Category Archives: Flowers

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 24 Alpha

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 24 was to take pictures of daisies. I went in to this project wondering if I could take a better daisy picture than “The Solace of Ordinary Humanity”, but I made the attempt.

I will split the daisy pictures into two separate posts as an attempt to maximize appreciation. I hope it works.


Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010
The Girl in the Blue Skirt

Here are some more pictures from the “The Girl in the Blue Skirt” Photo Session:


Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

I am a fan of daisies and “I” have planted some daisies in my yard since I took these pictures 4 weeks ago. I hope to have a decent sized daisy patch in the future.

The Incidental Gardener Files

I am thinking of adding a weekly segment to this journal where lesser gardeners can ask me questions about how I became such a super badass gardener and I would sprinkle my nuggets of wisdom on them. If you have any questions, leave them in the Comments section of this journal entry and I may answer your question next week.

Monday night was Round 3 of the epic struggle between Man(kind) and Nature known as Hedgegeddon. Round 1 went to Nature in a very decisive manner. Very decisive. Round 2 was even more of a rout as 4 people backed out with severe cases of fear and trepidation.

Round 3 was the clearly won by Mankind though. It started out rough as the first two hedges eluded the grasp of the chain and remained in the ground. However, after a change in strategy, it was all Mankind.

We managed to completely remove the entire South Hedge without killing and/or maiming the hollyhocks.

Although I clearly intend to win this epic struggle before it goes to the judges’ scorecards, this is what the scorecard looks like at this moment:

Round 1 – Nature 10-8
Round 2 – Nature 10-8
Round 3 – Mankind 10-9
Total – Nature 29-26

Even though I(we) are clearly trailing in the battle at this moment, I can already hear Howard Cosell’s voice bellowing in my head as the last hedge comes free from terra firma:

“Down goes Nature! Down goes Nature! Down goes Nature!”

But in a good way, not in the BP way.

Here are a few pictures that show off some of my super badass gardening skills:


The Incidental Gardener Files

Nature's Amen - 2010

The Incidental Gardener Files

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

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Nature's Amen - 2010

Nature's Amen - 2010

The Incidental Gardener Files

Happy Things - 2010

The Incidental Gardener Files

Nature's Amen - 2010

Nature's Amen - 2010

Sorrow and Gladness - 2010

Sorrow and Gladness - 2010

Sorrow and Gladness - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

The Incidental Gardener Files

Although I like to use the hollyhocks to make lesser gardeners jealous, it is my moss rose that makes me the most proud. I am excited because I have some lilies that are just getting ready to bloom. Plus my coneflowers are almost ready to bloom. I’m guessing that it won’t be long before the moonflower buds and blooms. It is an exciting time for my yard.

Personal Photo Project of the Week No. 23 Alpha

This week’s Personal Photo Project was to take some photos of the flowers at Reiman Gardens. I’m going to split these pictures into two separate posts to maximize the appreciation of these pictures. At least that is my goal.


Well-Shaped Girl
Well-Shaped Girl

Here are a few other pictures from the Well-Shaped Girl Sessions.


Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

Personal Photo Project #23 Alternate - Well-Shaped Girl

More Reiman Gardens pictures on the morrow.

RWPE #24 – Colorful

COLORFUL did light the imaginations of several people. Here are this week’s submissions:


WEEK 24 - COLORFUL - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

IMAGE LOST
Dawn Krause of Impassioned Versifier

IMAGE LOST
Debra Krause

IMAGE LOST
Julie Johnson of The Joy is in the Journey

IMAGE LOST
Justin Whitaker of American Buddhist Perspective

WEEK 24 - COLORFUL - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest of Waxen Media

Dawn’s Poem

Colorful

Brighter thoughts fill the mind
Happiness feels sublime
Heartstrings begin to bind

Pink of admiration
Journey to destination
Welcome inspiration

Passion red fills the soul
Overflowing empty hole
Giving back what it stole

Yellow hope of sunshine
Making clouds worth our time
Every sunset feels fine

Blue of clear brighter sky
Natural love flying high
Take a deep breathe and sigh

Lavender enchantment
Whispers of contentment
Dancing with enthrallment

World becoming rainbow
Sets complexion aglow
As warmth and feeling flow

The Random Generator has been primed, fired up and it has spit out this week’s theme:

STILL LIFE

Now those of you that are observant will note that in the Photography 139 Artistic Gallery there is a Still Life Album. The truth is that by the strictest definition of the term, most of the stuff in there isn’t really STILL LIFE. It is mostly just stuff that is leftover that doesn’t belong in the albums: Flora, Fauna or Sapiens.

A good definition of STILL LIFE photography comes from Wikipedia:

Still life photography is the depiction of inanimate subject matter, most typically a small grouping of objects. Still life photography, more so than other types of photography, such as landscape or portraiture, gives the photographer more leeway in the arrangement of design elements within a composition. The still life photographer makes pictures rather than takes them.

I admit that last sentence sounds like it was written by a still life photographer, but you get the point.

Here are a few examples that fit the basic mold:

Piano Ruins

Toast 'Em

Hearts Beat High with Joy Alternate

Weekly Photo Challenge Plant Alternates

Of course, no reason to be too literal with the theme.

In an unrelated final note, there was some curiosity about the gargoyles in the Journal Entry Slice of Life Vol. 2. I have done a little bit of research into that house and I have posted that information in the Comments section of that journal entry:


Slice of Life Vol. 2

Good luck with STILL LIFE and I look forward to seeing the submissions!

Holy Hollyhocks!

This past Sunday was Hedgegeddon (pronounced Yardegeddon in the Jansonian dialect) and it was a complete and utter disaster. It rained all weekend (or so it seemed) and the rain didn’t stop for Hedgegeddon.

In the end Hedgegeddon Round 1 – You Win this Time Mother Nature! was a complete failure. There were 2 No-Call-No-Shows. 1 person backed out at the last minute. The ground was one cohesive piece of mud and wouldn’t give anything up. The chains and straps became wet and mud covered and slipped off the hedges regardless of technique. In the end, the ultimate battle between Man and Nature wasn’t even close.

The crew of Jason, Scottie D., Derrick and I were completely and utterly demolished. Even though Nature laughingly ran up the score on us at the end (like Tom Osborne teams of the past) by having my spade break in half in Derrick’s hands, our spirits are not crushed.

There is a reason that the most common signature at the bottom of my emails reads:

Man can be destroyed, but not defeated.

Hedgegeddon 2 – Suck It Mother Nature! (that is a working title) has already been scheduled. Barring rain, this time Mother Nature will feel the bitter taste of defeat. After all, the words before “A man can be destroyed…” are “But man is not made for defeat.”

Despite the Georgia Tech vs. Cumberland U. size of this last setback, the day was not without some small modicum of success:


Holy Hollyhocks!

There was actually a good thing that came out of Hedgegeddon. I stopped mowing certain sections of my yard in preparation for this unblessed event. When I stopped mowing a certain patch of the yard I found out that I have hollyhocks. Sweet!


Nature's Amen - 2010

Nature's Amen - 2010

Nature's Amen - 2010

Nature's Amen - 2010

Nature's Amen - 2010

I’m particularly proud of these hollyhocks because apparently these are a difficult flower to grow in this part of the Cyclone State. However, I can grow them without even trying. I truly am becoming a master gardener!

Here are a few other flower pictures from the Bennett Flower Gardens:


Holy Hollyhocks!

Holy Hollyhocks!

Holy Hollyhocks!

I’m hoping that there will be some moonflower and lily action in my backyard in the next couple of weeks. It also seems like the cherries will be ready for picking in the next couple of weeks as well!

Memorial Day Weekend

I had a pretty awesome Memorial Day Weekend and saw all of the right people. Plus, my grill got quite the workout.

The weekend started with FNSC at my humble abode. The group core was there, plus Jesse and Dawn. Jesse, Willy and I hung by the fire pit until about 2 in the morning.

On Saturday morning I got up early to go to the bank with Mom and Teresa to sign some legal documents involving a safety deposit box.

After that exercise I hit up Salon 908 where I put up a new 20×30 picture in the salon to replace the one that had been sold. While you are waiting for a haircut at Salon 908 now you can stare admiringly at this picture:


Weekly Photo Challenge Plant Alternates

I also got a sheering. Now I look borderline presentable. Even though I declined the eyebrow waxing that was offered.

I went home to clean up the kitchen best that I could. I had a Chef coming over to use it that afternoon and while I know that he looks down on my pathetic assortment of kitchen utensils, I wanted the area to be clean while he made magic.

After the kitchen cleaning, I went to Reiman’s Music to take pictures of a white piano for that week’s RWPE.

Next was a trip down to Beaverdale to pick up Sara. Although the Sara pickup also involved taking out her old air conditioner and putting a new air conditioner in her house. This ended up being a more painful process than I wanted it to be, but despite having to remove a nest from her window sill, the air condition finally found its home in her window.

Then was Todd and Peggy’s wedding. They got married on a golf course in Pleasant Hill. It was an impressive affair that included a free round of miniature golf, a photo booth and fireworks.

After the wedding Sara and I went to a bridge overlooking 235 so that I could work on a Personal Photo Project that will be published on July 9. It was from this experience I learned that another criteria that I should look for in photo assistants is the ability to turn a blind eye if I want to do something that is slightly illegal or dangerous. Sara doesn’t like it when she perceives me to be in “danger”. Of course, I already knew this from Personal Photo Project No. 16.

After dropping Sara back off in Beaverdale and doing some final tweaks on her air conditioner installation I voyaged back to Boone. A trip that takes quite a bit longer now that the Highway 17 bridge over the Des Moines River is closed until August.

I was hoping to make it back to Boone to hit the tail end of Nate’s birthday bash at The South Side, marking my triumphant return to the Boone Bar scene for the first time since 2008. However, I pulled back into Boone at roughly 1:40 and decided that it wasn’t worth it to go for 5 minutes. So instead I returned home to the Clockwork Couch and watched the tele.

Shortly after I got home Nate and Bethany returned home. They were both staying with me for the weekend and we talked briefly before they both crashed.

I got up early on Sunday morning and went to church. After church I grilled out with Nate after he returned from a poor round of golf with his friend Ryan. Earlier in the morning I had inadvertently interrupted Ryan’s vomiting efforts. It must have been quite the party that I missed.

Tim had bought a Nate a birthday cake with Nate’s 3rd or 4th grade picture on it. Most of Nate’s picture remained, except Nate’s face. Apparently Ryan had eaten Nate’s face the night before. After we were done grilling, I had some of Nate’s cake.

Later Nate proclaimed that the chicken wings he had made in my kitchen on the previous day were the best that he had ever made. This was a bold proclamation. Just ask Corey Faust if you doubt the veracity of that statement. Nate is going to make these legendary wings next time I go to Minnesota. Looks like I might have to cash in on that when I go see The Swell Season at the end of July!!

After resting from the grill, Jill came over and picked me up. We hit Jen and Derrick’s for a barbecue. Derrick grilled up bratwurst with pineapple in them. It was decided that these brats tasted slightly breakfasty. Even though Webster doesn’t consider breakfasty to be a word. They were still tasty. Plus any chance to eat burgers made with Derrick’s super secret burger recipe is always a great time.

I got to watch the Gorshe Baby Ultrasound for the third time. I still have no clue about the sex of Baby Gorshe, but I enjoy watching the video nonetheless.

After a lengthy discussion about the greatness of Daniel Tosh, we left while Derrick napped on the loveseat.

The next morning I slept in until 9:30. That is a late morning for me, except on the occasional work day. Nate, Bethany and I grilled out for lunch. By this time, my grill was definitely entering the danger area that cause the fire during the 2009 Road Trip Planning Barbecue, but it made it through another meal without incident.

After the meal Nate and Bethany packed up and I burned Bethany a copy of Strict Joy for their car trip home.

I then grabbed my camera and took a few pictures.


Sorrow and Gladness - 2020

Sorrow and Gladness - 2020

Sorrow and Gladness - 2020

Whispering Beauty - 2010

Whispering Beauty - 2010

Whispering Beauty - 2010

Whispering Beauty - 2010

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend

After taking pictures I went to the cemetery. At the cemetery I ran into Carla. We walked around the cemetery for about an hour. Then I went home and prepared the house for an impromptu family barbecue.

I didn’t clean the grill, but it did manage to make it through yet one more meal without erupting into flames. I should clean that at some point.

After the family went home I rested on the Clockwork Couch and watched Wooden Shoes. A movie made my a fellow computer miner by the name of Scotland Thompson. If you want a review of the movie, too bad, but I will loan my copy out.

I would like to report to interested parties that do not know yet…

Willy did finish his 100 Mile Race this past weekend.

Willy knocked out 100 miles in La Grange, Wisconsin as part of the weekend of Kettle 100 Endurance Runs.

He ran 100 miles in an official time of 28 hours 24 minutes 29 seconds.

I know, pretty insane!

RWPE #21 – Harmony

With the big holiday weekend there weren’t many submissions for last week’s theme – HARMONY. In fact, there were only two.


IMAGE LOST
Dawn Krause

WEEK 21 - HARMONY - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

IMAGE LOST
Mike Vest

The Random Generator has spoken. The theme for this week is:

Painting with Light

This one is kind of tricky and involves a fair degree of effort. Basically the idea of painting with light is photographing an object in near total darkness, but illuminating that object. Like with a flashlight.

Here is one example:



But of course, no need to be too literal with the theme.

The Yard

I have planted lots of flowers this year. Nothing has officially died yet. Where I come from, that is considered an accomplishment.


A Proud Assertion - 2010

A Proud Assertion - 2010

A Proud Assertion - 2010

A Proud Assertion - 2010

A Proud Assertion - 2010

A Proud Assertion - 2010

Sorrow and Gladness - 2010

Sorrow and Gladness - 2010

Solace of Ordinary Humanity - 2010

Solace of Ordinary Humanity - 2010

Solace of Ordinary Humanity - 2010

Solace of Ordinary Humanity - 2010

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2010

Solace of Ordinary Humanity - 2010

The Yard
This isn’t really a flower, but rotting rhubarb is kind of colorful.

The Yard

The Yard

The Yard

Another hopeful development is that my moonflower has started to ascend from the soil. On the downside, I thought for sure there would be more than one moonflower by now.