Category Archives: Photography

Jill Gorshe

I was pleasantly surprised by Jill’s choice. Since I had decided to have all people of the female persuasion pick the photos this year, I thought a frog picture would get very little love.

But Jill came through for the frog.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“It’ll Do Fine”

I actually struggled with the naming of this picture. Even now, I think that I’m going to rename it to “So Many Other Ordinary Things”. I’ll have to meditate upon it further.

There was a point when I wanted to name this picture after the prince from The Frog King or Iron Heinrich, but as I looked into the story a little bit deeper, I found that the Frog King doesn’t have a name. But perhaps even more importantly is that I don’t think that the princess really deserves the Frog-King. At least not as the story was originally written.

In the original story, the princess doesn’t break the spell with a kiss. She throws the frog against the wall in disgust.

“Now, thou wilt be quiet, odious frog.” The princess says and throws the frog against the wall. This turns the frog back into a prince. For some reason he still wanted her?!?!?!?

He should have stood up and told her to bugger off. There are other fish in the sea. Some of those fish probably aren’t spoiled little brats that try to go back on their deal. He did get her stupid golden ball for her out of the well. He should have known how small and petty she was then. It is just a stupid golden ball. No need to offer up your clothes, pearls or jewels, princess.

But I digress…

Jill of course had other pictures she liked, before deciding on the frog.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

If Jill can pick a frog, I have hopes that one of the guys will pick a flower picture in 2010.

Monica Henning

Monica had the next choice. She struggled between 2 pictures as well. She finally picked the picture below, even though it wasn’t her favorite.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“The Solace of Ordinary Humanity”

A picture that I have titled: “Monica’s Childhood” was actually her favorite.


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“Monica’s Childhood”

Monica wrote perhaps my favorite ever description of that picture in her email where she chose “The Solace of Ordinary Humanity”:

#13 is great. It reminds me of growing up on the farm. I would lay in the grass as a little girl and just stare up at the clouds for hours. I would think about all sorts of things. Just lay there in the grass and dream! I remember the cool breeze blowing across my face and the warm sun beating down on me. The clouds make this picture. It gives it perspective for me.

I also like how the one flower on the left is just kind of sticking its head in the pack to see what’s going on. Much like life. It gives it a bit of humor too.

Sara Junck

This past weekend was the Pufferbilly Days photo contest. I had 6 different people pick the 6 different entries this year. The first person to pick was Sara Junck. She picked the picture below:


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee
“Cozy Combination”

Sara actually took slightly over the 24 hour deadline. She waffled back and forth between her final pick and the picture below:


2009 - Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest Nominee

None of the other five members of the selection committee chose the fire picture. I think Sara was saddened by this fact.

No. 14

It’s very dangerous to wave to people you don’t know because what if they don’t have hands? They’ll think you’re cocky.

-Mitch Hedberg

Last Thursday, Jill posed for a few pictures for a photo project I am working on. Below are some of the results of that photo session.


No. 14

No. 14

No. 14

No. 14

No. 14

No. 14

No. 14

No. 14

No. 14

Hopefully, I will be able to finish up this project in the next few weeks and get it properly displayed on one of my walls.

The Outer Limits

There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We can reduce the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to… The Outer Limits. – The Control Voice

The Outer Limits is one of my all-time favorite television shows. The following pictures are inspired by that show and its 1960s special effects.


The Outer Limits
This is Jay. You are probably wondering why he looks so cocky. It is because…

The Outer Limits
Jay can control electricity or fire, whatever you believe to be more plausible.

The Outer Limits
He can slowly turn into electricity.

The Outer Limits
Until he appears to be an electric man.

The Outer Limits
Or he can shoot it out of his fingertips at his enemies.

The good news, is I have similar powers…

The Outer Limits

I think I might just have to crack out my The Outer Limits DVDs this weekend.

Raise a Glass

I went to a fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association on Friday night with Sara and Amy. It was an interesting evening. The basic point of the night was wine tasting and art for sale.

I don’t drink, so I mostly looked at art.

However, there was one point where I was sitting at a table waiting for Amy and Sara to comeback with food. It was then that I meant one classy dame.

Three people approached the table. A dude, a lady I will call Ms. Manners and the Classy Dame.

Ms. Manners said, “Can we sit at this table?”

I replied, “Yes.”

Classy Dame answered, “You don’t have to ask him if we can sit at this table. This is our table. We were here first. I marked this table. I peed all around it.”

I replied, “How lovely.”

Here are some pictures from Sara from the night.



Amy and I


Sara and I


I am by no stretch of the imagination a fan of Grant Wood, but I am a fan of wooden cutouts that you stick your head through.



Sara and Amy


This particular piece of artwork really stood out to me. This is not a particularly good picture of it, but that is most likely for the best. The artist had made mosaic type pictures out of old magazines. All of the pictures were like the one to the left. A nice picture of people or of flowers or something. But then I came upon this picture. A picture of a catfight that included a depiction of both sets of mammaries and the “V” of one of the combatants. Nicely played artist. Nicely played.



It was certainly a memorable night.

Lousy with People

I spent a good portion of Sunday at Ledges. Unfortunately, the place was packed, but I was able to take some photos.


Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

Lousy with People

While I was sitting on the Lost Lake Trail, a gust of wind blew that baby bird out of a tree and onto the trail. A few minutes later, I was several feet away taking pictures of bullfrogs, when an elderly couple and their dog came walking down that trail.

The dog didn’t even break stride while scooping the baby bird into its mouth. The elderly couple spent quite some time pulling that bird out of their dogs mouth and then removing its remains from the trail with a pair of sticks.