BITING THE DUST.

GREEN! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is a GREEN image? Simply a picture of something GREEN or the color GREEN plays a major compositional element of the image. But of course, there is more than one definition of GREEN.

While thinking on possible subjects for your image, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt you will come up with a great image:

Green is the fresh emblem of well founded hopes. In blue the spirit can wander, but in green it can rest.
– Mary Webb

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 GREEN in this place that is far from green next Monday.

Animals, Self-Portrait, Still Life, Tenderloining

#BreakfastBurritoLife: Boone Field Work

December 17, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

A few months back I stopped at an interesting breakfast joint that is only a few short blocks from my house. Weather or Naut is breakfast (and catering) business that serves breakfast from their driveway.

Here are some pictures from my breakfast burrito meal:

My breakfast burrito was delicious!

To cut to the chase of my review, I would definitely go back. In fact I have already been back!

They are currently closed for the winter and to do some remodeling, but I look forward to their opening again next year!

Weather or Naut is located:

1639 3rd Street
Boone, Iowa

Next Sunday’s food adventure will involve the Tenderloin Trail 2.0. For real this time.

Anders, Animals, Art, Candid Portrait, Christianity, Jay, Jesse, Movies, Naima, Road Trip, Self-Portrait, WPC - Alternate

‘Cause Someday I’ll Be Everything to Somebody Else

December 16, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

Time to clean out the April backlog. Lots of pictures that didn’t quite make their way into previous “An Artist’s Notebook” entries. Including some that were alternates for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE and some that were taken in Jester Park and some at the end of a flowertography road trip. And some that include Naima.

It always feels good when the backlog gets a little more cleaned out!

Animals, Automobiles, Politics, Street Photography, Teresa

Stanhope Watermelon Day 2023 – II

December 15, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Time for another collection of images from my trip to the Stanhope Watermelon Day with Teresa. This collection of images is of the parade. I’m not really a parade person. In fact few things are more boring than a parade. Well actually few things have greater gap between participating in and watching. Being in a parade is tons of fun. Watching a parade is tons of boring. Similarly to fireworks. Lighting off fireworks is tons of fun. Watching fireworks is boring. Baseball also fits into this category as well. But I digress.

Here are the parade pictures:

Still plenty more pictures to share from Watermelon Day. Including many pictures of delicious… delicious watermelon!

Animals, Art, Flowers, History, Macro

Bring My Flowers Now

December 14, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

Bring my flowers now, while I’m livin’
I won’t need your love when I’m gone
Don’t spend time, tears, or money on my old breathless body
If your heart is in them flowers, bring ’em on

All the miles cast a long shadow
I’d take a couple back if I could
I’d’ve learned to play guitar
Told my daddy more I loved him
But I believe, for the most part, I done good

There’s always sunrise and rainbows and babies
And the little things I cherish on my way
Even though one day
They’ll bury me and Jessie Mae
I just know we’re gonna ride again someday

The days are long but the years are lightning
They’re bright and they will never strike again
I wish I’d been a better friend, a better daughter to my mother
There’s no goin’ back when your back’s against the wind

So if you got love, then you’re sittin’ on a gold mine
And you can’t take it with you when you go
So don’t wait to help your sister
Forgive your brother and your neighbor
We all think we got the time until we don’t

Bring my flowers now, while I’m livin’
I won’t need your love when I’m gone
Don’t spend time, tears, or money on my old breathless body
If your heart is in them flowers, bring ’em on
If your heart is in them flowers, bring ’em on
-Tanya Tucker

I said last week that this song would not be a Brandi Carlile song, but it would still be related to Brandi Carlile. This song was written by Tanya Tucker, Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, and Tim Hanseroth. The song was produced by Brandi Carlile for the Tanya’s comeback album that Brandi produced. The production of the album was documented in the movie THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER.

The song features Tanya Tucker singing and Brandi Carlile playing piano.

Some background on the song from The Wiki:

The songwriting process for “Bring My Flowers Now” began when Carlile suggested that Tucker finally finish the song she had been trying to write for 30 years. While Tucker was initially apprehensive about it, the track actually came about pretty easily. Tucker explained, “So I went into the restroom to think—I do my best thinking there—went back out, and [Brandi] was in the panel room. And we wrote this song in about 30 minutes. And then we walked in there to the vocal booth, and the band came in, and we recorded it.” Tucker would later admit in interviews that she “would have liked to change a few things.” She said that Carlile didn’t want her to, saying that this album was about Tanya the singer, not Tanya the performer. Carlile told her, “This song sticks. This is what came out of your mouth, and that’s the way we’re gonna put it on there.”

The song would win the Grammy for Best Country Song and the album “While I’m Livin'” would win the Grammy for Best Country Album. The first 2 Grammys of Tanya Tucker’s career.

But Thursday’s are for flowers. This flowertography collection was taken at the Gray Rose Garden. Unfortunately, I definitely missed the prime flowertography season for it, but it was still worth the trip:

Next Thursday’s flowertography will involve flowers from my yard. The song will actually have nothing to do with Brandi Carlile, but will have everything to do with one of my favorite movies of all-time.

Art, Candid Portrait, Cathie, Elizabeth, Iowa State, Jorge, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Night, Street Photography, Town Sign Project

A Long Day…

December 13, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

Back on May 6 I had a pretty long day. I spent the morning into the early afternoon doing photography for Sleeping Angels. Logan assisted me on this project. After we photographed the Sleeping Angels Fun Run crossing the Mile Long Bridge, we headed down to Grimes and had lunch.

After taking Logan home I watched the Kentucky Derby. Then I headed to Marshalltown to have supper at Zeno’s with Jorge, Randi, and their brood, Clevenger, Hope, Cathie, Micky, Robyn, Katelyn, Aubrey, Michelle, Craig, Elizabeth, Alexander, and Nicholas.

The dinner is the annual end of the Witch Hunt. This year’s Witch Hunt went to Cathie. At the end of the dinner she was presented with The Broom. The travelling trophy for the Witch Hunt.

There was an incident that happened after dinner and while there is photographic evidence of what transpired, I’m apparently not allowed to share them…

After leaving Marshalltown I stopped at Iowa State to do a little night photography, before retiring to my house for some much needed rest.

Here are some pictures of the day.

It was a pretty great day! Although any day that involves photography AND Zeno’s pizza is a great day!

Art, Automobiles, Candid Portrait, Formal Portrait, History, Nader, Road Trip, Street Photography, Town Sign Project

Dysart Illusion Road Trip – III

December 12, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

This is the final collection of images from the road trip to Dysart to see their illusions I took with Nader. This collection starts in Traer, but also goes through the Matchstick Marvels Museum in Gladbrook.

Traer

Gladbrook

Toledo

A different town sign.

It was a good road trip, even if I confess, the Dysart illusions were a little bit of a disappointment. But the Matchstick Marvels Museum was definitely not a disappointment!