All posts by Christopher D. Bennett

North Dakota State

I’ve taken the time to post some pictures from the Iowa State-North Dakota State in the Iowa State Cyclones Football – 2009 Album.

It was a night game, so regrettably there are only a few images, but these are some of my favorites.


Iowa State vs. North Dakota State - 2009
Me with my Aunt Barbara, Cousin Mary Beth and her husband Michael.

Iowa State vs. North Dakota State - 2009
This dude has to be the shortest, fattest dude in all of college athletics. You could watch his belly jiggle while he was warming up. Unfortunately, he never got into the game.

Iowa State vs. North Dakota State - 2009
Stretching

Iowa State vs. North Dakota State - 2009
Plumes

Iowa State vs. North Dakota State - 2009
Watching these guys hitting on the cheerleaders was priceless. Sitting right behind them while they were working the magic… their girlfriends with clearly low self-esteem. Perhaps that isn’t fair. Maybe they have great self-esteem and these guys are as good as it gets in North Dakota.

Iowa State vs. North Dakota State - 2009
Banks in a simpler time.

Iowa State vs. North Dakota State - 2009
A moment of “silence” for Ed Thomas.

Iowa State vs. North Dakota State - 2009
Robinson on the carry.


Of course, there are about 50 more images in the Iowa State Cyclones Football – 2009 album.

Vacation Stuff – Two

Here are a few pictures from another mini-adventure. I will not answer questions about this trip, (it was a spiritual quest and that is all you need to know) but I will let leak the following tidbits:

  • Faust really hates nature. Perhaps even more than Bill fears nature.
  • I was proud of Jay. He confronted his fear of waterfalls by not immediately running out of the park when he came face to face with the trickle of water that fell down a face of some rocks.
  • Jackson will make a great Ranger some day. He already lives by the creed: “No man left behind.”


Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009

Mankato Road Trip - 2009


I look forward to another trip to Minnesota at some point in the future.

Think I’ll Go Eat Worms

Here is a look at the pictures that the committee had to choose from, but received no love.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“Nobody likes me, everybody hates me,

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
Guess I’ll go eat worms,

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
Long, thin, slimy ones; Short, fat, juicy ones,

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
Itsy, bitsy, fuzzy wuzzy worms.

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
Down goes the first one, down goes the second one,

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
Oh how they wiggle and squirm.

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
Up comes the first one, up comes the second one,

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
Oh how they wiggle and squirm.

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
Nobody loves me, everybody hates me,

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
Think I’ll go and eat worms,

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
Long ones, short ones, fat ones, thin ones,
See how they wriggle and squirm

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
I bite off the heads, and suck out the juice,
And throw the skins away,
Nobody knows how fat I grow,
On worms three times a day
Ohh… nobody loves me.”

Great song, isn’t it? I’m kind of partial to this version:

Nobody likes me, everybody hates me,
I’m goin’ down to the garden to eat worms,
Long thin slimy ones, short fat fuzzy ones,
Ooey gooey, ooey gooey worms.

Long thin slimy ones slip down easily,
Short fat fuzzy ones don’t,
Short fat fuzzy ones stick to your teeth,
And the juice goes slurpin’ down your throat

Becky Perkovich

Becky made the final selection.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
Misplaced Plant

Becky also had other pictures that she liked. They are below with the reason she liked them.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“Fire Pit – Everyone can relate to this photo.”

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“Fireworks Fallout – This photo is original”

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“Color Daisies – This photo feels hopeful.”

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“Story St Fire – There may be lots of these photos there (like trains) but it’s relatable.”


The weirdest thing is that I don’t even think that there was a single train photo there this year.

“Interesting.”

“Yes. Provocative.”

Charlotte Bennett (Mom)

My mom doesn’t own a computer or even know how to use one, so I had to bring her over to the Honest Abe office to have her look over the pictures for her to pick one.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“Pardon and Sanctify Me”

I actually thought that she would pick this one. It is a picture of the cross on the top of our church. It actually looks much nicer than that now as it has been recently painted during the tuckpointing process. It is prettier now, but perhaps not as photogenic.

There were a couple of other images that she also considered.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

The truth is that she doesn’t like the picture of Logan’s eye at all, but she thought it was artistic. I don’t think any of my weirder images got much love, but at least this one got mentioned.

Jill Gorshe

I was pleasantly surprised by Jill’s choice. Since I had decided to have all people of the female persuasion pick the photos this year, I thought a frog picture would get very little love.

But Jill came through for the frog.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“It’ll Do Fine”

I actually struggled with the naming of this picture. Even now, I think that I’m going to rename it to “So Many Other Ordinary Things”. I’ll have to meditate upon it further.

There was a point when I wanted to name this picture after the prince from The Frog King or Iron Heinrich, but as I looked into the story a little bit deeper, I found that the Frog King doesn’t have a name. But perhaps even more importantly is that I don’t think that the princess really deserves the Frog-King. At least not as the story was originally written.

In the original story, the princess doesn’t break the spell with a kiss. She throws the frog against the wall in disgust.

“Now, thou wilt be quiet, odious frog.” The princess says and throws the frog against the wall. This turns the frog back into a prince. For some reason he still wanted her?!?!?!?

He should have stood up and told her to bugger off. There are other fish in the sea. Some of those fish probably aren’t spoiled little brats that try to go back on their deal. He did get her stupid golden ball for her out of the well. He should have known how small and petty she was then. It is just a stupid golden ball. No need to offer up your clothes, pearls or jewels, princess.

But I digress…

Jill of course had other pictures she liked, before deciding on the frog.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

If Jill can pick a frog, I have hopes that one of the guys will pick a flower picture in 2010.

Monica Henning

Monica had the next choice. She struggled between 2 pictures as well. She finally picked the picture below, even though it wasn’t her favorite.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“The Solace of Ordinary Humanity”

A picture that I have titled: “Monica’s Childhood” was actually her favorite.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“Monica’s Childhood”

Monica wrote perhaps my favorite ever description of that picture in her email where she chose “The Solace of Ordinary Humanity”:

#13 is great. It reminds me of growing up on the farm. I would lay in the grass as a little girl and just stare up at the clouds for hours. I would think about all sorts of things. Just lay there in the grass and dream! I remember the cool breeze blowing across my face and the warm sun beating down on me. The clouds make this picture. It gives it perspective for me.

I also like how the one flower on the left is just kind of sticking its head in the pack to see what’s going on. Much like life. It gives it a bit of humor too.