Tag Archives: featured

2010-11-22

Most of the pictures from the folder 2010-11-22 are from when I took some pictures of the Baiers around Iowa State’s beautiful campus.


WEEK 46 - SPIRITUAL - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

Baier Family Photo Shoot - 2010

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

RWPE #46 – SPIRITUAL

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve a youth group fundraiser.

Last Day of the Fair

On the last day of the Iowa State Fair, Jesse and I went down there and spent several hours down there before picking up my pictures from the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. I barely made it in to the Cultural Center to get my photos because they started closing the building down at 7, which is when you were supposed to be able to go in and get your photos. I was one of the few people that let in and got my photos. I was lucky.

Here are some pictures from the day:


Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

I’m already looking forward to the 2022 Iowa State Fair. I hope we are completely through this pandemic by then so I can enjoy the Fair more freely.

+++++++

This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is ‘SCAPE.


WEEK 312 - 'SCAPE
‘SCAPE

REMINDER: NEXT MONDAY IS LABOR DAY. WHILE THE BANK MAY TAKE A DAY OFF AND THE SCHOOLS MIGHT TAKE THE DAY OFF AND MOST OF THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT TAKE THE DAY OFF AND THE COMPUTER MINE MIGHT TAKE THE DAY OFF… PHOTOGRAPHY 139 DOES NOT TAKE THE DAY OFF. EVERY DAY I’M HUSTLING. PLAN WHEN YOU SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO ACCORDINGLY!

‘SCAPE! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a ‘SCAPE picture? Do you mean landscape? Don’t worry, I’m about to feed you baby bird.

Yes, a landscape picture could be a ‘SCAPE picture, but a ‘SCAPE picture isn’t necessarily a landscape picture. The theme reveal picture is a picture of a landscape that I took high up in the Loess Hills on Saturday. However it is the apostrophe before the SCAPE that is key here. You don’t have to limit your possibilities to a landscape. There are other types of ‘SCAPEs. There are citySCAPEs. There are also waterSCAPES and skySCAPEs and even inSCAPEs.

And if you don’t know what a landSCAPE is, it is this:

“all the visible features of an area of countryside or land, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.”

Happy photo harvesting!

Amazing Love

Well over a year ago my Mom paid for a brick to honor her Dad for his military service that was to be placed around the Boone County Freedom Rock. I believe that she ended up splitting that cost with her brothers and sisters. Then she purchased a brick to honor Elainie. It took well over a year and she never got to see the bricks, but they are finally in place. Well they are sorta in place:


BOONE COUNTY FREEDOM ROCK

BOONE COUNTY FREEDOM ROCK

If you look at the brick that honors Elainie’s military service, you will notice that they misspelled her name. This is supposedly going to be fixed and replaced with a brick that spells her name correctly. Sooner rather than later, so I guess we will wait and see.

+++++++

Here are pictures of some of the flowers I planted at Mom’s house on Mother’s Day. These pictures were taken on May 9, 2021.


Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2020

Girl in the Blue Skirt - 2020

Amazing Love

Amazing Love

Amazing Love

Amazing Love

Amazing Love

Amazing Love

Amazing Love

Amazing Love

Amazing Love

Amazing Love

The last two are of a squirrel that build a nest in the tree that straddles the property line with her property and the neighbors to the south.

Selfie Project – August 2021

Yesterday I completed yet another successful month of THE SELFIE PROJECT. I was surprised how packed a month it was. When I looked back at some of the images, I thought, “that happened in August? It feels like such a long time ago!”

Here are my favorites from August:


Day 213 - August 1, 2021
August 1, 2021

Day 215 - August 3, 2021
August 3, 2021

Day 216 - August 4, 2021
August 4, 2021

Day 217 - August 5, 2021
August 5, 2021

Day 219 - August 7, 2021
August 7, 2021

Day 220 - August 8, 2021
August 8, 2021

Day 223 - August 11, 2021
August 11, 2021

Day 224 - August 12, 2021
August 12, 2021

Day 225 - August 13, 2021
August 13, 2021

Day 227 - August 15, 2021
August 15, 2021

Day 229 - August 17, 2021
August 17, 2021

Day 231 - August 19, 2021
August 19, 2021

Day 234  - August 22, 2021
August 22, 2021

Day 236 - August 24, 2021
August 24, 2021

Day 239 - August 27,  2021
August 27, 2021

Day 240 - August 28, 2021
August 28, 2021

Day 241 - August 29, 2021
August 29, 2021

Day 243 - August 31, 2021
August 31, 2021

There can only be one Selfie per day, but I’ve decided to start sharing some alternate selfies from the month, that just didn’t make the cut:


SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

SELFIE PROJECT  ALTERNATE

If you want to peruse all the THE SELFIE PROJECT images, click on the link below:

Selfie Project – 2021

Hopefully September is another successful month!

Town Sign Project: Pocahontas County

A few weeks back I cruised around Pocahontas County harvesting their town signs. Some of these I harvested on a trip to northwest Iowa with Teresa. The rest I harvested on a solo trip.

Here are some facts about Pocahontas County:

+ Population is 7,078. It is the 93rd most populous county. Behind Ida County and ahead of Wayne County.
+ The largest town and county seat is Pocahontas.
+ Formed in 1851.
+ Named for the Powhatan “Princess” Matoax. Pocahontas was a childhood nickname and she kept her real name hidden from the colonists that held her hostage. The truth of her story is pretty widely misrepresented by Disney… to say the least.
+ Home of a giant (and terrible) statue of Matoax (Pocahontas).
+ Home to a sweet sculpture of the greatest mascot in all the lands, Cy.
+ Home of Palmer’s boys basketball team (now consolidated) that won 103 straight games in the 1980s.
+ Major highways are: IA-3, IA-4, IA-7, IA-10, and IA-15.
+ Adjacent counties are: Palo Alto, Humboldt, Webster, Calhoun, and Buena Vista.
+ Population peaked in 1940 at 16,266.

The Pocahontas County courthouse is similar to the one in Boone.


Pocahontas County Courthouse
The Pocahontas County Courthouse located in Pocahontas, Iowa.

The Pocahontas County Freedom Rock is located in Rolfe, Iowa:


Pocahontas County Freedom Rock

Pocahontas County Freedom Rock

Pocahontas County Freedom Rock

Pocahontas County Freedom Rock

The Pocahontas County Freedom Rock is right across the street from a sweet sculpture of Cy, so it probably doesn’t get as much attention as the rest of the Freedom Rocks in Iowa.

With Pocahontas County conquered, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:


Town Sign Project - 34 Counties
PURPLE=COMPLETED

34 counties completed. 34.3% of the Cyclone State conquered.

Here are the town signs of Pocahontas County (population from 2020 Census):


Pocahontas, Iowa
Pocahontas
WELCOME TO POCAHONTAS
“THE PRINCESS CITY”
Population: 1,867 (+78)

Laurens, Iowa
Laurens, Iowa
LAURENS
Population: 1,264 (+6)

Fonda, Iowa
Fonda, Iowa
FONDA
HOME TOWN WITH A HEART
Population: 636 (+5)

Rolfe, Iowa
Rolfe, Iowa
ESTABLISHED 1863
WELCOME TO Rolfe
Population: 509 (-75)

Gilmore City, Iowa
Gilmore City, Iowa (Humboldt County)
IOWA’S LIMESTONE CAPITAL
GILMORE CITY WELCOMES YOU
Population: 487 (-17)

Palmer, Iowa
Palmer, Iowa
PALMER
Population: 138 (-27)

Havelock, Iowa
Havelock, Iowa
HAVELOCK
EST. 1881
Population: 130 (-8)

Varina, Iowa
Varina, Iowa
A LITTLE TOWN WITH A BIG HEART
Population: 68 (-3)

Plover, Iowa
Plover, Iowa
PLOVER
EST. 1882
Population: 50 (-27)

I think the town with the worst town sign in Pocahontas County is pretty obvious. It is Fonda. They allegedly used to have a pretty cool town sign, but it is either gone now or in the process of being replaced, cause I combed (with Teresa) pretty much every inch of that town and didn’t find it.

I think it is a two horse race for the best town sign in Pocahontas County. Pocahontas and Rolfe have nice signs, but it really comes down to Plover and Havelock. I’m going to give it to Plover because the backwards “1”s in Havelock’s sign makes me think it is a clue to some kind of New World Order/Masonic Temple conspiracy that might be going down in that town. I actually think Plover’s alternate town sign is even better than their main town sign.


Plover, Iowa
Plover – Best in Show – Pocahontas County

Here are the alternate town signs of Pocahontas County:


Pocahontas, Iowa
Pocahontas – Alternate

Plover, Iowa
Plover – Alternate

Laurens, Iowa
Laurens – Alternate

Laurens, Iowa
Laurens – Alternate

Havelock, Iowa
Havelock – Alternate

Varina, Iowa
Varina – Alternate

Varina, Iowa
Varina – Alternate

Something I find interesting about Pocahontas County is that a couple of the towns are references to things in Matoax’s life. Rolfe (assumptions here) is named after John Rolfe the Englishman that Matoax would marry after she was baptized and changed her name to Rebecca. Varina is named after Varina (another assumption) the farm where Matoax and John Rolfe lived. If you are a fan of the musical HAMILTON (and we probably aren’t friends if you aren’t), Laurens is named after Hamilton’s close friend and critic of slavery John Laurens. And Plover is named for a bird. And Fonda is named because the post office in the day was too incompetent to tell the difference between Manson and Marvin.

Here is the current list of Best in Shows:


Fontanelle, Iowa
Best in Show – Adair County

Audubon, Iowa
Best in Show – Audubon County

Norway, Iowa
Best in Show – Benton County

Moingona, Iowa
Best in Show – Boone County

New Hartford, Iowa
Best in Show – Butler County

Manson, Iowa
Best in Show – Calhoun County

Coon Rapids, Iowa
Best in Show – Carroll County

Murray, Iowa
Best in Show – Clarke County

Ricketts, Iowa
Best in Show – Crawford County

Dexter, Iowa
Best in Show – Dallas County

Popejoy, Iowa
Best in Show – Franklin County

Scranton, Iowa
Best in Show – Greene County

Beaman, Iowa
Best in Show – Grundy County

Menlo, Iowa
Best in Show – Guthrie County

Stanhope, Iowa
Best in Show – Hamilton County

Britt, Iowa
Best in Show – Hancock County

Ackley, Iowa
Best in Show – Hardin County

Bradgate, iowa
Best in Show – Humboldt County

Ida Grove, Iowa
Best in Show – Ida County

Lynnville, Iowa
Best in Show – Jasper County

Lucas, Iowa
Best in Show – Lucas County

East Peru, Iowa
Best in Show – Madison County

Pleasantville, Iowa
Best in Show – Marion County

Haverhill, Iowa
Best in Show – Marshall County

Plover, Iowa
Best in Show – Pocahontas County

Bondurant, Iowa
Best in Show – Polk County

Malcom, Iowa
Best in Show – Poweshiek County

Nemaha, Iowa
Best in Show – Sac County

Collins, Iowa
Best in Show – Story County

Tama, Iowa
Best in Show – Tama County

Creston, Iowa
Best in Show – Union County

New Virginia, Iowa
Best in Show – Warren County

Badger, Iowa
Best in Show – Webster County

Woolstock, Iowa
Best in Show – Wright County

The next time we hit the dusty trail with THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT, we will visit Cerro Gordo County.

WPC – WEEK 311 – PEOPLE

It doesn’t look like PEOPLE was a very popular theme. I mean, you PEOPLE must think that other PEOPLE suck. Which I guess is the smart bet.

But you didn’t come here to listen to me talk all tommyrot about participation rates. You came to see the submissions:


WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - MICKY AUGUSTIN
Micky Augustin

WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - SHANNON BARDOLE-FOLEY
Shannon Bardole-Foley

WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT
Christopher D. Bennett

WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - KIO DETTMAN
Kio Dettman

WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - CATHIE RALEY
Cathie Raley

WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - ANDY SHARP
Andy Sharp

WEEK 311 - PEOPLE - TERESA KAHLER
Teresa Kahler

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 312 - 'SCAPE
‘SCAPE

REMINDER: NEXT MONDAY IS LABOR DAY. WHILE THE BANK MAY TAKE A DAY OFF AND THE SCHOOLS MIGHT TAKE THE DAY OFF AND MOST OF THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT TAKE THE DAY OFF AND THE COMPUTER MINE MIGHT TAKE THE DAY OFF… PHOTOGRAPHY 139 DOES NOT TAKE THE DAY OFF. EVERY DAY I’M HUSTLING. PLAN WHEN YOU SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO ACCORDINGLY!

‘SCAPE! What a great theme for Year 8 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what is a ‘SCAPE picture? Do you mean landscape? Don’t worry, I’m about to feed you baby bird.

Yes, a landscape picture could be a ‘SCAPE picture, but a ‘SCAPE picture isn’t necessarily a landscape picture. The theme reveal picture is a picture of a landscape that I took high up in the Loess Hills on Saturday. However it is the apostrophe before the SCAPE that is key here. You don’t have to limit your possibilities to a landscape. There are other types of ‘SCAPEs. There are citySCAPEs. There are also waterSCAPES and skySCAPEs and even inSCAPEs.

And if you don’t know what a landSCAPE is, it is this:

“all the visible features of an area of countryside or land, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.”

While considering your subject for your ‘SCAPE submission, think on this quote by Ansel Adams:

“Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer – and often the supreme disappointment.”
-Ansel Adams

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 ‘SCAPE in this place that is little more than your way of how I see the world’s landscape next Monday.

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

Back in early May I went down to Jester Park because I had heard reports that some baby bison were wandering around down there. It turned out that they were there, but they never really got near enough to the fence for me to get a decent picture of them. However, I did get plenty of pictures of the elk to make up for it.


A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

A Coat Borrowed from James Dean

Jester Park is definitely one of my favorite parks in central Iowa. The whole area around the buffalo and elk is awesome to visit. If you haven’t been, I’d recommend it strongly.

2010-11-15 & 2010-11-18

There was really only one picture in the folder 2010-11-15, so I decided to include 2010-11-18 in this post. The picture in the folder 2010-11-15 is a picture of Jill holding her flute that I took for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE, back then known as the RANDOM WEEKLY PHOTO EXPERIMENT. The pictures in the folder 2010-11-18 are from the 2010 Philanthropy Day.


WEEK 45 - DIAGONAL RULE - CHRISTOPHER D. BENNETT

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

Philanthropy Day - 2010

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:

Philanthropy Day

RWPE #45 – DIAGONAL RULE

Next Saturday’s walk down memory lane will involve the Baiers.

First Day of the Fair

On the first day of the Iowa State Fair I attended it with Jen, Layla, and Evie. Evie was performing with her Irish Dance Team. We wandered around the Fair for several hours before and after watching Evie perform. Here on some of the pictures from the day:


Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

Iowa State Fair - 2021

I also went to the Fair on the last day with Jesse. I will share those pictures in the future.

If you want to take peruse the rest of my Day 1 Iowa State Fair pictures, click on the link below:

Iowa State Fair – 2021

Over 200 images in there right now.

+++++++

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


WEEK 311 - PEOPLE
PEOPLE

PEOPLE! What a great theme! But what is a PEOPLE photo? Fortunately for you, people infest nearly every corner of this planet, so they are easy to find. All you have to do is find some PEOPLE or remnants or proof that PEOPLE were once there. This group of PEOPLE doesn’t have to have any connection. They don’t have to be friends or family. They just have to be homo sapiens. I suppose Neanderthals would work as well.

Happy photo harvesting!