Category Archives: Greyson

Baby Got Rack, Bethany, Carla, Contests, Evie, Greyson, Jen, Jesse, Jodie Cue, Kanoa, Kim, Layla, Logan, Michelle, Monica, Nader, Naima, Nora, Pufferbilly Days, Scottie D., Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait Project, State Fair, Teresa, Willy

Selfie Project – August 2022

September 3, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

Another month down and another month of THE SELFIE PROEJCT in the books. I think I had a pretty active August. At least in spurts. With Pufferbilly Days and the State Fair and some much needed vacation all in August, I did some things man.

I don’t anticipate September being anywhere as busy, but hopefully I’ll do some cool stuff this month.

Here are some of my favorites from August for THE SELFIE PROJECT:

August 1

August 2

August 3

August 4

August 5

August 6

August 8

August 9

August 11

August 12

August 13

August 14

August 16

August 17

August 18

August 19

August 20

August 21

August 24

August 25

August 26

August 27

August 28

August 29

August 31

Of course there can only be one selfie that represents THE SELFIE PROJECT every day, but I did have a busy August, so here are the many alternates:

SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022

You might be thinking, “That is a lot of pictures with ice cream!” There is a reason for that. The reason isn’t because I love ice cream, but that is probably the base level reason. I’ll explain the real reason in a future post. Or I won’t. What is important for you to know is that your humble narrator is a champion. A ice cream champion. Also, Willy and Jesse owe me dinner.

You also might be thinking, “How many gray t-shirts do you own?” The answer is, plenty.

Finally you might be thinking, “You need to retire that green t-shirt.” Yeah, that is true enough.

Baby Got Rack, Boone County Fair, Contests, Greyson, Jay, Scottie D., WPC - Reminder

Baby Got Rack – Boone County Fair

July 29, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Today is the last day to enter the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest.

I will be picking up the entries from the Chamber about 5 PM today. I’m excited to see how many entries we got this year. I know of at least 4 people that have told me they are entering. I’m hoping there are plenty more out there. At the very least, there should be more submissions than there were last year. And that, my friends, is called improvement.

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A couple Saturdays back, Baby Got Rack put on our Hawai’ian shirts, our cargo shorts, and our fedoras and took to the field of battle in the rough and tumble world of competitive barbecue at the Boone County Fair.

Not everything went our way and we definitely dropped the ball in more than one way. But we did enough to win the combo category and we will be competing at the State Fair on Tuesday, August 16. In the morning. If you are at the State Fair on that day, stop by. We will be somewhere on the Grand Concourse.

Here are some pictures from the Boone County Fair:

Baby Got Rack - 2022 - Boone County Fair

Thanks to Jay for taking the Baby Got Rack team photo.

On to State!

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This is your reminder that this week’s theme for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is ODD CAMERA ANGLE:

ODD CAMERA ANGLE

ODD CAMERA ANGLE! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

But what exactly is an ODD CAMERA ANGLE photo? It is pretty simple. 99.9% of the pictures in the world are taken from the eye level of the photographer. This theme asks you to move the camera. It can be from an extremely low camera angle. Or it can be from an extremely high camera angle. Move your body and your camera to a perspective of your subject that isn’t normally seen.

Happy photo harvesting!

Andy, Angie, Animals, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Contests, Dawn, Elizabeth, Fisheye, Flowers, Formal Portrait, Greyson, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Logan, Macro, Mary, Michelle, Micky, Pastor Sarah, Pufferbilly Days, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 358 – WILD

July 25, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

A reminder that this Friday is the deadline for the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. Entries are to be submitted to the Chamber office by 5 PM.

I hope there are plenty of submissions this year! Or at the least, more than there were last year.

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Was WILD a WILDly popular theme? I guess you will have to scroll down to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, July 18, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

+ Jesse Howard – 1 week
+ Willy McAlpine – 1 week
+ Suzie Brannen – 2 weeks
+ Sabas Hernandez – 2 weeks
+ Monica Jennings – 2 weeks
+ Mike Vest – 2 weeks
+ Sara Lockner – 3 weeks
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 4 weeks
+ Mary Green – 4 weeks
+ Angie DeWaard – 6 weeks
+ Dawn Krause – 9 weeks
+ Linda Bennett – 11 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 15 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 16 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 18 weeks (2)
+ Teresa Kahler – 26 weeks (2)
+ Tamara Peterson – 26 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 26 weeks (2)
+ Michelle Haupt – 27 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 28 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 29 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 30 weeks
+ Cathie Morton – 34 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 35 weeks (2)
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 37 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 40 weeks (3)

You might look at this list and be thinking, “Wait a second. Didn’t Carla’s streak get snapped last week?” You are experiencing the Mandela Effect.

What is the Mandela Effect?

The Mandela Effect refers to a situation in which a large mass of people believes that an event occurred when it did not.

Here is the most famous example:

The famous children’s book series the “Berenstain Bears” is not immune to the Mandela effect. Many people report remembering the name being the Berenstein Bears (spelled with an “e” instead of an “a”).

So that is what is going on here. Just the Mandel Effect.

You also might be coming down with a touch of gaslighting here too…

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:

Mary Green – 5 weeks

Mary Green

Michelle Haupt – 28 weeks

Sabas Hernandez – 3 weeks

Sarah Karber – 1 week

Sarah Toot – 1 week

Sarah Toot

Tamara Peterson – 27 weeks

Tamara Peterson

Angie DeWaard – 7 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 31 weeks

Kio Dettman – 41 weeks

Kio Dettman

Dawn Krause – 10 weeks

Sara Lockner – 4 weeks

Micky Augustin – 29 weeks

Micky Augustin

Christopher D. Bennett

Cathie Morton – 35 weeks

Teresa Kahler – 27 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Joe Duff – 17 weeks

Carla Stensland – 27 weeks

Willy McAlpine – 2 weeks

Brandon Kahler – 1 week

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 38 weeks

Logan Kahler – 19 weeks

Logan Kahler

Kim Barker – 16 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 36 weeks

Monica Jennings – 3 weeks

Monica Jennings

Suzie Brannen – 3 weeks

Andy Sharp – 30 weeks

26 participants! A great week!

Included in that list is the first time ever submissions from Sarah Toot. In fact, it was a big week for Sara(h)s! There were 3 Sara(h) participants. Smashing the previous record held by Michaels. Congratulations to Sara(h)s everywhere!

In another abnormality, it was the second straight week where there was a submission of a Pepsi product. Proving once again that Pepsi is better than Coke (although you shouldn’t drink either cause they are both poison, he said before taking a swig from his 20 oz bottle of Pepsi). The Cola Wars are over. All hail Pepsi!

A big milestone was reached by Dawn. Her streak reached 10 weeks. Another member of the double digit club!

But it wasn’t all good times with the choice of a new generation. 4 streaks were tragically snapped. Jesse couldn’t extend his streak to two weeks. Michael Vest couldn’t join Michael Augustin on the big board. His streak snapped at two. Jen’s streak withered on the vine at 4 weeks. And worst of all, Linda’s streak crumbled at 11 weeks. If there were family streak’s they would be at 12, but there are not family streaks.

I have no doubt all four will get back on the photography horse and have great things for us again in the future.

Here are the current top streaks:

9. Teresa Kahler – 27 weeks
9. Tamara Peterson – 27 weeks
9. Carla Stensland – 27 weeks
8. Michelle Haupt – 28 weeks
7. Micky Augustin – 29 weeks
6. Andy Sharp – 30 weeks
5. Bill Wentworth – 31 weeks
4. Cathie Morton – 35 weeks
3. Elizabeth Nordeen – 36 weeks
2. Shannon Bardole-Foley – 38 weeks
1. Kio Dettman – 41 weeks

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:

ODD CAMERA ANGLE

ODD CAMERA ANGLE! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

While considering possible subjects and angles for your submission, meditate on the following quote:

Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you’re going to spend it trying to look good and creating the illusion that you have power over people and circumstances, or whether you are going to taste it, enjoy it and find the truth about who you are.
-Ann Lamott

I look forward to seeing the 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 your idea of ODD CAMERA ANGLE in this place that is my crooked look at the world next Monday.

Alexis, Amanda, Anela, Animals, Candid Portrait, Carla, Dahlia, Elainie, Elizabeth, Greyson, Holidays, Jason, Johnathan, Kanoa, Logan, Photoshop, Shorty, Tamara, Teresa

Sneaky Snake Root Beer

December 5, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

This year for our family Thanksgiving I wanted to attempt to make root beer. I had Glenn Peterson’s recipe in hand and I also fruitlessly pursued another recipe, but I’m not really sure how different root beer recipes can get.

Glenn’s recipe was a little vague on a couple things, but it goes like this:

Recipe for homemade root beer (X 2 for 10 gal water cooler)
4 lbs. sugar
3 ½ gallon water
1 bottle Root beer extract
1 bottle Root beer flavor
4 lbs. dry ice.

Add 4 lbs. sugar to 3 ½ gal water. Stir until sugar dissolved. Add 1 bottle root beer extract and 1 bottle root beer flavor. Stir until mixed. Add 4 lbs. of dry ice ½ to 1 hour before serving. Use gloves when working with dry ice. Dry ice will cause the container to look like a witches’ caldron. Do not stir nor put a lid on container. When “steam” from the dry ice disappears, root beer is ready to drink.
This recipe was shared with Glenn while in the Army. He started sharing it with Pack 150, Madrid at the Blue & Gold Banquets/ Crossovers and Arrow of Lights Ceremony from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.

Glenn’s widow Tamara shared the recipe with me a couple years ago.

The one thing I didn’t know is how much is 1 bottle of root beer extract and how much is one bottle of root beer flavor. I compared it to other root beer recipes and determined Glenn’s recipe calls for a 2 oz bottle of each. I changed his recipe slightly. I used 1 4 oz bottle of Shank’s root beer extract.

Johnathan and Logan assisted in the making of my first batch of what I am calling Sneaky Snake Root Beer. Here are some pictures:

Logan is wearing some of my Mom’s old dish gloves.

This is one of my favorite family pictures ever.

I decided on the name for my root beer on Saturday while cruising around Monroe County with Teresa. I was originally going to name it after Naima sorta and call it something like Gold Dog Root Beer, so I could put her mug on the bottles. However, I decided to name it after an old family memory. Maybe I was feeling nostalgic because Thanksgiving this year was obviously bittersweet at it was the first major holiday we’ve had without Mom. But I decided to base the name off the Tom T. Hall song “Sneaky Snake”.

When I was a kid and we would go down to my Dad’s darkroom, the music was mostly provided by his 8 track collection. My favorite of his 8 tracks was blue. It was Tom T. Hall’s Greatest Hits Volume II. I can’t swear that it was Volume II, but it was pretty close. My favorite song on this 8 track was “Sneaky Snake”. I still love that song, even though next to nobody outside of my family seems to appreciate its greatness.

The lyrics are:

Boys and girls take warning
If you go near the lake
Keep your eyes wide open
And look for sneaky snake
Now, maybe you won’t see him
And maybe you won’t hear
But he’ll sneak up behind you
And drink all your root beer

And then sneaky snake goes dancing
Wiggling and a-hissing
Sneaky snake goes dancing
A-giggling and a-kissing
I don’t like old sneaky snake
He laughs too much you see
When he goes wiggling through the grass
It tickles his underneath

Well sneaky snake drinks root beer
And he just makes me sick
When he is not dancing
He looks just like stick
Now he doesn’t have any arms or legs
You cannot see his ears
And while we are not looking
He’s stealing all of our beer

And then sneak snake goes dancing
Wiggling and a-hissing
Sneaky snake goes dancing
A-giggling and a-kissing
I don’t like old sneaky snake
He laughs too much you see
When he goes wiggling through the grass
It tickles his underneath

So this is what the label on the bottle should look like, or would look like if I could get it to print correctly:

I’m definitely not a graphic designer, but I do like the picture part. The picture of the snake is from about 10 years ago, when I found a snake in Shorty and Doris’ flower bed. I photoshopped it up a bit though.

I might not explain everything about this under normal circumstances, but my nearly professional labeler Elizabeth is concerned that people might think it is name after the “I’m a Snake” guy of YouTube fame. It definitely is not. So don’t even try thinking that!

I have a few bottles of Batch 001 left. I’ve earmarked a few for December Movie Night. And the rest, well they might go to Elizabeth’s progeny. They apparently are big fans of Sneaky Snake Root Beer!

I’m going to continue to experiment with the recipe. Try different brands of extract. Try Glenn’s original recipe. I want to try mixing in some vanilla at some point too. I definitely need to figure out a way to capture more carbonation. I’m not sure how to do that yet, but I have some theories. Batch 001 will be followed by Batch 002 and 003 and so on and so forth more hopefully.

Andy, Christianity, Dahlia, Derrick, Greyson, Iowa State, Jay, Jesse, Layla, Logan, Michelle, Naima, Road Trip, Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait Project, Shannon, Teresa, Vest, Willy

Selfie Project – October

November 2, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

On Sunday I completed another successful month of THE SELFIE PROJECT. One thing that always happens when I look back at a month’s worth of pictures I’m always surprised at some of the things that all happened in the same month. That? That happened this month? I thought that was like 2 months ago.

Here are my favorites from October:

October 1

October 2

October 3

October 4

October 5

October 7

October 8

October 9

October 12

October 14

October 16

October 17

October 18

October 20

October 22

October 23

October 24

October 25

October 28

October 30

October 31

There can be only one Selfie per day, but here are some of favorite alternate selfies from October:

Hopefully November is a good month too.

Art, Candid Portrait, Dahlia, Formal Portrait, Greyson, Lensbaby, Logan, Macro, Mom, Naima, Railroad, Teresa, WPC - Alternate, WPC - Reminder

Congregation

June 25, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

This collection of images is cleaning up some random photos from January and February. The highlight and the majority of these images are taken from when Logan brought Dahlia over see Mom and Teresa.

That was a good day!

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

COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a COMMUNICATION image? It is simply any picture that shows a type of COMMUNICATION or people COMMUNICATIONing or things that are used for COMMUNICATION. For example, in the theme reveal there are several things being COMMUNICATIONed. The business is a carwash. The phone number to reach the proprietor is 515-890-1900. Somebody fears the commercialization of Christmas. They also must like fish. Signs are a great form of COMMUNICATION, as just an example.

Happy photo harvesting!