Category Archives: Animals

Iowa State Fair – Day 3 – Beta

Today is Carla’s birthday, so I need to wish her a happy birthday!


June 10
Happy birthday!

I hope your birthday is free from fire alarms today and maybe involves some camping or camping planning!

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Today is also Monica’s birthday, so I also need to wish her a happy birthday!


SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022
Happy birthday!

I hope your birthday is filled with plenty of good music and productivity on some art projects!

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Time once again to share more images from my trip to the Iowa State Fair with Monica and Graham, but then also with Elainie, Sabas, and Tiffany.


Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Still plenty more picture from this trip to the Fair left to share!

Iowa State Fair – Day 3 – Alpha

On my third trip to the Iowa State Fair I started the day with Monica and Graham. Then at some point they disappeared and I finished the day with Sabas, Elainie, and Tiffany.

Here is the first collection of images from the day:


Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023
Hard to imagine a better kind of chick than a waffle chick.

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Still a ton of pictures from this day left to share!

I Walk the Line

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine,
I keep my eyes wide open all the time,
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds,
Because you’re mine, I walk the line.

I find it very, very easy to be true,
I find myself alone when each day’s through,
Yes, I’ll admit that I’m a fool for you,
Because you’re mine, I walk the line.

As sure as night is dark and day is light,
I keep you on my mind both day and night,
And happiness I’ve known proves that it’s right,
Because you’re mine, I walk the line.

You’ve got a way to keep me on your side,
You give me cause for love that I can’t hide,
For you I know I’d even try to turn the tide,
Because you’re mine, I walk the line.

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine,
I keep my eyes wide open all the time,
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds,
Because you’re mine, I walk the line.
-Written and recorded by Johnny Cash

I figured since I spent some time bashing the Patsy Cline biopic SWEET DREAMS, I should at least reference what I consider to be the best biopic made about a musician, the 2005 movie starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, WALK THE LINE.

To be honest, a biopic about a musician has to be pretty bad for me not to enjoy it. Most of them are pretty middling at best, but I’ll still watch the heck out of them because if the music is good enough, I don’t care that much about the story.

Johnny Cash recorded “I Walk the Line” in 1956 and it was his first #1 hit. It remained on the charts for over 43 weeks. In June of 2014 Rolling Stone ranked it as the greatest country song of all-time. In 1998 it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Johnny Cash isn’t known for romantic songs. Most of his songs that are romantic are mostly sad. His ode to fidelity might qualify as his most romantic song. In its strange way.

I actually don’t consider SWEET DREAMS to be the worst musician biopic. That is a movie about the Hillbilly Shakespeare and I will reveal that in due course.

But Thursdays are for flowers! This Thursday’s flowertography images were taken in my yard:


Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Soul Expansion - 2023

Soul Expansion - 2023

Next Thursday’s flowertography session will involve more flowers from my yard.

Iowa State Fair – Day 2 – Beta

Time to share another collection of images from my 2nd trip to the Iowa State Fair. This time a trip with the Degeneffes. This is more of my roaming around the fairgrounds while most of the fair was still asleep and the gates had yet to be opened to the general public.


Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023
Come on! You know I love pictures of urinals!

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023
They serve the same amount of customers when the Fair is open.

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Iowa State Fair Degeneffes Trip - 2023

Still one more collection of pictures from this trip to the Fair to share! And two more days of Fair trips left to share!

Crazy

Crazy, I’m crazy for feeling so lonely
I’m crazy, crazy for feeling so blue
I knew you’d love me as long as you wanted
And then someday you’d leave me for somebody new

Worry, why do I let myself worry?
Wondering what in the world did I do?
Crazy for thinking that my love could hold you
I’m crazy for trying and crazy for crying

And I’m crazy for loving you
Crazy for thinking that my love could hold you
I’m crazy for trying and crazy for crying
And I’m crazy for loving you
-Written by Willie Nelson
-Performed by Patsy Cline

Was kind of feeling this song as I recently endured the 1985 biopic about the life of Patsy Cline starring Jessica Lange called SWEET DREAMS. It is absolutely a dreadful movie. Do not put yourself through it. Somebody really needs to make a better movie about Patsy Cline that is truer to who she was and more historically accurate. Also, a movie that does the scene where she dies in an airplane, not laughably campy. Also, if you do see the movie, know that the airplane she was in didn’t fly straight into the side of the mountain and blow up on impact.

If you took this movie about Patsy Cline at face value, you would think she was never more than a middling success that spent her downtime as a punching bag for her husband. Do yourself a favor and watch COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER. It isn’t about Patsy Cline, but its representation of her is truer to her than this flaming pile of garbage is.

But Thursdays are for flowers. This flowertography session consists of pictures of flowers in my yard:


Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Nature's Amen - 2023

Nature's Amen - 2023

Nature's Amen - 2023

Nature's Amen - 2023

Nature's Amen - 2023

Nature's Amen - 2023

Nature's Amen - 2023

Nature's Amen - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Soul Expansion - 2023

Soul Expansion - 2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Oh But Still... - 2023

A flower from my yard.

Next Thursday’s flowertography session will include more flowers from my yard!

Couldn’t Love You More

If you kissed the sun right out of the sky for me
And if you told me all the lies that I deserve
And if you laid all night in the rain for me

Well, I couldn’t love you more
Just couldn’t love you more
I couldn’t love you more

And if you loved me ’til my eyes gave no more shine for you
If you walked beside me all the long way home
And if you wasted all of your time on me

Well, I couldn’t love you more
Just couldn’t love you more
I couldn’t love you more
Just couldn’t love you more

And if you gave me all the things I’d never ask of you
And if you showed me all the ways you have to cry
And if you laid all night in the rain for me

I couldn’t love you more
Just couldn’t love you more
Just couldn’t love you more
John Martyn

I’m not going to cover much about this song. If you are a music lover, and you haven’t heard it, I would urge you to track it down and listen to it. The emotional delivery of the artist will blow you away!

But Thursdays are for flowers! This flowertography session consists of flowers in my yard. Coneflowers, sunflowers, daisies, lilies, oh my!


Happy Things - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2023

Couldn't Love You More

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

Painted without Instruction -2023

The warm weather lately has really triggered my urge to do some flowertography. I almost bought some flowers the other day, just to feed the beast. But I didn’t. However, I have today and tomorrow off and depending on how this morning went, I just might.

Birthday Hikin’

When I celebrated my birthday with Jesse and Jay it was actually a split affair. We celebrated my birthday and Jay’s birthday. We played miniature golf for me. Then Jay chose the restaurant. We ate at a Mexican restaurant in Granger. I took pictures and was going to make it a Sunday food adventure entry, but I found it a little hard to quantify. Then we went to Picket Fence Creamery and got ice cream. Then for the pièce de résistance, we made the hike to the High Trestle Trail Bridge. It was Jay’s first ever trip to the bridge. So while that may have been more for Jay, making this happen was definitely for me.

Some of the pictures here might confuse. Some of you might think they are HDR. Some might think they are Photoshopped. They are neither.

Here they are:


High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip
The 1st Step!

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

High Trestle Trail - Jay's 1st Trip

Every trip to the High Trestle Trail Bridge is a great trip. Now that Jay has been to the bridge there is only one person left that I badly want to make a trip there. But that is probably a pipe dream. But if I have to smoke opium to make it happen, I guess that is what has to happen.

Pufferbilly Days Parade Three

Today is Anders’ birthday, so I need to wish him a happy birthday!


9 Emotions Project - Anders Runestad
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDERS!

I hope your birthday is filled with all the British and 70s science fiction you can handle!

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Time to share the final collection of images from the Pufferbilly Days Parade and the final collection of Pufferbilly Day images altogether. Man… you will have to wait until September for more Pufferbilly Day images. Stay strong.


Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Pufferbilly Days Parade - 2023

Probably would be a good time to start sharing pictures from my many trips to the Iowa State Fair.

2024 Photography 139 Calendar Rejects: The Ending

Time to share the rest of the images that were rejected for the 2024 Photography 139 Calendar. Some of these are similar to ones included in the calendar. They come from a wide range of projects. From auxiliary images from THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT to alternates for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE to some just good old flowertography


2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

2024 Calendar Reject

There is still one more post about the 2024 calendar left. Then we can put it to bed or up on some walls.