Hula Dancer

Hula Dancer?

Curious George

Curious George

Not sure what "George" did to get himself all tied up... but, it sure appears he's in a bit of a fix.

Water's A Rising

All of that snow melting in Minnesota is headed our way - waters going up every day.  I believe the folks on the 2nd story will be ok - but, looks water will be going into bays below...

Forever the Optimists

Forever the optimists these ducks are fishing in a puddle - now granted in the coming days it will be considerably larger than a puddle as the spring flooding starts, but at this point they're probably walking...

Tenderloin The Size of ?

Tenderloin

We ate at a new restaurant in Waterloo and Helen order a tenderloin - it was the size of a small third world country.

Acrobat for Breakfast

Eye Exam

Eye Exam

Had my eyes dilated during my eye exam - this is how I saw the world for a couple of hours...

Elaine

Elaine

We had Christmas yesterday with my spouse's cousins.  We net at the Olive Garden in Coralville, Iowa.  This is Elaine - Helen's Cousin Chris' daughter.  Since I ALWAYS... have a camera, well, I just had to take a photograph.

Cold Bees Butt

Cold Bees Butt

Taken in Minnesota last weekend.  The white background is snow - the bee's butt must be cold!!!

She Asked Me To Take Her Photograph

Almost A Full Moon

Lady Bug

Lady Bug

In the Middle School performance of, "Alice In Wonderland" they had some great costumes.

The Queen of Hearts

The Queen of Hearts

Granddaughter Emily

Emily

Emily was a member of the crew on the production of Alice In Wonderland.  Dressed all in black the crew was "ninja-like" moving the set about.  Behind every cast is an excellent crew!!!

Samuel and Me

Samuel and Me

My mother saved almost everything - the outfit my Grandson Samuel has on is the same one I had on in the photograph which was taken in 1952.  Samuel is 6 months old and I was 13 months old [I was a runt].

The outfit seems to have lasted for 58 years... perhaps Samuel's son will also be able to be photographed in the same outfit - 

Samuel

The 9 of Hearts

The 9 of Hearts

Our Granddaughter was in her school play, "Alice In Wonderland" and was the 9 of Hearts.  She takes her bow after a successful performance.

Samuel Visits With Grandma Helen

Samuel Clayton is visiting with Grandma Helen.

Eagle in Moonlight

Cool Color

Blue Stage

The conference I attended last week had pretty awesome visual effects.  This was the blue stage.  Red stage is below...

Red Stage

King Cake for Fat Tuesday

King Cake

King Cake for Fat Tuesday - I don't know who got the baby...

Twist of Lemon

Concentration

Daniel

Grandson Daniel concentrating on a toy while at breakfast.

Mini-Reunion

2011 Mini-Reunion Attendees

Several of my classmates from the Iowa Falls High School Class of 1969 meet once a year, typically in Coralville, Iowa, for a "mini-reunion".  There are treats and wine tasting in the afternoon, followed by an evening meal intertwined with stories and conversation.  After dinner - there is a no-holds barred game of Trivial Pursuit.  This year the women struck first, second, third... well, you get the idea.  While the men were not "skunked" the women's victory string continues for another year.

Trivial Pursuit Pie

Hart Office Building

Mountains and Clouds

This past week the Iowa Credit Union people who went met with Senator Harkin (D-IA) in the Hart Office Building.

The centerpiece of the atrium is Alexander Calder’s mobile Mountains and Clouds.   The piece combines black aluminum clouds suspended above black steel mountains, with the tallest peak being 51 feet high.  It was one of Calder’s last works. The sculptor came to Washington on November 10, 1976 to make the final adjustments to his model, and died later that evening after returning to New York.

Jogging and Juggling or Joggaling?

My mistake on the earlier post it's 5 FIVE red balls - I'm impressed...

Sometimes You Do

And Sometimes You Don't

I SomeTimes Can't Walk and Talk

There are times I can't walk and talk and this guy is jogging and juggling 4 red balls.  The Jefferson Memorial can be seen in the background.

Veteran War Memorials

World War 2 Memorial

I visited the memorials in Washington DC yesterday.  As I was sitting on a bench next to the Korean War Memorial I was reflecting on the speakers we had this week at the Credit Union Convention. We had the Speaker of the House Speak and a host of Senators and Representatives.  All of them spoke to the looming deficits and that we, as a country must deal with it. What struck me is that both parties used verbiage, "...doesn't matter what side of the isle... this is a problem we all need to address."

Why do we have to have an isle?  Instead of Republicans or Democrats can't we have just Americans in each chamber?  As I visited each one of the memorials I realized that there probably weren't any Democrats or Republicans in the foxholes in WW2, Korea or Vietnam - just scared American kids.  Just like we have scared American kids in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the globe.  It's going to take Americans to fix our economy and frankly I don't care what party affiliations Congress might have - get in a room and get to work and get rid of the isle...

Korean War Memorial

Vietnam War Memorial

Visit With Congressman Bruce Braley (IA 5th Distrct)

This is photo of the people from Iowa who visited with Congressman Braley this afternoon on behalf of credit unions.  Now - since I'm in the photo I did not take the photo - however,  one of Congressman Braley's staffers took this photo with my camera.  I did detect a bit of lens envy...

Senate Reception Room

I am in Washington DC with the Credit Unions Government Affairs Conference.  Yesterday was our (Iowa) day to visit our 2 U. S. Senators.  Senator Grassley was on the floor of the Senate so he asked if we could come over to the Capital (from the Dirksen Office Building) to meet with him.  Once there we waited in the Senate Reception Room located in the north wing of the United States Capitol adjacent to the Senate Chamber.  The Senate Reception Room was designed in 1853 to function as a meeting place where constituents could meet informally with their senators, the room continues to serve primarily as a public gathering space. I'm sorry we didn't get to spend more time there - I wanted to take at least another 100 photos.

Colorful Wall

The Washington Convention Center has several colorful pieces of Art.  The exhibit hall opened last night at 7:00 PM.  I made a quick pass through - some good eating... scoped out the vendors I want to visit today.

Sunrise Over the Wing

30,000 Feet

Up before 4 to the airport by 5 in the air by 6:00 AM...a long day.

Still Testing

Thought there may be an opportunity to take a photo or 2 with my iPhone instead of my other camera. Getting the photo posted mobile is easy - getting the text is posted is another matter. I may end up with just a series of photos as I travel along...

I am leaving tomorrow for DC.  I'm flying into Baltimore and then catching a shuttle to the hotel in DC.   Flying out of Iowa is challenging because you generally have to go somewhere else first.
You'll know f I do the text on the phone as there will be a ton of typos (more than normal)...

Peppers

Peppers

Testing the ability to post via my iPhone without logging into Blogger.

Enough Already!!

Enough already.  Spring is around the corner and I have the fever.  We had a near 60 degree weather day a week ago and I have been infected by the fever.  I'm off to Washington DC tomorrow and the weather is warmer there - so, I really do hope and that this is winter's last hurrah!!

But, it is Iowa and the weather is subject to change without notice, but still, enough already!!

Shapes

Circles

Any guesses of where this was taken?  Or, what it is?

A Long Hard Winter

A Long Hard Winter

St. Patrick's Day

Our neighbor decorates for every holiday - she's got her St. Patrick's Day stuff out...  Look's cooler at night...

Dinner Time

Spring Is Near - I can Sense it!!

Melting Snow

Spring is around the corner - green grass, green grass....

Although rumor has it Mother Nature is going to give us a bit of snow tonight - green grass, green grass...

Still Chasing Water Drops

Green Water Drop

I'm still chasing that "Perfect" Water Drop Photo.  I set up in the kitchen sink with a white bowl 1/2 filled with water.  I add food coloring to make the water  different colors.  I then get the faucet to just drip - not too fast - slower is better.


I make note of where the water is hitting and place a pencil in the same spot and manual focus on that spot.  I have a flash on my camera and a remote flash to the left of the bowl.  I am using my 100 MM Macro Lens with a low ISO (100).  Shutter is set f/14 at 1/200 speed to freeze the water drop.  I then fire off about 3 or 4 in succession - any more than that and the flash says "enough already".

Red Water Drop

Art

Anne Bancroft

26 Years ago my spouse and I purchased 7 pieces of art depicting Anne Bancroft, Theda Berra, and the Artist Kathy S.  They have hung in every home we have lived in and are displayed prominently in the living room.  It just wouldn't be our home without this art.

If you can remember back 26 years ago - in the world of graphic arts - there was film you could purchase, cut up and shape to make camera ready art - screens for printing.  That's the material she used...  there was an 8th in the series - one of Lucille Ball with red lips - but it went missing before we acquired the set.

I'm not sure if Kathy follows my Photo A Day Blog or not, but if she does - I just want her to know how much we have enjoyed her work over the years.  Thanks Kathy...

PopCorn

Water Drop

Chasing The Perfect Water Drop