Category Archives: Railroad

Boone Art Center Gallery Nine

It is time to share Gallery Nine of THE BOONE ART CENTER PROJECT. If you have forgotten, THE BOONE ART CENTER PROJECT is me photographing “found art” in or near the confines of Boone. So without further adieu, I present Gallery Eight from THE BOONE ART CENTER PROJECT:


Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Would you believe that I’m caught up on Boone Art Center images? Don’t worry, I’ll keep looking for more Boone Art!

Boone Art Center Gallery Seven

Today is Johnathan’s birthday, so I have to wish him a happy birthday.


June 21
Happy birthday Johnathan!

I hope your birthday is filled with good food!

+++++++

Can you believe I haven’t shared a collection of images from THE BOONE ART CENTER PROJECT since April! It has been too long. If you have forgotten, THE BOONE ART CENTER PROJECT is me photographing “found art” in or near the confines of Boone. So without further adieu, I present Gallery Seven from THE BOONE ART CENTER PROJECT:


Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Boone Art Center

Most of Gallery Seven was taken at McHose Park.

Dubuque County Road Trip – I

The finalists for this year Best Tenderloin were announced yesterday. Here is the press release from the Iowa Pork Producers Association:

The annual competition for the title of Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin has been whittled down from 40 restaurants to just five finalists across the state, showcasing the best of Iowa’s beloved, hand-breaded delicacy!

The top five restaurants still in the running for the coveted title this year, listed alphabetically, are:

Bronson Bar – Bronson
Dairy Sweet – Dunlap
Ruby’s Pub and Grill – Stuart
The Blind Pig – Monticello
The Market at the Tap – Monticello
“There were 532 restaurants nominated for our 22nd annual contest, which goes to show that Iowans love their breaded pork tenderloins,” said Kelsey Sutter, marketing and programs director for IPPA. “Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand that Iowa has no shortage of these hand-breaded favorites.”

To win the “Iowa’s Best Breaded Tenderloin” title, a restaurant must offer the sandwich on their menu year-round. Seasonal eateries, caterers, concession stands, and food trucks are not eligible. While the style of tenderloin can vary, the pork must be hand-breaded or battered to qualify!

This summer, judging commenced for the top 40 restaurants, selected from public nominations. The list featured the five restaurants with the most nominations in each of IPPA’s eight districts, ensuring statewide representation.

IPPA members and industry affiliates visited these locations anonymously, evaluating the tenderloins on pork taste, quality, physical characteristics, and presentation. After reviewing all 40 evaluations, IPPA’s Restaurant and Foodservice Committee chose five finalists to move on to the next round. A panel of three judges was then appointed to visit each finalist and determine the first and second place winners.

The winning restaurant and runner-up will be announced later in October, during a month-long celebration of pork called Porktober, or national pork month. The runner-up will receive $250 and a plaque from IPPA, while the winning restaurant will receive $500, a plaque, a banner, and statewide publicity—which has been known to send pork tenderloin sales hog wild!

Winners from the past five years:

2023 – Cliff’s Place, Manning
2022 — Lid’s Bar & Grill, Waukon
2021 — Victoria Station, Harlan (closed)
2020 — PrairieMoon On Main, Prairieburg
2019 — The Pub at the Pinicon, New Hampton

I haven’t eaten at any of the finalists yet. In fact, I still need to eat at Cliff’s Place and Lid’s Bar & Grill. Pretty sure I’m going to knock off Cliff’s on October 12. Iowa State is on the road and doesn’t play until 7 PM. Plenty of time to get there and back. Interested parties should let me know.

+++++++

Back in March I made a road trip out to Dubuque to do hike around Mines of Spain and then do the Way of the Cross at Saint Donatus. Here are some pictures I took on the road trip:


Trump Sucks

Grundy County Lake

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Mines of Spain

Much more to share from this road trip!

Home of the Blues – Day 2 – Big River Crossing

After getting breakfast on the 2nd day of the Liberty Bowl Road Trip, we hit the road and then hit our feet and did the Big River Crossing. The Big River Crossing is the longest public pedestrian bridge that crosses the Mississippi River. If you are looking for a bit of exercise and some beautiful views, I highly recommend it.

Here are some pictures:


Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2
Haters.

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2
Haters.

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

Liberty Bowl Road Trip - Day 2

But Jesse and I were just getting warmed up. Our next stop was to visit the dumbest or maybe the most brilliant… no the dumbest piece of art I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen a painting by Jackson Pollock), and I loved it!

WPC – WEEK 464 – FLOWER

I forgot to publish the monthly FAQ last Monday, so getting it published this week.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE

What skill level photographer can participate?

THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE is open to photographers of all skill levels. From award winning photographers to professionals to the highly ranked amateurs to those that are just beginning to those who don’t even know how to focus a camera. All skill levels are encouraged and welcome. You can’t be too bad and you can’t be too good! Everyone has room to learn and be challenged!

Award winning photographers? Really?

Yes. I can think of at least 10 photographers that participate regularly that have won a photography award of some kind.

Is this a competition?
NO. It is a challenge. There are no winners and losers. Well the people that don’t participate are losers.

Is there a limit to the number of submissions I can have each week?

Yes. That limit is 2. If you send me more than 2, I will post the first 2 that you send. I’m not trying to harsh your photography buzz, but any more than that starts to overwhelm the other submissions and it takes me about 5 minutes to take a picture from my inbox to code it on the website. So I have to manage my workload.

If you are going to submit more than one picture, I strongly urge you to choose completely different subjects for each submission. If you are submitting multiple pictures of the same subject, make sure that each picture is saying something unique.

If I start to average like 45 participants a week, I will lower the limit to 1.

Can I send you several pictures and have you pick the best one?

No! No! NO! If those words come out of your mouth or your keyboard, I consider that to be a non-submission.

Do you ever question whether somebody’s submission fits the theme?

Meh. Only if I think somebody is clearly confusing this week’s theme with last week or next week’s theme. Otherwise, if the submission makes sense in your head, that is good enough for me. However, I would urge you to not try to fit your favorite subject into the theme every week. This isn’t a challenge to share a picture every week of your kid or your business or your pet. It is a challenge to take pictures of different things every week. Which isn’t to say subjects can’t be repeated, but you shouldn’t become reliant on the same ones.

Why can’t I submit after 11 AM on Mondays if the post doesn’t publish until 12:01 PM?

I go to lunch at 11 AM. I leave my office. I’m not near a computer. At 11 AM I hit “Schedule” and then I go throw food down my throat. 167 hours is more than enough time to send a submission. Okay, 166 hours and 59 minutes. You got me.

Do I have to wait until Monday morning to submit?

Absolutely not! In fact (AND CAN’T EMPATHIZE THIS ENOUGH) I appreciate the submissions that make it to me by Sunday evening. Makes the job of putting this together on Monday morning much easier!

Are there resolution requirements for submissions?

I won’t turn down submissions that are too small. I will probably ask you for a picture of greater resolution if it is really small. The typical 4 x 6 image posted to my website has a resolution of 1280 pixels x 853 pixels. While a 400 x 300 image might look okay on your phone, it looks like trash on a computer monitor. I prefer images that are at least 1000 pixels at their widest point, but don’t ban smaller pictures at this point. But don’t tempt me!

What format should my submission be?

.JPG but .PNG also works.

If I write a description of my image will you include that in your post?

No. Photography is art that should stand on its own. Only exception is the SLICE OF LIFE theme. But if you let me know where the picture was taken, I will include that. In fact, I appreciate you letting me know where a picture was taken. If you don’t let me know, I will assume the picture was taken in the state you live in.

When will you start accepting suggestions for next year’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE themes?

I will take suggestions only and ONLY in the comments sections of the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE posts the last week of October and the 1st week of November.

+++++++

FLOWER! A great theme! But did enough people overcome their debilitating toxic masculinity to make it a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, July 29, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore everything in parentheses):

*1-Mary Green – 1 week (MI, IA, IN, IL, PR)
*2-Deb Powers – 1 week (MT)
3-Jesse Howard – 2 weeks (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN)
4-Willy McAlpine – 3 weeks (IA)
5-Elainie Hernandez – 4 weeks (IA)
6-Monica Jennings – 4 weeks (IA)
7-Deanna McClain – 7 weeks (IA, MN)
8-Suzie Brannen – 12 weeks (IA, MD)
9-Mike Vest – 12 weeks (IA, MO, OK, AR, KS)
10-Alexis Stensland – 14 weeks (IA)
11-Sabas Hernandez – 16 weeks (IA, OH)
12-Adam Gordon – 23 weeks (IA, MS, MO, KS)
13-Lowell Davis – 30 weeks (IA, MO)
14-Michelle Haupt – 30 weeks (IA, MO, KS, LA, MI)
15-Brandon Kahler – 31 weeks (IA, MN)
*16-Scott Degeneffe – 49 weeks (IA, FL, UT, CO, KY, IN, IL, MN, WI)
*17-Sheri Fakhouri – 59 weeks (IA, NE)
18-Logan Kahler – 60 weeks (IA, MN)
*19-Nathanial Brown – 61 weeks (IA, SD, GA, TN, IRL, UK, FL, IL, KS)
20-Tamara Peterson – 72 weeks (IA, MN)
*21-Mindi Terrell – 76 weeks (IA)
*22-Linda Bennett – 105 weeks (KS, IA)
23-Sarah Toot – 106 weeks (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ)
24-Angie DeWaard – 110 weeks (IA, IL)
25-Dawn Krause – 114 weeks (IA, IL)
26-Kim Barker – 120 weeks (IA, CO, LA)
27-Joe Duff – 121 weeks (TX, NY)
*28-Teresa Kahler – 132 weeks (IA, NE)
*29-Carla Stensland – 132 weeks (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO)
30-Micky Augustin – 134 weeks (IA, IL, FL)
31-Andy Sharp – 135 weeks (IA, NE, AR, MS, MO, TN, LA, IL, MN, WI)
32-Bill Wentworth – 136 weeks (NE, MO)
33-Cathie Morton – 140 weeks (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA)
34-Elizabeth Nordeen – 141 weeks (IA, OH)
35-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 143 weeks (IA, CA, NV)
36-Kio Dettman – 145 weeks (IA)

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates or streaks or the rules of the challenge or how to submit. You came to see the submissions and what streaks continued and what streaks flamed out:


WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - TIM PANAGES
Tim Panages (Ames, Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - TIM PANAGES
Tim Panages (Ames, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - JOHNATHAN STENSLAND
Johnathan Stensland (Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - DEB POWERS
Deb Powers (Missoula, Montana) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - DEB POWERS
Deb Powers (Missoula, Montana)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Boone, Iowa) – 3 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Ames, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine (Iowa) – 4 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - ELAINIE HERNANDEZ
Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 5 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - DEANNA MCCLAIN
Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 8 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 13 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest (Iowa) – 13 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 15 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 17 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - ADAM GORDON
Adam Gordon (Iowa) – 24 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - ADAM GORDON
Adam Gordon (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Iowa) – 31 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (Ann Arbor, Michigan) – 31 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 32 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Lake Geneva, Wisconsin) – 50 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 60 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 61 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Iowa) – 62 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Boone, Iowa) – 73 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 77 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 106 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Greensboro, North Carolina) – 107 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Hinterland – Saint Charles, Iowa) – 111 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Boone, Iowa) – 115 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Ames, Iowa) – 121 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Texas) – 122 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Texas)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 133 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 133 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 135 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Iowa) – 136 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 137 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 141 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 142 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Summerset, Iowa) – 144 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 146 weeks

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 464 - FLOWER - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D . Bennett (Harrier Marsh – Boone County, Iowa) – 587 weeks

There were 39 participants this week! That is a pretty great week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Iowa (45)
+ Kansas (2)
+ Michigan (1)
+ Montana (2)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ North Carolina (1)
+ Texas (2)
+ Wisconsin (1)

Thanks to Sarah’s trip to North Carolina, it is added to the Photography 139 submission map for 2024!

Here is the Year 11 list of places where submissions have been taken (submissions taken in each places):

+ Arkansas (19.5)
+ California (3)
+ Colorado (9)
+ Florida (10)
+ Georgia (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Illinois (12)
+ Indiana (4)
+ Iowa (1168 )
+ Kansas (46)
+ Kentucky (1)
+ Louisiana (8)
+ Maryland (1)
+ Michigan (6)
+ Minnesota (12)
+ Mississippi (2.5)
+ Missouri (16.5)
+ Montana (4)
+ Nebraska (39)
+ Nevada (4)
+ New Jersey (1)
+ New York (17)
+ North Carolina (1)
+ Ohio (2)
+ Oklahoma (2)
+ Pennsylvania (23)
+ Puerto Rico (4)
+ South Dakota (4)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (45)
+ Utah (1)
+ Vermont (1)
+ Virginia (1)
+ Wisconsin (4)
+ Wyoming (1)
+ Aruba (1)
+ Bahamas (2)
+ Curacao (1)
+ Ireland (3)
+ North Ireland (1)

34 states so far! 1 U.S. Territory! 5 foreign countries! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple places:

+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS, LA, IL, MN, WI) – 10
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL, UT, CO, IN, KY, IL, MN, WI) – 9
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD, TN, GA, IRL, NIR, FL, IL, KS) – 9
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN) – 7
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL) – 8
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO, NE, IL, IN, LA) – 6
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ, NC) – 6
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA) – 5
+ Carla Stensland (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO) -5
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN, IL, RP) – 5
+ Michelle Haupt (IA, MO, KS, LA, MI) – 5
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO, AR, OK, KS) – 5
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO, KS) – 4
+ Kim Barker (IA, CO, LA) – 3
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley (IA, CA, NV) – 3
+ Becky Parmelee (AR, IA, OK) – 3
+ Sara Lockner (IA, BHS, MN) – 3
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL, FL) – 3
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO) – 2
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN) – 2
+ Teresa Kahler (IA, NE) – 2
+ Sheri Fakhouri (IA, NE) – 2
+ Angie DeWaard (IA, IL) – 2
+ Sabas Hernandez (IA, OH) – 2
+ Suzie Brannen (IA, MD) – 2
+ Elizabeth Nordeen (IA, OH) – 2
+ Linda Bennett (KS, IA) – 2
+ Bill Wentworth (NE, MO) – 2
+ Deanna McClain (IA, MN) – 2
+ Dawn Krause – (IA, IL) – 2
+ Joe Duff (TX, NY) – 2
+ Lowell Davis (IA, MO) – 2

Andy is still clinging to the title of “Most Travelled The Weekly Photo Challenge Photographer”.

There were no major milestones reached this week. Only one streak snapped. Sorry Monica.

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:


WPC - WEEK 464 - PURPLE
PURPLE

PURPLE! What a great theme for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

I look forward to seeing your interpretation!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will see your idea of PURPLE in this place that get lots of inspo from all of the purple shades next Monday.

A Scenic Valley

Now that all those glorious black and white images have been shared, time to start hammering away on pictures I took back in 2023. This collection of pictures I took of or near the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad back in October.


Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Boone &  Scenic Valley Railroad

Sometimes you have to go far from your home to take exotic and interesting photos. But sometimes you have to remind yourself that near where you live are things that are interesting and exotic to the rest of the world. I try to remind myself of that more and more often.

Will Make You Miss My Wretched Heart

This collection of glorious BLACK & WHITE images i took on July 6. I had a fairly lazy Saturday. I took a mini-road trip over to Jefferson for some A&W and had Jay, Willy, Monica, and Graham over for watermelon. But that was about all I did all day.


Bokeh - Black & White

Bokeh - Black & White

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black and White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate
This was Shorty & Doris’ farm.

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Black & White Alternate

Only 1 day of alternate glorious BLACK & WHITE images left to share, but it might take several days to share them all. We’ll see.

Post 5,250

Can you believe that this is the 5,250th entry in the blog known as “An Artist’s Notebook”? Every 250 posts or so I like to take a moment to reflect on where this post has been and post a lot of meaningless stats.

As always on these posts, I like to start by quoting the very first “An Artist’s Notebook” entry that published on August 9, 2006. That first post that published 6,296 days.

That post that started with these words:

So here is the first journal entry. I felt like having as pretentious sounding name as possible for my journal. I have a few goals about this journal. My main goal is just to actually write in it. My second goal is to be as truthful as possible towards my true thoughts and feelings. I have another journal on another website, but it is really just a collection of sarcastic statements and cheap jabs at open faced sandwiches. This journal is meant to be about what my achievements and failures are in the world of art. What projects I am working on and what I have accomplished and what I have failed to accomplish. What I am photographing and what I am thinking about entering in photo contests. What I am thinking about. It might not always make sense. It might just be things I need to write down because they strike me as poignant or inspirational. This is in a small way an online “idea box”.

Since those words, I have posted 5,250 journal entries. This website is still something of an “idea box”. Sometimes I’m just working stuff out here. I don’t know why, sometimes I need to work stuff out in public. But this website is definitely more than just an “idea box”. It is a place where I post a few thoughts and a ton of pictures. I’ve gone through a few photo projects on these pages. From THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT to the 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT to THE SELFIE PROJECT to the POSTCARD RECREATION PROJECT to name just a few. This website has also created a community with THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Which is one of my proudest achievements. Even if it sputtered and spit and barely survived in its first few years.

On these reflective posts, I like to publish a bunch of statistics that me and Joe Duff find interesting. So I might as well get to it.

Every post in “An Artist’s Notebook” is tagged with at least one Category. It is one of the easiest ways to navigate around the website. They are listed at the top of each post. Here are some statistics about Categories:

THE TOP 10 MOST USED CATEGORIES (RANK IN POST #5005 & INCREASE SINCE BEGINING OF 2024)

10. Carla – 632 (#10 – 39)
9. Formal Portrait – 655 (#6 – 6)
8. Teresa – 657 – (#9 – 49)
7. Road Trip – 657 (#8 – 32)
6. Macro – 662 (#7 – 26)
5. Jesse – 754 (#5 – 54)
4. Animals – 833 (#3 – 34)
3. Art – 842 – (#4 – 75)
2. Flowers – 1,010 (#2 – 40)
1. Black & White – 1,221 (#1 – 27)

No categories dropped from the Top 10. The categories with the best shot at cracking the Top 10 in the next 250 posts are Shannon, Nature, WPC-Submissions, Candid Portrait, & Still Life.

THE TOP 10 NON-HUMAN CATEGORIES
10. Candid Portrait – 504 (#9 – 16)
9. WPC-Submissions – 563 (NR – 27)
8. Nature – 568 (#8 – 26)
7. Formal Portrait – 655 (#5 – 6)
6. Road Trip – 657 (#7 – 32)
5. Macro – 662 (#9 – 26)
4. Animals – 833 (#3 – 34)
3. Art – 842 – (#4 – 75)
2. Flowers – 1,010 (#2 – 40)
1. Black & White – 1,221 (#1 – 27)

Photoshop dropped out of the Top 10.

The categories with the best shot of cracking the Top 10 in the next 250 posts are Still Life, Photoshop, Naima, History, and Self-portrait.

THE TOP 10 HUMAN CATEGORIES

10. Willy – 379 (NR – 27)
9. Vest – 388 (#10 – 29)
8. Micky – 399 (#8 – 29)
7. Logan – 428 (#7 – 37)
6. Kim – 441 (#6 – 35)
5. Mom – 473 (#5)
4. Shannon – 615 (#4 – 30)
3. Carla – 632 (#3 – 39)
2. Teresa – 657 (#2 – 49)
1. Jesse – 754 (#1 – 54)

Jay dropped out of he Top 10. The categories that have the best chance of breaking into the Top 10 in the next 250 posts are Andy, Jay, Jen, Sara, and Derrick.

If you have spent any time on the Photography 139 website, you know that on the left sidebar, the “Top 100 Categories” are listed. I thought I would give a little bit of coverage to the Bottom 10 of the Top 100. There are currently 208 categories used on the website. I could cover the Bottom 10, but no real reason. Some of those categories probably need to be purged. I do like to cover the Top 10 of the Bottom 100 though.

THE BOTTOME 10 OF THE TOP 100

10. Nathanial – 82 (+29)
9. Layla – 84 (+8)
8. Commercial – 84 (0)
7. House – 91 (+1)
6. Writing – 92 (0)
5. Becca – 92 (+2)
4. Pastor Sarah – 93 (+2)
3. Pufferbilly Days – 95 (+4)
2. Tenderloining – 96 (+25)
1. Faust – 96 (+4)

The following categories have either fallen out of the Bottom 10 of the Top 100 or climbed out of it:
Andree, Flat Earth Joe, Self-Portrait Project, and Sabas

The following categories have the best shot at dropping back into the Bottom 10 of the Top 10:
Russell, Nate, Jill, Blogging, Sabas, and Lowell.

The following categories have the best shot at climbing up into the Bottom 10 of the Top 10:
Andree, Photo Journal, Self-Portrait Project, Flat Earth Joe, and Mary.

I’m now starting to track what categories have had the greatest gain. These are the ones that have the greatest gain since the beginning of 2024.

THE TOP 10 CATEGORIES BY GAIN

10. Kim – 35
10. Andy – 35
10. Michelle – 35
8. Logan – 37
8. Elizabeth – 37
7. Carla – 39
6. Flowers – 40
5. Teresa – 49
4. Jesse – 54
2. Still Life – 72
2. Street Photography – 72
1. Art – 75

THE TOP 10 NON-HUMAN CATEGORIES BY GAIN

9. Nature -26
9. Nature – 26
7. Black & White – 27
7. WPC – Submissions – 27
6. Road Trip – 32
5. Animals – 34
4. Flowers – 40
2. Still Life – 72
2. Street Photography – 72
1. Art – 75

THE TOP 10 HUMAN CATEGORIES BY GAIN

9. Scottie. D. – 33
9. Linda – 33
9. Sabas – 33
6. Kim – 35
6. Andy – 35
6. Michelle – 35
4. Logan – 37
4. Elizabeth – 37
3. Carla – 39
2. Teresa – 49
1. Jesse – 54

If you are wondering what is your best way to improve your Photography 139 Score and crack the Top 10, it is simply to be active in THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE or go on trips with me or participate in various other photo projects or be related to me. Now these aren’t necessarily the 10 people that have influenced my photography the most, but these are the 10 people that have made the largest imprint on this website.

I can tell you the people that have influenced my photography the most, but that is a tale for another time. But I’m pretty sure you can guess who.

TOP 10 PHOTOGRAPHY 139 PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERIES (LAST 365 DAYS)

To View the Gallery, Click on its Representative Image

Naima at Dickcissel Park
10. Naima – 72,941 views

Rodan139: Des Moines River Valley
9. Drone – 73,421 views

9 Emotions Project - Anders Runestad
8. 9 Emotions Project – 98,062 views

WEEK 32 - COUNTRY - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
7. Weekly Photo Challenge Year 3 – 124,533 views

Bonaparte, Iowa
6. Town Sign Project – 127,555 views

Tenderloin Trail 2.0: The Feed Mill Restaurant
5. Tenderloining – 134,777 views

Jackson County - Saint Donatus
4. Town Sign Project Auxiliary Images – 172,671 views

WPC - WEEK 449 - TIME - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
3. Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 11 – 192,976 views


2. Instagram – 212,131 views

WEEK 388 - FRAME - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
1. Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 11 – 289,984 views

Galleries that fell out of the Top 10 are:
Las Vegas 2023, Weekly Photo Challenge Year 9, Selfie Project – 2022,

Galleries that fell just outside of the Top 10 are:
Life, 365 Day Photo Project -2013, Memphis – 2023, New Orleans – 2024, Phot Journal Rejects.

But what are the most popular single images of the last 365 days? Don’t worry, I’m gonna feed you baby birds.

Top 10 Photography 139 Images

Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest - 2023
10. 2,475 views

RedzBand - 05-30-2008
9. 2,508 views

Watermelon Day - 2023
8. 2,812 views


7. 3,774 views


6. 3,875 views

Color the Wind - 2023
5. 3,999 views

Ben Baier - 2024
4. 4,020 views

Boone County Fair Barbecue Contest - 2023
3. 4,305 views

Kentucky Road Trip - 2013
2. 4,816 views


1. 20,050 views

If you are interested in checking out some of the milestone posts of the past, I got you. Click on any of the links below to check them out:

Post 1
Post 750
Post 850
Post 1,000
Post 1,101
Post 1,200
Post 1,447
Post 1,718
Post 2,500
Post 3,000
Post 3,252
Post 3,751
Post 4,000
Post 4,250
Post 4,500
Post 4,757
Post 5,005

I think that is enough. We will check back in, in another 250 posts.