Category Archives: Basketball

Art, Basketball, Black & White, Christianity, History, Kio, Railroad, Road Trip, Teresa

Monroe and Mahaska County Auxiliary Images Vol. 1

May 11, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

A long, long time ago when I revealed the towns signs of Monroe County I pointed out that the town of Melrose, Iowa had a memorial up in their town park to honor the 1936-37 Melrose Shamrocks boys basketball team. A team that the Des Moines Register honored as the best team in the first 100 years of Iowa boys basketball in 2012.

Kio took great offense to this and sent me the following email:

Some of what Melrose claims about their championship basketball team might be a bit of blarney. I have to stick up for the Boone High Boys State Basketball 1931 State Champions. Although I’m not completely impartial, my Dad was the captain of that team, it had a legitimate star at all positions. Also worth noting, there were no classes or divisions in high school basketball in those days. All the teams in the state were lumped together. So if you won the state championship, you were truly the best team in the state. I always add this footnote when talking on this topic. Although Boone hasn’t won a state basketball tournament championship since 1931, no one would have been prouder to see his team’s record beaten than my Dad.

While Kio is clearly prejudiced, I think it is fair to reveal why the Melrose Shamrocks are considered the best boys basketball team in the first 100 years of Iowa boys basketball.

Here are some facts about them:
+ Melrose was the smallest school to ever win a single-class state basketball title in Iowa. Enrollment was 66. They beat Marshalltown in the championship game. A school with an enrollment of 1,077.
+ Melrose was the first team to go undefeated in state history. Going 33-0. They defeated undefeated Rolfe (29-0) in the semifinal game. They beat them 29-13.
+ Their 35-17 win over Marshalltown was the largest margin of victory in the championship game up until that point.
+ Played their home games in an opera house because they didn’t have a gym. The court measured 30 feet by 40 to 45 feet. Why 40 to 45 feet? One of corners of the playing floor featured a wood stove that heated the building and was blocked off so players didn’t run into it. A standard basketball court is 50 feet by 94 feet.
+ “Many of the players on the Melrose basketball team wanted to fit in with the “big city” crowd of Des Moines. In the fashion of the day, they slicked back their hair with Rose Hair Oil. Rose Hair Oil was inexpensive (“about 15 cents per gallon,” according to Walt O’Connor), so they apparently used lots of it. The oil also had a nice smell to it.

While this was fine before the tournament started, it gave the team trouble in their first game against Geneseo. During the game, the hair oil went from their hair to their hands to the ball. As Walt O’Connor recalled, “We started perspiring and wiping our heads to get the hair out of our eyes, and the first thing you knew, the referee couldn’t hold the ball.” After having trouble handling the ball in the first half, the players washed out their hair at half time. Better ball handling in the second half helped them to win the game, 35 – 34. After almost letting the first game of the tournament slip their grasp, Melrose stopped using the hair oil in the later games.”

Some of this information is taken from the Melrose website article on the team:

1937 Melrose Shamrocks

All of that being said, the Ames High team featuring Harrison Barnes and Doug McDermott would have beaten this team by at least 20 points. They did win 53 games in a row.

Here is the first collection of the auxiliary images from a road trip I took to Monroe and Mahaska County with Teresa.

Georgetown

Albia

There are still two more collections of images to share from this road trip.

Andree, Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Brandon, Carla, Dawn, Derrick, Elizabeth, Faust, Flowers, Jason, Jesse, Jill, Jorge, Linda, Lowell, Macro, Michelle, Micky, Pastor Sarah, Robert, Russell, Sara, Shawn Lockner, Tim, Toby

Fall Apart Again

April 7, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Year 17 of the Roundball Oracles has come to an end. On Monday night, Kansas used a flaw in the court that injured North Carolina’s best player to help them overcome the Tar Heels in the last minute of the game. It was an otherwise great game and it is sad that it was partially decided by an injury due to a flaw in the court construction.

Ben Baier was the winner of this year’s pool. He is the youngest to ever win it. He joins this list:

PAST ROUNDBALL ORACLE CHAMPIONS

2022 – Ben Baier
2021 – Micky Augustin
2020 – No Tournament
2019 – Becky Parmelee
2018 – Paul Golden
2017 – Paul Golden
2016 – Michelle Haupt
2015 – Derek Dohrman
2014 – Brandon Kahler
2013 – William McAlpine
2012 – Lowell Davis
2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

Where there is a champion, there also has to be a last place. This year’s The Sara “winner” was Joey Randazzo.

Past “The Sara” Winners

2022 – Joey Randazzo
2021 – Rachel Gildersleeve
2020 – No Tournament
2019 – Russell Kennerly
2018 – Robert Henning
2017 – Shannon Bardole
2016 – Laura Priest
2015 – Derrick Gorshe
2014 – Sara Lockner

Note, Olivia Baier actually finished below Mr. Randazzo, but as she is a child, she is not eligible for The Sara.

Here are the Final Standings:

1. Ben Baier – 273 points
2. Sara Lockner – 271 points
3. Shawn Lockner – 242 points
4. Rachel Gildersleeve – 242 points
5. Linda Bennett – 232 points
6. Becky Parmelee – 231 points
7. Carla Stensland – 229 points
8. Angie DeWaard – 224 points
9. Humble Narrator – 224 points
10. Tim Peterson – 223 points
11. Jason Baier – 217 points
12. Lowell Davis – 215 points
13. Derek Dohrman – 215 points
14. Carrie Baier – 214 points
15. Sarah Karber – 210 points
16. Micky Augustin – 209 points
17. Elizabeth Nordeen – 206 points
18. Jorge Rios – 203 points
19. Brandon Kahler – 203 points
20. Will Baier – 197 points
21. Jordan Toot – 197 points
22. Corey Faust – 197 points
23. Andree Jauhari – 192 points
24. Jesse Howard – 191 points
25. Dawn Krause – 182 points
26. Derrick Gorshe – 181 points
27. Michelle Haupt – 179 points
28. Jackson Faust – 176 points
29. Jason Stensland – 168 points
30. J.J. Baier – 164 points
31. Russell Kennerly – 161 points
32. Toby Sebring – 157 points
33. Robert Henning – 151 points
34. Jill Gorshe – 147 points
35. Joey Randazzo – 143 points
36. Olivia Baier – 141 points

I’m already looking forward to next season. Iowa State will have to replace a lot from this year’s team and one of their assistant coaches, but could be a good team. You never know. This year’s team definitely wasn’t supposed to make the Sweet Sixteen!

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Seems like a good time to share some flower pictures from last year:

I still have some flower pictures left to share from last year.

Angie, Art, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Carla, Derrick, Iowa State, Jay, Jesse, Logan, Nader, Naima, Pastor Sarah, Road Trip, Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait Project, Still Life, Teresa, Toby, WPC - Reminder

Selfie Project – March 2022

April 1, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Tomorrow is the Final Four. Thought it would be a good time to check-in on the Roundball Oracles.

With 3 games left to go in the NCAA tournament this is the Top 3:

1. Becky Parmelee – 231 Points
2. Carla Stensland – 229 Points
3. Angie DeWaard – 224 points

This is the Bottom 3:

34. Joey Randazzo – 143 points
35. Olivia Baier – 141 points
36. Toby Sebring – 140 points

At this point, there are 4 people left that have a chance of taking home the Championship Trophy. 2 people still have a shot at The Sara.

Here are the scenarios for The Sara:

If Villanova beats Kansas then Toby “wins” The Sara.
If Kansas beats Villanova then Joey “wins” The Sara.

Note as Olivia Baier is a child, she is not eligible for The Sara.

Here are the scenarios for the Championship:

If Duke wins the National Championship then Sarah Karber wins the trophy.
If Kansas wins the National Championship then Ben Baier wins the trophy.
If Villanova beats Duke for the National Championship then Becky wins the trophy.
If North Carolina beats Villanova for the National Championship then Becky wins the trophy.
If North Carolina beats Kansas for the National Championship then Ben wins the trophy.
If Villanova beats North Carolina for the National Championship then Derrick Gorshe wins the trophy.

It is possible, that there is an error in my math, but I’m fairly certain this is correct.

Root accordingly.

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I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I think I actually did some stuff in March. I didn’t go to Pennsylvania and Illinois (briefly) and North Carolina (briefly), but I did stand in Iowa, South Dakota, and Minnesota all at the same time. I ate the reigning Best Tenderloin in Iowa. I went to two Iowa State NCAA Tournament games. I stood on the highest point in Iowa and the second highest. I hosted Alligator Movie Night. I had some good times with friends and some poignant times with family. March wasn’t too bad. Raised the bar a bit for April.

Here are my favorite SELFIE PROJECT images from March:

March 1

March 3

March 4

March 5

March 7

March 8

March 9

March 11

March 12

March 13

March 15

March 16

March 17

March 18

March 19

March 20

March 21

March 23

March 25

March 26

March 29

March 30

March 31

Oh yeah! I also bought a new camera in March! I hope to continue to do good work in April!

Of course, there can only be one selfie for each day. Here are my favorite alternates I took for THE SELFIE PROJECT:

Jesse is a sleeper!

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is FRAMED:

FRAMED

But what exactly is a FRAMED picture? It is simply a picture where the subject is FRAMED in by something else. In the theme reveal, the edge of the garbage can makes a frame for the subject of the refuse. A doorway makes a good frame. So does a hall way. A window Any thing that creates negative space makes a great frame for your subject. Or you could even do something as easy as taking a picture of something that is in a literal picture frame.

Happy photo harvesting!

Art, Basketball, Christianity, History, Iowa State, Railroad, Road Trip, WPC - Reminder

Kossuth and Winnebago County Auxiliary Images Vol. 2

March 25, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Today is a big day for Iowa State athletics. Iowa State is one of only two schools that have both their Men’s and Women’s basketball team still alive in the NCAA tournament. For the Men, this is pretty shocking since they only won two games last year. This was the expectation for the Women.

However, for the third time in as many games, in their infinite wisdom, the NCAA has scheduled the Men’s and Women’s games to overlap. (Yes, I actually know that the television networks schedule the game times, but still!) This has lead several people to ask me how I’m going to watch both games. The astute people know that I refuse to DVR games, so that isn’t a possibility.

The answer is simple. I’m going to watch Season 2 of BRIDGERTON on Netflix and then read about the games in the morning paper on Saturday.

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Several months back I cruised around Kossuth ad Winnebago County harvesting their town signs. This is the second collection of auxiliary images from that road trip. All these images were taken in Kossuth County.

Algona

Wesley

Titonka

Lone Rock

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

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is SHADOW:

SHADOW

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

But what exactly is a SHADOW picture? A SHADOW picture is simply a picture where one of the major compositional elements of the image is a SHADOW. The SHADOW can be on the ground. It can be on a wall. It can be across somebody’s face. A silhouette picture is a SHADOW picture, for example. And of course, there are other types of less literal SHADOWs out there too.

Happy photo harvesting!

Art, Basketball, Christianity, Elizabeth, Road Trip, Shannon

Bremer County Auxiliary Images

March 16, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

Don’t forget, that if you want to enter Roundball Oracles – Year 17, click on the link below:

Roundball Oracles – Year 17

So far I think about 15 brackets have been filled out. The first ones filled out were by Sara and Shawn Lockner. I was very impressed!

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A few months back, I toured Bremer County harvesting its town signs. But I also spent a little bit of time in Black Hawk County and Fayette County. I also stopped in Marshalltown for a shake and to photograph their Freedom Rock. Here is a collection of the auxiliary images I took on that trip:

In Plainfield, I came across the most fascinating park. There was this weird rock formation that was a memorial to WWI Veterans. But it was built before WWII, so it just references The World War. Then there was the strangest collection of rocks set up for display.

In the shelter area, sitting on the picnic table I found this:

It said “FREE GIFT” right on it! I was pretty sure it was probably left there by the Baptist church that preaches “Christ Coming Again”. I still don’t know if that was the case, but I will hold on to that theory until I’m proven wrong.

I texted a couple people, people who I only consider to be slight fun haters, on if I should take this free gift.

Shannon responded:

“I don’t think so…”

“But it is a free gift.”

“What is it?”

“Copy of the New Testament.”

“Pretty sure you already have something like that”

“But do I have one that I found randomly in some small town in one of the weirdest parks I’ve ever seen?”

She had no response to that.

I also asked Elizabeth. Her response came way late, well after I had already taken it:

“I’m sorry I didn’t see this sooner. But no.”

“Too late. But I might regift it. 47 counties done.”

“You took it??”

“Of course.”

As you may have figured it out, of course I took it. But where it ended up, well for that you will have to wait for another day. A day far enough into the future that you will probably have already forgotten about the Free Gift I picked up in a strange park in Plainfield, Iowa.

Andree, Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Dawn, Derrick, Elizabeth, Faust, Jesse, Joe Duff, Jorge, Kio, Laura, Lowell, Mark, Michelle, Micky, Pastor Sarah, Robert, Russell, Sara, Shannon, Tim, Toby, Willy

Roundball Oracles – Year 17

March 13, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

It is time once again for the greatest sporting event of year. It is that time known as March Madness. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Once again, I will be sponsoring a pool. There is no cost to enter the pool, except for pride.

The winner gets a trophy. The dead last place person gets a trophy known as The Sara*.

By winning, you get your name etched on the list of immortals:

PAST ROUNDBALL ORACLE CHAMPIONS

2021 – Micky Augustin
2019 – Becky Parmelee
2018 – Paul Golden
2017 – Paul Golden
2016 – Michelle Haupt
2015 – Derek Dohrman
2014 – Brandon Kahler
2013 – William McAlpine
2012 – Lowell Davis
2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

But I said that there are 2 trophies. The 2nd trophy, The Sara, goes to the adult that finishes dead last, while trying. A person can not tank on purpose and win The Sara. The reason The Sara winner has to be an adult is that I don’t want to mock children, to their face. Does that mean I have no problem mocking children behind their back? Does it make me a bad person if I say yes? Probably a better rule would be that to “win” The Sara, you have to be at least a teenager. I have no problem mocking teenagers to their face. At least, back when there was a Youth Group.

Past “The Sara” Winners:

2021 – Rachel Gildersleeve
2019 – Russell Kennerly
2018 – Robert Henning
2017 – Shannon Bardole
2016 – Laura Priest
2015 – Derrick Gorshe
2014 – Sara Lockner

The Sara doesn’t have the long storied history of the championship trophy, but it will get there. I have no doubts.

These were the final standings from last year:

ROUNDBALL ORACLES – YEAR 16

1. Michael Augustin – 275 points
2. Jorge Rios – 252 points
3. Jordan Toot – 240 points
4. Corey Faust – 233 points
5. Tim Peterson – 229 points
6. Mike G – 228 points
7. Dawn Krause – 216 points
8. Joey Randazzo – 210 points
9. Elizabeth Nordeen – 204 points
10. Kio Dettman – 203 points
11. Humble Narrator – 202 points
12. Angie DeWaard – 202 points
13. Brandon Kahler – 199 points
14. Bill Wentworth – 194 points
15. Toby Sebring – 191 points
16. Carla Stensland – 188 points
17. Andree Jauhari – 187 points
18. Lowell Davis – 184 points
19. Dylan Groves – 179 points
20. Jesse Howard – 177 points
21. Derek Dohrman – 174 points
22. Joseph Duff – 170 points
23. Robert Henning – 168 points
24. Jackson Faust – 167 points
25. Sarah Karber – 151 points
26. Michelle Haupt – 143 points
27. Rachel Gildersleeve – 142 points

If you are a basketball fan, or are just interested in having fun, click on the link below to join my pool:

Roundball Oracles – Year 17

The rules are as follows:
Round 1 = 1 point + seed
Round 2 = 2 points + seed
Round 3 = 4 points + seed
Round 4 = 8 points + seed
Round 5 = 16 points + seed
Rounds 6 = 32 points + seed

The Play-in Games (AKA the First Four) don’t matter. You can wait for those games to complete before filling out your bracket. The deadline to fill out your bracket, is tip-off of the first game on Thursday. Roughly 11 AM. Yes, there are no Thursday games this year.

Under special circumstances, I will allow you to turn in a paper bracket to me. So, don’t be afraid to ask.

Yes, your child can fill out a bracket. Your dog, no.

There were 27 competitors in 2021. A 15 person drop from 2019. (There was no tournament in 2020.) Hopefully there is a slight rebound in participation this year, but it is possible I have 15 less friends than I did in 2019. It is possible I have lost even more friends since 2020. I might not be that great of a person.

*You have to be 14 years or older to win “The Sara”.

Art, Basketball, Christianity, Elizabeth, Iowa State, Music, Naima, Photo of the Day, Railroad, Self-Portrait, Still Life, Travel

Fat Mum Slim – February 2022

March 4, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Back on Monday I completed another month of the Fat Mum Slim Photo A Day Challenge. I once again should thank Elizabeth as she assisted on a few of the photos this month.

Here are the pictures from February:

February 1 – A is For…

February 2 – B is For…

February 3 – C is For…

February 4 – D is For…

February 5 – E is For…

February 6 – F is For…

February 7 – G is For…

February 8 – H is For…

February 9 – I is For…

February 10 – J is For…

February 11 – K is For…

February 12 – L is For…

February 13 – M is For…

February 14 – N is For…

February 15 – O is For…

February 16 – P is For…

February 17 – Q is For…

February 18 – R is For…

February 19 – S is For…

February 20 – T is For…

February 21 – U is For…

February 22 – V is For…

February 23 – W is For…

February 24 – X is For…

February 25 – Y is For…

February 26 – Z is For…

February 27 – Letters

February 28 – Your Fave Word

This month I did manage to take pictures in 3 different states. Iowa, of course. Pennsylvania and North Carolina. I was also in Illinois for a bit, but didn’t take any pictures there. At least not for the Photo A Day Challenge.

These are the Photo A Day Challenge Prompts for March

March 1 – Weather
March 2 – Something in Your Kitchen
March 3 – Skyline
March 4 – Makes You Feel Nostalgic
March 5 – Books
March 6 – A Corner
March 7 – A Bus Stop
March 8 – Sunset
March 9 – From Inside the Car
March 10 – A Meal You Made
March 11 – Somewhere with a Good View
March 12 – An Insect
March 13 – A Close-up
March 14 – Something You’ve Never Photographed
March 15 – A Playground
March 16 – A Local Cafe
March 17 – Something You Think is Boring
March 18 – Flowers
March 19 – A Grocery Store
March 20 – Something Weird
March 21 – A Colorful Place
March 22 – A Garden
March 23 – A Leaf
March 24 – A Sunbeam
March 25 – Graffiti
March 26 – An Empty Road
March 27 – A Tree
March 28 – A Shop Window
March 29 – Old Building
March 30 – A Stranger
March 31 – Under a Tree

Of course, you can follow the daily posting on The Gram by following @fmsbennett.

Andy, Art, Basketball, Bill, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Elizabeth, Evie, Iowa State, Jen, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kio, Layla, Linda, Logan, Michelle, Micky, Shannon, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 337 – HARMONY

February 28, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

For a somewhat abstract concept, quite a few people have found HARMONY in their lives somewhere. In fact, it was a record breaking week!

As of 10:59 AM on Monday, February 28, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks:

+ Linda Bennett – 1 week
+ Suzie Brannen – 1 week
+ Logan Kahler – 1 week
+ Dawn Krause – 1 week
+ Mike Vest – 1 week
+ Joe Duff – 5 weeks
+ Teresa Kahler – 5 weeks
+ Tamara Peterson – 5 weeks
+ Carla Stensland – 5 weeks
+ Michelle Haupt – 6 weeks
+ Micky Augustin – 7 weeks
+ Monica Henning – 7 weeks
+ Becky Parmelee – 8 weeks
+ Andy Sharp – 8 weeks
+ Bill Wentworth – 9 weeks
+ Cathie Raley – 13 weeks
+ Elizabeth Nordeen – 14 weeks
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley – 16 weeks
+ Kim Barker – 16 weeks
+ Kio Dettman – 19 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:

Carla Stensland – 6 weeks

Carla Stensland

Kio Dettman – 20 weeks

Kio Dettman

Christopher D. Bennett

Linda Bennett – 2 weeks

Linda Bennett

Michelle Haupt – 7 weeks

Lori Backous – 1 week

Tamara Peterson – 6 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley – 17 weeks

Bill Wentworth – 10 weeks

Bill Wentworth

Teresa Kahler – 6 weeks

Teresa Kahler

Evie Gorshe – 1 week

Layla Gorshe – 1 week

Micky Augustin – 8 weeks

Andy Sharp – 9 weeks

Logan Kahler – 2 weeks

Logan Kahler

Joe Duff – 6 weeks

Dawn Krause – 2 weeks

Jesse Howard – 1 week

Jesse Howard

Suzie Brannen – 2 weeks

Suzie Brannen

Cathie Raley – 14 weeks

Elizabeth Nordeen – 15 weeks

Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week

Mike Vest – 2 weeks

33 submissions from 22 participants. I do believe both of those are records! WooHoo!

Only 3 streaks were snapped. But they were significant steaks. Kim’s 16 week streak went kaput. So did Becky’s 8 week streak and Monica’s 7 week streaks.

But it wasn’t all bad new on the streak front. Bill extended his streak into double digits! Congratulations to him!

Here are the current top streaks:

1. Kio – 20 weeks
2. Shannon – 17 weeks
3. Elizabeth – 15 weeks
4. Cathie – 14 weeks
5. Bill – 10 weeks

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:

HOBBIES

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

But what is a HOBBIES image? A HOBBY image is simply a picture of anything related to a HOBBY. There are all sorts of HOBBIES out there. People collect things. People make things. People sew. They make art. They make music. They play games. You picture doesn’t have to be of your HOBBIES. But can be of somebody else’s HOBBIES. It can be of something they have finished. Or it can be of the tools used in their HOBBIES. Or it can be a picture of somebody in mid-HOBBIES. There are just so many possibilities!

While considering your possible subjects for HOBBIES, meditate on the following quote:

I don’t have hobbies; hobbies cost money. Interests are quite free.
-George Carlin

I look forward to seeing your interpretations!

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 our idea of HOBBIES in this place that is little more than where my various interests merge next Monday.

Art, Basketball, Christianity, Elizabeth, Flowers, History, Macro, Road Trip, Ruins

Southwest Iowa Auxiliary Images Vol. 1

December 22, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 4 Comments

The March image for the 2022 Photography 139 Calendar is a picture of a geranium dripping with water. This picture was taken in my yard.

Tomorrow I will share the April image.

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A few weeks back I prowled through several counties in southwest Iowa harvesting town signs. This is the first collection of auxiliary images I took on this trip. In all honesty, I might be getting some of the town locations for these pictures wrong. It has been a minute, as they say.

Prescott

Corning

I want to live in this store, just based on the name alone.

Carbon

Villisca

It looks like a town that had more than one ax murder.

Grant

I want to walk through that door so bad!

Elliot

Red Oak

I had some high hopes for this place…*

Stanton

Essex

Shenandoah

This sign must have been amazing in its heyday.

Imogene

There are plenty more pictures from southwest Iowa.

* BUT… my source on the ground (Elizabeth’s friend) say it isn’t very good. Sigh.**
** Correction, and this is a direct quote: “She didn’t say it wasn’t good. She said it wasn’t great, and it was ok
If you are going to report, you need to get the story straight.”

Animals, Basketball, Black & White, Boone FUMC, Formal Portrait, Iowa State, Night, Photoshop, Self-Portrait, Still Life

12December2010

September 11, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

I didn’t take many pictures in the month of December in 2010, so I decided to just do the entire month and combine all the folders into one mega sized post. There are pictures in here from a family portrait fundraiser (that was not a huge success) for the youth group. There are a few pictures taken on Christmas Eve around the church. Then a bunch of pictures taken for different THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, back then known as THE RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO EXPERIMENT.

By adding these pictures to the Photography 139 Gallery, I was able to restore the following historic “An Artist’s Notebook” entries to their original glory:

Youth Group Fundraiser

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK #47

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK #51

PERSONAL PHOTO PROJECT OF THE WEEK #52

RWPE #47 – DISCOVER

RWPE #48 – ACTIVE

RWPE #49 – LOVE

RWPE #50 – RESTAURANTS

RWPE #51 – PEACE OF MIND

It is hard to say what next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve. It looks like 2011’s organization was really bad. We’ll see what happens. There might just be a ton of 2011 images lost. Hope not, but it is certainly a possibility.