Shadows

Iowa Capital

Always a beautiful sight - especially when the sun hits the gold.

Everything Must Be Perfect

A member of an American Legion Color Guard. Everything must be perfect.

Church Softball

Having fun at the church softball league..

More Color

Shiny or sparkly - I imagine there is a technical term, but I think it's cool.

Colors

Colored yarn...

The Kathedral

A little over a month ago while we were in Des Moines to see my son-in-law off to Iraq we were having a bite to eat in a coffee shop across the street from this building. It intrigued me and since I had a camera I went over to take a few photographs. While I was taking photos a man pulled up in a nifty convertible and asked if I wanted to go inside to take photos. I couldn't at the time, but I did contact him and I went last week to take some photographs on the inside of the building. Here is a link to my Gallery where there are additional photos: http://www.rallenhillphotography.com/rallenhill/Gallery/Gallery.html

I believe I will make this a 2 year project and follow the progress over the next couple of years, and perhaps I will be able to photograph the completed project. Here is their website: http://www.thekathedral.com. Stay tuned...

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

Father's Day Bar-B-Que

A bit raw for my taste...

Yellow Rose

Wind Power

Friendly

I went out yesterday morning to change the corn and this little guy sat right above my head and watched. Perhaps he was debating whether or not he should be fearful - he must have decided I was ok because he didn't jump on my head or gouge my eyes out. I went into the house and grabbed my camera and thought I see how close I could get. He let me get right up and personal - did not run away. I asked him to smile, but he refrained. He must have decided that if I feed him, I must be ok (I didn't zoom in as I was close.

Shapes

Not sure this one works, but the perspective and different shapes intrigued me.

Como Park Zoo Penguin

Took this when we were visiting Como Park Zoo in St. Paul, MN

Picture Sold

I came home today to a check in the mail - it seems that "Grit Magazine" has accepted my photo for publication in their July/August issue, page 7 (not yet available).

The Color Yellow

Hanging On

Out of the Park

Out of the park!!!

Red Winged Visitor

What Can I say - I like Yellow!

I really like this one...

Local Cardinal

This guy is teasing me - he lands for a fraction of a second - barely time to focus and snap... I keep chasing and he keeps running. It seems the Blue Jay is faster yet!!

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Reaching toward the Sun

There are a bunch of flowers in front of my office - got there early enough yesterday as they were opening up. I would have loved to set up my camera and do a time lapse - perhaps another day.

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The Greedy One

Blogger has been down most of the day - I was fearful I'd miss a day of posting. This is a photo of "The Greedy One" - he is always at the feeder and picks on the little ones. A Blus Jay chased him off yesterday - but alas, I had no camera ready.

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Soooooooo Big!!

We have a wall in our kitchen where all of the kids and grandkids gets measured. It's the ONLY wall in the house where it is permissible to write on the wall. When the grandkids haven't visited in a while it's the first place they go - to see how much they have grown. This baby giraffe appears to be doing the same thing, although with a much bigger wall.

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Tigger

They're so cute - could kill me and eat me in mere minutes... nice kitty!!

Litter Can Kill

This is why you don't litter - innocent wildlife comes along and sees the bright colored balloon and think "food". I hope they successfully digested the balloons - they were intent and weren't going to hear otherwise.

Swinging Bridge Iowa Falls, Iowa

I am sometimes amazed that I lived to be older than 13 - when I was a "yute" [youth] I dove off this bridge in the summer and swam in the river. It gives me the heeby-jeebees to think about it now - what was under the water? I could have broken my neck and drowned... there goes the jeebees again...

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S-h-h-h

I tried to sneak up on a goose - he heard me. The look right after this was "go away!!"

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Old VW

We went to the Williams, Iowa Memorial Day ceremonies yesterday and then travelled to Blairsburg, and Webster City, Iowa. This Old VW has been sitting in this spot for years - and we've been driving by it for years... I always said I should stop and take a photo - yesterday I did...

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Photo Weave

This is photo of a photo weave. I made 2 8 x 10s of the same photograph, cut 1" strips vertically in one, and 1" strips horizontally in the other and than weaved them together. Makes for an interesting effect...

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Pansies

With a couple of effects added...

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Got It!

Got it - the first baseman art the church softball league got the fly.

Retriever

I attended a church softball game last night and this golden retriever was sitting with his master observing all of the comings and goings. He has that sad look in his eyes - so many balls being thrown about and he wasn't allowed to retrieve even one...

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Another Yellow Flower

One of my favorite colors...

Drinking and Driving

Apparently drinking and driving was an issue in pioneer days as well...

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He Went That Way

It's that time of year - looks like he pointing...

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Sparrow

Sometimes unexpected events create good photographs. I was taking a close up of this sparrow on the bird feeder and just as I snapped the shutter a red car went by on the street in my field of vision. Since I was using a large aperture the action was blurred - so I have the red blur of the red car and the green blur of the grass. Makes for a cool photo. I'd like to say I planned it all out - but, alas I did not.

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Yellow Flower

Yesterday we went to a 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration and this is a photo of their flower arrangement.

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How Many Times Do I Have to Tell You...

Keep your feet OFF the table!!

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Mr. Robin

Hello There...

Another Cardinal

Ok - I've got the catching the red bird down - now my sights are set on a blue one (and red, and yellow, and an eagle if they should show up).

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Cello Player

We attended our grandson's orchestra concert last night and I noticed this cello player and wondered how she sees her music? The grandpa in me says, "You need a hair thingy..." The photographer in me says, "Cool photo...reminds me of Cousin It from The Adams Family."

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Red Guy

A cardinal at the nature center

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Gold Finch

We had our Photo Club Meeting at Wickiup Nature Area in Cedar Rapids. As I was leaving I looked out at the feeders and saw all this yellow. I just had to get my camera and take a few photographs. There must be little TVs in the feeder because they are all so intent on watching something.

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The Little Brown Church in the Vale

The Little Brown Church in the Vale

I'm getting to be like my Dad - returning from Minneapolis we "meandered" across country using the back roads. We stopped at the Little Brown Church in the Vail in Nashua, Iowa. This view is from the back of the church.

This view is from the pulpit.

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Shhhhhh - Don't Wake the Kitty

We visited Como Zoo today in St. Paul.... the kitty's were sleeping...

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There One Minute - Gone The Next

It's been raining for the past 2 days and then this evening as we were driving to New Prague, MN a rainbow popped up.

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Some Days Are Better Than Others

We are in Minneapolis for a Credit Union meeting and had the opportunity to visit one of our granddaughters at her gymnastic practice. She is fearless and according to the coach extremely talented. She had burned (I imagine on the mat) her hands earlier, but she wanted to show us her bar routine. Her hands just wouldn't cooperate. Alas, some days are better than others.

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It's Cold

Iowa weather being what it is - is cold!!! Feels like fall, not spring. We went to a graduation party and there was a bonfire to keep everyone warm.

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