Today is Nader’s birthday so I have to wish him a happy birthday.
I hope your birthday is fantastic!
Time to finish off the February backlog. This is a collection of images that I took back in February that never made it into previous posts. Some are alternates for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Some are not.
On to working on the March backlog!
I have worn the jester’s bells and I have vanished with the fools
I have worshiped at the altar of the puppet master’s rules
I have held my tongue too many scenes before the final act
With my children in the cheap seats and a zipper on my back
Thanks to you
No thanks to youI have ever so politely treaded softly for your grace
I have whispered through the tears and pleaded sweetly to your face
It is time to spit you out like lukewarm water from my mouth
I will always taste the apathy, but I won’t pass it down
It dies with you
YouI wear my father’s leather on the inside of my skin
I’m a tried and weathered woman, but I won’t be tried again
Don’t think that you can come for me without your Sunday best
You had better call your priest and hope the devil gets the rest
Before I do
Oh, and I will doTethered in wide open spaces
In fields that lead for miles
Right into the barrel of a gun
Mendin’ up your fences with my
Horses runnin’ wild
Only broken horses know to run
-Brandi Carlile
As much as I love a good Brandi Carlile romantic song, I also love a good Brandi Carlile angry song. A “I’m going to rip your face off and stomp on it” song. I think this is my favorite Brandi angry song!
But Thursdays are for flowers and this flowertography collection comes from my yard:
Today is the birthday of the Miller Triplets. So I must wish them happy birthday!
This picture was taken at their 1st birthday party in 2019 so that makes them… 5! They are 5 years old?!? How did this happen!
Back in February I purchased a new lens. It was a Sigma 150-600mm DG DN OS Sports Lens. At one point, I was going to write a long post on it with a collection of the first images I took with it. But here it is. Halfway through October and the lens is old news now, so real need to go into too much details about the specifications of the lens. But I still want to share some of the first images I took with it. I went down to the Kate Shelley High Bridge and went to Lake LaVerne and took a few pictures of Logan.
Here are those pictures:
On the day I went to Lake LaVerne I also hit up the Ames Library. I took pictures there for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme BOOKS. I didn’t use any of those images. Here is a collection of those:
I do love that lens. It is kind of a limited purpose lens, but I should find more of those limited purpose opportunities.
Here is the final collection of images of my trip to the Orange City Tulip Festival with Jesse and Nader for my birthday road trip.
We start this collection where the last collection left off. Jesse shopping in an Orange City market:
While this is the final collection of Orange City Tulip Festival images, it isn’t the end of the road trip images. More to come!
This is the fifth and final collection of images I took on my trip to Scott County to harvest their town signs for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT.
But I want to start by discussing Georges Seurat. I’m not a huge fan of Georges Seurat, which isn’t to say that I don’t like him. But my favorite painter is Van Gogh and I’m not sure their styles could be any different. However, I still like Seurat and I think you should too.
Here is a little information on him from the Wiki:
Georges Pierre Seurat 2 December 1859 – 29 March 1891) was a French post-Impressionist artist. He devised the painting techniques known as chromoluminarism and pointillism and used conté crayon for drawings on paper with a rough surface.
Seurat’s artistic personality combined qualities that are usually thought of as opposed and incompatible: on the one hand, his extreme and delicate sensibility, on the other, a passion for logical abstraction and an almost mathematical precision of mind. His large-scale work A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884–1886) altered the direction of modern art by initiating Neo-Impressionism, and is one of the icons of late 19th-century painting.
Why am I bringing him up and pointing out his contributions to the history of art?
Check out this final collection to find out:
Walcott
Iowa City
Newhall – I tried to buy some meat here, but I got kicked out because I’m not an elitist. Just a simple working class no-collar joe. It was really eye-opening for anybody that thinks I’m an elitist.
The statue version of Seurat’s “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” is one of the coolest things I didn’t know existed that I stumbled across on this journey to get to know Iowa better. It is one of the things I want to go back and photograph again. I just absolutely love it!
The next time we hit the dusty trail to finish up the auxiliary images from THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT we will visit Davis County.
Today is Sarah’s birthday so I need to say Happy birthday Sarah!!
Weird thing is that the picture above was taken during the great solar eclipse debacle of 2017 and today there is a solar eclipse that you can see in a few parts of these United States. Iowa wasn’t one of them, but I won’t hold a grudge against the sun and moon.
Anyways, I hope Sarah’s birthday is as amazing as she can handle. Filled with good music and without her plans getting rained on!
Time once again for another whack at the January backlog. This time, the rest of the backlog has been whacked and thrown into the fires of… finished. I don’t know, I’m still workshopping a better name for that.
These pictures never really fit into a previous blog. Some of them are alternates for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.
Now it is time to start working on the February backlog!
I’m currently out of drone pictures, so thought I would move up the next post on the Orange City Tulip Festival a couple of days early.
We start this collection off where the collection ended. We had just got our poffertjes and had sat down to eat the deliciousness!
These buckets of water are throughout the parade route. Little kids clean the road before the Orange Festival Royalty walk through. I hope to get pictures of that next year.
Fried Almond Patties are a game changer!
The world needs more conveyor belts.
Still a couple more collections of images from this trip left to share!
NOTES: 1 – THE THEME FOR THIS WEEK HAS A SPECIAL RULE. MAKE SURE YOU READ THAT SPECIAL RULE DURING THE THEME REVEAL PART OF THIS HERE JOURNAL ENTRY. 2 – AT THE END OF THE MONTH I WILL BE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR’S THEMES. THE LAST MONDAY IN OCTOBER AND THE 1ST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER ARE WHEN SUGGESTIONS CAN BE MADE. THOSE SUGGESTIONS HAVE TO BE MADE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THOSE POSTS. NOT VIA EMAIL, TEXT MESSAGE, TEAMS, PHONE CONVERSATION, SNAPCHAT. ONLY IN THE COMMENTS SECTIONS OF THOSE 2 POSTS. START THINKING OF THEMES YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR NEXT YEAR.
I hope we all can find a way to celebrate and research the contributions and history of the indigenous peoples of America today and every day.
Today is Shawn’s birthday, so I need to wish him a happy birthday. Happy birthday Shawn!
I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be!
RELIGION! An estimated 6.6 billion people practice a RELIGION. But did many of those billions of people or any of the 1.2 billion unaffiliated find something of a RELIGION to photograph to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!
As of 12:01 PM on Monday, October 2, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):
1-Elainie Stensland – 1 week (2)
2-Myriah Sharp – 1 week (3)
3-Sara Lockner – 2 weeks
4-Amy Peterson – 3 weeks (2)
5-Scott Degeneffe – 6 weeks (2)
6-Sabas Hernandez – 7 weeks
7-Willy McAlpine – 7 weeks
8-Mary Green – 9 weeks (3)
9-Mike Vest – 13 weeks
10-Sheri Fakhouri – 16 weeks
11-Monica Jennings – 17 weeks
12-Logan Kahler – 17 weeks
13-Nathanial Brown – 18 weeks
14-Jesse Howard – 18 weeks
15-Tamara Peterson – 21 weeks
16-Alexis Stensland – 26 weeks
17-Mindi Terrell – 33 weeks (3)
18-Brandon Kahler – 57 weeks
19-Linda Bennett – 62 weeks (2)
20-Sarah Toot – 63 weeks
21-Angie DeWaard – 67 weeks
22-Dawn Krause – 71 weeks (3)
23-Kim Barker – 77 weeks (2)
24-Joe Duff – 78 weeks (2)
25-Teresa Kahler – 89 weeks (3)
26-Carla Stensland – 89 weeks (2)
27-Micky Augustin – 91 weeks
28-Andy Sharp – 92 weeks
29-Bill Wentworth – 93 weeks
30-Cathie Morton – 97 weeks
31-Elizabeth Nordeen – 98 weeks (2)
32-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 100 weeks
33-Kio Dettman – 102 weeks (2)
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:
Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa) – 68 weeks
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 94 weeks
Brandon Kahler (Story City, Iowa) – 58 weeks
Carla Stensland (Twin Lakes Bible Camp, Iowa) – 90 weeks
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 98 weeks
Christopher D. Bennett (Es Selam Mosque – Rural Dallas County, Iowa)
Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 72 weeks
Elainie Stensland (Ankeny, Iowa) – 2 weeks
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 99 weeks
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa)
Jesse Howard (Marion Methodist Church – Boone, Iowa) – 19 weeks
Jesse Howard (Marion Methodist Church – Boone, Iowa)
Joe Duff (League City, Texas) – 79 weeks
Kim Barker (Iowa) – 78 weeks
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 103 weeks
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)
Linda Bennett (Ames, Iowa) – 63 weeks
Linda Bennett (Iowa)
Linda Bennett (Boone, Iowa)
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 18 weeks
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)
Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 92 weeks
Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 14 weeks
Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 34 weeks
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)
Monica Jennings (Otley, Iowa) – 18 weeks
Myriah Sharp (Hawaii) – 2 weeks
Nathanial Brown (Iowa) – 19 weeks
Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 8 weeks
Sarah Toot (Bethpage Golf Course – Farmingdale, New York) – 64 weeks
Sarah Toot (Bethpage Golf Course – Farmingdale, New York)
Sarah Toot (Bethpage Golf Course – Farmingdale, New York)
Scott Degeneffe (Rural Boone County, Iowa) – 7 weeks
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Des Moines, Iowa) – 101 weeks
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 17 weeks
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)
Suzie Brannen (Austin, Texas) – 1 week
Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 22 weeks
Teresa Kahler (Boone First United Methodist Church – Boone, Iowa) – 90 weeks
Teresa Kahler (Boone First United Methodist Church – Boone, Iowa)
Willy McAlpine (Seville, Spain) – 8 weeks
31 participants! That is a pretty good week.
There were submissions this week taken in the following places:
+ Hawaii
+ Iowa
+ Nebraska
+ New York
+ Spain
+ Texas
Here is the current calendar year list for states:
+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Hawaii
+ Idaho
+ Illinois
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Kentucky
+ Louisiana
+ Maryland
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Missouri
+ Montana
+ Nebraska
+ New Hampshire
+ New Jersey
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ North Carolina
+ North Dakota
+ Ohio
+ Oklahoma
+ Oregon
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Carolina
+ South Dakota
+ Tennessee
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Vermont
+ Washington
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming
38 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over 75% of the way there!
he Outside of the United States map is currently:
+ Alto del Perdon – Spain
+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico (General)
+ Isla Mujeres, Mexico
+ Riviera Maya, Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Ontario, Canada
+ Vallunareju Norte – Peru
+ Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
+ Puenta de la Reina, Spain
+ St. John pied de port, France
+ Vienna, Austria
+ Munich, Germany
+ Rome, Italy
+ Cannes, France
+ Koper, Slovenia
The major milestone reached this week was Kim joining the Year and a Half Streak Club! WooHoo!
But it wasn’t all good news. It was a veritable blook bath of streaks! Sara’s 2 week streak is gone. Amy’s 3 week streak is toast. Mary’s 9 week streak is over! And most heartbreaking… Alexis’ 26 week streak is but a distant memory!
But all is not lost to those who believe in the power of resurrection and this is a new week where new streaks can begin!
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:
#INSTAGOOD! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!
But what exactly is an #INSTAGOOD image? Here is where that special rule for this theme is revealed. An #INSTAGOOD image is simply the best image you take this week. Period. And because it is the best image you take this week (HERE IS THAT SPECIAL RULE) you can only submit ONE picture for this theme. Only one picture is your best picture.
I will add, do NOT send me multiple images and ask me to pick the best one. Remember that one rule for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is that the picture has to be taken the week of the theme because this is not a curate your pictures challenge, this is a get off your butt and go take pictures challenge! However, this week, you will have to do curate from all the pictures you take this week down to one, best picture.
The term #INSTAGOOD does come from Instagram. It is the second most popular Instagram hashtag. These are the 5 most popular Instagram hashtags.
1. #love (2.1 billion)
2. #instagood (1.7 billion)
3. #fashion (1.1 billion)
4. #instagram (1.1 billion)
5. #photooftheyday (1 billion)
You hashtag an image with #INSTAGOOD that you think it is particularly good. A picture that is definitely worth of the grid. Not the weak kind of image you might throw into your story. For the grid!
I look forward to seeing the best image you take this week!
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 best in this place that I hope is some of the best of me next Monday.
Back in May I loaded the car up with Jesse and Nader and went on my annual birthday road trip. This time the main goal was to hit the Orange City Tulip Festival to check it out. We didn’t hit much of it. We left before the parade started, but we caught plenty of the sites and sounds.
Here is the first collection of images:
There are still plenty more pictures left to share from this Orange City Tulip Festival adventure.
Time to share another collection of images from my trip to Scott County to harvest their town signs. Most of these pictures are also taken in Le Claire and this collection ends in Davenport. It includes a brief stop I made at Antique Archaeology. The store made famous by the show American Pickers. It is a cool store and definitely worth the trip, but I think the downtown area of Le Claire is also worth the trip as well.
The collection starts where Volume 2 ended. With a great blue heron on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Pleasant Valley
Davenport
This is actually in Illinois.
Back in Davenport.
Still plenty of pictures from this road trip left to share.
