Category Archives: Road Trip

Stanhope Watermelon Day – III

Time for another collection of images from the trip I made to Stanhope Watermelon Day with Teresa. This collection of images is from when we returned to Watermelon Day. After the parade we took off to Bradford for lunch. Then we came back for the free watermelon and the Foreigner cover band.

Here are some pictures:


Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Watermelon Day - 2023

Still one more collection of images to share from this day!

Minnesota Independence Day Road Trip – Day 1

Back in July I took a road trip up to Minnesota near the 4th of July to visit family. Here are a few pictures from Day 1 of the trip:


Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Independence Day Minnesota Road Trip - Day 1

Coming across Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store was a welcome surprise. Apparently Nora has wanted to go there forever, but Bethany has always shot her down, but this time I talked them into guy. Cause that is what I do. I make dreams come true. Especially dreams that involve candy.

A collection of pictures from Day 2 is still to come!

‘Cause Someday I’ll Be Everything to Somebody Else

Time to clean out the April backlog. Lots of pictures that didn’t quite make their way into previous “An Artist’s Notebook” entries. Including some that were alternates for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE and some that were taken in Jester Park and some at the end of a flowertography road trip. And some that include Naima.


Dickcissel with Naima

Dickcissel with Naima

Dickcissel with Naima

Dickcissel with Naima

Dickcissel with Naima

April Movie Night

Jester Park Elk

Jester Park Elk

Jester Park Elk

Jester Park Elk

Jester Park Elk

Jester Park Elk

Jester Park Elk

Jester Park Elk

Jester Park Elk

Jester Park Elk

Jester Park Elk

Lucas County

Lucas County

Lucas County

Lucas County

Lucas County

Lucas County

It always feels good when the backlog gets a little more cleaned out!

Dysart Illusion Road Trip – III

This is the final collection of images from the road trip to Dysart to see their illusions I took with Nader. This collection starts in Traer, but also goes through the Matchstick Marvels Museum in Gladbrook.


Dysart Illusions Road Trip
Traer

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip
Gladbrook

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip
Toledo

Dysart Illusions Road Trip
A different town sign.

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

It was a good road trip, even if I confess, the Dysart illusions were a little bit of a disappointment. But the Matchstick Marvels Museum was definitely not a disappointment!

Dysart Illusion Road Trip – I

Back in April I loaded up the car with Nader and we drop over to Dysart because I wanted to check out their collection of illusions. It turns out that many of them aren’t in great shape and I think 2 of them are completely gone. At least we went to where they are supposed to be on the map and there was nothing there.

Despite that disappointment, it was a really good trip.

Here is the first collection of pictures from the trip:


Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

Dysart Illusions Road Trip

It is tricky to photograph an illusion. Often the illusion doesn’t translate to photography. But I think you get the idea. There are still plenty more pictures to share from this road trip.

Sinners, Saints and Fools

Where the winds of change were blowin’
There lived a God-fearing man
He was turning through his Bible
When he came up with a plan
He painted up a sign
And held it high above his head
Waved it proudly in the air, and this is what it read

You can’t break the law
There are reasons for the rules
I keep things safe here for everyone
The sinners, saints, and fools
The poor and huddled masses
Who are hungry and afraid
You gotta do it by the Book and there’ll be
No exceptions made

To the weary, desperate souls
Who washed up on the sand
He said, “We hadn’t seen your paperwork”
And he withdrew his hand
You know he never felt any safer
All the peace he hoped he’d find
And up until the day he died
He never changed his mind

By the time he got to Heaven
It was surrounded by a wall
The pearly gates were locked up tight
The golden chains and all
They said, “We cannot let just anyone
Walk in here anymore
You didn’t do it by the Book, ”
And then they pointed to the floor

You can’t break the law
There are reasons for the rules
I keep things safe here for everyone
You sinners, saints, and fools
The poor and huddled masses
Who are hungry and afraid
You gotta do it by the Book and there’ll be
No exceptions made
-Brandi Carlile

I particularly like Brandi’s answer to what this song was about in that Stereogum interview:

CARLILE: To me, there’s nothing on planet Earth more maddening than the religious right’s rejection of displaced people. It’s just baffling. It could only be from a place of abstract evil, that there would be anything Christian about the concept of rejecting someone who’s had to leave their home, which no one wants to do for any reason, war, hunger, unrest, economic impact. For any reason that a person should become displaced and then systematically rejected is just antithetical to everything… I won’t even use the word “Christian,” but everything Gospel-based.

STEREOGUM: How do you personally stay close to faith, if you will, when there’s such a prevalence of people acting like the “god-fearing man” you describe in this song? The man who thinks he’s living according to scripture, but once he gets to heaven, it’s surrounded by a wall.

CARLILE: Well, because I realize that’s the powerful delusion. I realize that the powerful delusion foretold in scripture will be a complete rejection of love and generosity and enduring patience, tolerance, mercy, that it’s the faith revealing itself in ourselves every day. And it’s renewable. We can fix it. We can change as a species if we want to. It’s not hurtling towards some fiery end. It’s a living, breathing faith.

I was like 19, and I went to Urban Outfitters, and I saw a T-shirt with Jesus on a Harley, and I bought it. It said, “What the fuck is a Christian?” And you realize Jesus did not know what a Christian was. He didn’t know what the Bible was. Jesus is a concept of mercy and enduring love, not love, the feeling, but love, the action. And I subscribe. I follow. Anything you like about me, it’s because of that.

STEREOGUM: That’s pretty deep for Urban Outfitters.

CARLILE: Thanks, Urban Outfitters. You’re more likely to find Jesus in Urban Outfitters right now than you are in church.

Preach!

But Thursdays are for flowers. This flowertography collection came from a trip to the State Center Rose Garden with Nader:


Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Sorrow and Gladness - 2023

Still more rose pictures left to share from this day!

PHOTO DROP-OFF ROAD TRIP II

Today is Suzie’s birthday. So I need to wish her a happy birthday!


Day 128 - May 8, 2021
Happy birthday Suzie!

Suzie is the short one in the picture, in case you didn’t know! I hope you have an amazing birthday!

+++++++

Time to share more pictures from the road trip I took with Nader after I dropped off my pictures for the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. This collection starts where the first collection ended, hanging out with Albert the Bull in Audubon.


Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Gray, Iowa
Gray

Gray, Iowa

Gray, Iowa

Gray, Iowa

Gray, Iowa

Gray, Iowa

Gray, Iowa

Gray, Iowa

Gray, Iowa

Gray, Iowa

Manning, Iowa
Manning

Manning, Iowa

Manning, Iowa

Manning, Iowa

Still one more collection of images to share from this road trip.

Photo Drop-off Road Trip I

If you or somebody you know is looking for a Thanksgiving Meal, my church is having it’s annual FREE Thanksgiving Meal again this year. Check out the flyer below for information:



I should be there for at least part of it. Hope to see some of you there!

+++++++

This is a collection of images from the road trip I took with Nader where I dropped off my pictures for the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. After we left State Center, we went down to Des Moines to drop off the pictures. We had a bit of time to kill before they Cultural Building opened up to take submissions. So we hung out around the Asian Garden in downtown Des Moines. After that we went to Hamelin to have a delicious tenderloin at Darrell’s Place. Then up to Audubon to check out Albert the Bull.

Here are some pictures:


Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines

Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines, Iowa

Hamelin, Iowa
Hamelin

Hamelin, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa
Audubon

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Audubon, Iowa

Still many more pictures from this little sojourn.