Category Archives: Drone

Andy, Angie, Becky, Bill, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Drone, Elizabeth, Jen, Jesse, Joe, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Sara, Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 347 – SQUARE

May 9, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

WARNING: THE THEME FOR NEXT WEEK IS THE OTHER WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE THAT DOES HAVE A SECOND RULE. READ THE DIRECTIONS CLOSELY.

Square has proven to be a pretty popular theme.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, May 2, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks:

+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week
+ Sarah Karber – 1 week
+ Angie DeWaard – 2 weeks
+ Jesse Howard – 2 weeks
+ Evie Gorshe – 3 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 4 weeks
+ Sara Lockner – 4 weeks
+ Becky Parmelee – 4 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 5 weeks
+ Dawn Krause – 5 weeks
+ Suzie Brannen – 6 weeks
+ Monica Henning – 7 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 7 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 15 weeks
+ Tamara Peterson – 15 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 15 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 16 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 17 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 18 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 19 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 23 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 24 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 26 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 29 weeks

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:

Kio Dettman – 30 weeks

Kio Dettman

Linda Bennett – 1 week

Linda Bennett

Tamara Peterson – 16 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 20 weeks

Carla Stensland – 16 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Teresa Kahler – 16 weeks

Michelle Haupt – 17 weeks

Andy Sharp – 19 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 27 weeks

Joe Duff – 6 weeks

Kim Barker – 5 weeks

Logan Kahler – 8 weeks

Logan Kahler

Elizabeth Nordeen – 25 weeks

Suzie Brannen – 7 weeks

Micky Augustin – 18 weeks

Monica Henning – 8 weeks

Cathie Raley – 24 weeks

Becky Parmelee – 5 weeks

Angie DeWaard – 3 weeks

Dawn Krause – 6 weeks

Dawn Krause

Sara Lockner – 5 weeks

Sara Lockner

Jesse Howard – 3 weeks

Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 2 weeks

I’m not going to get into who had streaks broke and how many participants there were, because Mediacom sucks. Just absolutely sucks. You are lucky you are even seeing this post, that is how bad Mediacom sucks.

There were 31 submissions. That is all you get.

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:

SLICE OF LIFE

SLICE OF LIFE! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a SLICE OF LIFE photo? It might not be what you think. Hence this week’s special rule. SLICE OF LIFE is a reference to the photo postcard company that my Dad created. That is why (and here is the special rule) this week, the theme is NOT up for interpretation. This week’s theme is to take a picture that you could see used as a postcard. That is the only interpretation available to you.

Some of you might not live in a tourist hotbed like Boone, Iowa (no seriously, Boone has lots of tourist attractions from Pufferbilly Days to the Mamie Doud Eisenhower Birthplace to Ledge State Park to the Boone Speedway to name a few) but there is certainly something in your town that you could see put on a postcard. For those of you that are under the age of 40 you may have to ask an elder what a postcard is, but I’m sure they will be happy to tell you all about it. And also other amazing things that happened in the 80s or 70s or before.

To give you another few examples of postcards. Here are a few postcards that my Dad made that I hastily scanned this morning:

When you look at these postcards, remember that these were made in a darkroom. With film! Quite a bit harder than dragging and dumping layers in Photoshop.

So remember, it has to be the kind of image you would see on a postcard. Not a picture of your pet or your kid and then saying, this is a “slice of my life”. That doesn’t qualify this week.

Do I expect this to possibly be a streak killer for many people? Maybe, but maybe SQUARE already was a major streak killer, who knows?

BONUS: If you want to go the extra mile, this isn’t a requirement, you can take your image in black & white as my Dad’s postcards were black & white.

While considering your SLICE OF LIFE subjects, meditate on the following quote:

The world before us is a postcard, and I imagine the story we are writing on it.
-Mary E. Pearson

I look forward to seeing the digital postcards you send me.

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.

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

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 SLICE OF LIFE in this place that is nothing more than my postcard to the world next Monday.

Calendar, Candid Portrait, Commercial, Drone, Elizabeth, Kim, Michelle, Nature, Work

Computer Mine Secret Santa

December 31, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

The December image from the 2022 Photography Calendar is a drone picture of a forest along the banks of the Des Moines River.

I hope people enjoy the calendar this year. I’ve got some positive feedback on it anyways.

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Several years ago, I used to finish the year with the Proust Questionnaire as a form of reflection on the year past. Well, I think we can all agree that 2021 was a terrible, terrible year. And while even terrible, terrible years do have some positives and are still worthy of reflection, I didn’t feel like doing the entire 31-35 question questionnaire. So I thought maybe just answering the Bernard Pivot Questionnaire would be enough:

1. What is your favorite word? Well… I actually overuse it more than actually enjoy using it.
2. What is your least favorite word? Maybe.
3. What is your favorite drug? The open road.
4. What sound or noise noise do you love? Juicy Wiggle.
5. What sound or noise do you hate? My phone ringing.
6. What is your favorite curse word? Mulkey.
7. Who would you like to see on a new banknote? Ted Lasso – Be curious. Not judgmental.
8. What profession other than your own would you not like to attempt? Most really. Any job with more human contact than mine. It is pretty evident at this point in history that humans suck at the aggregate level.
9. If you were reincarnated as some other plant or animal, what would it be? Golden retriever.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Matthew 25:21.

Maybe next year I’ll bring back the Proust Questionnaire. Maybe.

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Back a week or so ago, we did a Secret Santa thing at the Computer Mine for hybrid or work in the office full-time. I took some pictures for the Computer Mine social medias. Here are some pictures from the event:

Michelle was my Secret Santa. She got me some sweet Cyclone socks and some of my favorite candies. I was Denise’s Secret Santa. I got her some booze and some peanut butter cups.

Art, Bill, Calendar, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Drone, Elizabeth, Holidays, Iowa State, Jesse, Joe, Kim, Kio, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Sara, Shannon, Still Life, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 328 – HOLIDAYS

December 27, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

The August image of the 2022 Photography 139 Calendar is a drone shot of the High Trestle Trail Bridge:

Tomorrow I will share the September image from the 2022 Photography 139 Calendar.

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HOLIDAYS proved to be fairly popular theme.

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:

Dawn Krause

Elizabeth Nordeen

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Michelle Haupt

Tamara Peterson

Christopher D. Bennett

Kim Barker

Joe Duff

Micky Augustin

Dawn Krause

Carla Stensland

Bill Wentworth

Sara Lockner

Kio Dettman

Jesse Howard

Logan Kahler

Cathie Raley

Elizabeth Nordeen

EDUCATION

EDUCATION! What a great theme to end Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE on!

But what is an EDUCATION image? An EDUCATION photo is a picture of anything that relates to EDUCATION. Kids in school. A picture of school. Degrees. Diplomas. Books. Libraries. But not all EDUCATION happens in a school. I would actually argue that next to no EDUCATION happens in schools, but that is another subject for another time. However, my point is don’t discount other forms of EDUCATION. For example, back in my prime, I used to take fools to school on the basketball court all the time.

As you consider your possible subjects for EDUCATION, mediate on this scene from one of my all-time favorite movies GOOD WILL HUNTING:

CHUCKIE
Yeah, cause I think I had a class
with you.

At this point, several interested parties materialize. Morgan
Billy and Will try, as inconspicuously as possible, to situate
themselves within listening distance. A rather large student
in a HARVARD LACROSSE sweatshirt, CLARK (22) notices Chuckie.
He [Clark] walks over to Skylar and Lydia, nobly hovering
over them as protector. This gets Will, Morgan, and Billy’s
attention.

SKYLAR
What class?

CHUCKIE
Ah, history I think.

SKYLAR
Oh…

CHUCKIE
Yah, it’s not a bad school…

At this point, Clark can’t resist and steps in.

CLARK
What class did you say that was?

CHUCKIE
History.

CLARK
How’d you like that course?

CHUCKIE
Good, it was all right.

CLARK
History? Just “history?” It must
have been a survey course then.

Chuckie nods. Clark notices Chuckie’s clothes. Will and Billy
exchange a look and move subtly closer.

CLARK
Pretty broad. “History of the World?”

CHUCKIE
Hey, come on pal we’re in classes
all day. That’s one thing about
Harvard never seizes to amaze me,
everybody’s talkin’ about school all
the time.

CLARK
Hey, I’m the last guy to want to
talk about school at the bar. But as
long as you’re here I want to “seize”
the opportunity to ask you a question.

Billy shifts his beer into his left hand. Will and Morgan
see this. Morgan rolls his eyes as if to say “not again…”

CLARK
Oh, I’m sure you covered it in your
history class.

Clark looks to see if the girls are impressed. They are not.

When Clark looks back to Chuckie, Skylar turns to Lydia and
rolls her [own] eyes. They laugh. Will sees this and smiles.

CHUCKIE
To tell you the truth, I wasn’t there
much. The class was rather elementary.

CLARK
Elementary? Oh, I don’t doubt that
it was. I remember the class, it was
just between recess and lunch.

Will and Billy come forward, stand behind Chuckie.

CHUCKIE
All right, are we gonna have a
problem?

CLARK
There’s no problem. I was just hoping
you could give me some insight into
the evolution of the market economy
in the early colonies. My contention
is that prior to the Revolutionary
War the economic modalities especially
of the southern colonies could most
aptly be characterized as agrarian
precapitalist and…

Will, who at this point has migrated to Chuckie’s side and
is completely fed-up, includes himself in the conversation.

WILL
Of course that’s your contention.
You’re a first year grad student.
You just finished some Marxian
historian, Pete Garrison prob’ly,
and so naturally that’s what you
believe until next month when you
get to James Lemon and get convinced
that Virginia and Pennsylvania were
strongly entrepreneurial and
capitalist back in 1740. That’ll
last until sometime in your second
year, then you’ll be in here
regurgitating Gordon Wood about the
Pre-revolutionary utopia and the
capital-forming effects of military
mobilization.

CLARK
(taken aback)
Well, as a matter of fact, I won’t,
because Wood drastically
underestimates the impact of–

WILL
“Wood drastically underestimates the
impact of social distinctions
predicated upon wealth, especially
inherited wealth…” You got that
from “Work in Essex County,” Page
421, right? Do you have any thoughts
of your own on the subject or were
you just gonna plagiarize the whole
book for me?

Clark is stunned.

WILL
Look, don’t try to pass yourself off
as some kind of an intellect at the
expense of my friend just to impress
these girls.

Clark is lost now, searching for a graceful exit, any exit.

WILL
The sad thing is, in about 50 years
you might start doin’ some thinkin’
on your own and by then you’ll realize
there are only two certainties in
life.

CLARK
Yeah? What’re those?

WILL
One, don’t do that. Two — you
dropped a hundred and fifty grand on
an education you coulda’ picked up
for a dollar fifty in late charges
at the Public Library.

Will catches Skylar’s eye.

CLARK
But I will have a degree, and you’ll
be serving my kids fries at a drive
through on our way to a skiing trip.

WILL
(smiles)
Maybe. But at least I won’t be unoriginal.
(beat)
And if you got a problem with that,
I guess we can step outside and deal
with it that way.

I look forward to seeing your interpretation next week.

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Next Monday will mark the beginning of Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Here are the 52 themes for next year:

1. Black + White
2. Rock
3. Triangle
4. #love
5. Junk
6. Believe
7. Still Life
8. Harmony
9. Hobbies
10. Government
11. Abstract
12. Shadow
13. Framed
14. Gratitude
15. Orange
16. Letters or Numbers
17. #Instagood
18. Square
19. Slice of Life
20. Hat
21. History
22. Flower
23. Children
24. Service
25. Self-Portrait
26. Entertainment
27. Road Trip
28. Work
29. Wild
30. Odd Camera Angle
31. People
32. Family
33. Animal
34. Weekends
35. Circle
36. Colorful
37. Green
38. Paths
39. Signs
40. Ruins
41. Violet
42. Macro
43. Lines
44. Art
45. Decoration
46. Strong
47. Communication
48. In the Air
49. Street Photography
50. Water
51. Explore
52. Body Part

Now you can start thinking on them, but you can’t start shooting them. Them’s the rules. Speaking of rules…

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of EDUCATION in this place that is little more than result of my misspent learning next Monday.

Drone, History, Road Trip, WPC - Reminder

Rodan139: Great Pyramids of Iowa

December 10, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

A few weeks back on a Town Sign Harvest road trip with Teresa, I took Rodan139 out for a flight and photographed the Great Pyramids of Iowa. They are located in a cemetery near the unincorporated town of Avery, Iowa.

They were built in 1939 by an Egyptian pyramid fan, but he ended up not being buried in them. More details when I publish the ground images.

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is ODD CAMERA ANGLE:

ODD CAMERA ANGLE

ODD CAMERA ANGLE! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly an ODD CAMERA ANGLE image? Well it couldn’t be simpler. You see, most people when they take a picture stand and bring the camera up to their face and take the picture straight on from their height. An ODD CAMERA ANGLE image is just a picture where you change your body from its normal position or the angle of the camera. Take a picture of something looking straight down at it. Or straight up. Get on the ground. Or climb up to the top of something. Or rather than having the camera stay level, move it like 45 degrees. You subject can be anything, but try looking at your subject from a different vantage point than you normally see it.

Happy photo harvesting!

Andy, Bill, Carla, Drone, Elizabeth, Jesse, Kim, Kio, Panorama, Teresa, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 312 – ‘SCAPE

September 6, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Despite it being Labor Day, there was still a decent, but not overwhelming number of submissions for ‘SCAPE.

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:

Andy Sharp

Teresa Kahler

Kim Barker

Elizabeth Nordeen

Jesse Howard

Carla Stensland

Jesse Howard

Bill Wentworth

Kio Dettman

Christopher D. Bennett

Kio Dettman

Lori Backous

Tamara Peterson

Lori Backous

Micky Augustin

JUNK

JUNK! What a great theme for Week 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is a JUNK photo. JUNK isn’t necessarily garbage, but it could be. JUNK is defined as things that are useless or of little value. But that doesn’t mean JUNK has no value. Just like the theme reveal image, I bet everybody reading these words has a JUNK drawer. Off the top of my head, I have at least 9 of them and several JUNK bins. So go out and find something that has been set aside because it has little value and give it some value by turning it into art.

And don’t forget that some food is considered JUNK as well. And of course, there are other definitions for the word JUNK. Some more safe for work than others.

When you thinking about creating your JUNK image, think about this quote:

Buy, buy says the sign in the show window;
Why why, says the junk in the yard.
– Paul McCartney

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of JUNK in this place that is little more than the place I leave much of my psychological junk next Monday.

Black & White, Contests, Drone, Formal Portrait, Mom, State Fair

2021 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon Personal Results

August 22, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

By the time this publishes, my entries in this year’s Iowa State Fair Photography Salon should be safely in my possession. It seems like a good time to share what pictures I entered and how they fared.

2021 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon -

Class 45: Planes, Trains & Automobiles – Honorable Mention

Class 22: Black & White People – Selected for Display

Class 17: Plants, Flowers & Trees – Honorable Mention

Class 13: USA Places & Landscapes – Not Selected for Display

I’m not going into the picture of my Mom that I entered, but probably will in a later post. I don’t think she would have liked to have a picture of her entered, but I also know she would have gotten over it pretty quickly.

I’ll just concentrate on the picture that didn’t get in. It was the one that I was most confident would get accepted for display, which meant it was doomed from the beginning. I entered it based mostly on the fact that it was the most commented on picture from the 2021 Photography 139 Calendar. I will never know why it wasn’t accepted for display, but I have a feeling it it because the highlights are overblown. Oh well, I guess it is time to start thinking on the 2022 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon.

Drone, Night, Pufferbilly Days, Still Life, WPC - Alternate, WPC - Reminder

If You Look to the Sky and Pray

August 6, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

I need to start this post by encouraging you (if you have a pet) to enter the Pufferbilly Days Pet Show. It is this Sunday at 11 AM. Registration begins at 10:45. It is located at Veterans Park (9th and Story). Awards are given to the dog that is the Best Beggar, does the Best Trick, and had the Best Tail Wag. For Misc. pets, prizes are given to the Most Unique, the Most Colorful, and the pet with the Most Appropriate Name. There is a prize given for Most Look-Alike and Best in Show. Also some awards for cats, I assume.

Here is a flyer that has the ratio way off.

The Pet Show is open to all ages of humans and pets. As you can tell, this isn’t a super serious competition. So grab Fido and come on down for some fun with your four-legged (or two legs if it is a bird) friend! Also, no poultry.

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I haven’t taken Rodan139 out hardly at all this year. In fact, probably less than 5 times. I need to start stretching its wings more than I have. But here is a tiny collection of the last 2 extremely brief flights that it went on. One was just to look at all the fireworks going off around town. The others are alternates for my THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme of PATHS.

I’m laying down my pick and taking about a week long sabbatical from the Computer Mine starting next week, so hopefully I’ll get Rodan139 out of the hangar at least once in that time frame.

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is TOY:

TOY

TOY! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a TOY image? Simply put, a TOY image is a picture of something that you use for recreation. It isn’t used for work. It is used for play. However, what one person might consider a TOY, another person might consider a TOOL. What is considered a TOY might be more personal than one thinks at first glance.

Happy photo harvesting!

Cathie, Drone, Elizabeth, Kio, Micky, Nature, Shannon, Still Life, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 307 – PATHS

August 2, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

At least a few people were able to figure out what PATHS they are walking for the theme of PATHS.

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions.

Tamara Peterson

Christopher D. Bennett

Teresa Kahler

Micky Augustin

Elizabeth Nordeen

Kim Barker

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Kio Dettman

Cathie Raley

Mike Vest

A great week of submissions!

TOY

TOY! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

Think on these words when considering your subject for this week’s image:

As men get older, the goys get more expensive.
-Marvin Davis

Heed these words and there is no doubt you will create a most playful TOY images.

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of TOY in this place that is little more than my plaything next Monday.

Carla, Drone, Elizabeth, Kio, Micky, Shannon, Tamara, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 298 – UP IN THE AIR

May 31, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

Despite the busy holiday weekend, a handful of stalwart photographers managed to submit an image for UP IN THE AIR.

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:

Elizabeth Nordeen

Micky Augustin

Kio Dettman

Shannon Bardole-Foley

Tamara Peterson

Carla Stensland

Christopher D. Bennett

WORDS

WORDS! Another great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a WORDS image? I know many of you didn’t come here fore reading! Top to bottom, left to right… a group of words together is called a sentence. Take Tylenol for any headaches… Midol for any cramps.

But one of the greatest comedies of all-time aside, WORDS are merely collections of letters. You can find WORDS all over the place. Books. Signs. Advertising. Newspapers. Magazines. All over the place. You are literally (used correctly) looking at WORDS right now!

You could think on these WORDS from HAMLET as you consider the composition of you image:

POLONIOUS: What do you read, my lord?
HAMLET: Words, words, words.
POLONIOUS: What is the matter, my lord?
HAMLET: Between who?
POLONIOUS: I mean, the matter that you read, my lord.
HAMLET: Slanders, sir. For the satirical rogue says here that old men have gray beards, that their faces are wrinkled, their eyes purging thick amber and plum-tree gum, and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams—all which, sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down; for yourself, sir, should be old as I am, if like a crab you could go backward.
POLONIOUS: Though this be madness, yet there is method in it.

Meditate on these words and I have no doubt you will make a most powerful WORDS image.

RULES

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

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will all be sharing our idea of WORDS in this place that consists mostly of WORDS next Monday.

Drone, Photoshop, Postcard

Postcard Recreation Project – Bird’s Eye View

January 27, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

This round of old-timey postcard recreations for THE POST CARD RECREATION PROJECT don’t really have a history lesson to go with them. They are simply a “bird’s eye view” of downtown Boone.

Have a look:

Bird’s Eye View of Boone, Iowa – Original

Bird’s Eye View of Boone, Iowa – Redux

13599 – Bird’s Eye View of Boone, Ia – Original

13599 – Bird’s Eye View of Boone, Ia – Redux

Bird’s Eye View of Boone, Iowa – Modern Interpretation

The next time we visit THE POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT, it will involve more views of downtown Boone, but from a more grounded vantage point.

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