Category Archives: Elizabeth

WPC – WEEK 444 – DECORATION

DECORATION! A great theme! Everybody loves to decorate. But did enough people like to decorate enough to make DECORATE a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

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

1-Suzie Brannen – 1 week
2-Monica Jennings – 1 week
3-Adam Gordon – 2 weeks (2)
4-Mary Green – 4 weeks (2)
5-Stehanie Kim – 4 weeks
6-Becky Parmelee – 4 weeks
7-Willy McAlpine – 6 weeks
8-Sara Lockner – 8 weeks
9-Lowell Davis – 10 weeks
10-Michelle Haupt – 10 weeks
11-Alexis Stensland – 10 weeks (2)
12-Brandon Kahler – 11 weeks
13-Scott Degeneffe – 29 weeks
14-Sabas Hernandez – 29 weeks
15-Mike Vest – 35 weeks
16-Sheri Fakhouri – 39 weeks (2)
17-Logan Kahler – 40 weeks (2)
18-Nathanial Brown – 41 weeks
19-Jesse Howard – 41 weeks
20-Tamara Peterson – 44 weeks
21-Mindi Terrell – 56 weeks (2)
22-Linda Bennett – 85 weeks
23-Sarah Toot – 86 weeks
24-Angie DeWaard – 90 weeks
25-Dawn Krause – 94 weeks
26-Kim Barker – 100 weeks
27-Joe Duff – 101 weeks
28-Teresa Kahler – 112 weeks (2)
29-Carla Stensland – 112 weeks
30-Micky Augustin – 114 weeks
31-Andy Sharp – 115 weeks
32-Bill Wentworth – 116 weeks
33-Cathie Morton – 120 weeks
34-Elizabeth Nordeen – 121 weeks
35-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 123 weeks
36-Kio Dettman – 125 weeks (2)

Reminder. Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


1. The picture must 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 and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.
3. Sometimes, for special people, for special circumstances, we can negotiate something.

It is the third week of the month and on the third week of the month I like to share a map of all the states where people have submitted from heading into today. Here is that map:


Week 444 Map

We’ve put a good dent into the United States already.

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


WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Ames, Iowa) – 115 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Honey Hollow – Summerset, Iowa) – 124 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 101 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION -
Christopher D. Bennett (Hilton South – Kansas City, Missouri)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 86 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Monteagle, Tennessee) – 42 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Fort Valley, Georgia)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Iowa)- 11 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Boone, Iowa) – 30 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (State Historical Building – Des Moines, Iowa) – 91 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Nashville, Tennessee) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 126 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Texas) – 102 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (The Breakfast Club – Ankeny, Iowa) – 40 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (The Breakfast Club – Ankeny, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ADAM GORDON
Adam Gordon (Iowa) – 3 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ADAM GORDON
Adam Gordon (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa) – 5 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 11 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ELAINIE HERNANDEZ
Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 30 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Hilton South – Kansas City, Missouri) – 42 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Ames, Iowa) – 12 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Bloomington, Minnesota) – 41 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Bloomington, Minnesota)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Ankeny, Iowa) – 113 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Ankeny, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - STEPHANIE KIM
Stephanie Kim (Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York) – 5 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Brass Armadillo – Des Moines, Iowa) – 95 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Johnston, Iowa) – 9 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - DEANNA MCCLAIN
Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Between Fort Lauderdale and Nassau Bahamas) – 121 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Between Fort Lauderdale and Nassau Bahamas)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 122 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - BECKY PAREMELEE
Becky Parmelee (Bentonsville, Arkansas) – 5 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Perry, Iowa) – 45 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Grand Isle, Louisiana) – 116 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Gulf of Mexico – Off Louisiana)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Ames, Iowa) – 11 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Power & Light District – Kansas City, Missouri) – 113 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Ogden, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - JOHNATHAN STENSLAND
Johnathan Stensland (Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Johnston, Iowa) – 57 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Johnston, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 87 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 36 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 117 weeks

40 participants! That is a great week! Tops ORANGE for the most popular theme of Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Arkansas (1)
+ Florida (2)
+ Georgia (1)
+ Iowa (35)
+ Kansas (2)
+ Louisiana (2)
+ Minnesota (2)
+ Missouri (3)
+ New York (1)
+ Pennsylvania (1)
+ Tennessee (2)
+ Texas (1)

Thanks to the travels of Nathanial, we added Georgia to the list! And thanks to Andy’s travels we added Louisiana to the list.

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each state):

+ Arkansas (4.5)
+ California (1)
+ Colorado (4)
+ Florida (3)
+ Georgia (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (406)
+ Illinois (1)
+ Indiana (2)
+ Kansas (19)
+ Louisiana (2)
+ Michigan (4)
+ Minnesota (5)
+ Mississippi (1.5)
+ Missouri (7.5)
+ Nebraska (14)
+ New York (8)
+ Pennsylvania (10)
+ South Dakota (2)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (18)
+ Vermont (1)

22 states so far! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple states:

+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS, LA)
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN)
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO)
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT)
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN)
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO)
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN)
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD, TN, GA)
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN)
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL)
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL)
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO)
+ Sara Lockner (IA, MN)
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN)
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO)
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO)
+ Carla Stensland (IA, MO)
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL)

Andy maintains a 2 state lead over Jen with his sentimental road trip to be crowned the Emperor of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Travel! I’ll keep workshopping that name. But I might buy a crown for the winner. Just another idea I’m spitballing.

Logan, Jesse, Carla, Cathie, and your humble narrator all joined the group of people that have taken submissions in multiple states.

There were no major milestones reached this week. The only bad news was that Willy’s streak went POOF after 6 weeks. The humanity!

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:


WEEK 445 - HOBBIES
HOBBIES

HOBBIES! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to your interpretation!

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 HOBBIES in this place in this place that is something more of one next Monday.

Roundball Oracles Year 19

It is time once again for the greatest sporting event of year. It is that time known as March Madness. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Once again, I will be sponsoring a NCAA Tournament Pool. There is no cost to enter the pool, except for pride. And if pride is nothing to you, well done.

The winner gets a trophy. The dead last place person gets a trophy known as The Sara*. Nobody else gets a trophy. I’m not made of trophies people!

By winning, you get your name etched on the List of Immortals:

PAST ROUNDBALL ORACLE CHAMPIONS – LIST OF IMMORTALS

2023 – Will Baier
2022 – Ben Baier
2021 – Micky Augustin
2019 – Becky Parmelee
2018 – Paul Golden
2017 – Paul Golden
2016 – Michelle Haupt
2015 – Derek Dohrman
2014 – Brandon Kahler
2013 – William McAlpine
2012 – Lowell Davis
2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

But I said that there are 2 trophies. The 2nd trophy, The Sara, goes to the adult that finishes dead last, while trying. A person can not tank on purpose and win The Sara. The reason The Sara winner has to be an adult is that I don’t want to mock children, to their face. Does that mean I have no problem mocking children behind their back? Does it make me a bad person if I say yes? Probably a better rule would be that to “win” The Sara, you have to be at least a teenager. I have no problem mocking teenagers to their face. At least, back when there was a Youth Group.

Past “The Sara” Winners:

2023 – Ben Baier
2022 – Joey Randazzo
2021 – Rachel Gildersleeve
2019 – Russell Kennerly
2018 – Robert Henning
2017 – Shannon Bardole
2016 – Laura Priest
2015 – Derrick Gorshe
2014 – Sara Lockner

The Sara doesn’t have the long storied history of the championship trophy, but it will get there. I have no doubts. This will be the 9th winner since its inception after all.

These were the final standings from last year:

1. Will Baier – 204
2. Toby Sebring – 200
3. Sarah Karber – 193
4. Tim Peterson – 189
5. Cathie Morton – 188
6. Elizabeth Nordeen- 185
7. Andy Sharp – 184
8. Russell Kennerly – 184
9. Linda Bennett – 183
10. Micky Augustin – 183
11. Carrie Baier – 180
12. Dawn Krause – 178
13. Corey Faust – 177
14. Jesse Howard – 176
15. Jason Baier – 173
16. Angie DeWaard – 171
17. Michelle Haupt – 170
18. Carla Stensland – 170
19. Jackson Faust – 168
20. Frank Meiners – 157
21. Lowell Davis – 155
22. Andree Jauhari – 154
23. Christopher D. Bennett – 154
24. Robert Henning – 154
25. Nader Parsaei – 147
26. Logan Kahler – 145
27. Rachel Gildersleeve – 145
28. Joey Randazzo – 144
29. Olivia Baier – 141
30. Jordan Toot – 141
31. JJ Baier – 141
32. Brandon Kahler – 136
33. Becky Parmelee – 131
34. Derek Dohrman – 122
35. Sara Lockner – 112
36. Shawn Lockner – 111
37. Ben Baier – 111

If you are a basketball fan, or are just interested in having fun, click on the link below to join my pool:

Roundball Oracles – Year 19

The rules are as follows:
Round 1 = 1 point + seed
Round 2 = 2 points + seed
Round 3 = 4 points + seed
Round 4 = 8 points + seed
Round 5 = 16 points + seed
Rounds 6 = 32 points + seed

The Play-in Games (AKA the First Four) don’t matter. You can wait for those games to complete before filling out your bracket. The deadline to fill out your bracket, is tip-off of the first game on Thursday. Roughly 11 AM.

Under special circumstances, I will allow you to turn in a paper bracket to me. So, don’t be afraid to ask.

Yes, your child can fill out a bracket. Your dog, no.

There were 37 competitors in 2023. A 1 person gain from 2022. Hopefully there is continued growth in participation this year, but I don’t know that I have 1 more friend than I did in 2023. It is possible I have gained even more friends since 2023. I might be a pretty great person.

*You have to be 14 years or older to win “The Sara”.

WPC – WEEK 443 – SENTIMENTAL

Today is Dawn’s birthday, so I must wish her a happy birthday.


9 Emotions Project - Dawn Krause
Happy birthday Dawn!

I hope your birthday is filled with plenty of time to sit down and read!

+++++++

Today is also Baier’s birthday, so I must with him a happy birthday!


The Story
Happy birthday Baier!

I hope your birthday is filled plenty of thoughts of the Chiefs winning another Super Bowl!

+++++++

SENTIMENTAL! Maybe a little bit of a hard one for some people. Sometimes it is hard to think about the things that we are sentimental about. But was it easy enough for enough people to make SENTIMENTAL a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

If you are like me at all, you will really wonder the backstory on so many of the photographed subject. Fortunately for me, I actually know the story on most of the subjects in the story, but I will never tell.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, March 4, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Adam Gordon – 1 week
2-Deanna McClain – 1 week
3-Johnathan Stensland – 1 week
4-Mary Green – 3 weeks (2)
5-Stehanie Kim – 3 weeks
6-Becky Parmelee – 3 weeks
7-Willy McAlpine – 5 weeks
8-Sara Lockner – 7 weeks
9-Lowell Davis – 9 weeks
10-Michelle Haupt – 9 weeks
11-Alexis Stensland – 9 weeks (2)
12-Brandon Kahler – 10 weeks
13-Scott Degeneffe – 28 weeks
14-Sabas Hernandez – 29 weeks
15-Mike Vest – 34 weeks
16-Sheri Fakhouri – 38 weeks
17-Logan Kahler – 39 weeks (2)
18-Nathanial Brown – 40 weeks
19-Jesse Howard – 40 weeks
20-Tamara Peterson – 43 weeks
21-Mindi Terrell – 55 weeks (2)
22-Linda Bennett – 84 weeks
23-Sarah Toot – 85 weeks (2)
24-Angie DeWaard – 89 weeks
25-Dawn Krause – 93 weeks
26-Kim Barker – 99 weeks (2)
27-Joe Duff – 100 weeks
28-Teresa Kahler – 111 weeks
29-Carla Stensland – 111 weeks (2)
30-Micky Augustin – 113 weeks
31-Andy Sharp – 114 weeks
32-Bill Wentworth – 115 weeks
33-Cathie Morton – 119 weeks
34-Elizabeth Nordeen – 120 weeks
35-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 122 weeks
36-Kio Dettman – 124 weeks (2)

Reminder. Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


1. The picture must 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 and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.

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


WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ADAM GORDON
Adam Gordon (Kresge Chapel – Kansas City, Missouri) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ADAM GORDON
Adam Gordon (Kresge Chapel – Kansas City, Missouri)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 10 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Sacred Heart Cemetery – Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Arkansas/Mississippi Border) – 115 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL -ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Missouri/Tennessee Border)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa) – 90 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee (Arkansas) – 4 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 116 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 111 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 112 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 120 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 94 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 121 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 41 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Texas) – 101 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 100 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 125 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 85 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 40 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Val-Air Ballroom – Des Moines, Iowa) – 10 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Val-Air Ballroom – Des Moines, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa) – 4 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 10 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Schaumburg, Illinois) – 114 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest (Missouri) – 35 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Cherry Glenn – Near Ankeny, Iowa) – 56 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Cherry Glenn – Near Ankeny, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Des Moines, Iowa) – 41 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 30 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Burnsville, Minnesota) – 8 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 86 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Panama City Beach, Florida) – 29 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Honey Hollow – Summerset, Iowa) – 123 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 39 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - STEPHANIE KIM
Stephanie Kim (Fort Greene – Brooklyn, New York) – 4 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 44 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 112 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - WILLIAM MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa) – 6 weeks

37 participants! That is a pretty great week! Same as last week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Arkansas (1.5)
+ Florida (1)
+ Illinois (1)
+ Iowa (33)
+ Kansas (1)
+ Minnesota (1)
+ Mississippi (.5)
+ Missouri (3.5)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ New York (1)
+ Pennsylvania (1)
+ Tennessee (.5)
+ Texas (1)

Thanks to the travels of Scott, we added Florida to the list! And thanks to Andy’s travels we added Tennessee to the list.

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each state):

+ Arkansas (3.5)
+ California (1)
+ Colorado (4)
+ Florida (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (372)
+ Illinois (1)
+ Indiana (2)
+ Kansas (17)
+ Michigan (4)
+ Minnesota (3)
+ Mississippi (1.5)
+ Missouri (4.5)
+ Nebraska (13)
+ New York (7)
+ Pennsylvania (9)
+ South Dakota (2)
+ Tennessee (.5)
+ Texas (17)
+ Vermont (1)

20 states so far! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple states:

+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS)
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX)
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO)
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT)
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN)
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO)
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN)
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD)
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN)
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL)
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL)
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO)
+ Sara Lockner (IA, MN)

Andy has taken a 2 state lead over Jen with his sentimental road trip to be crowned the Emperor of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Travel! I’ll keep workshopping that name. But I might buy a crown for the winner. Just another idea I’m spitballing.

Micky, Scott, and Vest all joined the club of people that have submitted from multiple states. Adam added a third state to his list!

There were a few big milestones reached this week! Michelle and Lowell and Alexis all joined the Double Digit Streak Club! Kim joined the Triple Digit Streak Club! WooHoos all around!

But it was not all unicorns and rainbows though. Deanna and Johnathan couldn’t build on their submissions from last week and their streaks are over before the even began.

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:


WEEK 444 - DECORATION
DECORATION

DECORATION! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to your interpretation!

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 DECORATION in this place in this place that decorates my life next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 442 – ROAD TRIP

ROAD TRIP! One of my favorite ways to spend a day. Also one of my favorite themes! But did it inspire enough people to leave their house to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out?

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, February 26, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Mary Green – 2 weeks (2)
2-Stehanie Kim – 2 weeks
3-Becky Parmelee – 2 weeks
4-Willy McAlpine – 4 weeks
5-Sara Lockner – 6 weeks
6-Monica Jennings – 6 weeks
7-Suzie Brannen – 8 weeks (2)
8-Lowell Davis – 8 weeks
9-Michelle Haupt – 8 weeks
10-Alexis Stensland – 8 weeks (2)
11-Brandon Kahler – 9 weeks
12-Scott Degeneffe – 27 weeks (2)
13-Sabas Hernandez – 28 weeks
14-Mike Vest – 33 weeks
15-Sheri Fakhouri – 37 weeks (2)
16-Logan Kahler – 38 weeks (2)
17-Nathanial Brown – 39 weeks
18-Jesse Howard – 39 weeks
19-Tamara Peterson – 42 weeks
20-Mindi Terrell – 54 weeks (2)
21-Linda Bennett – 83 weeks
22-Sarah Toot – 84 weeks
23-Angie DeWaard – 88 weeks
24-Dawn Krause – 92 weeks (2)
25-Kim Barker – 98 weeks
26-Joe Duff – 99 weeks
27-Teresa Kahler – 110 weeks
28-Carla Stensland – 110 weeks (2)
29-Micky Augustin – 112 weeks
30-Andy Sharp – 113 weeks
31-Bill Wentworth – 114 weeks
32-Cathie Morton – 118 weeks
33-Elizabeth Nordeen – 119 weeks
34-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 121 weeks
35-Kio Dettman – 123 weeks

Reminder. Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


1. The picture must 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 and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.
3. Sometimes, for special people, for special circumstances, we can negotiate something.

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


WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - ADAM GORDON
Adam Gordon (Central BBQ – Southaven, Mississippi) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - DEANNA MCCLAIN
Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 1 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - JOHNATHAN STENSLAND
Johnathan Stensland (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Indiana) – 3 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Indiana)

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - STEPHANIE KIM
Stephanie Kim (Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York) – 3 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee (Arkansas) – 3 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine (Iowa) – 5 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Woodward, Iowa)- 7 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Boone County, Iowa) – 9 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (Des Moines, Iowa) – 9 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 9 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Saint Paul, Minnesota) – 10 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 28 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (35 South Near Ames, Iowa) – 29 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP -
Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 34 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - SHERI FKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Red Lobster – West Des Moines, Iowa) – 38 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Ames, Iowa) – 39 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Ames, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Des Moines, Iowa) – 40 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Boone, Iowa) – 40 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 43 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Johnston, Iowa) – 55 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Johnston, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 84 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 85 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania)

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa) – 89 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa) – 93 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Estes Park, Colorado) – 99 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Dacono, Colorado)

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Texas) – 100 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 111 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP -
Carla Stensland (Polk City, Iowa) – 111 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP -
Carla Stensland (Polk City, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Huxley, Iowa) – 113 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Alleman, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Omaha, Nebraska) – 114 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 115 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 119 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 120 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Norwalk, Iowa) – 122 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 124 weeks

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett (Ames, Iowa) – 546 weeks

37 participants! That is a great week! Up one from last week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Colorado (2)
+ Indiana (2)
+ Iowa (34)
+ Kansas (1)
+ Minnesota (1)
+ Mississippi (1)
+ Nebraska (2)
+ New York (1)
+ Pennsylvania (2)
+ Texas (1)

Thanks to the travels of Mary, we added Indiana to the list! Thanks to Adam’s travels, we’ve added Mississippi!

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each state):

+ Arkansas (3)
+ California (1)
+ Colorado (4)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (343)
+ Indiana (2)
+ Kansas (16)
+ Michigan (4)
+ Minnesota (2)
+ Mississippi (1)
+ Missouri (1)
+ Nebraska (12)
+ New York (6)
+ Pennsylvania (8)
+ South Dakota (2)
+ Texas (16)
+ Vermont (1)

17 states so far! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple states:

+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX)
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT)
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN)
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO)
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN)
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD)
+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE)
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS)

Mary has joined the list of people that have submitted from 3 states. Jen maintains her 1 state lead to be crowned the Queen of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Travel! I’ll keep workshopping that name. But I might buy a crown for the winner. Just another idea I’m spitballing.

There were a couple of big milestones reached this week. Brandon hit the Double Digit Streak Club! WooHoo! But Joe Duff 10 upped him and reached the Triple Digit Streak Club! WooHoo! WooHoo!

It wasn’t all fun and games though. Not all rainbows and unicorns. Monica’s streak ended at 6 weeks. Suzie’s is no more after 8 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:


WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL
SENTIMENTAL (SUGGESTED BY JOE DUFF)

SENTIMENTAL! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE! It will be interesting to see what people find gets them all filled up with sentiment!

I look forward to your interpretation!

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 SENTIMENTAL in this place in this place that is mostly purple because I am sentimental next Monday.

Fisher of Men: Boone Field Work

Today is Andy’s birthday so I have to wish him a happy birthday!


Day 194 - July 13, 2022
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDY!

I hope your day is filled with 17 hour old tenderloins!

+++++++

It is Lent! During Lent I like to hit a Fish Fry here and there. Which gives me the added benefit of hitting some Catholic churches and checking out what is usually some pretty creepy Catholic art!

On the first Friday of Lent Jay, Jesse, and I hit Sacred Heart in Boone to check out their fish and their creepy art:


Sacred Heart Fish Fry
Every single one of these dudes looks like a serial killer. Especially the guy in the upper left.

Sacred Heart Fish Fry
Is this a serious question? Is Geraldine a super outlandish horse name? Also, nice use of the term “Indians”. Racism isn’t dead.

Sacred Heart Fish Fry
If this kid didn’t die when he was 15 he would have put up H.H. Holmes type numbers.

Sacred Heart Fish Fry
I kind of like this one. Like the world’s largest shrinky dink.

Sacred Heart Fish Fry

Sacred Heart Fish Fry
No pictures of them standing on the corner of Story & US-30 shaking down people for donations.

Sacred Heart Fish Fry
Fish, baked potato, cole slaw, green beans, and a roll. They also offered mac & cheese, but I was able to cut them off before they put that pile of bland on my plate.

Sacred Heart Fish Fry

Sacred Heart Fish Fry

Sacred Heart Fish Fry

Sacred Heart Fish Fry

Sacred Heart Fish Fry

Sacred Heart Fish Fry

Sacred Heart Fish Fry

Sacred Heart Fish Fry

Sacred Heart Fish Fry
Gave a kid a $5 donation for this brownie. It was worth it.

Sacred Heart Fish Fry
We closed that Fish Fry down. Which is cooler than closing down the bar in my book.

Sacred Heart Fish Fry

Sacred Heart Fish Fry

The verdict? It was a darn good fish fry. I would definitely hit it on the regular if I wasn’t trying to hit all different fish fries this Lent.

Here is the update on my efforting to live a healthier lifestyle. I guess the big development is that I have joined a gym. I joined Planet Fitness in Ames. Although with my membership I can go to any Planet Fitness in the world. I am a little leery of joining a gym in a different town, but I don’t really like either gym in Boone and my tentative gym plan isn’t super ambitious. I mostly want to hit it twice a week. Once after working in Ames and then once again on weekends. I mostly plan to use it to do some HIIT workouts. Maybe some weightlifting. It seems like a good fit cause Brandon goes there and I think I got a deal by being referred by Elizabeth. Or she got a deal. Somebody got a deal and that is all that matters. Now I’m thirsty for some Deal’s Orchard apple cider! Adding the fitness watch and the gym membership are really the 2 big changes. I don’t know of any else that I’m planning to add in the future. Okay, I’m considering buying a smart scale. But we will see.

I have taken to posting some highlights from my daily walks on Snapchat. I really only send those to my Top 8 Snapchat Friends. That is currently Elizabeth, Fran, Brandon, Logan, Sabas, Alexis, Nathanial, and Micky. I have substantial Streaks with 7 of them. I mean maybe they don’t want to get them, but that is the burden of being one of my Top 8 Snapchat friends.

But if you are feeling left out and want to get Snaps from the thrilling world of me walking, let me know and I can send them to you as well. Maybe someday you will be able to squeeze into my Top 8 friends as dictated by the Snapchat algorithm.

I don’t have really any interesting statistics from Noom this week. I was going to try to dig up the statistic on how eating eggs for breakfast increases weight loss, but that was a couple weeks back and suddenly seems like a lot of work. So just take my word for it. Eating eggs for breakfast helps with increased weight loss because they can boost metabolic activity and increase satiety.

This week’s Noom lessons were mostly about how exercise doesn’t really help you lose weight. Mostly cause people overestimate how many calories exercise burns and then justify overeating because they think they burned more calories than they did. While exercise might not help you lose weight, it does help you maintain weight and exercise definitely makes you healthier. And your ultimate goal shouldn’t be to lose weight, exactly. It should be to be healthier and exercise is a big part of the healthier lifestyle.

That being said, I did lose some weight this week. I am down another 2.3 pounds. 14.7 pounds since I started Noom about 5 weeks ago. 51 pounds since January 1 of 2023.

But weight isn’t the only way to measure improvement. It is just the easiest way to measure cause you can stand on a scale every morning. So a couple less directly measurable results are that I’ve been going through my closet to downsize my extensive clothing collection. I definitely fit into some shirts better that I haven’t worn in a long time. While I am a well documented fashionista and twice recognized as the best dressed man at the Computer Mine (in my head at least) the one result that I have found most meaningful to me is my photo backpack. When I first purchased it the bottom strap, the strap that goes around my waist, it would buckle, but it definitely didn’t like it. I didn’t like it. People that saw me probably didn’t like it. It definitely dug into my sides. Now I can cinch it up. Maybe not a lot. Maybe an inch. Maybe two. Maybe just several millimeters. But it is definitely an improvement.

Next Sunday’s food adventure will involve a local barbecue joint. I swear it this time!

WPC – WEEK 441 – LEADING LINES

Today is Micky’s birthday so I have to wish him a happy birthday:


June 22
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICKY!

I hope your birthday is filled with all the outdoorsman adventures you can handle!

+++++++

It is the last Monday of the month and on the last Monday of the month I like to revisit our Frequently Asked Questions. Who asks these questions? I mostly ask them of myself. But that isn’t a Frequently Asked Question. These are:

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 10 photographers that participate regularly that have won a photography award of some kind.

Is this a competition?
NO. It is a challenge. There are no winners and losers. Well the people that don’t participate are losers.

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

Yes. That limit is 2. If you send me more than 2, I will post the first 2 that you send. I’m not trying to harsh your photography buzz, but any more than that starts 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 you are going to submit more than one picture, I strongly urge you to choose completely different subjects for each submission. If you are submitting multiple pictures of the same subject, make sure that each picture is saying something unique.

If I start to average like 45 participants a week, I will lower the limit to 1.

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 for me. However, I would urge you to not try to fit your favorite subject into the theme every week. 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.

Do I have to wait until Monday morning to submit?

Absolutely not! In fact (AND CAN’T EMPATHIZE THIS ENOUGH) I appreciate the submissions that make it to me by Sunday evening. Makes the job of putting this together on Monday morning much easier!

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 widest point, but don’t ban smaller pictures at this point. But don’t tempt me!

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. But if you let me know where the picture was taken, I will include that. In fact, I appreciate you letting me know where a picture was taken. If you don’t let me know, I will assume the picture was taken in the state you live in.

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

I will take suggestions only and ONLY in the comments sections of the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE posts the last week of October and the 1st week of November.

+++++++

LEADING LINES! They lead somewhere, but did they lead to being a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, February 19, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Mary Green – 1 week
2-Susanna Funk – 1 week
3-Stehanie Kim – 1 week
4-Becky Parmelee – 1 week (2)
5-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 2 weeks (2)
6-Deanna McClain – 2 weeks
7-Willy McAlpine – 3 weeks (2)
8-Sara Lockner – 5 weeks
9-Monica Jennings – 5 weeks
10-Suzie Brannen – 7 weeks (2)
11-Lowell Davis – 7 weeks
12-Michelle Haupt – 7 weeks
13-Alexis Stensland – 7 weeks (2)
14-Brandon Kahler – 8 weeks
15-Scott Degeneffe – 26 weeks (2)
16-Sabas Hernandez – 27 weeks
17-Mike Vest – 32 weeks
18-Sheri Fakhouri – 36 weeks
19-Logan Kahler – 37 weeks
20-Nathanial Brown – 38 weeks
21-Jesse Howard – 38 weeks (2)
22-Tamara Peterson – 41 weeks
23-Mindi Terrell – 53 weeks (2)
24-Linda Bennett – 82 weeks (2)
25-Sarah Toot – 83 weeks (2)
26-Angie DeWaard – 87 weeks
27-Dawn Krause – 91 weeks (2)
28-Kim Barker – 97 weeks
29-Joe Duff – 98 weeks (2)
30-Teresa Kahler – 109 weeks (2)
31-Carla Stensland – 109 weeks
32-Micky Augustin – 111 weeks
33-Andy Sharp – 112 weeks
34-Bill Wentworth – 113 weeks
35-Cathie Morton – 117 weeks
36-Elizabeth Nordeen – 118 weeks
37-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 120 weeks
38-Kio Dettman – 122 weeks (2)

Reminder. Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


1. The picture must 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 and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.
3. Sometimes, for special people, for special circumstances, we can negotiate something.

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


WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 123 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Summerset Trail – North of Indianola, Iowa) – 121 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 119 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 118 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 114 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 113 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Beardshear Hall – Iowa State University – Ames, Iowa) – 112 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Brookside Park – Ames, Iowa) – 110 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Lagomarcino Hall – Iowa State University – Ames, Iowa) – 110 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Houston, Texas) – 99 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 98 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa) – 92 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Bandorama – Boone High School – Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa) – 88 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Ludlow, Vermont) – 84 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 83 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Terra Park – Johnston, Iowa) – 54 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Terra Park – Johnston, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Mayo Clinic – Rochester, Minnesota) – 42 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) – 39 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (The Waterfront – Ankeny, Iowa) – 39 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Ames, Iowa) – 38 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 37 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 33 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 28 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 27 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 9 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 8 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Bandorama – Boone High School – Boone, Iowa) – 8 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa) – 8 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Boone County, Iowa) – 8 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Des Moines, Iowa) – 6 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 6 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine (Ledges State Park – Boone County, Iowa) – 4 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Michigan) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Michigan)

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - STEPANIE KIM
Stephanie Kim (Downtown Brooklyn – New York City, New York) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee (Arkansas) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 441 - LEADING LINES - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa)

36 participants! That is a slight dip from the previous weeks, but still a pretty great week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Arkansas
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Michigan
+ Nebraska
+ New York
+ South Dakota
+ Texas
+ Vermont

Thanks to the travels of Sarah, we added Vermont to the list!

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each state):

+ Arkansas (3)
+ California (1)
+ Colorado (2)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (307)
+ Kansas (12)
+ Michigan (4)
+ Minnesota (1)
+ Missouri (1)
+ Nebraska (10)
+ New York (5)
+ Pennsylvania (6)
+ South Dakota (2)
+ Texas (15)
+ Vermont (1)

15 states so far! No bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple states:

+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX)
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT)
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO)
+ Mary Green (MI, IA)
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN)
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD)

Sarah has trimmed Jen’s lead down to 1 state to be crowned the Queen of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Travel! I’ll keep workshopping that name.

There were no major milestones this week, but there are some big ones coming up!

There were some sad times though. Susanna couldn’t build on last week’s submission and her streak is over before it began. Jen and Deanna’s streaks both ended at 2.

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:


WEEK 442 - ROAD TRIP
ROAD TRIP

ROAD TRIP! What a great them for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE! One of my favorite themes every year. Since I’m pretty sure several of you are shut-ins, I like to see some of you actually leave the house now and again. Although I’ve mentally prepared myself for pictures of toy cars.

I look forward to your interpretation!

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 in this place that is at least a trip on its best days next Monday.

WPC – WEEK 440 – ORANGE

ORANGE! The favorite color of some. Some even say it is the new black. Some say that whomever said it was the new pink was seriously deranged. But was all these opinions on ORANGE enough to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out:

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

1-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week
2-Jennie Green – 1 week
3-Amy Peterson – 1 week (2)
4-Deanna McClain – 1 week
5-Johnathan Stensland – 1 week
6-Willy McAlpine – 2 weeks
7-Sara Lockner – 4 weeks
8-Monica Jennings – 5 weeks
9-Suzie Brannen – 6 weeks
10-Lowell Davis – 6 weeks
11-Michelle Haupt – 6 weeks
12-Alexis Stensland – 6 weeks
13-Brandon Kahler – 7 weeks
14-Scott Degeneffe – 25 weeks
15-Sabas Hernandez – 26 weeks
16-Mike Vest – 31 weeks
17-Sheri Fakhouri – 35 weeks
18-Logan Kahler – 36 weeks (2)
19-Nathanial Brown – 37 weeks
20-Jesse Howard – 37 weeks
21-Tamara Peterson – 40 weeks
22-Mindi Terrell – 52 weeks (2)
23-Linda Bennett – 81 weeks
24-Sarah Toot – 82 weeks
25-Angie DeWaard – 86 weeks
26-Dawn Krause – 90 weeks (2)
27-Kim Barker – 96 weeks
28-Joe Duff – 97 weeks (2)
29-Teresa Kahler – 108 weeks
30-Carla Stensland – 108 weeks
31-Micky Augustin – 110 weeks
32-Andy Sharp – 111 weeks
33-Bill Wentworth – 112 weeks (2)
34-Cathie Morton – 116 weeks
35-Elizabeth Nordeen – 117 weeks
36-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 119 weeks
37-Kio Dettman – 121 weeks

Heading in to this week’s theme, here is what the 2024 Submission Map looks like:



THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is starting to spread!

Reminder. Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


1. The picture must 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 and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.
3. Sometimes, for special people, for special circumstances, we can negotiate something.

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


WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Ames, Iowa) – 111 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 120 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 97 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett (Photography 139 Studio – Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 82 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa) – 7 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Boone, Iowa) – 38 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Boone, Iowa) – 7 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 26 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 122 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa) – 87 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (League City, Texas) – 98 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (League City, Texas)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Missouri Airspace) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Galveston, Texas)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 36 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - SUSANNA FUNK
Susanna Funk (Pikes Peak, Colorado) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 7 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 27 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Sacred Heart – Boone, Iowa) – 38 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Y Camp – Boone County, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 6 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Ames, Iowa) – 8 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Wal-Mart – Boone, Iowa) – 37 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Ames, Iowa) – 109 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Ames, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - STEPHANIE KIM
Stephanie Kim (Bed-Stuy – Brooklyn, New York) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa) – 91 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Granger, Iowa) – 5 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine (Boone, Iowa) – 3 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - DEANNA MCCLAIN
Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 117 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 118 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee (Bella Vista, Arkansas) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee (Bella Vista, Arkansas)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Perry, Iowa) – 41 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 112 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 7 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Ogden, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Iowa State University – Ames, Iowa) – 109 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 53 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (New York City, New York) – 83 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (New York City, New York)

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 32 weeks

WPC - WEEK 440 - ORANGE - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 113 weeks

39 participants! That is a great week! Breaks the previous record for participants this year, which was 38! Plus the first submissions this year from Stephanie and Becky!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Arkansas
+ Colorado
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Missouri
+ Nebraska
+ New York
+ Texas

Thanks to the travels of Jen, we added Missouri to the list. And Becky’s first submissions of 2024 add Arkansas to the list!

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each state):

+ Arkansas (2)
+ California (1)
+ Colorado (2)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (272)
+ Kansas (11)
+ Michigan (2)
+ Minnesota (1)
+ Missouri (1)
+ Nebraska (8)
+ New York (4)
+ Pennsylvania (6)
+ South Dakota (2)
+ Texas (13)

12 states so far! No bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple states:

+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX)
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO)
+ Mary Green (MI, IA)
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY)
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN)

Jen has now taken a 2 state lead to be crowned the Queen of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Travel! I’ll keep workshopping that name.

The big milestone this week was Scott joining the Half Year Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all good times! Jennie, Amy, and Johnathan couldn’t build on last week’s submission. Their streaks ended before they began!

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:


WEEK 431 - LEADING LINES
LEADING LINES – IOWA STATE FAIR PHOTOGRAPHY SALON THEME

LEADING LINES! What a great them for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I’m not explaining themes this year, unless it is something technical, but since this is the special theme category for the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon, I thought I would share their explanation for LEADING LINES.



I look forward to your interpretation!

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 LEADING LINES in this place in this place that hopefully is leading somewhere positive next Monday.

RAGBRAI – LUTHER

Today is a rare double holiday. It is both Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day. As always, if you are not out romancing it up tonight, I invite you to come to the Boone First United Methodist Church for our Ash Wednesday service. Full disclosure, I won’t be there. I am neither out romancing it up or going to get my ashes on in some stray church. I’ll be in Hilton Coliseum (AKA The Cathedral) watching an Iowa State women’s basketball game with the rest of the real ones.

Since I won’t be getting ashes this year, enjoy this picture of me on Ash Wednesday from a couple of years ago:


Day 61 - March 2, 2022

I always like to share a devotional type thing on these holidays. So today I’m going to share one from Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church. This one by Reverend Doctor Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon to be exact:

We Are Ashes – Abiding in Hope
by Rev. Dr. Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon (Senior Pastor Collegiate Methodist in Ames)

As we lean into Lent, I wrote this poem for Ash Wednesday. If you are into interactive reading, you can look up the passages in Daniel and John that I reference in the poem. I was working with the idea that ash is a transformed remnant of something: a piece of wood, the remains of a meadow, a life, and in that transformation, it always carries the memory of what it was before, just now it is changed. I apply the idea of God’s unquenchable fire (such as displayed in the burning bush and maybe Biblically remembered in the story of Daniel) that changes and transforms us. As the ashes we use on Ash Wednesday come from the burnt palms of the previous Palm Sunday, that image, too makes its way into the poem.

We Are Ashes

What is born from the flame is ash, life transformed,
black and silvered memories of being held
in fire — maybe like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
who walked in the heat, the flames licking their hands
that were folded in prayer even as they were almost scorched
with a knowledge of God too great for them,
even as they became living ashes:
ones who did not forget but were sent as testimonies,
touched but not burnt, maybe with a sign on their foreheads. [i]

The alchemy of loving means we die and no longer die.
What is here is ash from firelight, also dark and essential,
the ashes we become in grief and in forgiveness and in mercy.

Our pretenses have been burnt away.
We are gathered up in dimly lit certainty,
we are the remnant, you and me
and those who kneel who might be far from us
whose heads are also smudged:
“remember you are dust and to dust you shall return” —
the ash is everywhere – –

hopefully faithful, hopefully able to feel
the webbing root buried in the earth that nurtures us,
and the branch we graft to that stretches
out our lives and then the love,
and then the smoldering embers
of all that is the first and the last;
all that is in each moment.

We are secretly the palms that were spread on the road
where Jesus came to collect us on his way to Jerusalem [ii]
and now we are ashes, smeared
with the oil of His hands,
we are the remnant
from the fire of His resurrection
we are the ashes that mark the way to Him.

Let us be spread again, let us be smudged,
let us be carried from the fire into the world
our bodies some sacred event born in ashes and returned,
the name of love written on our foreheads
the sound of hope sung from our prayers
the burden of care held firmly in our hands
and knowing home in the One who heals us,
in the flame that is never quenched, Alpha and Omega, amen.

[i] Daniel 3: 13-30 (the image I draw is poetic license)

[ii] John 12: 12-17

If you are curious:

Daniel 3: 13-30 – Amplified Version

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in a furious rage gave a command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; and these men were brought before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you shall be thrown at once into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can rescue you out of my hands?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you on this point. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up!”

Daniel’s Friends Protected
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and his facial expression changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then he gave a command that the furnace was to be heated seven [a]times hotter than usual. 20 He commanded certain strong men in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 Then these [three] men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their turbans, and their other clothes, and were thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. 22 Because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace was extremely hot, the flame of the fire killed the men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king [looked and] was astounded, and he jumped up and said to his counselors, “Did we not throw three men who were tied up into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” 25 He answered, “Look! I see four men untied, walking around in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt! And the appearance of the fourth is like [b]a son of the gods!” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing furnace and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out [of there]! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. 27 The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s counselors gathered around them and saw that in regard to these men the fire had no effect on their bodies—their hair was not singed, their clothes were not scorched or damaged, even the smell of smoke was not on them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and rescued His servants who believed in, trusted in, and relied on Him! They violated the king’s command and surrendered their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego shall be cut into pieces and their houses be made a heap of rubbish, for there is no other god who is able to save in this way!” 30 Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

And John 12:12-17 – Amplified

12 The next day, when the large crowd who had come to the Passover feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took branches of palm trees [in homage to Him as King] and went out to meet Him, and they began shouting and kept shouting “Hosanna! Blessed (celebrated, praised) is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; just as it is written [in Scripture], 15 “Do not fear, Daughter of Zion; Behold, Your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 His disciples did not understand [the meaning of] these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified and exalted, they remembered that these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him. 17 So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to tell others about Him.

If you are looking for a place to get your ashes, our service is at 6:30.

While Ash Wednesday is meant to remind us of our own mortality, it doesn’t have to be all gloomy because Ash Wednesday also means the Catholics are going to start having Fish Fry Fridays! WooHoo! Bingpot!

I’m going to break down some area fish fries for you, my people, but I will wait until Friday to do that. Don’t worry, I’ll feed you baby birds!

+++++++

It is also Valentine’s Day. So I need to wish you all happy Valentine’s Day in my way:


Happy Valentine's Day - 2024
LOVE STINKS!

So first things first. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Second. You might be wondering why this picture is called “Love Stinks”. This was at the insistence of my photo assistant for this project. She complained that this heart shaped sparkler absolutely wreaked! She backed this up by claiming that the sparkler gave her a sore throat for like 5 days. Because she suffered for my art, I have granted her request that the name of this photo is “Love Stinks”.

On holidays like Valentine’s Day I do like to do power rankings. Last year I did romantic comedy power rankings. However, I know many people who absolutely despise Valentine’s Day. So I thought rather than doing something positive about the concept of love, I would do a power rankings based on the negatives of love. My power rankings this year are the 5 Worst Couples! This is a personal list. No apologies if you think, “wait I’m in that couple or throuple” (no judgment). The couples that personally annoy me. Cause love stinks! It often has lots of sulphur and gives you a sore throat for several days. Metaphorically speaking of course!

5 WORST COUPLES POWER RANKING

5. EXCESSIVE PUBLIC AFFECTION COUPLE
I don’t run into this couple that much any more. Mostly because I don’t run with a lot of teenagers or college students and most of the couples I know have been married for years, so the concept of public affection went out the door years ago. But you know the couples. They can’t stop touching each other, right in front of you. All you are trying to do is eat a bowl of soup and they are treating you to the opening scene of BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR*. There is also a variant of this couple that wants to go into great details about their sex life. I didn’t sign on for any of this. Put it in your diary. The phrase “get a room” exists for a reason.

A sidenote on this couple. It doesn’t have to be physical. This can also be the couple that has the just too precious nicknames for each other. PUKE! And couples that call each other “mom” and “dad”… GROSS!

4. THE CONSTANTLY BREAKING UP COUPLE

You know this couple. They’ve broken up 7 or 8 or 9 times, at the very least. And every time, you have to hear about it. You listen to all of the terrible things that one of the people in the couple did. You hear about all of their inadequacies and flaws. Then 24 hours later, the same friend that was dumping all of this stuff on you, they are back with this deeply flawed person that does all of the terrible things. In a couple weeks you will be hearing all the same things again and you stopped caring somewhere around the 3rd breakup.

3. THE SIT ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE TABLE WHEN DINING ALONE COUPLE

This couple probably seems harmless to you. Maybe I can’t defend how I feel about this couple, but I find them SUPER creepy. Sit on opposite sides of the table! At least then you can stare into each other’s eyes lovingly, while eating the Super Nachos Deluxe you ordered for an appetizer. It is well documented that nachos are the most romantic appetizer, but that is a power ranking for a future Valentine’s Day.

2. THE PUBLIC FIGHTING COUPLE

All couples fight. Not all couples have to fight in front of you, all the time. They might argue that fighting is just an example of their passion. They might even argue that fighting is their love language. My love language is handing you a card for a therapist. Go to counseling!

1. THE HOSTAGE COUPLE

This couple can’t do anything alone. Donna is going out for margaritas with her high school girlfriends. But Donna insists on bringing Bob along, cause Donna can’t do anything without Bob. Or Donna does finally join her friends without Bob, but the entire time she is having to check in with Bob. And Bob is having to check in with Donna. This same couple probably has shared social media accounts. The worst! If they don’t have a shared social media account, these are the ones that post super flowery tomes about the greatness of the significant other. They have to know that everybody is reading this is thinking, “oh, they about to get divorced.” And I’m not saying I’m rooting for divorce when I stumble across these… but I’m not saying that I’m not NOT rooting for divorce. Even if it is fleeting.

This list is definitive and is beyond contestation. No interviews at this time.

When I decided to do an anti-love post for Valentine’s Day, I checked in with some of the most ardent haters of Valentine’s Day I know. I simply asked them what couples they think are the worst. Almost without exception, I instead got a long diatribe about why they hate Valentine’s Day. Which wasn’t what I asked, but I did find hilarious. I confess I didn’t really read that part of those messages, cause it was a lot of blah, blah, blah, same things I’ve heard for years. I assume.

Interestingly, only Scottie D. asked me what I think about Valentine’s Day. And I might just tell you someday.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all who celebrate! Happy Valentine’s Day to all the people who bah humbug it! Happy Valentine’s Day to all the people who dread it because it makes them feel all alone! I can save all of you a seat at the Iowa State women’s basketball game!

If you don’t do the Juicy Wiggle, was it really even a holiday?

+++++++

After we left Jefferson, Logan and I parted ways. I went home for a bit and then decided to go check out RAGBRAI in Ames. As a lark, I decided to head up to Luther since it was one of the towns that RAGBRAI was passing through. I really thought that by the time I got there, it was going to be too late to see much of anything going on. But Luther was packed! I bet Whatcha Smokin’ made a mint that day!

I was impressed with the job that Luther did with RAGBRAI. I hung around and took a few pictures:


RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023
I’d never heard them before, but they were a pretty solid classic rock cover band.

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023
Oh man, I haven’t had wheat grass since Sara got over it.

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023
I’m not a badmouth the younger generation guy. But in my day, when we climbed on a roof, it wasn’t to stare at our phone. We were probably breaking stuff. Okay, maybe the younger generation is better.

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

RAGBRAI - Luther - 2023

Still one more collection of RAGBRAI pictures from this day to share.

* I actually haven’t seen BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR, so I have no clue what the transpires in its first scene. It could be very boring. I understand the historical and cultural significance of the movie, but pornography just isn’t my bag.

WPC – WEEK 439 – TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES

TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES! A potential Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest class! But was that enough to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out:

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, February 5, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Adam Gordon – 1 week (2)
2-Evie Gorshe – 1 week
3-Willy McAlpine – 1 week
4-Jason Stensland – 1 week (2)
5-Elainie Hernandez – 3 weeks
6-Sara Lockner – 3 weeks
7-Monica Jennings – 4 weeks
8-Suzie Brannen – 5 weeks
9-Lowell Davis – 5 weeks
10-Michelle Haupt – 5 weeks
11-Alexis Stensland – 5 weeks (2)
12-Brandon Kahler – 6 weeks
13-Mary Green – 6 weeks (2)
14-Scott Degeneffe – 24 weeks
15-Sabas Hernandez – 25 weeks
16-Mike Vest – 30 weeks
17-Sheri Fakhouri – 34 weeks
18-Logan Kahler – 35 weeks (2)
19-Nathanial Brown – 36 weeks
20-Jesse Howard – 36 weeks
21-Tamara Peterson – 39 weeks
22-Mindi Terrell – 51 weeks (2)
23-Linda Bennett – 80 weeks
24-Sarah Toot – 81 weeks
25-Angie DeWaard – 85 weeks (2)
26-Dawn Krause – 89 weeks (2)
27-Kim Barker – 95 weeks
28-Joe Duff – 96 weeks (2)
29-Teresa Kahler – 107 weeks (2)
30-Carla Stensland – 107 weeks (2)
31-Micky Augustin – 109 weeks
32-Andy Sharp – 110 weeks
33-Bill Wentworth – 111 weeks
34-Cathie Morton – 115 weeks
35-Elizabeth Nordeen – 116 weeks
36-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 118 weeks
37-Kio Dettman – 120 weeks (2)

Reminder. Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


1. The picture must 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 and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.
3. Sometimes, for special people, for special circumstances, we can negotiate something.

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


WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Ames, Iowa) – 6 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - AMY PETERSON
Amy Peterson (Uptown Garage Brewing – Ankeny, Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - AMY PETERSON
Amy Peterson (Uptown Garage Brewing – Ankeny, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Kate Mitchell Elementary School – Ames, Iowa) – 86 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Ely, Iowa) – 111 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 112 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska)

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (I-35 – Story City, Iowa) – 7 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Boone, Iowa) – 108 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 116 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett (Marshalltown, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Les’s Auto – Boone, Iowa) – 90 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Les’s Auto – Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - DEANNA MCCLAIN
Deanna McClain (Ames, Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 117 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Enlsey-Gorshe (Colorado Airspace) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - JENNIE GREEN
Jennie Green (California) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Boone, Iowa) – 37 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES -  JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (League City, Texas) – 97 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES -  JOE DUFF
Joe Duff

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - JOHNATHAN STENSLAND
Johnathan Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 96 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 121 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 81 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 36 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Bliss Cancer Center – Ames, Iowa) – 6 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 6 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 110 weeks


Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 31 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 52 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings (Ames, Iowa) – 5 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Jefferson, Iowa) – 37 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 26 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES -  SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Johnston, Iowa) – 4 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES -  SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (E. Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania) – 82 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Boone County, Iowa) – 25 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 119 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 35 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa) – 6 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Rochester, Minnesota) – 40 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 108 weeks

WPC - WEEK 439 - TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine (Ledges State Park – Boone County, Iowa) – 2 weeks

38 participants! That is a great week! Ties CIRCLE for the most participants in a week this year!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ California
+ Colorado
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ Minnesota
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

Thanks to Tamara’s trip to Minnesota, Minnesota was added to this year’s map! Thanks to Jen’s work trip, we also added Colorado AND California as well!!

Here is the Year 11 list of states where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each state):

+ California (1)
+ Colorado (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (231)
+ Kansas (9)
+ Michigan (2)
+ Minnesota (1)
+ Nebraska (8)
+ New York (1)
+ Pennsylvania (6)
+ South Dakota (2)
+ Texas (11)

12 states so far! No bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple states:

+ Mary Green (MI, IA)
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY)
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO)
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN)

There were a couple of major milestones this week. Sabas joined the Half-Year Club! WooHoo! Then Mindi joined the 1 Year Club! That is a double WooHoo!

Another awesome development. The first ever submission from Deanna McClain. Hopefully the beginning of big things in the future! It was also the first ever submission from Jennie Green! I expect that to be more of a one-off, but you never know. You never know.

But it wasn’t all good news. Quite a few streaks bit the dust! Adam, Evie, and Jason couldn’t build on last week’s submission and their streaks were over before they started. Elainie’s streak is over at 3. Worst of all, Mary’s streak is no more after 6 solid 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:


WEEK 440 - ORANGE
ORANGE

ORANGE! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to your interpretation!

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 ORANGE in this place in this place that loves all colors next Monday.

Tenderloining: Boone Food Truck Field Work

Last Sunday I reported that I was out of food adventures to… uhh… report? Then on Saturday one just kind of fell into my lap*. A tenderloin food truck came to Boone. I’m not hitting the tenderloins hard, as they do fly in the face of my eating healthy journey, but I’m budgeting to eat about 1 a month. Since I had zero in January and it had been 2 months since I’ve had a tenderloin, my favorite enabler said I should do it. And I listen to people when they tell me exactly what I want to hear.

On the positive, a tenderloin actually isn’t super unhealthy. It is a healthy cut of meat. The real problem is that it is fried. The bun also doesn’t help much. The fries I ate as a side were way unhealthier than the tenderloin. Probably. I’m not a food scientist. I just play one on the interwebs. But there are no “red foods”. Only “green foods”, “yellow foods”, and “orange foods”.

I met Jay up there after a trip out to Wally World to pick up a new record, some pastel paper, and a Lego set.**

Jay got their pulled pork as he is not a fan of tenderloins.

Here are some pictures:


Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins
I’ve never heard of this brand of condiments.

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins
Assist to Jay for holding the box open in the wind.

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins
Picture by Jay.

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins
Picture by Jay.

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins
Picture by Jay.

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

Tenderloining - Triple B's Tenderloins

On a technical note, these images are the first foodtography images I’ve taken (well for mass public consumption) since I switched from the Pixel 5 to the Pixel Pro 8.

But you probably care more about the food.

The Good for starters:

+ The fries really hit the spot. Maybe it was because they were the first fried food I’ve had since… well it has been a minute. Unless you count air fried foods. Then it hasn’t been all that long. Unless kolaches are fried. If that is the case, the first fried food since I ate a poppyseed kolache 4 hours earlier***.
+ The tenderloin was a good thickness.
+ The bun-meat ratio was right on.

The Bad:

+ The breading on the tenderloining was salty. Not to a point where it was inedible, but definitely to a point where you knew it was there and you didn’t love it.
+ Jay said his pulled pork was also very salty. Still good but too salty.

The Ugly:

+ Scottie D. and his crew went up there shortly after we did. He was not impressed with the food safety of the crew working the joint. He noted a decided lack of gloves. Their tenderloins tasted like plastic. He said they definitely had a decided plastic aftertaste. I definitely didn’t experience that and I’m not sure what would even cause that. I did not observe the cooks at work. Jay did the ordering and I just mostly stood back and waited, wondering why it was so much colder in the Dollar General parking lot than it had been on the High Trestle Trail just a few hours earlier. Jay did note that he saw some plastic gloves blowing around (so they did have them) and it is just speculation that maybe some of those blew into a fryer.

The Final Verdict:

+ I wouldn’t eat there again. I mean I would if I hit a small town festival and they were the only food truck there, I would imbibe, but I definitely would not go out of my way to eat there and if I saw them serving up grub on the side of the road I would just drive by.

I don’t exactly have another food adventure in the hopper, but I have a sorta food adventure that I am considering.

* Teresa gets the finder’s credit for letting me know there was a food truck setting up shop.
** Teresa also gets the finder’s credit for finding this sweet Lego set that you build into a film camera.
*** You want to see a picture of the kolache don’t you? I took one, but it stays between me and my Czech friends. Better luck next kolache.