Category Archives: Christianity

Animals, Art, Black & White, Christianity, Photoshop, Road Trip, Ruins

Appanoose County Aux – Vol. 3

October 12, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

This is the third and final collection of auxiliary images I took while harvesting the town signs of Appanoose County.

Here is the final collection:

Centerville

Little Flock Chapel

Mystic

Rathbun

Lake Rathbun – Some of these future edits are kinda sarcastic edits. Photoshop editing jokes, everybody gets those, right?

Jester Park – Polk County

The next time I share the auxiliary images from a THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT harvesting road trip, we will visit Keokuk County. Which mean, I probably should start thinking about sharing the Renaissance Fair pictures I took on that day. Wow. That was over 5 months ago!

Art, Christianity, History, Road Trip, Ruins

Appanoose County Aux – Vol. 2

October 8, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Time for another collection of auxiliary pictures from my trip to Appanoose County to harvest their town signs. If your relationship to this website is exclusively through the email subscription service, you probably missed the first collection because the delivery search had a glitch on that day and didn’t deliver the emails that day. Which is sad, cause you missed some sweet outhouse pictures.

However… if you click on the link below, you can go back and still check out those sweet outhouse pictures:

Appanoose County Aux – Vol. 2

Here is the second collection of auxiliary images from Appanoose County:

Moulton

Exline

Cincinnati

Numa

Centerville

Centerville claims to have the World’s Largest Town Square.

I really loved Centerville. It is definitely a town I would like to visit again. Spend more time there. And photograph more. And Pancake Day is definitely on my list of things I want to hit in the future!

There is still one more collection of pictures from this road trip to share!

Art, Automobiles, Baseball/Softball, Black & White, Christianity, History, Railroad, Road Trip, Ruins

Appanoose County Aux – Vol. 1

September 28, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

A few months back I cruised around Appanoose County harvesting their town signs. Found quite a few other things to photograph while I was there. Including, in this collection, a few outhouse pictures. I find the outhouse pictures to be poignant, moving, and funny. But some people might find them disagreeable. But they are not gross. All that being said, you have been warned.

Lovillia

Moravia

I’ve also read that this is a myth. More research might be needed.

There are 100 official Freedom Rocks, but there are a few not quite Freedom Rocks out there too.

Udell – This bank still has better hours and customer service than my bank.

Unionville

Heart shaped!

The picture of the Buxton sign is located in Monroe County. Buxton is a fascinating bit of Iowa history. I meant to visit the Buxton ruins once, but I just didn’t trust the road. Some day soon though.

Andy, Angie, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Christianity, Dawn, Elizabeth, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Monica, Sabas, Sara, Sarah Toot, Shannon, Still Life, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 367 – SIGNS

September 26, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

It is our monthly time to look at the WPC FAQ:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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

The short answer is, “no”. Some people think that there is a limit of one submission per person because I only present one submission a week, personally. I have the other 6 days to post my photography. So one is more than enough image from me.

However, the longer answer is, 3 would be a good guide to limit yourself to submit. It isn’t a rule, but much over 3 begins to start to overwhelm the submissions of the others in the community. Also, if you are submitting multiple submissions, think about your submissions. Are they unique? Are they of wholly different subjects? Is each submission saying something unique?

The long answer is, there isn’t a limit, but 3 is a good rule of thumb. If I start to average about 30 participants a week, I will consider putting a limit of 1 per participant, to help manage my workload, but we are a long ways from averaging 30 participants a week.

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 to me. However, I would urge you to not try to fit your favorite subject into the theme. 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.

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 largest point, but don’t ban smaller pictures at this point.

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.

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

I will accept those the last Monday of October and the first Monday of November. I only accept suggestions in the “Comments” section of the journal entries on those days. Don’t text me or email me them or call me or Snapchat me. Put them in the Comments section of the journal entries on those days. I have my reasons.

+++++++

Was SIGNS a popular theme? You’ll have to scroll down to find out.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, September 19, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

+ Suzie Brannen – 4 weeks
+ Jesse Howard – 5 weeks
+ Brandon Kahler – 5 weeks
+ Linda Bennett – 8 weeks
+ Sarah Toot – 9 weeks
+ Sabas Hernandez – 11 weeks
+ Monica Jennings – 11 weeks
+ Angie DeWaard – 13 weeks
+ Mary Green – 13 weeks (2)
+ Dawn Krause – 17 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 23 weeks
+ Joe Duff – 25 weeks
+ Logan Kahler – 26 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 35 weeks (3)
+ Tamara Peterson – 35 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 35 weeks (3)
+ Michelle Haupt – 36 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 37 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 38 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 39 weeks
+ Cathie Morton – 43 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 44 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 46 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 49 weeks (4)

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:

Carla Stensland – 36 weeks

Carla Stensland

Linda Bennett – 9 weeks

Linda Bennett

Mary Green – 14 weeks

Mary Green

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 47 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 40 weeks

Tamara Peterson – 36 weeks

Joe Duff – 26 weeks

Angie DeWaard – 14 weeks

Kim Barker – 24 weeks

Dawn Krause – 18 weeks

Dawn Krause

Elizabeth Nordeen – 45 weeks

Micky Augustin – 38 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett

Kio Dettman – 50 weeks

Kio Dettman

Michelle Haupt – 37 weeks

Teresa Kahler – 36 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Andy Sharp – 39 weeks

Sabas Hernandez – 12 weeks

Jesse Howard – 6 weeks

Jesse Howard

Suzie Brannen – 5 weeks

Willy McAlpine – 1 week

Monica Jennings – 12 weeks

Sara Lockner – 1 week

Brandon Kahler – 6 weeks

Cathie Morton – 44 weeks

Sarah Toot – 10 weeks

Logan Kahler – 27 weeks

Logan Kahler

27 participants this week! That is a good week!

Recently I’ve become curious where pictures were taken that have been submitted and decided to put together a little map of what states submissions have been taken from. It might not be 100% accurate, but I think it is pretty darn accurate. It doesn’t include submissions from foreign countries like France and Spain and Mexico, off the top of my head. That would be another project. Here is that map:

Obviously a heavy cluster around the midwest. But in a way, it does stretch from coast to coast. If you look closely, even D.C. is represented.

This week, I believe the states of Iowa, Alaska, California, Texas, Kansas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania are represented.

My picture was taken about 55 miles east of my front door, as the crow flies. Down US-30.

You might notice that Monica’s streak is back and magically intact. Maybe. I have no comment on the matter at this time.

There were not streaks broken, but there were a few milestones reached. Sarah reached double digits on her streak. Joe reached the Half-a-Year Club with his streak! Congratulations to you both!

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:

RUINS

RUINS! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a RUINS photo? It is simply a picture of something that has been abandoned, forgotten. Something that is rusting. Dilapidated. No longer being properly maintained. Or improperly maintained. This is one of my Top 5 favorite themes! It can be an old building. An old car. Just for examples. But there are a lot of things out there that have been abandoned. Forgotten. That are wasting away. Waiting for you to immortalize them through the art of photography.

While considering what you want to immortalize, meditate on the following quote:

Ruin is when man-made has become a part of nature.
-Marco Casagrande

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.

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

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 RUINS in this place that will someday become a part of nature next Monday.

Art, Black & White, Christianity, History, Nature, Road Trip, Ruins, Self-Portrait

Mitchell and Floyd Aux – Vol. 3

September 21, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Time for another collection of images from my road trip to Mitchell and Floyd County back in April. This is the final collection of images from this road trip. A few counties are covered in this collection. Mitchell. Floyd. Franklin. Hamilton. All covered. Well at least there are pictures from all of those counties in this collection.

Osage

Interstate Park

Mitchell

Osage

Colwell

Charles City

Floyd

Rockford

Fossil & Prairie Center

Marble Rock

Roseville

Franklin County

Ellsworth

I really love some of the auxiliary pictures from this collection. If my tentative plan to create a book from the auxiliary images comes to fruition (have to get the THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT book finished first) there is definitely some pictures from this trip that will make the book.

The next county we will visit for auxiliary images is Johnson County. It will be a smaller collection. This isn’t because Johnson County is full of Hawkeye fans. Truth is I love Iowa City and will one day make a trip to better photograph its campus town area. It is just because it was a weird, strange and abbreviated trip. I might explain later.

Art, Christianity, Railroad, Road Trip, Ruins

Mitchell and Floyd Aux – Vol. 2

September 17, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Time for another collection of images from my road trip to Mitchell and Floyd County back in April. Most of the pictures were taken in Mitchell County.

Saint Ansgar

Mona

Toeterville

Stacyville

Meyer

McIntire

Riceville

New Haven

Osage

I really liked Osage. It is a town I would like to explore again in the future. It goes on the list! One more collection from this road trip to go!

Art, Black & White, Christianity, History, Nature, Road Trip, Ruins

Mitchell and Floyd Aux – Vol. 1

September 14, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Way back in April, I cruised around Mitchell and Floyd County harvesting their town signs. The weather and the lighting was great for photography and I took as much advantage of it as I could. There will be three collections of auxiliary images from this road trip.

Here is the first collection:

Carpenter

Otranto

Fort Severson

Saint Ansgar

Fort Severson. This is a fascinating bit of history to me. For starters, it isn’t a fort. It is a barn. A cool barn. But not a fort.

Here is what the inscription says on the historical marker outside of the barn:

Built in 1867 by Nils Severson on his land with help of neighbor’s using limestone and mortar of lime & sand from Deer Creek. Severson’s design was a typical fort with small openings for rifles and larger openings for gatling guns. The Spirit Lake Massacre and uprising at New Ulm Minnesota prompted the building of forts across North Iowa. This is the only one left standing. Although Indians never came there were some scares. Settlers would come from as far as ten miles to stay here. The building was later used as a stage coach stop on a route between Northwood and St. Ansgar on the Kansas City, Rochester Minnesota stage line. As many as 20 people would sleep on the top floor, meals were served on the first floor. Immigrants would stay while looking for land to settle on. It became a farm building in the 1870’s after the railroad came through. Restored in 1972 by local people as a United States bicentennial project. Use of fort & site donated by David & Judy Goplerud. Placed on the National Register of Historic Sites in July 1976.

Seems straight forward. They were scared of the indigenous people in the area. They built a fort. Where they had gatling guns. This is the inscription that is on the historical marker. However, the Mitchell County Historical County calls BS on this marker. According to their website:

Actually, it’s just a barn but where’s the fun in that? It’s long been called Fort Severson by Mitchell and Worth County residents. Actually, the term “Fort” was a common designation on the American frontier for larger secure structures built by early pioneers. These included some churches, a remote farm house or other safe place to stay when needed. People often found themselves away from more populated areas on the prairie and needed good shelter. Sadly, it never actually acted as a “fort” for protection.

But that takes away nothing from the structure itself. Solidly and skillfully constructed of local limestone and timber from surrounding woodlands, it has survived since the mid 1850s.

The website goes on:

Rumors of the structure being used for Indian protection and being a stagecoach stop have made for good stories over the years. Many will say the small openings were for defense of the “Fort” during anticipated attacks but that was not the case- No rifles or Gatling guns (as one account speculates) ever extended through those openings. The Spirit Lake Massacre in 1857 and the New Ulm Massacre in 1862 were over long before the “Fort” was built and the Indians that passed through the area, scouting along Deer Creek, were not a threat but were known to approach the settlers’ homes seeking food. These framed openings were in fact for ventilation of the barn. Not near as exciting as the rumors. The stage line to Northwood did pass by the Seversons. Tradition said that the “Fort” was used as a stop with the wagon teams staying below and the passengers stayed above on the loft space. Again, another good story. There was no chimney or heating source in the “Fort” and this was not a regular stage stop but weary travelers were likely accommodated in a nearby frame structure, now long gone, that was the actual inn and only the teams would have been sheltered in the Nels Severson Barn.

I assume the historical society is correct, but makes me wonder why the historical marker is so completely inaccurate.

Dickinson and Emmet Aux – Vol. 2

September 10, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

This is the second and final collection of auxiliary images I took while harvesting the town signs of Dickinson and Emmet County. A few are taken in Humboldt County and the final picture is taken in Greene County. Some of the trips to harvest town signs are very long and sometimes I don’t eat or barely eat on these trips. While I was harvesting town signs out west and northwest, I would consistently hit up the A&W drive-thru in Jefferson. So delicious! I would gladly trade Boone’s Evil Clown Empire Outpost AND the Burger King that is allegedly opening back up in a couple months for an A&W. No regrets. The last picture is from that Jefferson A&W drive-thru. Miss you! I will come see you again soon.

Here is the final collection of images from Dickinson and Emmet County:

Superior

I can only imagine putting 32 quarters in the slot to get my 1000 gallons of water.

Estherville

Little known fact – Meteors aim for Iowa.

Actual chunk of the meteorite.

Wallingford – He-s looking to see where the rest of his hat went.

Gruver

Armstrong

Bradgate

Mmmmmm… Fried Cheese Curds (Not available at B-Bop’s, for the record)

The next time we hit the open road to view some of the auxiliary images I took while harvesting town signs for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT, we will visit Mitchell and Floyd County.

Art, Black & White, Christianity, History, Railroad, Road Trip, Ruins

Dickinson and Emmet Aux – Vol. 1

August 31, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

A few months back I made a trip up to and through Dickinson and Emmet County to harvest their town signs. I had already harvested a good chunk of Dickinson County earlier. I really need to do a better photo experience in the Okoboji area cause on this trip I didn’t explore much. I got to see a little bit more of the area when I went camping with Carla and Jason several weeks later. I’ll share those pictures at a later date.

Here is the first collection of auxiliary images from that trip. Some of these are taken in Clay County:

Peterson

Terril – Happy Timers? How do you not have a smiley face on your yellow building?!?!?

West Okoboji

Arnolds Park

Okoboji

Spirit Lake

Orleans

Superior

Are you wondering about the “Ghost Train”? It is located between Spirit Lake and Superior and was once part of the Spirit of the Lakes dinner train. Those cars are trapped there as the tracks have been removed on both sides, so even if somebody wanted to move them, they are stuck.

This is from a WHO story in 2014:

The Iowa Northwestern Dinner Train started in 2003 on a track which had been abandoned by Union Pacific. The line served meals and gave rides out of the Spirit Lake area. It didn’t last long, operations stopped about nine years ago. Since that time, its passenger cars and kitchen dinning car have been parked on a rail siding near Superior, Iowa.

Vandals have broken windows and dismantled seats. Many things used in the operation of the Dinner Train were left behind, including an electric food warmer, coffee dispensers, plates and Christmas decorations.

Most of the article is about how awesome the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad Dinner Train is. I actually have never rode that train. I need to get on that.

There is one more collection of images from this trip to share.

Art, Christianity, Road Trip, Ruins

Black Hawk County Aux – Vol.2

August 27, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

This is the second and final collection of images from my time spent in Black Hawk County. On this trip I spent no time in Waterloo and next to no time in Cedar Falls because of time constraints and I frankly don’t spend much time in larger towns on these trips. But mostly cause of time constraints. However, the major thing I missed, that I wanted to see, was there is a dairy near Hudson that has kangaroos. Kangaroos! Yeah, let is soak in. Kangaroos! I will get there some day.

Here is the second collection of auxiliary images: