Category Archives: Still Life

Happy Halloween – Late

Because last week was so messed up, I didn’t get my planned Halloween post put together, so here it goes.

I hope everybody had a good Halloween. I had 51 trick-or-treaters, which was less than last year, but about average.

Now time for my annual Halloween Candy Bar Power Rankings

CANDY BAR POWER RANKINGS


10. PayDay
9. Snickers Almond
8. Skor
7. Pretzel M & M’s
6. Twix Caramel
5. Snickers
4. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup
3. Peanut M & M’s
2. Take 5
1. Whatchamacallit

Please respect my decision. There will be no interviews at this time.

About a week or so before Halloween I made a trip to the Reiman Gardens annual Jack O’Lantern thing with the Gorshes.

Here are some pictures of my favorite pumpkins.


Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

Garden Spirits - 2023

It was a great event! I definitely go back.

WPC – WEEK 425 – SIGNS

NOTE: – THIS IS ONE OF TWO POSTS WHERE YOU CAN SUBMIT SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR’S THEMES. THE LAST MONDAY IN OCTOBER AND THE 1ST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER ARE WHEN SUGGESTIONS CAN BE MADE. THOSE SUGGESTIONS HAVE TO BE MADE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THOSE POSTS. NOT VIA EMAIL, TEXT MESSAGE, TEAMS, PHONE CONVERSATION, SNAPCHAT. ONLY IN THE COMMENTS SECTIONS OF THOSE 2 POSTS.

THANKS TO ANDY AND JOE WHO MADE SEVERAL STRONG SUGGESTIONS IN LAST MONDAY’S (ACTUALLY TUESDAY’S) COMMENTS SECTION!

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Thank you to everybody that has helped me with Naima’s passing either through helping with her remains to bringing me food to offering to talk or offering to attend a service or to just having kind words or to posting your own pictures of Naima. It all has been helpful.

I had Naima’s remains cremated and I’m not 100% sure what I’m going to do with the ashes yet. But I’ll figure that out in due course.

Below is sort of the THE 9 EMOTIONS PROJECT image I made of Naima for one of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE themes in Year 7.


WEEK 243 - EMOTIONS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

Don’t think this will be the last time I share a story about Naima, but I do want to share a story about when I told my 85 year-old neighbor Stan about Naima passing. She was in many ways also his dog. Back when he and his wife were in better health, they would make special trips to Ames to buy Naima treats.

Stan had a dog well before I moved in and he has never really got over that dog’s passing. He has told me before and he told me that again.

He told me that he will miss her. That she was the best dog that loved everybody and didn’t have a mean bone in her body. Of course all of that is true.

Because he doesn’t move very well any more, he kept dog treats for her on his window ledge so if he saw her out he didn’t have to go inside to get her treats.

Stan’s wife has dementia and I’ve had the same conversation with her about Naima in the past couple of years at least 50 times. She always would say that Naima is the most beautiful dog she’s ever seen. She is the most beautiful color. She wished all dogs were that color.

Stan was the first person to ask me if I was getting another dog. Which I suppose I will. I guess it isn’t a shocker that Stan was the first person to ask. Naima was his dog as well and he will miss not having a dog too.

I told him I thought I would, but it wouldn’t be anytime soon. There was a 5 year gap between Karma and Naima. There were a lot of reasons for that gap. Most of those reasons aren’t around any more.

He told me okay, he would get rid of Naima’s treats cause he didn’t think they would still be good by the time I got another dog. I told him that was okay. Maybe early next year would be the right time.

The conversation did check off another box of closure for me. A bigger box than you would probably expect.

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SIGNS! They are everywhere if you open your eyes! But did many people find SIGNS to photography to make SIGNS a popular theme? You’ll have to keep scrolling to find out!

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

1-Amy Peterson – 1 week
2-Mary Green – 3 weeks
3-Alexis Stensland – 3 weeks
4-Scott Degeneffe – 10 weeks
5-Sabas Hernandez – 11 weeks
6-Willy McAlpine – 11 weeks
7-Mike Vest – 17 weeks
8-Sheri Fakhouri – 20 weeks (2)
9-Logan Kahler – 21 weeks
10-Nathanial Brown – 22 weeks
11-Jesse Howard – 22 weeks
12-Tamara Peterson – 25 weeks
13-Mindi Terrell – 37 weeks (2)
14-Brandon Kahler – 61 weeks
15-Linda Bennett – 66 weeks (2)
16-Sarah Toot – 67 weeks
17-Angie DeWaard – 71 weeks
18-Dawn Krause – 75 weeks
19-Kim Barker – 81 weeks
20-Joe Duff – 82 weeks
21-Teresa Kahler – 93 weeks
22-Carla Stensland – 93 weeks
23-Micky Augustin – 95 weeks
24-Andy Sharp – 96 weeks
25-Bill Wentworth – 97 weeks
26-Cathie Morton – 101 weeks
27-Elizabeth Nordeen – 102 weeks
28-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 104 weeks
29-Kio Dettman – 106 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:


WEEK 425 - SIGNS - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 1 week

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Iowa)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - Elainie Hernandez
Elainie Hernandez (Iowa) – 1 week

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Iowa)- 1 week

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee (Arkansas) – 1 week

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - JULIE SHARP
Julie Sharp (Whatcha’ Smokin’ – Luther, Iowa)- 1 week

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa) – 4 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 4 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Kansas City, Missouri) – 11 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Kansas City, Missouri)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 12 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine (Spain) – 12 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - WILLY MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine (Spain)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest (Iowa) – 19 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa) – 21 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 22 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Lake City, Iowa) – 23 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Boone, Iowa)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Jack Trice Stadium – Ames, Iowa) – 23 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 26 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Iowa)- 38 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 62 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Poconos, Pennsylvania) – 67 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (New York City, New York)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 68 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa) – 72 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Ames, Iowa) – 76 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Iowa)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Iowa) – 82 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS -
Joe Duff (Museum of Fine Arts – Houston, Texas) – 83 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Webster City, Iowa) – 94 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Iowa)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Ames, Iowa) – 94 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Iowa) – 96 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 97 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Iowa)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 98 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Anaheim, California) – 102 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 103 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Iowa) – 105 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 107 weeks

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

WEEK 425 - SIGNS - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett (Webster City, Iowa) – 529 weeks

35 participants! That is a great week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Iowa
+ Missouri
+ Nebraska
+ New York
+ Pennsylvania
+ Spain
+ Texas

Here is the current calendar year list for states:

+ Arizona
+ Arkansas
+ California
+ Colorado
+ Florida
+ Georgia
+ Hawaii
+ Idaho
+ Illinois
+ Iowa
+ Kansas
+ Kentucky
+ Louisiana
+ Maryland
+ Michigan
+ Minnesota
+ Mississippi
+ Missouri
+ Montana
+ Nebraska
+ New Hampshire
+ New Jersey
+ New Mexico
+ New York
+ Nevada
+ North Carolina
+ North Dakota
+ Ohio
+ Oklahoma
+ Oregon
+ Pennsylvania
+ South Carolina
+ South Dakota
+ Tennessee
+ Texas
+ Utah
+ Vermont
+ Washington
+ Washington D.C.
+ Wisconsin
+ Wyoming

40 states and 1 district! That is pretty impressive! Over 75% of the way there! Every continental state west of the Mississippi is now accounted for.

The Outside of the United States map is currently:

+ Alto del Perdon – Spain
+ British Virgin Islands
+ Mexico (General)
+ Isla Mujeres, Mexico
+ Riviera Maya, Mexico
+ Nassau Bahamas
+ Ontario, Canada
+ Vallunareju Norte – Peru
+ Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
+ Puenta de la Reina, Spain
+ St. John pied de port, France
+ Vienna, Austria
+ Munich, Germany
+ Rome, Italy
+ Cannes, France
+ Koper, Slovenia

The major milestone reached this week was Tamara hitting the Half Year Streak Club! WooHoo!

But it wasn’t all good news. Amy couldn’t build on her submission from last week.

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:


WEEK 426 - FOOD
FOOD – SUGGESTED BY ANDY SHARP

FULL DISCLOSURE: Andy didn’t exactly suggest FOOD. He suggested like 10 different versions of FOOD and I just combined them all into FOOD.

FOOD! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a FOOD image? Simply enough, it is a picture of FOOD. Or a picture of a place that serves FOOD. Or a picture of something that is involved in the preparation of FOOD. You won’t be judge on the quality of FOOD you photograph. Or judged at all for that matter.

While considering possible FOOD to photograph, meditate on the following quote and I have no doubt you will create a fascinating image!

Part of the secret of success is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.
-Mark Twain

I look forward to seeing your interpretation.

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. There is a limit of 3 submissions per participant. To be considered the photographer, you have to be the one that takes the picture. Don’t be stealing the work of other artists. You can submit pictures for other photographers that took pictures with your camera or phone, but give credit where credit is due.

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

That is it. Thems the rules!

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 FOOD in this place that definitely eats next Monday.

Post 5,005

I need to start this milestone post by wishing Elainie a happy birthday!


Day 57 - February 26, 2022
Happy birthday Elainie!

I hope your birthday is amazing!!

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Today is also Layla’s birthday!


Day 278 - October 5, 2021
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAYLA!

I hope you have an awesome birthday!

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Can you believe that this is the 5,005th 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. I meant to post this post on Sunday night when it would have been Post #5,000, but you know how my week went. Not great.

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 5,005 journal entries. (Normally I would do this little exercise on post #4,750, but I was in Vegas at that time.) 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.

5,005 posts. I can’t even measure the elevation changes my life have taken since then. Major ups. Major downs. Peaks and valleys. 5,005 posts and I vow to keep on chugging along.

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 #4757 & INCREASE SINCE THEN)
10. Carla – 582 (#8 – +52)
9. Teresa – 590 (#9 – +65)
8. Road Trip – 611 (#6 – +42)
7. Macro – 627 (#10 – +132)
6. Formal Portrait – 638 (NR)
5. Jesse – 684 (#4 – +54)
4. Art – 744 (#5 – +122)
3. Animals – 790 (#3 – +65)
2. Flowers – 958 (#2 – +77)
1. Black & White – 1,212 (#1 – +220)

Dropping from the from the Top 10 was Shannon, a category that was #7 in Post #4757.

The 5 categories that have the best shot at making the Top 10 in Post #5,250 are Shannon, Nature, WPC-Submissions, and Candid Portrait.

It should be noted that some of these increases are caused by my working on the categories on some older posts.

THE TOP 10 NON-HUMAN CATEGORIES
10. Photoshop – 432 (#10 – +43)
9. Candid Portrait – 475 (NR)
8. Nature – 538 (+101 – #8)
7. Road Trip – 611 (#5 – +42)
6. Macro – 627 (#6 – +132)
5. Formal Portrait – 638 (#8 – +191)
4. Art – 744 (#5 – +122)
3. Animals – 790 (#3 – +65)
2. Flowers – 958 (#2 – +77)
1. Black & White – 1,212 (#1 – +220)

WPC-Submission fell out of the Top 10. It was ranked #7 in Post #4757.

The categories that are just right outside of the Top 10 are Still Life, Naima, History, and Self-Portrait and Christianity.

THE TOP 10 HUMAN CATEGORIES
10. Vest – 350 (NR)
9. Jay – 353 (#6 – +5)
8. Micky – 359 (NR)
7. Logan – 380 (#9 – +61)
6. Kim – 395 (#7 – +53)
5. Mom – 464 (#5 – +6)
4. Shannon – 576 (#2 – +37)
3. Carla – 582 (#3 – +52)
2. Teresa – 590 (#4 – +65)
1. Jesse – 684 (#1 – +54)

Dropping from the rankings was Willy and Derrick.

The categories that have the best shot at cracking the next Top 10 are Willy, Derrick, Jen, Andy, and Sara.

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.

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 203 categories used on the website. I could cover the Bottom 10, but they are mostly people that either very recently came into the life of this website by birth (Jonah Kahler) or another way (Nathanial, Mindi, Fran). Or people that I thought would be a bigger part of my life and then weren’t. No need to cover those people. The Category that is #203 probably needs to be purged.


THE BOTTOM 10 OF THE TOP 100

#10. Andree – 77
#10. Flat Earth Joe – 77
#10. Self-Portrait Project – 77
#9. Photo Journal – 79
#8. Commercial – 83
#7. Sabas – 84
#6. Becca – 89
#3. Pufferbilly Days – 91
#3. Pastor Sarah – 91
#3. House – 91
#1. Faust – 92
#1. Writing – 92

The following categories have either fallen out of the Bottom 10 of the Top 100 or climbed out of it:
Kelly, Lowell, and Suzie.

The following categories have the best shot at dropping back into the Bottom 10 of the Top 10:
Sarah Toot, Lowell, Suzie, Russell, and Nate

The following categories have the best shot at climbing up into the Bottom 10 of the Top 10:
Layla, Kelly, Vacation, Saydie, and Kalista

“An Artist’s Notebook” is part of Photography 139. The 139 comes from Psalm 139:1-12. The Photography part comes from the fact this website is supposed to be filled with photography. So, what are the most popular photo galleries on the Photography 139 website? Glad you asked:

TOP 10 PHOTOGRAPHY 139 PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERIES (LAST 365 DAYS)

To View the Gallery, Click on its Representative Image

Now I don't want your sympathy
10. Naima – 64,796 views

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn
9. Tenderloining – 75,558 views

9 Emotions Project - Elainie
8. 9 Emotions Project – 81,405 views

Day 267 - September 24, 2022
7. Selfie-Project – 2022 – 88,632 views

Rodan139: Water Works Park
6. Drone – 99,708 views

WEEK 364 - COLORFUL - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
5. Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 9 – 108,852 views

Anita, Iowa
4. Town Sign Project – 118,563 views

Las Vegas, Nevada
3. Las Vegas 2023 – 169,257 views

Plymouth County - Le Mars
2. Town Sign Project Auxiliary Images – 219,546 views

WEEK 414 - ART - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
1. Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 10 – 323,781 views

Galleries that fell out of the Top 10 are:
Christopher D. Bennett, Miami Beach, Jayton Poole, and Alexis Pregnancy Photo Shoot – 2020

Galleries that fell just outside of the Top 10 are:
Sleeping Angels – 2023, Weekly Photo Challenge – Year 6, Photo Journal Rejects, Iowa State Cyclones Football – 2008, and Christopher D. Bennett.

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

Sleeping Angels Fun Run - 2023
10. Sleeping Angels Fun Run – 2,772 views

Maven's Birthday Party - 2022
9. Maven’s Birthday Party – 2022 – 2,820 views

Community Thanksgiving - 2022
8. Boone FUMC Thanksgiving – 2022 – 3,073 views

Color the Wind - 2023
7. Color the Wind – 2023 – 3,149 views

Celtic Dancing - Renaissance Fair - 2022
6. Renaissance Fair – 2022 – 3,302 views

Fran & Pepper - 2022
5. Fran and Pepper – 3,687 views

World Food Festival - 2022
4. World Food Festival – 2022 – 3,754 views

Howards - 2022
3. Howards – 2022 – 3,976 views

Boone County Fair Barbecue Contest - 2023
2. 2023 Barbecue Contests – 4,168 views

2023 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship Game
1. Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship – 18,045 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

I think that is enough. We will check back in, in another 245 posts.

Davis County Aux. – Vol. 2

We begin this collection of auxiliary images I took on my trip to Davis County with Teresa to harvest the town signs of Davis County where the last collection left off. In the beautiful town square of Bloomfield. This collection will also include pictures from the Dutch Country General Store. Which if you are ever remotely in the area, I highly recommend visiting.


Davis County - Bloomfield
Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

There are still quite a few more pictures from this trip left to share.

Breakfast Burrito Life: Eagan Field Work

Back in August I breakfasted at the Mason Jar in Eagan, Minnesota with Jesse, Bethany, and Nora. It was a weird experience as the Mason Jay has bizarre rules about coloring on their patio, but we made do.

Here are some pictures from the experience:


Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

Breakfast Burrito Life: Mason Jar

At the end of the day, I would eat there again. The food was pretty good. It was just the service that was a little suspect. Not bad, just suspect.

The next food adventure will involve the Tenderloin Trail 2.0.

Davis County Aux. – Vol. 1

Time to start sharing the final collection of auxiliary images from THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT. The final county I harvested town signs from was Davis County. Teresa went on the final THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT road trip. There are only 4 incorporated towns in Davis County, so there were stops in other counties. Including the first stop in Pella for the Jaarsma Bakery:


Marion County - Pella
Pella

Marion County - Pella

Marion County - Pella

Marion County - Pella

Marion County - Pella

Marion County - Pella

Marion County - Pella

Marion County - Pella

Marion County - Pella

Wapello County
Near Chillicothe

Wapello County

Wapello County

Wapello County - Ottumwa
Ottumwa

Wapello County - Ottumwa

Wapello County - Ottumwa

Wapello County - Ottumwa

Wapello County - Ottumwa

Davis County - Floris
Floris

Davis County - Floris

Davis County - Floris

Davis County - Floris

Davis County - Floris

Davis County - Floris

Davis County - Drakesville
Drakesville

Davis County - Drakesville

Davis County - Drakesville

Davis County - Drakesville

Davis County - Drakesville

Davis County - Drakesville

Davis County - Drakesville

Davis County - Bloomfield
Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

Davis County - Bloomfield

There are plenty more pictures left to share from this road trip. Including two sweet general stores!

150-600

Today is the birthday of the Miller Triplets. So I must wish them happy birthday!


Baby Tri-Force 1st Birthday Party
Happy birthday Doris, Jimmy, and Billy!

This picture was taken at their 1st birthday party in 2019 so that makes them… 5! They are 5 years old?!? How did this happen!

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Back in February I purchased a new lens. It was a Sigma 150-600mm DG DN OS Sports Lens. At one point, I was going to write a long post on it with a collection of the first images I took with it. But here it is. Halfway through October and the lens is old news now, so real need to go into too much details about the specifications of the lens. But I still want to share some of the first images I took with it. I went down to the Kate Shelley High Bridge and went to Lake LaVerne and took a few pictures of Logan.

Here are those pictures:


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On the day I went to Lake LaVerne I also hit up the Ames Library. I took pictures there for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme BOOKS. I didn’t use any of those images. Here is a collection of those:


Ames Public Library

Ames Public Library

Ames Public Library

Ames Public Library

Ames Public Library

Ames Public Library

Ames Public Library

I do love that lens. It is kind of a limited purpose lens, but I should find more of those limited purpose opportunities.

Orange City Tulip Festival II

I’m currently out of drone pictures, so thought I would move up the next post on the Orange City Tulip Festival a couple of days early.

We start this collection off where the collection ended. We had just got our poffertjes and had sat down to eat the deliciousness!


Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023
These buckets of water are throughout the parade route. Little kids clean the road before the Orange Festival Royalty walk through. I hope to get pictures of that next year.

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023
Fried Almond Patties are a game changer!

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023
The world needs more conveyor belts.

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Orange City Tulip Festival - 2023

Still a couple more collections of images from this trip left to share!

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 – Bradford Field Work

A few months back, Teresa and I went to the Stanhope Watermelon Day. After watching the parade we left for a bit to get lunch in Bradford at The Stumble Inn. The Stumble Inn in on the Tenderloin Trail 2.0. It was the Runner-Up for Iowa’s Best Pork Tenderloin in 2019.

Here are some pictures from the meal:


Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn
The Crispy Pig is their tenderloin.

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn
Teresa’s Grilled Tenderloin

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

Tenderloin Trail 2.0 - Stumble Inn

The short answer is, this was an excellent tenderloin! One of my favorites I’ve ever had. Good breading. Good thickness. Toasted bun. They served Pepsi. The onion rings were phenomenal.

On a scale, of would I go avoid this place to would I pursue it, I would definitely pursue this tenderloin!

In fact, one of the few reasons I haven’t had this tenderloin again is because there are so many other tenderloins out there that I need to try. Including at least a few more from Tenderloin Trail 2.0 to this years finalists for Best Tenderloin to the 2022 Best Tenderloin Winner. But I will have this tenderloin again someday!

Also, the meal comes with a complimentary homemade mint, which was also delicious.

Next Sunday’s food adventure will involve a food truck at the Boone County Fair.