Combines

You see a lot of these in Iowa this time of year. This is a smaller model - I swear there are some that are so large you could sleep a family of 4 in them.
(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

Lights

What more can I say? They're lights... Ok, I'll try - we went to a 6th Grade Band Concert at Roosevelt Middle School in Cedar Rapids. The cornerstone was laid in 1921 and the school opened as a Junior High in 1923. It was built in an era when they built school buildings that looked like a school building. The auditorium spanned 2 floors and was equipped with a sound booth and several of these lights. They reminded me of some of my old theatre days so I took the photo. I knew I could say more...
(Click on the photograph to view a larger image).

Cornet Player

Grandson James (the young man in the middle) playing his cornet at his 8th grade concert. The music was good - and, they DID NOT play Twinkle, Twinkle...
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Mother and Son

Daniel with his mother Cheri...
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Interesting Lines

I was sitting in my son's apartment and just happen to notice these shapes and lines and how they just seemed to fit together - so, I took a photograph...
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Brandy New Toes

These brandy new toes belong to Daniel Mason... who was born on 11/7/2009. The photograph makes them look huge when in reality they are teeny tiny toes...
(Click on the photograph to view a larger image).

Daniel Mason

Granddaughter Katharine is coaxing our newest grandson (grandchild #7) to take a bottle. She was successful. We have 5 granddaughters and now 2 grandsons. Our grandson James is estatic because now he has an ally... Welcome to the world Daniel Mason...
(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

Walk in the Woods

Helen and I went to visit my cousin Tom in Webster City, Iowa before he returned to California (he had come back to Iowa for my mother's funeral) - and he took us on a walk along the river. In the middle of no where (woods wise) stood a lone chimney. Tom had done a bit of reseach and found out that this had been a rendering plant a long time ago - long before laws existed about thowing "stuff" [I won't describe] into the river. The chimney and a broken up foundation is all that remains.


A titlting chimney...
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Ethanol Plant

Ethanol Plant in full production.
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Sunrise On Veteran's Day

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Shreaded Wheat

It's not really shredded wheat - but, I always thought it looked like giant shredded wheat.
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Why I Carry A Camera

People often ask me why I always carry a camera. I kid around and say that if an alien space craft lands in front of me I want to be able to record the moment. Well, an alien didn't appear in front of me, but there was a barn fire along the interstate. My wife and I were coming home from Webster City and noticed the billowing smoke. As we got closer it was evident that it was a barn on fire - since I had a camera - I pulled over along the highway (to my wife's dismay) and took these pictures...






Took this one with my 100-400 MM Lens. If you click on the photo you can see a larger version and can almost [almost] feel the heat.
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Bean Harvest

We have had good weather and all of the farmers are harvesting like mad men to get the crops in before it gets wet and/or snows...
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Gotta Go...Gotta Go...Gotta Go...

A Photo my mother took of her niece in 1948...


My version 2009...
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Loving Couple

Mother and Daughter

Mom and Dad

I had a portrait session last night and these are 2 of the 266+ photos that were taken. My son-in-law, Tom, daughter Jessica and my wife Helen were my crew. I appreciated the help toting all the the stuff and Tom and Jessica shot some pictures...

(Click on a photograph to view a larger image).

Fire Bush

The fire bush in front of our house is losing its leaves and we noticed that there is a birds nest in the middle. Sure was a good place for a bird motel as we never knew it was there...
(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

Who Pulled the Plug?

They have lower the Iowa River in Iowa Falls to make some repairs on a sewer pipe which runs beneath the river. I guess it's easier if they drain the water first.
(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

Young Photographer

A young photographer in the making checks the results of a photo....
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Bird Buffet

The birds love harvest time in Iowa because once a field is cleared they have their own (very large) buffet. There seems to be a disagreement with the 2 birds in the foreground.
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Squeezed In

American Legion Post 191 - Webster City, Iowa. It looks like it was squeezed in between the two larger buildings.
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A Few Remaining Leaves

A few leaves remain....

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Jessica

Son-in-law Tom used my camera to photograph my youngest daughter..over 30, but still my baby...
(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

Iowa Harvest

On the way to Iowa Falls stopped and took a photo of the Iowa Harvest. Colors are rapidly changing to brown (they call it Golden in California)...
(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

Is it Time Already?

City workers installed these markers this week - meaning that snow season is around the corner. For my friends who live down south these red and white markers are intended to assist the fire department in locating fire hydrants. Yes - the snow buries the hydrants annd the markers are supposed to "stick out" above the snow. I'm not ready for snow.... I guess I better fire up the snow blower and make sure t works!!
(click on the photo to view a larger image).

Flower Arrangement

My wife had an At Home America Party the other night and this is a photo of one of the flower arrangements.
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Ghosts and Goblins

One of my wife's halloween displays.
(Click on the photo to view a larger image of the ghost).

Mr. Cat and Mr. Ball

Mr. Felix the Cat - the wonderful, wonderful cat.


Mr. Yoga Ball
I was playing around in the basement last night. I have recently cleared out a corner (can you say garage sale) where I can set up my lights and backdrops. It's a little cramped - ok, a lot cramped - but works well to experiement with studio lighting.

Needing something to photograph I invited Felix the Cat and the Yoga Ball to pose for me. They did pretty good - but, Mr. Cat put a stupid jingle in my head - "Felix the Cat, the wonderful wonderful Cat; Whenever he gets in a fix, he reaches into his bag of tricks;You'll laugh so much your sides will ache;Your heart will go pitter pat; Watching Felix, the wonderful cat."

The Yoga Ball was quiet and just sat there as if he was better than anyone else...
(Click on a photograph to view a larger image).

More Fall Color

This is Estes Park in Iowa Falls, Iowa. I believe this might have been the peak for fall color - next - the browns of late fall - and then, oh no, the whites of winter... This 365 Project has 67 days left - then I'll have to ask myself whether or not I wish to do a second year 365 Project...

(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

Fall Refelected

The fall colors are reflected in the Veteran's Monument in Iowa Falls, Iowa.

(Click on the photo to vieew a larger image).

Wet Leaf Advisory

Yesterday morning as I was listening to the weather report the weather lady gave a "Wet Leaf Advisory". Now I've got to say in my 58 years I have heard of rain advisory, snow advisory, fog advisory, hail advisory, winter storm advisory - but, never, that is NEVER - have I ever heard of a wet leaf advisory. I know the announcer and the weather lady had good intentions of reminding us that there was a vast amount of wet leaves in the road and that they were slippery if you tried to stop quickly. It just hit my funny bone and I must have giggled a good ten minutes - I guess I'm still giggling...
(Click on the photo to view a larger image of the wet leaves).

Virginia Harlan Hill

I had to attend a credit union meeting in Des Moines on Thursday and on the way home I felt an over-whelming urge to stop in Iowa Falls. We had to put my mother in Hospice a couple of weeks ago, and as I was returning to Waterloo I wasn't going to stop in Iowa Falls because I had a board meeting to attend - but I felt compelled to stop.

When I arrived at the nursing home I could tell that my mother was in her final stages. I sat with her about 10 minutes and then took her hand and told her it was ok to go. I told her to make sure to say hi to Uncle Oliver (he died 2 weeks ago), to Dad and to Jesus...she took one more breath and was gone.

I believe 4 things (1) there was Divine Intervention in my urge to visit Iowa Falls - God said, "Get your butt to Iowa Falls!!" - and I listened; (2) my Mother was waiting for me to tell her it was ok to go, and (3) there was a flock of people waiting to meet her in heaven and (4) my last words to her were, "Say hi to Jesus." And she promptly delivered the message. The care center, Heritage Care Center held a short bedside service and all of the nurses, CNAs and even the house cat Skat and Oreo the Dog attended. It is a moment etched in my mind forever.

We will be having her services on October 31^st - yes, Halloween. It's All Saints Day Eve and my mother loved to dress up for Halloween - in addition to my sister and I she raised several generations of kids and I sometimes think she enjoyed Halloween more than the kids. And, as my sister remembers she was always the first one to the door for the trick or treaters. So - next week as we celebrate the the life of my mother, Virgina Hill, remember her when the Ghosts, Goblins, princes and princesses come calln' at your house...

(Click on the collage to view a larger image - which are a collection of some of my favorite photos of my mother)

Time

Time is valuable - I always try to cram as much as I can into the time I have - but, frankly, this morning I didn't want to get up. Unfortunatly, or fortunatly, depending on how you look at it, I have this internal alarm clock that always seems to go off BEFORE any time I have set on the alarm clock.

And, good grief, my internal alarm goes off and what do I think of - I need to take a picture of the alarm clock before it goes off... Maybe I'm thinking too much about taking photographs...
(Click on the image if you have a burning desire to view a much larger version of this photo).

Keeping Me Awake

Attending a lending compliance seminar in Des Moines - Coffee keeping me awake.
(Taken with my iPhone Camera)

Parachuting Platform (and you thought it was a windmill)

I had the opportunity recently to visit the farm where I grew up. We moved off the farm when I was 10 - this is the windmill - which is still pumping water - that I used as a parachuting platform when I was 8 or 9. The story can be found here:
http://mymindswindmills.blogspot.com/2006/10/lifes-lessons-learned-from-parachuting_27.html
(enjoy)

Neighborhood Color

Neighborhood color - taken with my Canon 7D
(Click on the photo to view a larger image).

Cameraphone Photography

I'm playing aroound with three new concepts: (1) Posting from my iPhone, (2) using a new camera application called Best Camera, and (3) using the camera on my iPhone.

There's an article in this months american PHOTO which talks about the artisitc potential of camerphone technology and I thought I'd give it a try - I'm certainly NOT giving up on my digital SLR, but thought this might be fun to explore.

Sent from my iPhone - Excuse typoes - big fingers-little key board

Where Are We Going?

"Where are we going?"
"I heard there was a new place up river."
"Ok...should we tell the others?"
"No...."

And so the two mallards leave the group in search of new opportunity.

This and That

Our Church, Trinity Episcopal Church in Waterloo, had (or is having) a "This and That" rummage sale. Part of the sale is selling raffle tickets (with a state permit) to win a fully furnished doll house. I don't know who wants to win it more - the mothers - or the daughters...


One lady donated the house and others furnished a room.


Note the eager eye of a young lady in the window. Actually - it's my granddaughter and I coerced her into looking into the house through the window.

Iowa River Iowa Falls

One of my favorite views - the Iowa River at River Bend in Iowa Falls, Iowa. It was a cloudy day yesterday, but still a gorgeous view.


The Boat Club.
(Click on a photo to view a larger image).

Duck Itch

I can relate as my back frequently itches. Good thing I don't have to use my nose to scratch!!
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Hey Back there - Get in Step

Geese marching in formation (with one exception).
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