WPC – WEEK 444 – DECORATION

DECORATION! A great theme! Everybody loves to decorate. But did enough people like to decorate enough to make DECORATE a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, March 11, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Suzie Brannen – 1 week
2-Monica Jennings – 1 week
3-Adam Gordon – 2 weeks (2)
4-Mary Green – 4 weeks (2)
5-Stehanie Kim – 4 weeks
6-Becky Parmelee – 4 weeks
7-Willy McAlpine – 6 weeks
8-Sara Lockner – 8 weeks
9-Lowell Davis – 10 weeks
10-Michelle Haupt – 10 weeks
11-Alexis Stensland – 10 weeks (2)
12-Brandon Kahler – 11 weeks
13-Scott Degeneffe – 29 weeks
14-Sabas Hernandez – 29 weeks
15-Mike Vest – 35 weeks
16-Sheri Fakhouri – 39 weeks (2)
17-Logan Kahler – 40 weeks (2)
18-Nathanial Brown – 41 weeks
19-Jesse Howard – 41 weeks
20-Tamara Peterson – 44 weeks
21-Mindi Terrell – 56 weeks (2)
22-Linda Bennett – 85 weeks
23-Sarah Toot – 86 weeks
24-Angie DeWaard – 90 weeks
25-Dawn Krause – 94 weeks
26-Kim Barker – 100 weeks
27-Joe Duff – 101 weeks
28-Teresa Kahler – 112 weeks (2)
29-Carla Stensland – 112 weeks
30-Micky Augustin – 114 weeks
31-Andy Sharp – 115 weeks
32-Bill Wentworth – 116 weeks
33-Cathie Morton – 120 weeks
34-Elizabeth Nordeen – 121 weeks
35-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 123 weeks
36-Kio Dettman – 125 weeks (2)

Reminder. Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


1. The picture must 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 and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.
3. Sometimes, for special people, for special circumstances, we can negotiate something.

It is the third week of the month and on the third week of the month I like to share a map of all the states where people have submitted from heading into today. Here is that map:


Week 444 Map

We’ve put a good dent into the United States already.

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 444 - DECORATION - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Ames, Iowa) – 115 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Honey Hollow – Summerset, Iowa) – 124 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 101 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION -
Christopher D. Bennett (Hilton South – Kansas City, Missouri)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 86 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Clive, Iowa) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Monteagle, Tennessee) – 42 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Fort Valley, Georgia)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Iowa)- 11 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Boone, Iowa) – 30 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (State Historical Building – Des Moines, Iowa) – 91 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - JEN ENSLEY-GORSHE
Jen Ensley-Gorshe (Nashville, Tennessee) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 126 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Texas) – 102 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (The Breakfast Club – Ankeny, Iowa) – 40 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (The Breakfast Club – Ankeny, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ADAM GORDON
Adam Gordon (Iowa) – 3 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ADAM GORDON
Adam Gordon (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa) – 5 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 11 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ELAINIE HERNANDEZ
Elainie Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 30 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Hilton South – Kansas City, Missouri) – 42 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Ames, Iowa) – 12 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Bloomington, Minnesota) – 41 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Bloomington, Minnesota)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Ankeny, Iowa) – 113 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Ankeny, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - STEPHANIE KIM
Stephanie Kim (Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York) – 5 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Brass Armadillo – Des Moines, Iowa) – 95 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Johnston, Iowa) – 9 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - DEANNA MCCLAIN
Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Between Fort Lauderdale and Nassau Bahamas) – 121 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Between Fort Lauderdale and Nassau Bahamas)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 122 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - BECKY PAREMELEE
Becky Parmelee (Bentonsville, Arkansas) – 5 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Perry, Iowa) – 45 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Grand Isle, Louisiana) – 116 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Gulf of Mexico – Off Louisiana)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Ames, Iowa) – 11 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Power & Light District – Kansas City, Missouri) – 113 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Ogden, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - JOHNATHAN STENSLAND
Johnathan Stensland (Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Johnston, Iowa) – 57 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Johnston, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 87 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 36 weeks

WPC - WEEK 444 - DECORATION - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 117 weeks

40 participants! That is a great week! Tops ORANGE for the most popular theme of Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE.

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Arkansas (1)
+ Florida (2)
+ Georgia (1)
+ Iowa (35)
+ Kansas (2)
+ Louisiana (2)
+ Minnesota (2)
+ Missouri (3)
+ New York (1)
+ Pennsylvania (1)
+ Tennessee (2)
+ Texas (1)

Thanks to the travels of Nathanial, we added Georgia to the list! And thanks to Andy’s travels we added Louisiana to the list.

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

+ Arkansas (4.5)
+ California (1)
+ Colorado (4)
+ Florida (3)
+ Georgia (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (406)
+ Illinois (1)
+ Indiana (2)
+ Kansas (19)
+ Louisiana (2)
+ Michigan (4)
+ Minnesota (5)
+ Mississippi (1.5)
+ Missouri (7.5)
+ Nebraska (14)
+ New York (8)
+ Pennsylvania (10)
+ South Dakota (2)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (18)
+ Vermont (1)

22 states so far! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple states:

+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS, LA)
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN)
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO)
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT)
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN)
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO)
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN)
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD, TN, GA)
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN)
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL)
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL)
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO)
+ Sara Lockner (IA, MN)
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN)
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO)
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO)
+ Carla Stensland (IA, MO)
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL)

Andy maintains a 2 state lead over Jen with his sentimental road trip to be crowned the Emperor of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Travel! I’ll keep workshopping that name. But I might buy a crown for the winner. Just another idea I’m spitballing.

Logan, Jesse, Carla, Cathie, and your humble narrator all joined the group of people that have taken submissions in multiple states.

There were no major milestones reached this week. The only bad news was that Willy’s streak went POOF after 6 weeks. The humanity!

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 445 - HOBBIES
HOBBIES

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

I look forward to your interpretation!

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 HOBBIES in this place in this place that is something more of one next Monday.

Roundball Oracles Year 19

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 NCAA Tournament Pool. There is no cost to enter the pool, except for pride. And if pride is nothing to you, well done.

The winner gets a trophy. The dead last place person gets a trophy known as The Sara*. Nobody else gets a trophy. I’m not made of trophies people!

By winning, you get your name etched on the List of Immortals:

PAST ROUNDBALL ORACLE CHAMPIONS – LIST OF IMMORTALS

2023 – Will Baier
2022 – Ben Baier
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:

2023 – Ben Baier
2022 – Joey Randazzo
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. This will be the 9th winner since its inception after all.

These were the final standings from last year:

1. Will Baier – 204
2. Toby Sebring – 200
3. Sarah Karber – 193
4. Tim Peterson – 189
5. Cathie Morton – 188
6. Elizabeth Nordeen- 185
7. Andy Sharp – 184
8. Russell Kennerly – 184
9. Linda Bennett – 183
10. Micky Augustin – 183
11. Carrie Baier – 180
12. Dawn Krause – 178
13. Corey Faust – 177
14. Jesse Howard – 176
15. Jason Baier – 173
16. Angie DeWaard – 171
17. Michelle Haupt – 170
18. Carla Stensland – 170
19. Jackson Faust – 168
20. Frank Meiners – 157
21. Lowell Davis – 155
22. Andree Jauhari – 154
23. Christopher D. Bennett – 154
24. Robert Henning – 154
25. Nader Parsaei – 147
26. Logan Kahler – 145
27. Rachel Gildersleeve – 145
28. Joey Randazzo – 144
29. Olivia Baier – 141
30. Jordan Toot – 141
31. JJ Baier – 141
32. Brandon Kahler – 136
33. Becky Parmelee – 131
34. Derek Dohrman – 122
35. Sara Lockner – 112
36. Shawn Lockner – 111
37. Ben Baier – 111

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 19

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.

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 37 competitors in 2023. A 1 person gain from 2022. Hopefully there is continued growth in participation this year, but I don’t know that I have 1 more friend than I did in 2023. It is possible I have gained even more friends since 2023. I might be a pretty great person.

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

Taco ‘Bout It: Boone Food Truck Field Work

Today is St. Patrick’s Day. I don’t celebrate, so no greetings to those of you that do. Stupid greeting card holiday that has become overcommercialized to make people feel bad that aren’t Irish. Bah O’humbug to you I say.

You might be wondering why this post published at 8 AM instead of the customary 8 PM on Sundays. The reason is that there will be another post publishing at 8 PM that will include instructions on how to participate in Year 19 of the Roundball Oracles NCAA Tournament Pool.

This post is about a recent food adventure. I recently hit a taco food truck that was hanging out it Boone. After all, I love tacos. They were selling tacos. I had some cold hard plastic in my wallet that had at least a few bucks of credit left on it. Seemed like a match divined by the taco gods!

So I stopped at give Borracho’s Taco Truck a try. Here are some pictures:


Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

Taco 'Bout It: Borrachos Mexican Tacos

I’ll just cut to the chase. While my empty plate surely indicates that I ate the h-e-double hockey sticks out of those tacos, they weren’t great. I was hungry. I had tacos in front of me. What is a guy to do?

They were less than stellar and in fact, I went to Rico’s Tacos the next day just to cleanse my taco palate.

So my rating is, they would do in a pinch, but I definitely would not go out of my way to eat them again.

How is my efforting to live a healthy lifestyle going?

I think generally things are going well. I seem to have adjusted to the CPAP. I’m hitting my steps goal pretty much every day. I guess one development is that on Wednesday I finally tried the hydromassage at the gym. It was everything it was hyped up to me and more. It is a good thing that they limit you to 10 minutes. Otherwise I would just lay on that thing for hours. I tried the laying down hyrdromassage. They also have a chair version. I will try that hopefully soon and report back.

This week my weight went down 5.5 pounds this week. And I am now down 22.1 pounds since I started Noom. 5.5 pound loss is a bit of an anomaly and is actually probably more spread out over the last 2 weeks, but weight fluctuations and blah, blah, blah. You know.

The 2nd number on my scale changed this week. So that is a 10 pound loss milestone. WooHoo! I am also at the weight that was my goal to be at in early May when I go to New Orleans for work trip for the Computer Mine. So now I’ve re-adjusted that goal my another 10 pounds. Which should be realistic, although you never know when that dreaded plateau is going to hit. But they say, the best thing to do when you hit a plateau is keep moving. So when I hit it, you’ll still see me on that High Trestle Trail on Saturday mornings via Snapchat. Although I suppose a person would be allowed to join me in the person. Maybe.

But weight isn’t a pure indicator of health. So I look for other ways to that show I’m getting healthier. One thing I noticed a couple weeks ago is just how much better I fit into the seats at Hilton. I’m not going to say I used to struggle to get into them. That would be an exaggeration. But now they feel roomie. Well roomie might be a stretch. But I definitely have more room.

I still haven’t purchased anything else for this living healthy lifestyle. But sometime soon I might borrow a kayak and see if that is something I enjoy. Later in the year I might buy a bike again. I’ve tried the bike game before and it didn’t work out. But I think if I get a bike that actually fits me, that might help. We’ll see. That smart scale is still in the back of my mind as well.

That is all to report for now.

Next Sunday’s food adventure will involve one of the greatest culinary disappointments I’ve ever had.

Farewell Shorty

Last Wednesday my step-grandfather-in-law Shorty Peterson passed away. I include the “step” and “in-law” in front of his name not to indicate a distance, but to illustrate that sometimes titles, whether or correct or not do not indicate what it means to be “family”. Because Shorty and his wife Doris, helped define the word family for me as much as almost anybody I’ve ever known. Hint: It doesn’t have a damn thing to do with sharing DNA.

I’m sharing Shorty’s obituary here so that I know that there is a place I can find it.

Paul “Shorty” Peterson Obituary

Paul “Shorty” Peterson, 97, of Boone and formerly of Boxholm, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at Westhaven Community in Boone, Iowa.

A visitation for Shorty will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 17, 2024, at Carson-Stapp Funeral Home in Ogden with his memorial service to follow at 2:00 P.M. Rev. Bryan Latchaw will officiate. Burial will follow at Lawn Cemetery in rural Boxholm, Iowa. Graveside Military Rites will be conducted by the Boone Veterans Council. Shorty’s memorial service will be live streamed on the Carson-Stapp Funeral Home Facebook page. For online obituaries and condolences, please visit: www.carsonstappfuneralhome.com

Paul (Shorty) Peterson, son of Alfred and Sigrid (Rydman) Peterson was born on February 23, 1927, in Boxholm, Iowa. He received his education in Harcourt and Boxholm, graduating from Boxholm High School in 1945. Shorty served in the U.S. Army during WWII with the Occupation forces in Italy from June 4, 1945 until his honorable discharge on January 31, 1947.

On August 14, 1949, Shorty married Doris LaVonne Ewing in Dayton. The couple resided and farmed south of Boxholm for over 55 years until moving into Boxholm in 2004. Shorty was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Boxholm. He served on the board of directors and was past president of the Westside Apartments and was past president for Boxholm Development. He was involved with the Boone County ASCS and Farmers COOP. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #63 of Boxholm. Shorty volunteered at the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad as a tour guide, announcer for Thomas the Train, and as Santa on the Santa Express. In 2017, Shorty moved to Westhaven Community in Boone.

In addition to his parents, Shorty was also preceded in death by his loving wife of 65 years, Doris; granddaughter, Olivia; and great grandson, Samuel. He is also preceded in death by his siblings, Clinton, Welden, Fern, and Thelma; parents-in-law, Buryl and Clara; and brothers-in-law, Gayle, Claude, and Harold.

Shorty is survived by his children, Janice and Tim. Also surviving are his grandchildren, Nate, Bethany, and Becca; five great grandchildren, grandson-in-law, Chris and sister-in-law, Marge.

Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.

Thought I would share a few pictures of Shorty:


Anniversary

Shorty Christmas

Miller-Peterson Christmas - 2019

Jonah Turns 3

06-14-08

09-22-07

Riding the Rails with Shorty

Riding the Rails with Shorty


He was a truly great person and I will miss him!

Iowa State Fair – Day 3 – Beta

Today is Carla’s birthday, so I need to wish her a happy birthday!


June 10
Happy birthday!

I hope your birthday is free from fire alarms today and maybe involves some camping or camping planning!

+++++++

Today is also Monica’s birthday, so I also need to wish her a happy birthday!


SELFIE PROJECT - ALTERNATE - AUGUST 2022
Happy birthday!

I hope your birthday is filled with plenty of good music and productivity on some art projects!

+++++++

Time once again to share more images from my trip to the Iowa State Fair with Monica and Graham, but then also with Elainie, Sabas, and Tiffany.


Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Iowa State Fair -Trip 3 - 2023

Still plenty more picture from this trip to the Fair left to share!

Are You Lonesome Tonight?

Are you lonesome tonight?
Do you miss me tonight?
Are you sorry we drifted apart?
Does your memory stray to a bright summer day
When I kissed you and called you sweetheart?

Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare?
Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there?
Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again?
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?

I wonder if you’re lonesome tonight
You know someone said that the world’s a stage and each of us must play a part
Fate had me playing in love with you as my sweetheart
Act one was where we met
I loved you at first glance
You read your lines so cleverly and never missed a cue

Then came act two, you seemed to change, you acted strange
And why I’ve never known
Honey, you lied when you said you loved me
And I had no cause to doubt you
But I’d rather go on hearing your lies
Than to go on living without you

Now the stage is bare and I’m standing there
With emptiness all around
And if you won’t come back to me
Then they can bring the curtain down

Is your heart filled with pain
Shall I come back again?
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight?

-Written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman
-Made famous by Elvis Presley

Another great Elvis song and a song with an interesting history. I think everybody knows that Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’ manager, was a complete piece of trash. However, if he did one good thing in his life, it was to suggest to Elvis that he record this song.

From the Wiki:

In the final months of his service in the United States Army, Elvis Presley began experimenting with new material in anticipation of his return to recording. His first recording session was scheduled for March 20, 1960, and RCA’s Studio B had recently been equipped with a new three-track recorder. To improve the recording of Presley’s voice, engineer Bill Porter had Telefunken U-47 microphones installed. A follow-up session was scheduled for April.

During the selection of material for the sessions, Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, suggested “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”. The favorite song of Parker’s wife, Marie Mott (who knew the song from Gene Austin’s act, since he was also managed at the time by her husband), it was the only time he intervened in Presley’s choice of repertoire. Presley returned to the studio with his band, consisting of Scotty Moore, drummer D. J. Fontana, pianist Floyd Cramer, guitarist Hank Garland, bassist Bob Moore, percussionist Buddy Harman, and backing vocalists the Jordanaires, on April 3.

After the eight songs Parker needed for Elvis Is Back! were recorded, Presley moved on to his manager’s request. At 4 am on April 4, the singer began recording “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”, accompanied by acoustic guitar, drums, bass, and the backup group. He asked everyone else in the studio to leave the session, told Chet Atkins to turn the lights out, and performed the song with the spoken bridge. After the second take, Presley said to producer Steve Sholes, “Throw that tune out; I can’t do it justice”. Sholes told engineer Bill Porter to ignore Presley’s order and asked the singer to do a new take, explaining that the Jordanaires had bumped into their microphone stand while recording in the dark. As a result, Presley performed the song once more, and that take became the master for the single.

But Thursdays are for flowers! This flowertography session was taken in my yard with a Lensbaby Velvet lens. I think it lends a lonesome effect to the images:


Oh But Still... - 2023

Nature's Amen - 2023

Nature's Amen - 2023

Through Dirt - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

Last Penny - 2023

The next flowertography session will probably still be from my yard.

And I Thought My Heart was Detached

Seems like a good time to share some alternate images I took for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme LEADING LINES. I took all of these pictures on a hike through the backside of McHose Park.


Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

Leading Lines - Alternate

These pictures are almost 3 weeks old, but looking at them, it dawns on me that I should get some pants that fit better. No promises though. I’m still not finished with my cleaning out my closets project. I’m close though. Pretty dang close!

WPC – WEEK 443 – SENTIMENTAL

Today is Dawn’s birthday, so I must wish her a happy birthday.


9 Emotions Project - Dawn Krause
Happy birthday Dawn!

I hope your birthday is filled with plenty of time to sit down and read!

+++++++

Today is also Baier’s birthday, so I must with him a happy birthday!


The Story
Happy birthday Baier!

I hope your birthday is filled plenty of thoughts of the Chiefs winning another Super Bowl!

+++++++

SENTIMENTAL! Maybe a little bit of a hard one for some people. Sometimes it is hard to think about the things that we are sentimental about. But was it easy enough for enough people to make SENTIMENTAL a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

If you are like me at all, you will really wonder the backstory on so many of the photographed subject. Fortunately for me, I actually know the story on most of the subjects in the story, but I will never tell.

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, March 4, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore the numbers in parentheses):

1-Adam Gordon – 1 week
2-Deanna McClain – 1 week
3-Johnathan Stensland – 1 week
4-Mary Green – 3 weeks (2)
5-Stehanie Kim – 3 weeks
6-Becky Parmelee – 3 weeks
7-Willy McAlpine – 5 weeks
8-Sara Lockner – 7 weeks
9-Lowell Davis – 9 weeks
10-Michelle Haupt – 9 weeks
11-Alexis Stensland – 9 weeks (2)
12-Brandon Kahler – 10 weeks
13-Scott Degeneffe – 28 weeks
14-Sabas Hernandez – 29 weeks
15-Mike Vest – 34 weeks
16-Sheri Fakhouri – 38 weeks
17-Logan Kahler – 39 weeks (2)
18-Nathanial Brown – 40 weeks
19-Jesse Howard – 40 weeks
20-Tamara Peterson – 43 weeks
21-Mindi Terrell – 55 weeks (2)
22-Linda Bennett – 84 weeks
23-Sarah Toot – 85 weeks (2)
24-Angie DeWaard – 89 weeks
25-Dawn Krause – 93 weeks
26-Kim Barker – 99 weeks (2)
27-Joe Duff – 100 weeks
28-Teresa Kahler – 111 weeks
29-Carla Stensland – 111 weeks (2)
30-Micky Augustin – 113 weeks
31-Andy Sharp – 114 weeks
32-Bill Wentworth – 115 weeks
33-Cathie Morton – 119 weeks
34-Elizabeth Nordeen – 120 weeks
35-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 122 weeks
36-Kio Dettman – 124 weeks (2)

Reminder. Here is the list of rules for Year 11 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE:


1. The picture must 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 and take pictures challenge!
2. There is a limit of 2 submissions per person per theme. If you send me more than 2, I will use the first 2 that you submit.
3. Deadline to submit your submission is 11 AM next Monday.
4. To be considered the photographer of an image, you have to be the one that clicks the shutter. If you hand your camera over to somebody else to take a picture of you, you are NOT the photographer of that image.
5. No screen captures. This is a photography challenge. Not a “look at what I found on the internet” challenge.

There are still 2 ways to submit:
1. Email your submission to bennett@photography139.com.
2. Text your submission to my Google Pixel 8 Pro.

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 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ADAM GORDON
Adam Gordon (Kresge Chapel – Kansas City, Missouri) – 2 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ADAM GORDON
Adam Gordon (Kresge Chapel – Kansas City, Missouri)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 10 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ALEXIS STENSLAND
Alexis Stensland (Sacred Heart Cemetery – Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Arkansas/Mississippi Border) – 115 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL -ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp (Missouri/Tennessee Border)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ANGIE DEWAARD
Angie DeWaard (Ames, Iowa) – 90 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - BECKY PARMELEE
Becky Parmelee (Arkansas) – 4 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - BILL WENTWORTH
Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 116 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - BRANDON KAHLER
Brandon Kahler (Iowa) – 111 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - CARLA STENSLAND
Carla Stensland (Iowa) – 112 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton (Norwalk, Iowa) – 120 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - DAWN KRAUSE
Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 94 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - ELIZABETH NORDEEN
Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 121 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - JESSE HOWARD
Jesse Howard (Iowa) – 41 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - JOE DUFF
Joe Duff (Texas) – 101 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - KIM BARKER
Kim Barker (Nevada, Iowa) – 100 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa) – 125 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - LINDA BENNETT
Linda Bennett (Kansas) – 85 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 40 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - LOGAN KAHLER
Logan Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Val-Air Ballroom – Des Moines, Iowa) – 10 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - LOWELL DAVIS
Lowell Davis (Val-Air Ballroom – Des Moines, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa) – 4 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MARY GREEN
Mary Green (Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MICHELLE HAUPT
Michelle Haupt (Iowa) – 10 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin (Schaumburg, Illinois) – 114 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MIKE VEST
Mike Vest (Missouri) – 35 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Cherry Glenn – Near Ankeny, Iowa) – 56 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MINDI TERRELL
Mindi Terrell (Cherry Glenn – Near Ankeny, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - MONICA JENNINGS
Monica Jennings (Boone, Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - NATHANIAL BROWN
Nathanial Brown (Des Moines, Iowa) – 41 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SABAS HERNANDEZ
Sabas Hernandez (Ankeny, Iowa) – 30 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SARA LOCKNER
Sara Lockner (Burnsville, Minnesota) – 8 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SARAH TOOT
Sarah Toot (Pennsylvania) – 86 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SCOTT DEGENEFFE
Scott Degeneffe (Panama City Beach, Florida) – 29 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley (Honey Hollow – Summerset, Iowa) – 123 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa) – 39 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SHERI FAKHOURI
Sheri Fakhouri (Ankeny, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - STEPHANIE KIM
Stephanie Kim (Fort Greene – Brooklyn, New York) – 4 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - SUZIE BRANNEN
Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 1 week

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - TAMARA PETERSON
Tamara Peterson (Iowa) – 44 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa) – 112 weeks

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler (Boone, Iowa)

WPC - WEEK 443 - SENTIMENTAL - WILLIAM MCALPINE
Willy McAlpine (McHose Park – Boone, Iowa) – 6 weeks

37 participants! That is a pretty great week! Same as last week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Arkansas (1.5)
+ Florida (1)
+ Illinois (1)
+ Iowa (33)
+ Kansas (1)
+ Minnesota (1)
+ Mississippi (.5)
+ Missouri (3.5)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ New York (1)
+ Pennsylvania (1)
+ Tennessee (.5)
+ Texas (1)

Thanks to the travels of Scott, we added Florida to the list! And thanks to Andy’s travels we added Tennessee to the list.

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

+ Arkansas (3.5)
+ California (1)
+ Colorado (4)
+ Florida (1)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Iowa (372)
+ Illinois (1)
+ Indiana (2)
+ Kansas (17)
+ Michigan (4)
+ Minnesota (3)
+ Mississippi (1.5)
+ Missouri (4.5)
+ Nebraska (13)
+ New York (7)
+ Pennsylvania (9)
+ South Dakota (2)
+ Tennessee (.5)
+ Texas (17)
+ Vermont (1)

20 states so far! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple states:

+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS)
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX)
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO)
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT)
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN)
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO)
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN)
+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD)
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN)
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL)
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL)
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO)
+ Sara Lockner (IA, MN)

Andy has taken a 2 state lead over Jen with his sentimental road trip to be crowned the Emperor of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Travel! I’ll keep workshopping that name. But I might buy a crown for the winner. Just another idea I’m spitballing.

Micky, Scott, and Vest all joined the club of people that have submitted from multiple states. Adam added a third state to his list!

There were a few big milestones reached this week! Michelle and Lowell and Alexis all joined the Double Digit Streak Club! Kim joined the Triple Digit Streak Club! WooHoos all around!

But it was not all unicorns and rainbows though. Deanna and Johnathan couldn’t build on their submissions from last week and their streaks are over before the even began.

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 444 - DECORATION
DECORATION

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

I look forward to your interpretation!

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 DECORATION in this place in this place that decorates my life next Monday.

Cue: Ames Field Work

Today is Nora’s birthday so I need to wish her a happy birthday!


Nora
Happy birthday Nora!

I hope your birthday is filled with all the mushrooms you can handle and not filled with all the serious questions that the BARBIE movie makes a person ask!

+++++++

Back on Valentine’s Day/Ash Wednesday I went to Cornbred in Ames with Teresa and Carla before going to the Cyclone women upset the #7 Kansas State Wildcats in double overtime. Absolutely one of the greatest games I’ve ever seen in Hilton. Period.

As a big fan of barbecue, it is rather amazing that I had never been to Cornbred. It is mostly because I forget it exists. But on this day, I remembered it existed and I efforted to check it out.

Here are some pictures:


Cue: Cornbred

Cue: Cornbred

Cue: Cornbred

Cue: Cornbred

Cue: Cornbred

Cue: Cornbred
I went with the brisket.

Cue: Cornbred

Cue: Cornbred

Cue: Cornbred

Cue: Cornbred

Cue: Cornbred

Cue: Cornbred

The verdict? I think Cornbred is a touch overrated. Scott described it as “yuppie barbecue” and I can’t completely disagree. If it was hipster barbecue that would be better. Say what you want about hipsters, they make pretty good food.

It isn’t that Cornbred is bad. In fact part of my meal were great. The brussel sprouts appetizer was fantastic. I am a well known big time fan of brussel sprouts. I probably eat them about once a week. Not mixed with pork belly but there is a steamer bag of brussel sprouts that I really like!

The brisket was also fantastic. No complaints there. The bread that came with it, was average. I got the creamy pineapple slaw for my side. Hey, remember, trying to eat healthier! Now cole slaw is usually drowning in mayonnaise, so it isn’t super healthy, but it is certainly healthier than fries. And cole slaw also can contain lots of vitamin A and vitamin E. But most importantly, I like cole slaw. In fact, I even had a favorite cole slaw. The Country House in Colo had a fantastic cole slaw. Too bad they have went out of business. But trust me, it was because of their cole slaw. Or their tenderloin for that matter.

This cole slaw was very mediocre.

In the grand scheme of things, I would definitely eat at Cornbred again. I don’t know I would go out of my way for it, but I would eat there again. But all things considered I would rather eat at Jimmy’s.

You can find Cornbred here:

526 Main Street #106
Ames, Iowa

But what is the update on my efforting to live a healthier lifestyle?

I think generally things are going well. For the first time since I’ve started to monitor it, I’ve had a couple of sleep scores in the 80s! I’m not sure how much that means, but I will take it as a positive.

The Noom lessons were about sleep, so it is a good thing I’ve gotten some good sleep. Here is your health fun fact for this week.

According to The American Journal of Clinical nutrition, missing a few hours of sleep one night can cause a person to eat an extra 559 calories, on average, the next day. So I guess sleep is important.

This week my weight went down 1.9 pounds. Down 16.6 pounds since I started Noom.

I haven’t purchased anything else to help in my attempts to live healthier. I’m still thinking on that smart scale.

The next food adventure will involve a food truck.