Category Archives: Teresa

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE – WEEK 9 – FOOD

A pretty fair amount of submissions this week. I hope the momentum continues next week with a subject matter many people are less familiar with than FOOD. There is also, not one, but TWO first time contributors in this week’s submissions! Hopefully they feel inspired to keep submitting, even though this week’s theme will be harder. Hooray!

This week’s submissions:


WEEK 9 - FOOD - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland

WEEK 9 - FOOD - LAURA MILLER
Laura Miller

WEEK 9 - FOOD - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 9 - FOOD - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt

WEEK 9 - FOOD - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard One

WEEK 9 - FOOD - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard Two

WEEK 9 - FOOD - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 9  - FOOD - MONICA HENNING
Monica Kewer

WEEK 9 - FOOD - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest

WEEK 9 - FOOD - SHANNON BARDOLE
Shannon Bardole

WEEK 9 - FOOD - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker

WEEK 9 - FOOD - BECKY PERKOVICH
Becky Perkovich

WEEK 9 - TERESA KAHLER - FOOD
Teresa Kahler

Time to reveal next week’s theme. My clue earlier was that it was something that many people aren’t as familiar with as they are food. Of course, that doesn’t include anybody with in the sound of these words.

Next week’s theme!



WORK!

WORK – /werk/ noun – Activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.

Hopefully the enthusiasm for this project carries over!

Time for a quick housekeeping note from Photography 139’s Shameless Self-Promotion Division. We are pleased to announce that a new email subscriber has been added: Laura Miller of Manhattan, Kansas. I believe her to be the third person that resides in Kansas to subscribe to this here blog. If you see her out and about, give her the knowing glance AND feel free to teacher her the super-secret Photography 139 handshake. Welcome aboard Laura!

New Friends

My nephew Brandon recently add a new life into his life and therefore into my family’s life. He drove halfway across the state and picked up Ezra. Last Sunday he brought Ezra over to meet Naima.

It was late and it was dark and so normally I wouldn’t post a photo that is this poor, but it is the best I have to offer to record what was the initial meeting between 2 new friends.


Naima and Ezra

The addition of this new companion reminded me of a video that recently went viral that a man made to help him say goodbye to his dog Denali.

The video ends with a quote from a scientist about what we can learn from dogs. While it has been well established that dogs are superior to humans in about every conceivable way, I had never heard this awesome aspect of dogs put so well. So I looked up the source of the actual quote and it is excellent advice on many levels.

“Everything you do for a dog to help them age well, you should do with them.

So eat the best food you can afford. Go for a walk, even if it’s raining. Take a lot of naps. Keep your teeth clean and your breath fresh, so that the people you lick will not flinch. And when someone you love walks in through the door, even if it happens five times a day, go totally insane with joy.”

The last line being the most poignant and obviously, the part where dogs have us beat. Every day of the week.

Why do I bring this up? Other than because I love dogs. Because it has given me an idea for a video project that I’m going to do with Naima in the near future. Some of you will be warned that you are in it. Some of you will just find out as it goes along.

Incidental

Here are a few pictures I like that come from New Toy, but don’t fit into any particular narrative.



Went to Hilton Madness with Willy and Derrick.

Fizer and Frese mixing it up with the young pups.


Youth Room


Mike, John, and Tim at the Event Formerly Known as the Methodist Men Steak Fry.


A packed house.


View staring out my living room window.


Teresa’s paint.


Ernie painting.

The New Toy has come in handy now and again. I think it is a keeper.

New Toy

We recently held an auction at the Computer Mine. The one thing in the auction that I really coveted was a blue Canon A4000 IS. I’m not a Canon guy at all. However, I’ve been sans point and shoot for a couple years now and there are times (like mission trips) where a little point and shoot would come in handy. While it isn’t the most powerful camera, I thought if I could get it for $50 bucks (while it retails for $150) I could slum and add a Canon to the arsenal.


I am notoriously tough on point and shoots, so hopefully it will last me a couple years or so.

I thought I would crack it out and document my weekend, to get a feel for it. Below are those pictures.



Spirit Week Super Dog! (Photo by Jorge Rios)


Spirit Week Gyro! (Photo by Joseph Lynch)


Seriously! Data migration call 10 minutes before I’m off!


Houlihan takes over my data migration! (Photo by Joseph Lynch)


Commitment to consumerism.


Supplies for Friday Night Supper Club


Willy grilling. Naima observing.


Firetub Swan Song… Or is it?


Breakfast with Mom at The Legal Limit. She loves having her picture taken.


Finally getting the studio put back together. Might re-do the 9 Emotions Project.


This is what $150 or so looks like.


Helping paint Teresa’s house.


Yeah. Nice try Cyclones.


Happy birthday Greg!


Worshiping an Awesome God!


Thinking about Fall Project #1.


Assisting with Jay’s Ice Skull Project.


Preparing for the Weekly Photo Challenge Photo Shoot.


Stan bringing over some firewood. Naima greeting him.


John grilling at the event formerly known as The Methodist Men Steak Fry.


Monday morning. Back to the grind.

I couldn’t wait for Monday night when I finally got a chance to breathe and have a small bit of free time again.

Coming Soon…

Actually, not coming soon. They are already there.

Recently my sister Teresa came across a collection of theater seats at the Funky Rooster. She was able to negotiate a sweet deal and after borrowing a truck from the Petersons and getting Derrick to help load them and Willy to help unload them and place them in The Union Street Theater, they are home.

Here are a couple of cruddy cell phone pictures for you to admire my recent addition and commitment to consumerism.



Derrick strapping the seats in.


Willy and I testing them out.


Another view of the test.

This addition will seat four people or two straight males.

My understanding is that these seats came from the old Century Theater that was on Duff all those years ago.

I also recently added a computer to the Union Street Theater to make it easier to stream music or watch YouTube videos down there.

I’m not sure how many people can sit and watch movies at the Union Street Theater, but currently there are 4 theater seats, 2 recliners, 1 couch, a daybed, a trundle bed, and 1 bean bag chair. However, the couch will probably bite the dust at some point.

The Union Street Theater will start hosting more formal events in the future. Including:

-Probably at least 2 viewings of MANOS: HANDS OF FATE.
-A Network Engineering viewing of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE.
-A possible Youth Group event.
-A Nader birthday movie viewing.
-Another undetermined movie viewing.
-Many a Cyclone sporting event watch party.

I think I might be done tinkering with it for awhile, but I would have made that same claim a few weeks ago.

Party of Another Kind

While I prefer the kind of party where a bunch of people show up at my house and do a bunch of work to my house, other people prefer parties where cake is served and people have polite conversation. Back in August we had such a party for my Grandma’s 90th birthday.

Here is a photo from that event:


Those of us that could make it to Grandma's 90th Birthday Party
Mom’s Kids

Pictured are all of my Mom’s kids that could make it. Me, Logan, Teresa, Alexis, Carla, and Jason.

I wish I could remember who took this picture so they could get credit, but I can’t…

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
FOCAL LENGTH: 20mm (30mm – 35mm equivalency)
ISO: 250
APERTURE: f/5.6
EXPOSURE: 1/60
DATE: 08/23/15 – 17:31
NO GPS DATA

Painting Vol. III

Here are more painting pictures. YEAH!!! These are from my other sister Carla:



Jesse, trying to break my window. Jeff watches on.


Anders, painting away!


Anders and Ian painting away!


Melissa and Scottie D. painting the east side of the house.


Anna painting!


Teresa cutting some plastic as Willy and I hold it.


The north wall.


Alisa and Erica painting the front “porch”.


Jeff and Terrence painting.


Teresa painting.


Teresa painting.






Alisa and Erica painting the gate. Terrence supervises.


South wall.


I think Shannon is in there somewhere.




Note the excellent scallop work that Carla did!


The front porch.

Painting Vol. II

What lies below are a few pictures my sister Teresa took of the painting.



Yep. That is Jesse trying to break my front window.














More Jesse trying to break my window.


Another angle of Jesse trying to break my window.

There may be more action packed painting pictures coming your way in the future! Try to contain your excitement.

Painting!

The great national nightmare, or maybe it was just my nightmare, is finally, virtually over. The 2 day house painting party this weekend is over and my house is painted!

Just a couple splashes of paint here and there, and hanging a few things up and it is over.

So thanks a million to my amazing Saturday Painting Crew:

  • Jesse
  • Teresa
  • Baier
  • Will
  • Ben
  • Monica
  • Jeff
  • Scottie D.
  • Melissa
  • Porter
  • Dalton
  • Anders
  • Ian
  • Mom
  • Shannon

Equally as great was my awesome Sunday Painting Crew:

  • Willy
  • Jesse
  • Derrick
  • Teresa
  • Carla
  • Jen
  • Evie
  • Layla
  • Jay
  • Kelly
  • Anna
  • Anthony
  • Alisa
  • Erica
  • Shannon
  • Jeff
  • Terrence
  • Mom

I’m in such good spirits that I’ll even thank the people that just stopped by to gawk:

  • Terry
  • Grandma
  • Sherrie
  • Steve
  • Andy (In fairness Andy would’ve helped if there were any work left to do).

 
Since I wasn’t able to photograph anything on Saturday on Sunday because I was covered with paint, at this time I don’t have any pictures of the actual painting to share. However, I do have some pictures of the aftermath. Some of the things might make you wonder about the cleanliness and skill level of my people. You should know that many of them are highly skilled painters: Derrick, Baier, Carla, and to my admitted shock Willy (to name a few), but everybody contributed on some level. Therefore, imperfections, spills, messes, I actually love these things. These are reminders that on one beautiful fall weekend 15 people on Saturday and 19 people on Sunday decided to come to my house and help me paint rather than do something that society may have considered more fun and more interesting. Society can go suck an egg!

I call it the house that love painted and that is even at least partially true. If nothing else, I have at least a healthy start to my Birthday Party Invite List. Don’t worry, there will be other chances to earn a coveted invite to The Party of 2016*. Not many granted, but I’m sure those chances will be out there.

Any way, here is a collection of photos of my Painting Party Aftermath:



A piece of tape leftover from where Alisa and Erica did a crackerjack job of painting the front porch!


An unintended sweet design left behind from Carla painting the house numbers!


Paint left behind from where my frog rain gauge sits. Possibly left from when Anna or Willy painted the rain spout? Actually that is probably my spill.


That cardinal even looks sweet on the brick.


Normally I would be sad if my beautiful, lush lawn looked so downtrodden and pathetic, (I pay good money for somebody else to fertilize it for me) but this is actually a sign of how many people were there painting my house at any given time. Can’t hate on that.


Cleaning out paint trays lead to this sweet white streak of grass.


The gold paint. The finishing touch that really adds some flair. Alisa and Erica also knocked it out of the park with this paint and my gate. Shannon also rocked the front threshold with this paint.

Another awesome aspect of this painting project was how much equipment I was loaned. One neighbor Stan loaned me 2 scaffoldings. The other neighbor Roger loaned me a ladder.


Stole the idea of using dish tubs to hold paint from my mission trip to South Dakota. Fortunately while painting cedar siding sucks, it doesn’t suck as bad as painting stucco.


More than a few people were infatuated with my house’s “nipple”. It is my kitchen vent. Don’t be weird, creeper. Either way, Anders and Ian did a dynamite job of painting it.


Just a few of the ladders that were used in the project. Not pictured is 1 of 2 family heirlooms used in during the project. A ladder my Grandpa Bennett bought in 1969 to paint the house at 415 Greene Street.


A few of the rollers that survived usage by Teresa the Roller Killer.


It took about 10 gallons of cardinal paint, 3 gallons of white paint, and 1 gallon of gold paint to complete this project.


Lots of experimental painting was done by me on this project. Some paint tools are excellent. Some are a waste of money. Such a waste of money.


On Saturday night I bought a gallon of gold paint and a whole set of paint brushes to use with the gold paint. When the time came around to use the gold paint, all those brushes, except one had been used for cardinal. This solo cup is an artifact left behind by Alisa and Erica from painting the gate gold.


Earlier this year I moved this wood pile from where it is pictured to the brick patio for use in the Firetub. I have had exactly zero social fire tub fires this year. Will and Ben moved the pile back to its original location. Very thankful I didn’t have to do that. Although since I am retiring the Firetub this fall, I should have one last social fire soon. What will become of the Firetub? Stay tuned. Same bat time. Same bat channel.


The other family heirloom that was used in this painting project. This step stool also belonged to Grandpa Bennett. When it isn’t being used in painting projects, it holds frog statues. It will no doubt be used when I complete Fall/Winter House Project #2 sometime soon-ish.


This was the Painting Party Cafeteria. Many a burger and dog were consumed here over stimulating conversation. Such as what do you do when you have to go to the bathroom on a 100 mile run? Loyal Instagram followers will recognize the chairs I stripped and painted John Deere colors and the plastic chairs I did a very poor job of painting Iowa State colors. The bench was built by Teresa. It normally is housed between the cherry trees and holds rain gauge no. 2 and more frog statues. Naima enjoyed her time in the cafeteria. Especially when Evie tried to bribe her with a hot dog to go on a walk.


This dog. She was in heaven with so many people around. She converted a couple of kids that were afraid of dogs and was a wonderful playmate for Layla and Evie as well. She even tried to help with the painting.


I set up the tent for its annual airing out and as a place for children to play. I think Jay might have been the one who played with it the most. Willy and Jesse helped set it up. It is always my pleasure helping people learn survival skills.


Naima’s tail got an extra shade of gold when she tried to help with the gate painting.


The best part of painting during the fall is that it doesn’t matter what happens to the flower that surround my buildings. I would have photographed the hosta that Melissa dumped (much to the chagrin of Scottie D.) quite a bit of white paint on, but we all know that hostas are weeds. So who cares what happens to them? Not this guy!


I did almost all the scraping myself. Let me tell you, scraping cedar siding is the worst. Here is just a small sampling of the piles of scraped paint chips that surround my house.


I think I had 5 paint trays going all at once on Sunday. Might have been 6.

So once again. Thanks to everybody that helped me with this project!

If you are wondering what the house actually looks like now, you might have to visit**. Or maybe that will be covered in a blog post in the future. I don’t know what the future holds.

*Actually, I can’t guarantee that the party will be that great***, but the invitations will be very amusing to at least 3, maybe 4 people.
**But don’t ring my doorbell, that freaks me out.
***Although the partial party playlist was endorsed by Anna and she knows about such things. I’m sure.