I have plenty more BLACK AND WHITE alternates for last week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:
I can’t wait until BLACK AND WHITE is the theme again!
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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is FACELESS PORTRAIT:
Remember that a FACELESS PORTRAIT is simply a portrait of somebody that doesn’t show their face.
Happy photo harvesting!
If you are near your Photography 139 Calendar, you know that today is a big day for the Photography 139 Universe. Today is Naima’s birthday!
While Naima is spending her birthday socially distancing as there has been a resurgence of Covid in Iowa and in most of the United States. You can still leave your gifts for her on the front porch. She might even come out and greet you.
Not enough Naima photo for you, click on the link below to peruse over 700 of them:
Happy birthday Naima!
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I took a ton of alternate images for my favorite theme BLACK AND WHITE. Here is a collection of them:
Still have one more collection of these pictures to share!
I need to start by wishing Jay a happy birthday, so happy birthday Jay!
I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be!
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Here is a collection of pictures I took in my backyard in the middle of May:
The picture of the peony bud is bittersweet. I planted peonies in my yard about 3 years ago. I probably didn’t pick the best spot for them because they have never bloomed. In fact, that peony bud is the first time it has budded. One single bud. I was super excited, but then the bud never bloomed. It kind of just withered on the vine. Maybe next year.
Unfortunately, this year, a few dandelions managed to sneak though and ruin the appearance of my beautiful lawn.
But sometimes you have to make do with what you have, so I used this is a chance to take some macro images of dandelions.
Also a picture of my beautiful lilacs in there too.
While dandelions do ruin a perfect lawn, they do serve a purpose in macro photography. So, there might be more dandelion pictures in the future.
About 10 days ago I replaced the sink in my kitchen. By replacing the sink in my kitchen, I mean that Duncan’s came in and replaced my sink.
Now I’m not a person that is particularly passionate about my sink. However, my Mom is for some reason. So she really wanted me to replace my sink.
Once it became something that was going to happen, I was surprised about all the opinion I suddenly had on my sink. I’ve always hated my sink. Once you have used industrial sinks (like in a restaurant) home sinks do really suffer. I didn’t get a sink like that, but it did influence the sink I did get.
Here are some pictures of the old sink:
Here are some pictures of the new sink:
I got a white sink to match the counter. I got one big compartment because I wanted to be able to soak big thing in their entirety. Like frozen fish cooking sheet and grill grates. Then the last thing that mattered to me was that I wanted the faucet to also double as a sprayer.
Any ways, I like it.
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Today is a cleanup of a few small picture collections from April and early May.
Okay. These are the last tulips pictures from 2020.
Need to start by wishing Jen a very happy birthday. Happy birthday Jen!
I hope your birthday is as amazing as you want it to be.
Sorry about the lack of iris pictures.
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Time for another and I believe the last collection of tulip pictures for this year. All these tulips were found in my Mom’s yard.
I threw a peony picture in there at the end.
Yesterday I pointed out that Pufferbilly Days was cancelled. Yesterday the Farm Progress Show in Boone was also cancelled. This is an event that brings over 100,000 people to Boone over 3 days. Cancelling it was the right move. Here is part of their press release:
For more than 65 years, farmers have turned to the Farm Progress Show and Husker Harvest Days for the latest information about new products and tools they can use to boost productivity and profit for their operations. However, for the first time in its history, the show won’t go on. In the best interest of our visitors, exhibitors, partners and staff, Farm Progress has made the difficult decision to cancel both shows in 2020 due to rapidly changing conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Show management had confirmed earlier that the two shows would be operated differently with physical distancing a requirement, along with other health and safety changes to the events.
While state and local officials had expressed support for both shows, Don Tourte, Senior Vice President, Farm Progress said that in a very short time it became apparent that the situation across the US had rapidly changed.
“We have been working with officials in Iowa and Nebraska for our shows, and we appreciate the support they expressed for us to hold the events,” Tourte says. “They are critical partners to us, and we are all disappointed to not host the events this year, but feel confident that this is the right decision for our community.”
Rising concerns
One of the key features of both shows is their attraction to visitors from across the country, and across the globe.
“Within days of our commitment to hold both farm shows, more than half the United States saw a significant spike in new cases of COVID-19. We have a multi-generational audience that travels from all across the country and around the world to attend the shows and based on that we felt it better to reconsider the traditional show for 2020 to prioritize the safety of all. Our community’s safety is our priority, always,” said Matt Jungmann, Events Manager, Farm Progress.
“Within the next two weeks tents and other work would be underway on site. We had to make a decision based on the current landscape so that our exhibitors and suppliers wouldn’t potentially waste valuable time and resources,” said Jungmann. “While we are hopeful that case numbers throughout the country will decrease soon, we felt compelled to make a proactive decision on our community’s behalf, given the information we have today.”
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This collection of pictures is the balance of images from a walk I took around Iowa State’s campus back in early May with Teresa.
It truly is the most beautiful campus in the world!
Back in early May, I took an early afternoon walk around the Iowa State campus with Teresa. It was a good replacement for going to Pella, since going to Pella in early May, in the middle of a pandemic seemed like a terrible idea. Plus, how snooty are the people of Pella?
This isn’t completely a collection of tulips, but there are many tulips in this collection.
I reserve comment on this “art”.
There is one more collection of pictures from this walk still in the hopper.
EDITOR’S NOTE: After I wrote this post, the Boone County Fair announced that the Fair was going on as normal. Here is their press release:
The Boone County Fair Board is excited to announce that the fair will occur as planned July 16-19, with only a few minor changes due to COVID-19 restrictions. With support from Boone County Public Health, Emergency Management and Boone County Extension, the fair board has developed a plan that allows the regular livestock shows, food vendors, carnival rides, grandstand shows and free concerts to take place.
For months the Boone County Fair Board has been meeting regularly to discuss options on what this year’s fair might look like. They have also been consulting with health officials, insurance providers, as well as polling the public on their comfort levels of attending fair events during these unprecedented times. After a special meeting to specifically discuss the fate of the fair, and with the restrictions being lifted in the state as of Friday, June 12, the board voted in favor of having fair. Although the fair plans are moving forward as normal, the fair board is taking extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of all fairgoers. Plans are in place to increase sanitation, including extra handwashing stations and hand sanitizer throughout the grounds. Additionally, the fair board plans to disinfect main seating areas including the show ring, grandstand and bleachers daily and provide signage to remind people to keep social distancing and to use good hygiene practices. Following the State of Iowa’s lead, personal responsibility is requested for people to determine if they feel comfortable attending the fair during this time. High risk or vulnerable individuals are asked to consider staying home.
The Boone County Fair has a great lineup of events and entertainment this year. Grandstand shows include Figure 8 Races, Demolition Derby and Mud Races. Stage concerts include Jake Doty & Hawk McIntyre, Casey Muessigmann and Tyler Richton & the Highbank Boys. The locally owned and operated carnival Scott Amusements, will return this year with even more rides for all ages to enjoy. New this year is the “Have Fun, Give Back” carnival program. Thanks to a sponsorship from Farm Bureau, the first 100 kids to donate a non-perishable food item each day of the fair will receive a free carnival wristband for that day. Through this program, we hope everyone can have fun at the fair and give back to our local food pantries. Unfortunately, we have cancelled some of our events such as Mutton Busting and Extravaganza in order to maintain social distancing guidelines. For a complete list of Boone County Fair events and activities or to purchase tickets, visit the fairs website at www.boonecountyfairia.com.
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This collection of images represents that last of the pictures from March that I had yet to curate and edit. It feels good to not really have all that much of a backlog any longer. It is like, if there was an Iowa State Fair Photography Salon or a Boone County Fair Photo Contest or a Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest, I would almost be prepared for it this year.
While there definitely won’t be an Iowa State Fair Photography Salon and I would consider it highly doubtful that the other two contests will exist, I guess, it still feels good to not have a ton of pictures just lying in folders collecting dust.
This collection of pictures covers pictures of my delicious rhubarb (that I grow myself, personally), Naima, and a picture of the dust on my work keyboard. I can only imagine how much dust covers that keyboard now. I haven’t been physically all up inside of the computer mine since April.
Although, I might make a quick jaunt over there later this week or next week. I have a scanner I need to drop off, but I digress…
An update on Naima’s health. She had her sutures removed on Monday and Dr. Stephanie said that everything looks good. She had a couple rough days last week where she seemed to be in some pain. I allowed her to overexert herself over the weekend I’m afraid. Now she seems to be back to her old self. Still probably going to try to make her take it easy for another week though.
Hopefully her fur grows back pretty soon. Yeah, she is weird looking right now, but also the lack of fur doesn’t provide her with much protection when she is digging through the raspberries chasing “chippies” or rabbits. But she doesn’t seem to mind.
No problems reaching double digits for 37 straight weeks! I didn’t even have to send out an reminder text messages this morning!
But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:
Carla Stensland
Tamara Peterson
Michelle Haupt
Bill Wentworth
Carla Stensland
Elizabeth Nordeen
Elizabeth Nordeen
Kim Barker
Kim Barker
Christopher D. Bennett
Cathie Raley
Micky Augustin
Shannon Bardole-Foley
Monica Henning
Jesse Howard
Jodie Cue
Jodie Cue
Jodie Cue
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:
ROAD TRIP! What a great theme! It might be one of the harder themes consider the current public health environment, but just getting in your car and getting groceries or gas is a ROAD TRIP these days. Even showing the planning on a ROAD TRIP that you will be able to take some day is a good ROAD TRIP image.
I look forward to seeing your interpretations!
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HOUSEKEEPING
A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 RULES DIVISION
The picture has to be taken the week of the theme. This isn’t a curate your pictures challenge. This is a get your butt off the couch (my personal experience) and put your camera in your hands challenge. Don’t send me a picture of you next to the Eiffel Tower, when I know you were in Iowa all week. I will point out that I have let that slide some in the past. I will not in the future. Since it is literally about the only rule.
Your submission needs to be emailed to bennett@photography139.com by 11 AM on the Monday of the challenge due date.
OR
I now allow people to text me their submissions. In the past, I had made exceptions for a couple people that aren’t real computer savvy, even though it was an inconvenience for me and required at least 3 extra steps for me. I am now lifting that embargo because I have a streamline way of uploading photos. I’m not giving out my phone number, but if you have it, you can text me.
It should be pointed out that this blog auto-publishes at 12:01 on Mondays. So it wouldn’t hurt to get your picture in earlier.
That is it, them’s the rules.
A MESSAGE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY 139 SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DIVISION
Nobody showed class, taste, and sophistication this week by signing up for a Photography 139 email subscription. I’ll try and do better next week.
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That’s all I got for today, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will commune right here again next Monday. Hopefully it will be a very trippy Monday!
