Old School House

One room school house in Cedar Falls, Iowa. No internet, no computers, no overhead projectors - how did they ever learn? With teachers and chalk...
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Iowa.com

You will probably pick up on the fact that this photo was not taken today or yesterday since it is February in Iowa and there is green grass (and no snow) in the photo. This photo, along with 2 other of my photos, appear on a new website www.iowa.com in the section CaptureIowa. I submitted several photos last fall and received a note yesterday that they are on the site.

Besides the fact some of my pictures are on the site - it's a cool site promoting Iowa.
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Street Art

Cedar Falls, Iowa has such cool street art.
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Pens

For as long as I can remember I have loved pens and pencils. I had a cigar box filled with them while I was growing up. My collections have varied over the years and it seems that my more recent taste is a bit more expensive then when I was a kid. This picture reflects a few of the pens I have...
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Snow Clings On

The sun has been shining and it has been relatively warm, but some of the snow just hangs on...
(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

A Rose

Paid a return visit to Crazy Girls Yarn Shop in Cedar Falls and of course took my camera to take a few pictures. They had a gorgeous bouquet of roses so I took a picture. It seems, however, that I'm not the only person taking pictures in the yarn shop...




















This is Linda taking a picture of one her projects that she will add to the website www.ravelry.com.
(As always - click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Tree Rings

There is an area behind the Credit Union where I work called Hope Martin Park which is prone to flooding. When the creek overflows its banks the flood gates are closed and the park fills up with water. Last year there was 20 feet of water covering the entire park. With the recent snow melt the creek started to rise and the flood gates were closed. The weather changed, it became freezing again and the flooding stopped. When the gates opened this is the view - a frozen ring of ice indicates how deep the water had become overnight. Rings on trees - a perfect valentine picture. (ok - that might be a stretch).
(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

Melting Ice

As the sun shines the ice on the creek melts.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Flooded Basement

The complete story can be found on my other blog "The Windmills of My Mind." There have been better days

Psychotic Clown

I was "clowning around" (pun intended) last night running around the house looking for "photo ops" and took this picture. Now, I'd love to tell you how I composed the photo, the exposure, ISO and all the technical stuff, but the fact of the matter it's a mistake. But, I like it. It has an ominous and ghost like feel to it and is a little scary. Even mistakes make good photos (sometimes).
(Click on the photo for an even larger view of the psychotic clown.)

Snow Melt

We had temperatures in the 40s yesterday and we're supposed to hit 50 today. The next picture is how it looked a month ago.




















I'm trying not to enjoy it too much because I know there is more snow to come...
(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

Prairie Grass

I belong to a photo club and once a month we meet at a nature center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This is a picture of the prairie grass which surrounds the place.
(Click on the photo to view a large image).

Night Light

I took this picture of the moon last night (no flash) with a high ISO (Light sensitivity). It has an eerie feel about it. The next picture was taken a minute later with a flash - it was dark outside and it's amazing the amount of light the flash put out.




















I like the colors on this one.
(Click on the photograph to view a larger image).

Volunteers

The Grout Museum in Waterloo, Iowa sponsored an event last night called, "A Night of 200 Lincolns." I was there, camera in hand and took over 100 photos. The challenge was to find one picture to represent the evening - a picture of people in Lincoln hats?, the musicians?, or the artist who was cutting silhouettes? I decided that this picture represents the evening - volunteers ready to help everyone have an enjoyable evening. This is (L-R) Janine, Samuel, Christine and Jo - 4 of many volunteers who helped make the evening a successful one. I will post other photos on my Flickr page.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Typewriter

Long, long ago before people used computers to compose letters and fill out forms there were machines called typewriters. This is my favorite of ALL typewriters. It is the IBM Selectric. You can change type faces by changing the "ball" that presses against the ribbon. When I went to my first school in the Navy I learned to type on a Selectric an when I joined the Fighter Squadron on board the USS Forrestal I used a Selectric. There is something about the sound I find soothing. I acquired this model about 5 or 6 years ago and I use it in my office. There are forms that are easier to fill out using a typewriter. Long story - but it's what makes this photo.
(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

Pipe Organ

This is a photo of the pipe organ in our church, Trinity Episcopal Parish. I'm sure there is a colorful history that goes along with the instrument, but I'm not familiar with the story. I'll have to ask... In the mean time enjoy the photo. It's an old organ so I used an "antique browning" to convey that in the photo. The photo below is the original (before I played with it in Lightroom2).




















Oh no...that's 2 days in a row I posted 2 pictures for the "photo" of the day. It's OK today though 'cause technically it's the same photo - just different effects. At any rate enjoy...
(Click on the photo(s) for a larger view of the image).

Not The Way to Start A Day

Ouch!!! This is how my day started yesterday.

Question - is it cheating to post 2 pictures? I'm afraid I must today...

The dental tech must have thought I was weird - I can't imagine that many patients take a picture of the chair before they get in it - let alone after.

Infrared

I recently downloaded some Presets for Adobe Lightroom2. I was playing around with the infrared setting on one of my earlier photos. The above photo is the result.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Bulletin Board

They say a person's eyes are a window to their soul. I wonder what you can tell by looking at someone's bulletin board?
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image.)

Pumped!!

I was out and about yesterday looking for that "Perfect" picture opportunity and had almost given up. The picture was eluding me... Then I drove by this... I know we've had a lot of snow this year, but I didn't think it was so deep that the 4-wheel drive vehicles had to pump up their tires!!
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image.)

A Winner

This photo came in Second Place in a Photo Contest and yesterday I found out that I have been invited to participate in a showing at Barnes and Noble in Cedar Rapids. Thought I'd share...

This is a night shot of the Hennepin Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis, MN.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

F4 Phantom

Every Thursday evening my wife has to keep her gift shop open at the Grout Museum for a family night and I go and keep her company - I get to spend some time wandering around taking pictures. Last night I took pictures of model airplanes on display.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image.)

A Touch of Red

A touch of red...
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Closed for the Season

One word tells the story of why this is closed..."COLD!!!"...
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Graffiti

I like the hint of blue.
(Click on the photo to view a larger image.)

Curiosity

I was taking pictures at our church's annual meeting and this little guy was curious at what I was doing. He stuck his face right into the lens - so I snapped the shutter.
(Click on the photo to view a larger image.)

Burned Out Cabin

I went wandering along the Cedar River in Waterloo and came across the cabin which had been burned at some point. I like the hint of red in the photo.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Coffee is a Must

My favorite cup and my favorite coffee - Caribou..
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

The Grout Museum

My wife runs the gift shop at the Grout Museum in Waterloo. She had to work late last night for a Museum School so my daughter-in-law and I went in to keep her company. I took this picture of a replica of a Mustang hanging from the ceiling in the lobby. I'll post some other pictures on my Flickr page.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Winter Sunset

As I was leaving work last night there was a gorgeous sunset. The view wasn't quite right so I began to chase the sunset - 5 miles later I took this photo. It wasn't quite what I wanted - maybe I'll start earlier today and chase the sun again.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Clear Sky

I was in Cedar Falls again and took another photograph of the bridge. The white snow and clear blue sky appealed to me.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Drive up

Looking out of the credit union's drive up window. If the snow gets much deeper it will be the ski up window.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Yarn 2

I really didn't mind going to the Crazy Girls Yarn Shop because I took pictures of the different colors. It felt like I took enough pictures to have a photo a day for the rest of the year. There are more posted on Flickr .
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

Yarn

Yarn at the Crazy Girls Yarn Shop, Cedar Falls, Iowa. According to my wife, "The weather is NEVER too cold to shop for yarn." Those crazy knitters...
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image.)

Frosty

34 below zero and the trees become frosty and steam rises from the river.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image.)

BELOW ZERO!!!

The weatherman says we set a record in Waterloo at -34 Degrees. My - it's absolutely balmy at my house - only 18 degrees below zero...
Click on the photo for a larger view of the image).

7 More Inches!!!

7 more inches of snow and headed to 20 degrees below zero... Alaska is warmer.
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image.)

Beauty Between Storms

The sun rises on a fresh layer of snow.
(Click on the photo to view a larger image.)

This Weather is for the birds...

...but they don't want it either - they have abandoned their house and bath and moved South...
(Click on the photo for a larger view of the image.)

Something for a Long Winters Night

Something for a long winters night...
(Click on photo for a larger view of the image)

New Post - Old Fence

After the snow storm it was a beautiful sun filled winter day. On my walk about I noticed this new post in an old fence. (Click on the photo to view a larger image.)

Lone Sailor Covered in Snow

After 4" of new snow the Lone Sailor stands his post in front of the Grout Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. (Click on the photo to view a larger image.)

Road Closed

Traffic gurus have posted a"road closed" sign complete with the normal orange barriers indicating that the road is closed. Add a snow barrier to that and the message becomes...HEY...ROAD IS CLOSED!!

Stained Glass

My wife and I sing in the Church Choir every week. There is a row of stained glass that runs through the ceiling. This is one of the panels...

Who?

I've been driving by this "owl" for years and I almost always say, "I should take a picture." I finally did -