Oh Deer

Oh Deer

The granddaughters have a tough time having slumber parties - it seems they feel something is looking over their shoulder.

Samuel Clayton

Samuel

We are visiting in Minneapolis to attend our newest grandson's baptism.  He's had a tummy-ache today - this was during one of his pensive moments...

Bird Condo

We had our tree in the front yard trimmed the other day and the limbs are still in a pile waiting to be picked up. The birds are all over.  I believe they are depressed because their condo is undergoing renovations.  It's like they were all visiting and "re-living" all of the memories they had in their condo in the tree...

They're really going to be depressed when the limbs go away...

Berries

20 to 3

Hamburg Inn 2

Hamburg Inn 2, Iowa City, Iowa

The oldest family owned restaurant in Iowa City.  They're famous for their bean voting and some of their guests including former Presidents Reagan and Clinton.

If you've never been there here's a LINK to read more about it...

Linn Area Photo Club Annual Contest

Blue Cloth Flower

(Click thru if you're viewing this on Facebook as there are multiple photos.)


We had the Annual Photo Contest at the Linn Area Photography Club.  The judge was the Superintendent of the Photography Salon for the Iowa State Fair.  I learned a lot today - while he was judging a lot of folks had their cameras and were there to learn more about them - the object being to get out of the "automatic mode" and to use the camera to create photographs not snapshots.  A photographer's goal is to show "...the world has it has never been seen..."

We practiced bracketing and macro shots (the blue cloth flower).

Back to the contest - I received a Third Place in the "Scenery/Landscape" category and an "Honorable Mention" in the Portrait category.

Andrea Honorable Mention

Iowascape 3rd Place

Yellow Fall Color

Full Fall Color

Full Fall Color

I was surprised to find this tree so full of leaves and color.  Most of the other trees have lost their leaves and are standing naked in the wind...

The Black Angel of Iowa City

Black Angel

We paid a brief visit to Iowa yesterday looking for photographic inspiration.  Our son Stephen and his wife Cheri had the day off so we hooked up and drove around town while I looked for "inspiration".  I don't quite remember how we ended up in the cemetery, but we did, and that is when I learned of the legend of "The Black Angel."

You can learn more here:  The Black Angel

Anyone Longing for the Past?

.13 9/10 Cents Then $2.75 TODAY!!

I shall avoid political comment - unless my no comment can be construed as a political comment, than in that case, I guess, in fact that it is a political comment.*

Political comments aside it's a cool photo.












*Determining whether or not this is a political comment is left up to the viewer.

Shannon

Shannon Meets the Men in Purple

A short story - our Priest's wife Denise works in the Waterloo School District with special needs kids, and one of her students is Shannon.  Shannon goes to school every day dressed in University of Northern Iowa Purple.  According to her Mother, "She has every UNI shirt that exists."

I overhead her Dad telling the players that part of the rug in her room is the old astroturf from the Dome.  This girl loves the team, watches and goes to the games and wears purple EVERY DAY.  

Denise had mentioned this to Fr. Mitch, who knew a guy, who knew a guy and low and behold 4 of the players agreed to meet Shannon.  They gave her a signed football, and shared stories, asked her questions and answered hers.  It was a pleasure to be there and watch as she came down the hall and saw these 4 VERY large men in purple jerseys waiting to meet her.  It was a good end to the day...

A Boys Toy Box

It Takes A Villeage

1ST Haircut

We have a tradition where the babies do not get their haircut until their 1st birthday.  Yesterday, Daniel got his 1st haircut on his 1st birthday.  Daniel was there (of course), his parents, Uncle John, Aunt Laura, Cousin James and Cousin Katharine, along with Grandma Helen and myself.  It was quite the entourage which descended on Regis where the haircut took place. Daniel did extremely well and didn't even flinch when the clippers came out.

One Last Bloom

Perched

Big Step

Minus 1

Spent the day with some close friends.  While all of us have many friends and family there is 1 special person missing from this photo.  She knows who she is...

Smile - Birdy!!

Sea Shells No Longer by The Seashore

Seashells

Ok - Another Cardinal

I was paying a visit at my sister-in-law's house and there was this cardinal...  He allowed me to get pretty close before he hopped off...  Never did loose his treat in his beak!!

Candles

Fall Colored Candles

Red Bottle

Red Top on A Perfume Bottle

Tis The Season

Perhaps All The Signs Will Go Away Next Week

Painted Moon

Painted Moon

What's Over Here?

M--m-m What's Over Here?

All A Twitter

I was all excited - came home for lunch and there was a Bluejay...

Wandering around the yard...

He then jumped into the bird bath...

He was joined by a friend...

And THEN...THREE!!!

Boo!!!

Spinning Her Web

A Spider spinning her web across the street...

Through the Woods

Candlesticks

Des Moines River Valley

Des Moines River Valley

Blessing of the Animals

We had a Blessing of the Animals in our church last Sunday.  It was kinda chaotic - but fun.  As the kitty was receiving his blessing he was a bit concerned about the black lab in line behind him.  All in all it was a  successful ceremony as none of the animals ate each other, or did any biting.

Moon Shot

I took this last weekend on a clear night.  You can almost see the man in the moon....

Cabin

 

This is where we camped - unfortunately the restrooms

were a ways down the trail...

Sunrise Over Briggs Woods

Yesterday's sunrise over Briggs Woods in Webster City, Iowa.  It was a great day.  My 86 year old Aunt even went on a hike with us down and up a hill to look at the colors and a waterfall hidden back in the woods.  My cousin Dan says it was 1/2 mile total - I think it felt like at least 2 miles - he's probably closer...

Camping With Family and a Bug or Two

Stew Cooking On The Fire

Peak Weekend for Colors

We are at Briggs Woods in Webster City, Iowa camping with my Aunt and cousins.  Those that know me will wonder "Camping?" Since the Holiday Inn is generally as rough as I want to go.  On the plus side we are not in a tent and on the ground, but in a cabin and in a bed.  On the downside there is no running water and the potty is down the trail, but again on the good side the stew cooked on the campfire was delicious, and spending time with family has made me feel warm on the inside, as the fire was warming my toes.  I can hardly wait until tomorrow when I can do some exploring, and take some more photos.  If y'all are wondering how I can post from the "woods" - I am using a VirginMobile Broadband2go USB Connection to access the internet.  If I couldn't connect here I'd have to go into town to the coffee shop and find a wireless connection so I wouldn't miss a day of posting.  I will post more photographs - but, for now, I'm trying not to think about having to go the bathroom... damn, I thought about it...got to run...

Look Before Crossing

He first looked left and then right - hopped and then flew away...?  I thought he was looking to see if traffic was coming...

Prancing Bluejay

This Bluejay was prancing across the front yard yesterday.

WWII Vet

A short story - before the photo - While attending the Memorial Day Service in 2009 I took some photographs of some of the people who were attending the services.  I took a photograph of an elderly gentleman who I presumed was a  WWII Vet and filed the photo away in my files.

Spring ahead to the fall of 2009 - the magazine Our Iowa was soliciting photographs for their annual photography contest and one of the categories was "Iowa People".  I went through my files and decided that the image I captured of a WWII Vet epitomized the service of Iowans - hence the People of Iowa.  I live in Waterloo, Iowa among the history of the sacrifice of the Five Sullivan Brothers so the choice of a veteran was easy.  My opinion was the photograph brought this service to life. The photograph was published in the April/May 2010 Issue of the Our Iowa Magazine as one of the finalists.

I entered the same photograph in this year's National Cattle Congress Photo Contest (Honorable mention).  Last Saturday I received a call from a Carolyn Troudt, daughter-in-law of Robert Troudt, the veteran in the photograph.  She wanted to know if I was the Robert Hill who took the picture of the Veteran who's photo was in the Our Iowa Magazine and in last month's Cattle Congress.  I said that I was and she said there sure were a lot of Robert Hills in Waterloo, was glad she found me and wanted to thank me for honoring her father-in-law and told me that he wanted to meet me.  Well, yesterday was that day.

Robert Troudt arrived with his daughter and daughter-in-law and he spent an hour and half sharing his WWII Stories - some of which his daughter's hadn't heard before.  I know y'all have heard the phrase the "Pointy end of the spear" when the military moves into a campaign, well, Robert Troudt was the point.  He went out ahead of his company as a scout, EOD Technician, sniper, and who knows what else.  He told a story about how he shot a python that dropped on him from a tree - unfortunately he was in the middle of 70,000 enemy soldiers.  He made it back to camp and told me that it took 6 villagers to bring the snake back.  They made a billfold for him out of that snake. (Probably a lot of billfolds)!!

He's a true hero, modest, soft spoken, and I have no doubt that he was a badass in the jungle.  He was a delight to visit with and here is the original photo and yesterday's photo.

WWII Vet Robert Troudt

Robert Troudt

Just Can't Help Myself

I just can't help myself - when a brilliantly colored Cardinal lands on the feeder and "poses" - I just have to take a photo...

1st Iowa Bath

Samuel Clayton came to visit and had his 1st Iowa bath - in the kitchen sink where there have been a lot of  babies bathed.  Carrying on the tradition...  He was so content he fell asleep.