Tag Archives: featured

Road Trip, Self-Portrait, Still Life, Tenderloining, Teresa

Tenderloining: Manning Field Work

December 8, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

A couple of months back I finally made it to glorious Manning to try the 2023 winner of Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin. Manning isn’t a very far drive from Boone but I kept putting it off because I was going to go with Michelle since she has some connections to the winner. Well, in actuality Craig has connections. But it seemed it was never going to happen, so I decided to go with Teresa and get this tenderloin out of the ether and into my system.

The restaurant that won is called Cliff’s Place. Here are some pictures from the trip:

Remember this place!

Mushrooms!

These tasted better than they look, but they weren’t great.

Iowa State fans!

So what is the verdict?

Cliff’s Place sells a very fine tenderloin. It is undeniably excellent! But the best in Iowa. No. But my rating system. I would not drive out of my way for it again. But if I was in the area I would definitely stop and take a tenderloin down.

One of the good things about it is that it doesn’t try to make up for a lack of flavor with tremendous size. It was a decent size. A good thickness. It had a good flavor. They used white onions, which is always a plus!

However, the real show stopper from the trip was the ice cream. The ice cream shop is owned by the same people that own Cliff’s Place and it was fantastic. All ice cream is fantastic, but this ice cream was more fantastic than most.

Cliff’s Place can be found here:

417 Main Street
Manning, Iowa

Current Hours:

Monday: 11 AM–1 PM, 5–9 PM
Tuesday: 11 AM–1 PM, 5–9 PM
Wednesday: 11 AM–1 PM, 5–9 PM
Thursday: 11 AM–1 PM, 5–9 PM
Friday: 11 AM–1 PM, 5–9 PM
Saturday: 11 AM–1 PM, 5–9 PM
Sunday: Closed

Next Sunday’s food adventure will involve breakfast!

Adam, Andy, Boone FUMC, Holidays, Still Life, Street Photography

Community Thanksgiving 2024

December 7, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

Time to share some pictures from the actual Thanksgiving Community meal served by the Boone First United Methodist Church. All in all the album of pictures from my time (me not pictured) helping with the meal has 563 images in it. I probably could have taken more, but I left about 12:30ish to get to my family Thanksgiving at Carla’s house.

Here are some of my favorite images:

If you want to look through all 563 pictures, just clicking on any image in this post will take you to the gallery.

All in all, we served between 600-700 meals this year.

But perhaps the most important development of the year is that the inflatable turkey finally has a name. The turkey was a gift from my Mom close to 10 years ago and it never had a name. I’m not into naming things that will never know they have a name. I would never give a name to a car or to a fish or to a cat or to an inflatable turkey. But the kids that were working the outside crew have deemed the inflatable turkey “Bartholomew”. Henceforth, that is how he will be known.

Another, not major development, but a change this year is that Jennifer from the Chamber loaned us the barricades and cones used for Pufferbilly Days. Such a big improvement over the half saw horse things the city has begrudgingly loaned us the last several years.

I already look forward to next year’s Thanksgiving meal. If you want to get involved, I know a guy you can talk to.

Art, Black & White, Christianity, History, Railroad, Road Trip, Ruins, Street Photography, Tenderloining

Eclipse Road Trip Day 3 – Mostly Belle Plaine

December 6, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

Can you believe it. This is the final collection of images from the Eclipse Road Trip. After leaving Le Claire I head to Belle Plaine to try their famous Lincoln Cafe. I already wrote about my food adventure there on a long Sunday past. You can revisit that part of the trip by clicking on the link below:

Tenderloining: Belle Plaine Field Work

On my way to Belle Plaine a took a couple of pictures in Marengo.

Have a looksie:

That is it. My long, but not very long, strange, definitely strange trip has come to an end. It was an excellent adventure. I could use another such adventure fairly soon! I think I can finally get started on editing those pictures I took in New Orleans!

Bokeh, Flowers, Macro

Winterlude

December 5, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

Winterlude, winterlude, oh darlin’
Winterlude by the road tonight
Tonight there will be no quarrelin’
Everything is gonna be all right
Oh, I see by the angel beside me
That love has a reason to shine
You’re the one I adore, come over here and give me more
Then winterlude, this dude thinks you’re fine

Winterlude, winterlude, my little apple
Winterlude by the corn in the field
Winterlude, let’s go down to the chapel
Then come back and cook up a meal
Well, come out when the skating rink glistens
By the sun, near the old crossroads sign
The snow is so cold, but our love can bold
Winterlude, this dude thinks you’re fine

Winterlude, winterlude, my little daisy
Winterlude by the telephone wire
Winterlude, it’s makin’ me lazy
Come on, sit by the logs in the fire
The moonlight reflects from the window
Where the snowflakes, they cover the sand
Come out tonight, everything will be tight
Winterlude, this dude thinks you’re grand
-Written and Performed by Bob Dylan

I can’t stand Bob Dylan as a performer, but anybody that can write a lyric like “this dude thinks you’re fine” is a songwriting genius in my book.

But Thursdays are for flowers. This flowertography session took place in my yard and includes a couple of bonus Bokeh images!

Next Thursday’s flowertography session will also take place in my yard.

Art, Birthdays, Brandon, Nader, Road Trip, Street Photography

Nader Road Trip: Creston Murals III

December 4, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

Today is Brandon’s birthday so I need to wish him a happy birthday!

Tenderloining - Claxon's Smokehouse & Grill

Happy birthday Brandon!!

I hope your birthday is filled with all the anime Funko pops you could ever want!

+++++++

This is the final collection of mural images from my trip there with Nader. While many of the murals are cool, the story behind them is also pretty cool. From the Creston arts website:

Since the inception of the Mentor Mural Project in 2020, more than 50 vibrant murals have been created in Creston and surrounding towns. Through this program, Creston area youth complete community service hours working in partnership with professional artists to create public art, connecting the youth to the community through the creation of public works. Through the Mentor Mural Project, youth learn a variety of trade skills while contributing to creative collaborative projects.

The Mentor Mural Program is a collaboration between students of Creston Community High School, Creston Arts, local businesses and volunteers, the Department of Health and Human Services, Creston and Leon cluster decategorization projects, Juvenile Court Services, CWC, Conover Family Trust, Knock Family Foundation, Iowa Arts Council, and the National Academy of Design.

What a tremendous program and truly awe inspiring. Especially when you come from a town like Boone that has virtually zero murals and the ones we have… aren’t great.

It puts Creston tops on my list of Iowa mural towns. Along with Dubuque and Le Mars.

Here the pictures:

There is still one more collection of images from this road trip. Just a few from some towns we went through on the way back home.

Bokeh, Elainie, Sabas

Bokeh Meets Elainie and Sabas

December 3, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

Time for a batch of Bokeh photos! This collection is from when Bokeh met Elainie and Sabas before our trip to Marshalltown to visit the record store that sadly no longer exists, hit up The Flying Elbow, and La Michoacana.

Here are the pictures:

Still plenty more pictures of Bokeh from her early days left to share.

Alexis, Andy, Angie, Becky, Bill, Boone FUMC, Brandon, Carla, Cathie, Dawn, Deanna, Deb, Elizabeth, Jesse, Joe Duff, Kim, Kio, Linda, Logan, Lowell, Mary, Micky, Mindi, Monica, Nathanial, Sabas, Sarah Toot, Scottie D., Shannon, Sheri, Street Photography, Suzie, Tamara, Teresa, Vest, Willy, WPC - Submissions

WPC – WEEK 481 – CLOTHING

December 2, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

CLOTHING! What a great theme! But were enough people not nudists to make it a popular theme? You will have to keep scrolling to find out!

As of 12:01 PM on Monday, November 25, this was the current list of ACTIVE streaks (ignore everything in parentheses):

*1-Jen Ensley-Gorshe – 1 week (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL, IN, WV, PA, DC, WA)
*2-Mary Green – 1 week (MI, IA, IN, IL, PR)
3-Monica Jennings – 1 week (IA)
4-Sara Lockner – 1 week (IA, BHS, MN, FL)
5-Sabas Hernandez – 2 weeks (IA, OH)
6-Jesse Howard – 8 weeks (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN)
*7-Suzie Brannen – 9 weeks (IA, MD)
*8-Deb Powers – 13 weeks (MT, IA)
9-Willy McAlpine – 20 weeks (IA)
10-Deanna McClain – 24 weeks (IA, MN)
11-Mike Vest – 27 weeks (IA, MO, OK, AR, KS)
12-Lowell Davis – 47 weeks (IA, MO, KS)
13-Brandon Kahler – 48 weeks (IA, MN)
14-Scott Degeneffe – 66 weeks (IA, FL, UT, CO, KY, IN, IL, MN, WI)
15-Sheri Fakhouri – 76 weeks (IA, NE, GA)
16-Logan Kahler – 77 weeks (IA, MN, MO)
17-Nathanial Brown – 78 weeks (IA, SD, GA, TN, IRL, UK, FL, IL, KS, NE, MN, PA,, WI, NY)
18-Tamara Peterson – 89 weeks (IA, MN)
*19-Mindi Terrell – 93 weeks (IA)
20-Linda Bennett – 122 weeks (KS, IA, MI, NY)
21-Sarah Toot – 123 weeks (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ, NC, FL)
22-Angie DeWaard – 126 weeks (IA, IL, SCT, ENG, MN, FL)
*23-Dawn Krause – 131 weeks (IA, IL)
24-Kim Barker – 137 weeks (IA, CO, LA)
25-Joe Duff – 138 weeks (TX, NY)
26-Teresa Kahler – 149 weeks (IA, NE)
*27-Carla Stensland – 149 weeks (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO)
28-Micky Augustin – 151 weeks (IA, IL, FL, AK)
*29-Andy Sharp – 152 weeks (IA, NE, AR, MS, MO, TN, LA, IL, MN, WI, KS)
*30-Bill Wentworth – 153 weeks (NE, MO, FL)
31-Cathie Morton – 157 weeks (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA)
32-Elizabeth Nordeen – 158 weeks (IA, OH)
33-Shannon Bardole-Foley – 160 weeks (IA, CA, NV, AR, MO)
34-Kio Dettman – 162 weeks (IA)

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 481 - CLOTHING - BECKY PARMELEE

Becky Parmelee (New York City, New York) – 1 week

Alexis Stensland (Iowa) – 1 week

Mary Green (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Mary Green (Iowa)

Monica Jennings (Iowa) – 2 weeks

Sabas Hernandez (Iowa) – 3 weeks

Jesse Howard (Jack Trice Stadium – Ames, Iowa) – 9 weeks

Suzie Brannen (Iowa) – 10 weeks

Deb Powers (Ankeny, Iowa) – 14 weeks

Deb Powers (Ankeny, Iowa)

Willy McAlpine (Iowa) – 21 weeks

Deanna McClain (Iowa) – 25 weeks

Mike Vest (Madrid, Iowa) – 28 weeks

Lowell Davis (Iowa) – 48 weeks

Brandon Kahler (Jack Trice Stadium – Ames, Iowa) – 49 weeks

Scott Degeneffe (Iowa) – 67 weeks

Sheri Fakhouri (Iowa) – 77 weeks

Logan Kahler (Iowa) – 78 weeks

Nathanial Brown (Iowa) – 79 weeks

Tamara Peterson (Boone, Iowa) – 90 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa) – 94 weeks

Mindi Terrell (Iowa)

Linda Bennett (Missouri) – 123 weeks

Sarah Toot (Baltimore, Maryland) – 124 weeks

Angie DeWaard (Iowa) – 127 weeks

Dawn Krause (Iowa) – 132 weeks

Kim Barker (Iowa) – 138 weeks

Joe Duff (Texas) – 139 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa) – 150 weeks

Teresa Kahler (Iowa)

Carla Stensland (Ogden, Iowa) – 150 weeks

Carla Stensland (Ames, Iowa)

Micky Augustin (Ames, Iowa)- 152 weeks

Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa) – 153 weeks

Andy Sharp (Boone, Iowa)

Bill Wentworth (Omaha, Nebraska) – 154 weeks

Cathie Morton (New Mexico) – 158 weeks

Cathie Morton (Phoenix, Arizona)

Elizabeth Nordeen (Iowa) – 159 weeks

Shannon Bardole-Foley (Cancun, Mexico) – 161 weeks

Kio Dettman (Iowa) – 163 weeks

Christopher D. Bennett (Boone First United Methodist Church – Boone, Iowa) – 585 weeks

There were 35 participants this week. A pretty good week!

There were submissions this week taken in the following places:

+ Arizona (1)
+ Iowa (34)
+ Maryland (1)
+ Mexico (1)
+ Missouri (1)
+ Nebraska (1)
+ New Mexico (1)
+ New York (1)
+ Texas (1)

Thanks go Cathie’s travels we added New Mexico and Arizona to the map. Thanks to Shannon’s travels we add Mexico to the map!

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

+ Alaska (1)
+ Arizona (1)
+ Arkansas (20.5)
+ California (3)
+ Colorado (10)
+ Florida (16)
+ Georgia (3)
+ Hawaii (2)
+ Illinois (14)
+ Indiana (6)
+ Iowa (1797)
+ Kansas (63)
+ Kentucky (1)
+ Louisiana (8)
+ Maryland (2)
+ Michigan (13)
+ Minnesota (15)
+ Mississippi (2.5)
+ Missouri (23.5)
+ Montana (4)
+ Nebraska (57)
+ Nevada (4)
+ New Jersey (5)
+ New Mexico (2)
+ New York (22)
+ North Carolina (2)
+ Ohio (5)
+ Oklahoma (2)
+ Pennsylvania (40)
+ Puerto Rico (4)
+ South Dakota (5)
+ Tennessee (2.5)
+ Texas (69)
+ Utah (1)
+ Vermont (1)
+ Virginia (1)
+ Washington (2)
+ Washington D.C. (1)
+ West Virginia (1)
+ Wisconsin (5)
+ Wyoming (1)
+ Aruba (1)
+ Bahamas (4)
+ Canada (2)
+ Curacao (1)
+ Ireland (3)
+ England (2)
+ Mexico (1)
+ North Ireland (1)
+ Scotland (1)

39 states so far! 1 U.S. Territory! 1 District! 7 foreign countries! Not bad! So far, the following people have submitted from multiple places:

+ Nathanial Brown (IA, SD, TN, GA, IRL, NIR, FL, IL, KS, NE, MN, PA, WI, NY) – 14
+ Jen Ensley-Gorshe (IA, CO, MO, TX, TN, VA, IL, FL, IN, WV, PA, DC, WA) – 13
+ Andy Sharp (IA, NE, MO, AR, TN, MS, LA, IL, MN, WI, KS) – 11
+ Scott Degeneffe (IA, FL, UT, CO, IN, KY, IL, MN, WI) – 9
+ Sarah Toot (PA, NY, VT, NV, NJ, NC, FL, MD) – 8
+ Cathie Morton (IA, FL, BHS, MO, LA, AZ, NM) – 7
+ Jesse Howard (IA, MO, NE, FL, ABW, CUW, MN) – 7
+ Christopher D. Bennett (IA, MO, NE, IL, IN, LA) – 6
+ Adam Gordon (IA, MS, MO, KS, MI, CAN) – 6
+ Angie DeWaard (IA, IL, SCT, ENG, MN, FL) – 6
+ Shannon Bardole-Foley (IA, CA, NV, AR, MO, MEX) – 6
+ Linda Bennett (KS, IA, MI, NY, MO) – 5
+ Carla Stensland (IA, MO, SD, WY, CO) -5
+ Mary Green (MI, IA, IN, IL, RP) – 5
+ Michelle Haupt (IA, MO, KS, LA, MI) – 5
+ Mike Vest (IA, MO, AR, OK, KS) – 5
+ Becky Parmelee (AR, IA, OK, NY) – 4
+ Micky Augustin (IA, IL, FL, AK) – 4
+ Sara Lockner (IA, BHS, MN, FL) – 4
+ Lowell Davis (IA, MO, KS) – 3
+ Logan Kahler (IA, MN, MO) – 3
+ Bill Wentworth (NE, MO, FL) – 3
+ Kim Barker (IA, CO, LA) – 3
+ Susanna Funk (IA, CO) – 2
+ Brandon Kahler (IA, MN) – 2
+ Tamara Peterson (IA, MN) – 2
+ Teresa Kahler (IA, NE) – 2
+ Sheri Fakhouri (IA, NE) – 2
+ Sabas Hernandez (IA, OH) – 2
+ Suzie Brannen (IA, MD) – 2
+ Elizabeth Nordeen (IA, OH) – 2
+ Deanna McClain (IA, MN) – 2
+ Dawn Krause – (IA, IL) – 2
+ Joe Duff (TX, NY) – 2
+ Evie Gorshe (IA, IN) – 2
+ Layla Gorshe (IA, OH) -2
+ Deb Powers (MT, IA) – 2
+ Kyle Sharp (IA, MO) – 2

Nathanial is clinging to the lead to be crowned “The Most Travelled THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE Photographer!”

There were a few big milestones reached this week. Suzie joined the Double Digit Streak Club! WooHoo. Logan joined the Year and a Half Streak Club! WooHoo! Woo!

But it wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns! Jen and Sara couldn’t build on their submission and their streaks are over before they began. I will assume that they have become devout nudists that have no time for your bougie clothing.

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:

SYMMETRY (SUGGESTED BY SARAH TOOT)

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

I look forward to seeing your interpretation!

That is all I got, so if the good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise, we will see your idea of SYMMETRY in this place that isn’t very even keeled always in fashion next Monday.

Derrick, Elizabeth, Iowa State, Jesse, Jorge, Still Life, Tenderloining

Taco Tailgate – 2024

December 1, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

Way back on October 5, we did our annual Taco Tailgate. It was smaller than usual. Just a few of us. Jorge, Randi, and Jesse and Derrick. Elizabeth made an appearance. So did Sean and a friend.

Here are a few pictures from the day:

It was a great day and I’m already looking forward to Taco Tailgate in 2025. Hopefully it will work out that more people will be able to make it.

Next Sunday’s food adventure involves the 2023 winner for Iowa’s Best Pork Tenderloin. Get pumped!

Andy, Boone FUMC, Candid Portrait, Holidays, Still Life

Community Thanksgiving Prep 2024

November 30, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

On Thursday the Boone First United Methodist Church held its annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. I helped on Thursday, but I also helped on Wednesday. Wednesday there is tons of prep done. I was there for the turkey carving and the pie cutting and the roll bagging and the general setup.

Here are some pictures I took of the prep work on Wednesday:

I still have a TON of pictures from the actual dinner left to share. I’ll share those next Saturday!

Art, Automobiles, Road Trip, Street Photography

Eclipse Road Trip Day 3 – Le Claire

November 29, 2024 Christopher D. Bennett Leave a comment

I parted with the Gorshes officially on the morning of Day 3 of the Eclipse Road Trip. The final day. The trip home. They were mostly still in bed, but I breakfasted with Dave and then hit the road back to the Cyclone State. Although on such a beautiful day, I couldn’t just drive straight home. So at first I stopped at one of my favorite towns in Iowa. Beautiful Le Claire.

Here are some pictures:

I made one more stop on the way home and then that will conclude the pictures from The Eclipse Road Trip.