Category Archives: Melissa

Logan, Melissa, Scottie D., Still Life, Tenderloining

Super Bowl Spreads

February 25, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett

On Super Bowl Sunday I got invited to 2 Super Bowl parties. Which is strange, cause it isn’t all that common for me to get invited to adult parties. I’m big time on the toddler party circuit, but other than that, my party dance card is pretty much empty.

So when I got invited to not ONE, but TWO parties on the same night, I had to cash in!

If we’re being honest, I wasn’t that emotionally invested in the outcome of the game. I wanted the 49ers to win because I wanted Brock Purdy to win, but I had no expectation they would win. The 49ers have a trash offensive line and their defense was also trash down the stretch. If the game was close, it was only going to be because the Chiefs also have a trash offensive line. In fact, it is amazing that two teams with such trash offensive lines made it so far in the playoffs.

But, despite my having a rooting interest for Brock Purdy, I wasn’t going to lose any sleep no matter the result. It is only his 2nd year in the league, he will have more chances.

But I might never have a chance to graze at 2 different Super Bowl parties.

I watched the 1st quarter and the 4th quarter at Logan’s party. I watched the 2nd and 3rd quarter and the halftime show at Scottie D.’s. Although I was attempted to leave immediately when only 2 people there knew who H.E.R. was.

Maybe next year I can get invited to 4 parties and watch each quarter at a different party. #GOALS.

Moving around didn’t really hurt my enjoyment of the game cause it was one of the single worst games I’ve ever watched in my life. The levels of ineptitude shown by the 2 “best” teams in the NFL made me thing that the defending USFL Champs (Birmingham Stallions) might have been the best team in professional football last year. You think the Chiefs defense could shut down Deon Cain? No. No they couldn’t. The 49ers pathetic secondary certainly couldn’t.

What? You thought I was going to talk up the Arlington Renegades. Please! They finished the regular season 4-6. The XFL should be ashamed for letting them be their champs.

And if you want to know who my team is in the UFL? It is the St. Louis Battlehawks!! Why? Cause Anthony Becht is their coach.

Here are some pictures of some of the spread at Logan’s:

Super Bowl Sunday Spread - Logan's Party

This isn’t finished, if you are wondering.

Some of these have a Dr. Pepper sauce.

Scottie D. had a larger party, so a larger spread:

Super Bowl Sunday Spread - Scott's Party

Scott is a Chiefs fan, but almost everybody else there was rooting for Brock Purdy.

I bet this was delicious.

I confess, mashed potatoes took me by surprise, but I bet they were delicious.

These were homemade meatballs.

Scott’s very proud of his countertop ice machine. Might like it more than at least one of his children.

I’m a sucker for little smokies. In fact I bought an 8 pack of them just the other day.

Basically what needs to happen is Logan and Scottie D. need to have their parties again next year. Then 2 more of you need step up and invite me to your parties. I don’t really care about missing much of the game to travel, but all 4 of the parties should be in Boone or close to Boone. As long as I get to see all of the halftime show, I’m good. One of my favorite yearly tradition is watching old people complain about that year’s halftime show. Like clockwork.

If you are wondering what my favorite Super Bowl treat was???

Drumroll please…

This will disappoint Scott and Logan…

It was the sliders Melissa made. I’m a sucker for a good slider.

But also thanks to my cousin Sarah for sending me pictures of her Super Bowl spread. I think hers looked healthier. I swear I saw vegetables and maybe hummus in one of her pictures.

But I promised, you… my accountability buddies, that there would be weekly updates on my attempts to establish healthier habits.

I thought I would sprinkle in a little knowledge on these updates. Here is something I learned from my Noom lessons this past week:

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that when you eat a meal with someone else it increases the number of calories you eat. If you eat with one more person, (this is at the aggregate level) you consume 44% calories. 58% more with 3 people. 69% with 4 people. 96% more calories with 7 people!

So don’t be jealous when you see a skinny person. They are just a loser that nobody wants to eat with.

A for the weight update, I’m down 5.9 pounds this week and 12.4 pounds since starting Noom about 4 weeks ago. Obviously 5.9 pounds in a week isn’t sustainable and is definitely a bit of a fluke and weight fluctuates from day to day due to a large number of factors. I expect that weight to go up a little bit this week. But all in all, a positive trend.

How is the CPAP going? I think I’m starting to get used to it. My FitBit sleep score has been in the 70s this past week. Which puts me in the Fair sleep range. I’ll take it.

I did breakdown and get a fitness watch. I went with the Google Pixel Watch 2. So far I’m really digging it. I am NOT a watch person. I need to pick up a different band though. Apparently people think my baby blue watch band isn’t manly enough. Just kidding, I don’t care what other people think.

At this time, I’m still thinking about joining a gym. Planet Fitness in Ames is the current leading contender. I do worry about joining a gym in a different town, but the price is right and I don’t like either of the gyms in Boone. So stay tuned on that front.

Next Sunday’s food adventure will involve a local barbecue joint that shockingly, I had never eaten at before.

Alexis, Amy, Andy, Angie, Becky, Blogging, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Derrick, Elainie, Elizabeth, Ernie, Evie, Faust, Fran, Funk, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Johnathan, Kim, Layla, Linda, Logan, Mary, Melissa, Michelle, Mindi, Monica, Nader, Naima, Nathanial, Pastor Sarah, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Steph, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy

The Weekly Photo Challenge Year in Review

January 2, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

As yesterday closed the book on Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, now seems like a good time to review all that happened.

There were 59 different people that submitted photos. Ranging from submitting 1 picture to 124 pictures.

There were 2,311 photos submitted.

The average week was 31.1 participants.

The average week had 44.4 submissions.

The most popular week was Week 422. The theme was #INSTAGOOD. There were 41 participants.

The most popular week by submissions was Week 405. The theme was FLOWER. There were 62 submissions.

3 themes tied for least popular theme by participants. TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES; REFLECTION; and SUNRISE, SUNSET each has only 25 participants.

TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES was the least popular theme by submissions. It received only 30 submissions.

Here is my favorite submission from all 59 different people that submitted and some statistics about each participant.

Heather Courtney
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Pepper Duncan
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Corey Faust
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Adam Gordon
1 week – 2%
3 submissions
No current streak

Harrison Gorshe
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Michelle Haupt
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Stephanie Kim
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Carrie Moellers
1 week – 2%
1 submission
Current Streak: 1 week

Mike Parmelee
1 week – 2%
1 submission
Current Streak: 1 week

Ernie Redd
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Diane Sharp
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Julie Sharp
1 week – 2%
1 submission
No current streak

Lori Backous
2 weeks – 4%
3 submissions
No current streak

Melissa Degeneffe
2 weeks – 4%
3 submissions
No current streak

Derrick Gorshe
2 weeks – 4%
2 submissions
No current streak

Layla Gorshe
2 weeks – 4%
2 submissions
No current streak

Sarah Karber
2 weeks – 4%
2 submissions
No current streak

Johnathan Stensland
2 weeks – 4%
2 submissions
No current streak

Nader Parsaei
3 weeks – 6%
3 submissions
No current streak

Myriah Sharp
3 weeks – 6%
5 submissions
No current streaks

Porter Degeneffe
4 weeks – 8%
4 submissions
No current streaks

Evie Gorshe
6 weeks – 12%
6 submissions
No current streak

Amy Peterson
10 weeks – 19%
14 submissions
Current Streak: 1 week

Elainie Stensland
12 weeks – 23%
15 submissions
No current streak

Susanna Funk
14 weeks – 27%
19 submissions
No current streak

Jen Ensley-Gorshe
19 weeks – 37%
22 submissions
No current streak

Becky Parmelee
23 weeks – 44.2%
26 submissions
No current streak

Sheri Fakhouri
29 weeks – 56%
53 submissions
Current streak: 29 weeks

Scott Degeneffe
32 weeks – 62%
46 submissions
Current streak: 19 weeks

Mary Green
32 weeks – 62%
68 submissions
Current streak: 2 weeks

Sara Lockner
33 weeks – 63%
39 submissions
Current streak: 1 week

Willy McAlpine
34 weeks – 65%
37 submissions
No current streak

Suzie Brannen
35 weeks – 67%
50 submissions
No current streak

Alexis Stensland
35 weeks – 67%
72 submissions
No current streak

Sabas Hernandez
43 weeks – 83%
43 submissions
Current streak: 20 weeks

Monica Jennings
43 weeks – 83%
60 submissions
No current streak

Mindi Terrell
46 weeks – 88%
124 submissions
Current streak: 46 weeks

Nathanial Brown
47 weeks – 90%
77 submissions
Current streak: 31 weeks

Jesse Howard
49 weeks – 94%
62 submissions
Current streaks: 31 weeks

Mike Vest
50 weeks – 96%
50 submissions
Current streaks: 25 weeks

Brandon Kahler
51 weeks – 98%
55 submissions
Current streak: 1 week

Logan Kahler
51 weeks – 98%
81 submissions
Current streak: 30 weeks

Tamara Peterson
51 weeks – 98%
56 submissions
Current streak: 34 weeks

Micky Augustin
52 weeks – 100%
55 submissions
Current streak: 104 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley
52 weeks – 100%
55 submissions
Current streak: 113 weeks

Kim Barker
52 weeks – 100%
60 submissions
Current streak: 90 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett
52 weeks – 100%
52 submissions
Current streak: 537 weeks

Linda Bennett
52 weeks – 100%
91 submissions
Current streak: 75 weeks

Kio Dettman
52 weeks – 100%
107 submissions
Current streak: 115 weeks

Angie DeWaard
52 weeks – 100%
59 submissions
Current streak: 80 weeks

Joe Duff
52 weeks – 100%
71 submissions
Current streak: 91 weeks

Teresa Kahler
52 weeks – 100%
111 submissions
Current streak: 102 weeks

Dawn Krause
52 weeks – 100%
89 submissions
Current streak: 84 weeks

Cathie Morton
52 weeks – 100%
58 submissions
Current streak: 110 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen
52 weeks – 100%
72 submissions
Current streak: 111 weeks

Andy Sharp
52 weeks – 100%
72 submissions
Current streak: 105 weeks

Carla Stensland
52 weeks – 100%
90 submissions
Current streak: 102 weeks

Sarah Toot
52 weeks – 100%
96 submissions
Current streak: 76 weeks

Bill Wentworth
52 weeks – 100%
54 submissions
Current streak: 106 weeks

Here are a few quick stats from last year:

+ 44 different participants
+ 1811 photos submitted
+ Least popular theme for participation was ROCK with 16 participants
+ Most popular theme for participation was SELF-PORTRAIT with 31 participants
+ Least popular theme for submissions was ROCK with 20 submissions
+ Most popular theme for submission was LINES with 51 submissions
+ The average week had 24.6 participants
+ The average week had 34.8 submissions

To put in perspective compared to last year:

+ 15 more different participants.
+ 500 more submissions.
+ The most popular theme had 10 more participants.
+ The most popular theme by submissions has 11 more submissions.
+ The average participation was up almost 7 participants per week.
+ The average submissions was up nearly 10 per week.

Hopefully Year 11 has a similar amount of growth!

Elainie, Evie, Jen, Jesse, Layla, Melissa, Monica, Nader, Sabas, Scottie D., State Fair, Tenderloining

Iowa State Fair Food Carousel

October 22, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

As I started looking through these pictures, I realize that I should have published this collection much earlier as the memory has become a bit foggy since the Iowa State Fair, which was 2 months ago. Something to remember for next year.

This food adventure is a collection of all the food I ate at the Iowa State Fair. I made 4 trips to the Iowa State Fair. One with Jen, Evie, and Layla. Another with Scottie D., Melissa, Austin, and Porter. Another one with Monica, Graham, Sabas, and Elainie. Then a final one with Jesse and Nader.

I ate a lot, so we better get to it!

The first thing I had was the Deep-Fried Bacon Brisket Man-n-Cheese Grilled Cheese. Here is the description:

The Rib Shack’s signature Bacon Brisket Mac and Cheese is slathered between layers of American cheese and two slices of What’s Your Cheez Bacon Cheddar Bread. It is then deep-fried until golden brown and served with a signature raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce.

This was one of the 3 Finalists for Best New State Fair Food. Here are more pictures of it:

I could only get Evie to take a nibble of it. This sandwich was pretty disappointing. It was bland and lifeless. The only thing that saved it was the raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce. However, it wasn’t the worst Best New Fair Food Finalist.

It was a short day at the Fair and the only other thing I had was ice cream:

You know my policy on ice cream, so no reason to get into that.

On my next day at the Fair, the only food I purchased was the Grinder Ball from The Bacon Box. It was also a finalist for Best New State Fair Food.

Here is the description:

The Grinder Ball is a blend of bacon balls stuffed with mozzarella cheese, wrapped in bacon, rotisserie smoked and dipped in warm marinara sauce. The Grinder Ball is The Bacon Box’s new signature gluten-free take on the traditional State Fair Grinder.

Here are some pictures:

No reason to sugar coat it, this thing sucked. Just absolutely terrible. Easily the worst food I had at the fair.

I didn’t purchase anything else, but the Roland-Story FFA gave Scottie D. and I some peach cobbler:

Seriously amazing. Maybe the best thing I had at the Iowa State Fair.

I also had some of Melissa’s Dill Pickle Flavored Cheese Curds from Brad & Harry’s Cheese Curds:

These were great and I would definitely have again!

On my 3rd trip to the Fair, I started out with the Iowa Twinkie.

Here is the description:

“A Texas staple with an Iowa twist.” A smoked bacon-wrapped jalapeno stuffed with pulled pork, sweet corn, cream cheese and ranch seasoning. It is then glazed with Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ & Brew house-made Sweet + Sticky BBQ sauce and drizzled with house-made ranch dressing.

Here are some pictures:

I voted for the Iowa Twinkie for the Best New Fair Food, but the Deep-Fried Bacon Brisket Mac-n-Cheese Grilled Cheese won. At least that awful Grinder Ball didn’t win.

As you know, I’m a big fan of the Italian Grinder. I’m still sad when I think about the loss of Jennie’s Grinders which was always my go to when I went to the Iowa State Fair until Jennie passes away a few years ago. I decided to give Aunt Mary’s Italian Grinders a shot.

It was a solid grinder, but as those of us in the grinder biz say: INJGG. It’s Not Jennie’s Grinders Grinder. But I would get it again.

That was the final thing I ate on my third trip from the Iowa State Fair.

On my 4th trip to the Iowa State Fair, the temperature was off the charts hot. heat index was over 100 degrees, which isn’t great for appetite. So I mostly just drank a ton of water. I mean a ton of water. But I did eat a couple things.

The first thing I tried was the Dough Crazy Sweet Stick from Dough Crazy.

While this thing was delicious, I don’t think I would get it again. It was actually TOO much. This was complete sugar overload.

Then I grabbed an Iowa State Fair staple on my way out the door. The Pork Chop on a Stick:

There was lots of successful eating at this year’s Iowa State Fair. I’m already excited to go back next year and eat some more!

Next Sunday’s food adventure will involve breakfast up in Minnesota!

Baby Got Rack, Logan, Melissa, Scottie D., State Fair, Street Photography

Baby Got Rack Jr. Goes to the State Fair

September 10, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

This Sundays food adventure is a little different. Finally getting around to sharing pictures of Scott’s progeny Austin competing at the Iowa State Fair barbecue contest. I’ve went for a free trip to the State Fair and to photo-document Austin’s day. It is always interesting watching a Youth competition to see how much the parents do and how much the youth do. It was definitely all over the spectrum. A The booth to our west was the Story City FFA that were competing as a project. There was 4 or so of them and they did everything themselves. The booth next to them was a dad and his two kids. Both of his kids competed. I’m not sure I saw either of those kids lift a single finger the entire time. It showed when the judges showed up and they couldn’t answer any of their questions. Straight to the north of us was a young lady that did everything herself. Even (I found out later watching the Iowa State Fair Show on Iowa Public Television) raising the pig that the pork chops came from. To her east was a dad who entered the adult Turkey category and his kid. Another kid that I didn’t see do a whole lot. Then to their south and our east was a mother-son combination. I think he did a good portion of the work himself, but his mom was always present.

How much did Scottie D. do? He did some coaching and some meat cutting. But that was about it. When the judges were in the booth, Austin was completely on his own.

Here are some pictures from a great day:

Baby Got Rack Jr. 2023 - Iowa State Fair

Austin had a good time, but he did not place. The young lady that grew her own pig and also had people dressed in an inflatable pig got 2nd place. The young man to the east of us that worked with his mom won Youth and Showmanship. I didn’t get any pictures of them because they did a half Iowa State and half Iowa booth for a family divided theme and you know my camera can’t take pictures of Iowa Hawkeye stuff.

Next Sunday’s food adventure will involve another barbecue contest. This one in Guthrie Center.

Automobiles, Baby Got Rack, Boone County Fair, Contests, Logan, Melissa, Scottie D., Still Life, Teresa

Baby Got Rack Jr. – Boone County Fair

July 29, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

I announced a few weeks back that Baby Got Rack was not competing this year at this year’s Boone County Fair barbecue contest. However, that didn’t mean that there wasn’t plenty of people in the Photography 139 orbit competing to root for.

For starters, Logan entered and competed in his first ever barbecue contest. Logan has always been a pretty good cook and if you follow his Snapchat stories, you know that he has become very passionate about smoking in the last few years. He and Nathanial talked a big game about entering this year, but Nathanial got stuck in Florida and so Logan flew solo.

Secondly Scottie D.’s oldest progeny Austin decided he wanted to compete in the Youth division. Austin has a test run the previous Saturday and devised his recipe himself by picking the barbecue products in Scottie D.’s arsenal that had the coolest logos. A sound strategy if I have ever heard it.

Here are a few pictures from the barbecue battle:

Boone County Fair Barbecue Contest - 2023

Austin one Grand Champion, even though he technically wasn’t eligible for it. But that is just how good he is!

Austin will be going down to compete at the Iowa State Fair on the Tuesday of the Iowa State Fair. I’ll be going down to photo document it and because I never turn down a free trip to “the Best State Fair… our State Fair is a great state fair. Don’t miss it. Don’t even be late. It’s dollars to doughnuts at our state fair. It’s the best state fair… in our state”!

As of the publishing of this blog, it is unclear whether or not Logan is going to go down to compete at the State Fair. Although I’m pretty sure Logan is competing at the Pufferbilly Days Barbecue Contest. Scottie D. is not competing at it because he is running it. Last I heard, Nathanial was considering it. I won’t be able to check much of it out because I’ll be dealing with the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest at the same time.

One other thing. Scottie D. threw his car in a Car Show that was going on during the barbecue competition. He won some kind of chairman’s prize or something. The guy needs to add on to his palatial estate just to house all his trophies.

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Art, Bill, Black & White, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Formal Portrait, History, Holidays, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Melissa, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Sara, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 402 – PARK

May 29, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

I should start this entry by hoping everybody had a good Memorial Day!

And You Left Me There Cryin' Wonderin' What I Did Wrong

I know, I shared that exact same picture on Saturday. But I like it and it seems to fit Memorial Day.

I’d like to take this little piece of this website to share the poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCare:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

This poem inspired the wearing of poppies as a rememberance symbol for those who died in war.

From the History Channel website:

In the spring of 1915, bright red flowers began poking through the battle-ravaged land across northern France and Flanders (northern Belgium). Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, who served as a brigade surgeon for an Allied artillery unit, spotted a cluster of the poppies shortly after serving as a brigade surgeon during the bloody Second Battle of Ypres. The sight of the bright red flowers against the dreary backdrop of war inspired McCrae to pen the poem, “In Flanders Field,” in which he gives voice to the soldiers who had been killed in battle and lay buried beneath the poppy-covered grounds. Later that year, a Georgia teacher and volunteer war worker named Moina Michael read the poem in Ladies’ Home Journal and wrote her own poem, “We Shall Keep the Faith” to begin a campaign to make the poppy a symbol of tribute to all who died in war. The poppy remains a symbol of remembrance to this day.

Now you are wondering about Moina Michael’s poem. Here it is:

Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet – to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.

We cherish, too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.

And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.
I hope you have learned a little something today.

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It is the last collection of submissions of the month, so it is a good time revisit the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE FAQ:

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

Is this a competition?
No.

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

Yes. That limit is 3. If you send me more than 3, I will post the first 3 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 participation rates climb, that limit of 3 is subject to lower.

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. 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.

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 largest point, but don’t ban smaller pictures at this point.

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.

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

Suggestions are closed for next year’s list. It will be a minute before they open up for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

+++++++

PARK! A great place to spend some time. But did many people spend time in a PARK and get a picture for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. You will have to keep scrolling to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, May 22, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Suzie Brannen – 1 week (3)
2-Melissa Degeneffe – 1 week (2)
3-Scott Degeneffe – 1 week
4-Mary Green – 1 week (3)
5-Stephanie Kim – 1 week
6-Sara Lockner – 1 week (2)
7-Becky Parmelee – 1 week
8-Nader Parsaei – 1 week
9-Nathanial Brown – 2 weeks (3)
10-Tamara Peterson – 2 weeks
11-Sabas Hernandez – 4 weeks
12-Mike Vest – 4 weeks
13-Alexis Baugher – 7 weeks (3)
14-Jesse Howard – 7 weeks (2)
15-Mindi Terrell – 14 weeks (3)
16-Monica Jennings – 19 weeks
17-Brandon Kahler – 39 weeks
18-Linda Bennett – 43 weeks
19-Sarah Toot – 44 weeks (3)
20-Angie DeWaard – 48 weeks
21-Dawn Krause – 52 weeks (3)
22-Kim Barker – 58 weeks
23-Joe Duff – 58 weeks (2)
24-Logan Kahler – 61 weeks
25-Teresa Kahler – 70 weeks (3)
26-Carla Stensland – 70 weeks
27-Micky Augustin – 72 weeks
28-Andy Sharp – 73 weeks
29-Bill Wentworth – 74 weeks
30-Cathie Morton – 78 weeks
31-Elizabeth Nordeen – 79 weeks (2)
32-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 81 weeks
33-Kio Dettman – 83 weeks (3)

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

Willy McAlpine (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

Dawn Krause (Boone National Little League Park – Boone, Iowa) – 53 weeks

Dawn Krause (Boone National Little League Park – Boone, Iowa)

Dawn Krause (South Side Park – Slater, Iowa)

Angie DeWaard (Hunziker Park – Ames, Iowa) – 49 weeks

Kim Barker (Iowa) – 59 weeks

Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 74 weeks

Andy Sharp (Jester Park – Polk City, Iowa)

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 62 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa)

Mindi Terrell (Mindi’s Animal Habitat – Iowa) – 15 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Terra Park – Johnston, Iowa)

Monica Jennings (Neil Smith Trail – Iowa) – 20 weeks

Monica Jennings (Iowa)

Micky Augustin (Ada Haydn Park – Ames, Iowa) – 73 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 80 weeks

Sara Lockner (Johnston, Iowa) – 2 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Arnolds Park Green Space – Arnolds Park, Iowa) – 5 weeks

Melissa Degeneffe (Porter’s Badass Campsite – Rural Boone County, Iowa) – 2 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Porter’s Badass Campsite – Rural Boone County, Iowa) – 2 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Dickcissel Park – Boone, Iowa)

Teresa Kahler (Jester Park – Polk City, Iowa) – 71 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Jester Park – Polk City, Iowa)

Joe Duff (Donovan Park – Houston, Texas) – 59 weeks

Joe Duff (Donovan Park – Houston, Texas)

Carla Stensland (Arnolds Park – Arnolds Park, Iowa) – 71 weeks

Kio Dettman (Opal Dubois Anderson Park – Boone, Iowa) – 84 weeks

Kio Dettman (Opal Dubois Anderson Park – Boone, Iowa)

Kio Dettman (Memorial Park – Boone, Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 44 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa)

Mike Vest (Iowa) – 5 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Banner Lakes at Summerset State Park – Rural Warren County) – 82 weeks

Sarah Toot (Municipal Park – Pennsylvania) – 45 weeks

Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania)

Tamara Peterson (Pattee Park – Perry, Iowa) – 3 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Pattee Park – Perry, Iowa)

Alexis Baugher (Inis Grove Park – Ames, Iowa) – 8 weeks

Alexis Baugher (Inis Grove Park – Ames, Iowa)

Brandon Kahler (Ada Haydn Park – Ames, Iowa) – 40 weeks

Bill Wentworth (Chalco Park – Omaha, Nebraska) – 75 weeks

Cathie Morton (Iowa) – 79 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Jester Park – Polk City, Iowa)

29 participants! That’s a pretty great week, considering the holiday weekend and all!

There were no new states added to the map this week and at this point, I’m betting new states added will be an increasingly rare thing. Time will tell.

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ Pennsylvania
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Illinois
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Nebraska
+ New Jersey
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Missouri
+ North Dakota
+ Ohio
+ Oklahoma
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Dakota
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming

25 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over halfway there!

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

I took my picture about 24 miles from my front door, so I continue to not contribute.

There were no major milestones this week. However, there was a blood bath of streaks being snapped. Suzie, Stephanie, Becky, and Nader couldn’t build on last week’s submission. That wasn’t totally unexpected for Stephanie and Nader. Nathanial’s 2 week streak no more. Most heartbreaking is that Jesse’s 7 week streak is just a memory now.

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:

TEXTURE

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

But what in Wes Wallace is a TEXTURE image? Well, let’s start with the definition of TEXTURE: the structure, feel, and appearance of something (as a fabric) the smooth texture of silk. wood with a rough texture. In photography that means: the visual depiction of variations in the color, shape, and depth of an object’s surface. What you are trying to do here is to convey the feel of the surface of an object through photography.

While considering possible topics for your TEXTURE submissions, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt you will come up with an amazing image:

I search for realness, the real feeling of a subject, all the texture about it… I always want to see the third dimension of something.. I want to come alive with the object.
-Andrew Wyeth

I look forward to seeing your interpretation.

RULES

The picture has to be taken between 12:01 PM today and 11 AM next Monday. This isn’t a curate your photos project. This is a get your butt off the couch (unless you are taking your picture from the couch) and take pictures challenge. There is a limit of 3 submissions per participant. To be considered the photographer, you have to be the one that takes the picture. Don’t be stealing the work of other artists. You can submit pictures for other photographers that took pictures with your camera or phone, but give credit where credit is due.

You can send your images to either bennett@photography139.com OR you may text them to my Pixel 5.

That is it. Thems the rules!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing your idea of TEXTURE in this place that is a little rough around the edges some next Monday.

Baby Got Rack, Black & White, Boone County Fair, Candid Portrait, Jaxon, Melissa, Scottie D.

Baby Got Rack Takes the Boone County Fair

July 23, 2019 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

Last Saturday was the annual Boone County Fair barbecue contest. Baby Got Rack decided to take a different tact this time. Rather than entering the pizza, we decided to enter something new. Meatloaf Cupcakes. This was a big risk just based on the fact that the pizza was a surefire winner.

However, Scottie D. had become bored with winning with the same item over and over and over and over again.

The other risk we decided was to enter pork ribs. Pork is easily the most popular category and hardest to win.

One last risk Baby Got Rack decided to take was to do little to no planning. Scottie D. thought that certain things would just take care of themselves. It turns out that Melissa does those things for Scottie D and she was in the horrible place known as Nebraska on Friday night. So things didn’t get taken care of.

Baby Got Rack stumbled out the starting blocks. We didn’t get our desired spot on the end. We didn’t have any of our stuff prepared. So Scottie D. dropped Hammer and I off at the fairgrounds to get everything setup and get the fire going. He went back home and worked on getting food prep done.

It all worked out because Baby Got Rack walked out of the Boone County Fair with 2 big victories. We won best Specialty AND more importantly Best Overall. Both for the Meatloaf Cupcakes.

This means that Baby Got Rack will be competing at the Iowa State Fair again. So if you go to the Fair on Tuesday, August 13 in the morning, look us up. We will be in the Grand Concourse.

Here are some pictures from what ended up being a humid, wet, and victorious day!

Last year we won the specialty category at the Iowa State Fair. Here is hoping for a repeat!

Melissa, Scottie D., Weddings

ANDERSON-DEGENEFFE: SET 4

November 11, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett

This is the final collection of pictures from the Anderson-Degeneffe Wedding that I am going to share.

This almost concluded the 2017 back log. It does conclude it if I decide not to share any pictures from the Computer Mine Holiday Card. I will make my decision on that before I get to the end of this here blog.

I do believe I will share some photos from the Computer Mine Holiday Card Photo Shoot. Then I will be done with the 2017 back log and we will all get our Sundays back. Whew!

Baby Got Rack, Contests, Event, Macro, Melissa, Michelle, Scottie D., Shannon, State Fair

Baby Got Rack Takes the Iowa State Fair

August 19, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

A reminder that today is the last day of the Iowa State Fair. If you are going, you should make your way to the Cultural Building to see the pictures that I had accepted for display. They will come down at approximately 8 PM. Also, I will be at the Iowa State Fair today, if you want to try to look me up.

+++++++

On Tuesday, Baby Got Rack went to the Iowa State Fair to compete in the Iowa State Fair Farm Bureau Cookoff.

Baby Got Rack earned their way there by winning the Combination category at the Boone County Fair. The Combination category is any dish that combines 2 or more meats. We won with Scottie D.’s famous Mediterranean Pizza and his Barbecue Pizza.

Baby Got Rack took a little bit of a different formation this year. House dropped out this year. A couple of other people auditioned for roles on the team, but only one person stepped up to join Baby Got Rack. That was Bryon Porter.

I will also add that Baby Got Rack’s guardian angel, Melissa also increased her role with the team this year. In year’s past she had stayed mostly in the background. Running the books and being in charge of procurement. This year she also was in charge of making the pizza crust.

I can’t lie. At the Iowa State Fair they both did more work than me, probably. It looks like once again there is no Pufferbilly Days Barbecue Contest. We had heard rumors that it was a done deal at the Boone County Fair. But those rumors ended up being lies. Dirty, dirty lies! At least as of this writing, there is no listing for a Barbecue Contest on the Pufferbilly Days website.

Sorry people that were planning on coming to visit us on the Sunday of Pufferbilly Days. Tuesday might have been your last chance to see Baby Got Rack in action until at least May. When Baby Got Rack will cater my birthday party. If I have it. Which currently, everything trends to that happening.

Since I knew this was probably the last time Baby Got Rack would gird its loins for the field of barbecue battle, I took as many pictures as possible. Here are some of my favorites:

Unloading.

Baby Got Rack’s Latest Superstar

Fire!

4 AM came early for this guy!

Injecting the Pork

When you’re this stylish, you take a selfie!

4 AM also came early for this guy!

Applying BGR’s Proprietary Rub

That is a good looking piece of meat!

Seasoning the chicken!

Melissa is also our Interior Decorator.

Lots of competitors!

Strictly speaking, this isn’t a team competition. Scottie D.’s name is the only one you’ll see in the record books.

Bryon rocking the swag!

Checking the meats! Arby’s got nothing on BGR, on so many levels.

Cutting up the pizza toppings.

Is that 2 types of bell peppers? I’ll never tell!

Melissa, making magic.

Magic!

Crust!

Time to let the meat rest!

Delicious!

Mmmmm… Pork!

I love our chicken. It still might be my favorite thing we make.

Seasoning Up!

Spreading the Sauce!

(Wipes drool off of keyboard.)

Cheese!

Sean! This guy is the chicken master, but he entered pork. He got 2nd place in Pork.

Starting to look like pizzas!

Barbecue Pizza

Mediterranean Pizza

They gave everybody that came a Participant Ribbon*. Some people put it up. We put it away. BGR doesn’t come to “participate”. BGR comes to dominate!

Pizza. Macro.

The crowd starts to swell around our booth.

Pizza on the grill.

Picking out pieces for the judges.

Next year, we will have our own hashtag!

Piece for the judges.

Category Judges.

Scottie D. working his magic.

Giving the judges a sample of the meats.

Everybody loves this pizza!

The Showmanship Judges.

Ed Wilson gave Scottie D. a fist bump.

Scottie D. was briefly on the news that night.

There was one pizza catastrophe, but people didn’t care, They wolfed it down!

People love free samples, but not everybody is what I would call appreciative.

Scottie D. being interviewed for the pseudo-radio broadcast.

More free samples!

The Grand Champion Judges.

This is our favorite judge.

The Secretary of Agriculture.

We won our Category.

Baby Got Rack Team Picture. Melissa refused to be in it for some reason.

There are plenty more pictures from the day’s event. If you want to peruse them, you should click on the link below:

BABY GOT RACK – 2018

That is probably all she wrote for this year’s Competitive Barbecue Season. I’m sure Baby Got Rack will be back in 2019, unless Scottie D. decides to open up a restaurant instead of all this small fish stuff. Many people wanted to know where our restaurant is and we had to break their heart.

Special thanks to everybody that came down to see us and support us:

Shannon
Barb Shedd
Michelle’s Parents

BGR out! Mic drop.

*I’m not one of those people that freaks out about giving out “participant” ribbons. I don’t suffer from the disease of toxic masculinity. If you want to give kids participant ribbons, it isn’t making them soft. It isn’t making them less competitive. It might even people helping their self-esteem. Which is fine by me.

Melissa, Scottie D., Tenderloining

Tenderloin Appreciation Society – Boone Field Work

August 12, 2018 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

One of the things that stunk about the end of 2017 was the closing of The Legal Limit. Despite having an absolutely terrible name, The Legal Limit had great food. I ate breakfast there with my Mom about every Saturday. Sometimes I would go up there on Thursday nights for $2 burgers. However, the main thing I loved about The Legal Limit was they had a great tenderloin. A tenderloin that was a direct descendant of BK’s great tenderloin.

With the closing of The Legal Limit, Boone was without a great tenderloin. Boone. The home base of the Tenderloin Appreciation Society. Doesn’t have a great tenderloin. The humanity!

Then in early 2018 rumors began to percolate that the building that The Legal Limit occupied was going to house a new restaurant. The first people that bought it, backed out and never opened their doors.

Then another person bought it and opened it back up under the name Roosters.

I was excited. As long as they had a great tenderloin.

Shortly after they opened up my Mom and I went there for breakfast. Since The Legal Limit’s closing we had begun breakfasting at The Whistle Stop. Nothing against The Whistle Stop. They have great service and great food. However, it is really small. Really small. Sometimes there isn’t any place to sit.

The first Saturday we tried Roosters, things were promising. Our old The Legal Limit waitress was there. The food was good and the service was good.

So we came back the next Saturday. Our old waitress was gone. She was replaced with what I’m guessing was a high school girl (I’m really bad at telling the ages of anybody under the age of let’s say 25) and this had to be either her first job or at least her first food service job. Anything you wanted, you had to ask her for 3 times. This is not an exaggeration. It was like on the 3rd time hearing something, something magically clicked and she would actually bring you the drinks you order 15 minutes ago. It just wasn’t drinks though. We had to ask 3 times for silverware. 3 times for sugar substitute for the coffee. 3 times for syrup for the pancakes.

I am pretty forgiving of bad service. If it occasional. Or if it a new restaurant just starting up. Or if there is some contrition.

So, we went back there again the following Saturday. It was the exact same story. The food was good enough. The service was still atrocious. Every time you needed something, (LIKE SILVERWARE), you had to ask 3 times. What made it frustrating was that it was an entirely different waitress. The entire staff (minus our old waitress) apparently is given zero training. Just a figurative ((hopefully) slap on the rump and told to get out there and do some waitressin’. Doesn’t matter if they have no clue what to do. Even the basics, like people need silverware to eat things like biscuits and gravy.

My Mom and I have returned to breakfasting at The Whistle Stop Cafe and haven’t looked back. A place where pretty much every Saturday the owner stops by our table and asks how everything was.

So it was under this shadow that Scottie D. and I decided to give them a try. Even before having atrocious service in back to back weeks I offered to Scottie D. that maybe we should give them 2 months before bringing our extremely high standards to their doorstep.

Scottie D. (who is still in the management field) offered, “They should be firing on all cylinders as soon as they open their doors for business.”

While I agree with Scottie D. in principle, I also live in the real world, where I know that just isn’t the case for most businesses. Especially restaurants/bars.

We picked a Thursday night and agreed to meet up there at about 7:30. I got there a little before 7:30. I sat down and ordered a Pepsi and their chicken wings for an appetizer. They talk up their chicken wings on their Facebook page. The place was virtually empty. There was a guy drinking at the bar. There were maybe a couple more people there.

Scottie D. was waiting to get done with Porter’s ball practice. Scottie D. brought Melissa, Austin, Porter, and a spare kid with them. They showed up about 8 PM. They arrived before the chicken wings.

Here are the pictures from the night:

Austin’s Chicken Tenders Meal. That is 1 Chicken Tender and 5 French Fries. Yep.

Here is what actually kind of sucks. The tenderloin was actually pretty good. The chicken wings were actually pretty good. Everything else was awful. Absolutely awful.

It took forever to get our food. I guess I will say this, the waitress was for the most part competent. She got our order right. She checked in on us now and again. It wasn’t her fault that it took forever to get our food.

That being said…

When we asked about the new owner, she pointed to the bar. The owner was sitting at the bar drinking. Not a good sign. What made it worse was every once in awhile our waitress would go over to the bar and have a shot with him.

The kids Chicken Tender Meal consisted of 1 chicken tender and 5 french fries.

Nowhere on the menu does it indicate that there are any dipping sauces for the chicken wings. Nor were any offered. But on the receipt it was marked with Ranch. Which I didn’t get, nor was I offered.

When Scottie D. went to the restroom he noted that nobody in the kitchen was wearing gloves. Also, there was nothing in the bathroom to wash your hands. Which makes the fact that they weren’t wearing gloves, worse.

Yet, the tenderloin was pretty good. Not 45 minute wait when there is nobody in the restaurant good, but pretty good.

THE GOOD

The tenderloin was a good thickness.
The breading was good.
The meat was juicy.
The bun to meat ratio was nearly dead on. The bun was toasted.
They serve Pepsi.

THE BAD

Their standard tenderloin comes with tomato and lettuce.
The fries were gross.
The food was served on paper plates.
The waitress dropped my fries on me.
While the breading was good, It wasn’t fairly bland.
Not given a boat for chicken wing bones.

THE UGLY

45 minutes. It shouldn’t take 45 minutes to get food out to the only table in the restaurant.
Waitress drinking on the job.
The kids meals were anemic, even grading for a kids meal.
Not offered sauce for the chicken wings.
Kitchen staff not wearing gloves.
No soap in the bathroom.

We had our experience the first week of June. We haven’t been back. If the tenderloin was say Nick’s or Cole’s quality, I might be willing to wait 45 minutes. It isn’t.

Next time I write about tenderloining, it will involve a special tenderloining guest. The location for the tenderloining will be Ames, Iowa.