Shadows

Shadows Shadows was the theme for the Iowa State Fair's 2020 Photography Salon, which was also cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus has impacted the entire world; it has reached every nook and cranny of each person's "normal routine". Nothing is as it should be. Not that I would have entered this photo …

April Snow

Frosted Leaf Just when I thought we had seen the "last gasp" of Ole Man Winter, we get five inches of heavy wet snow. The flower beds had been cleaned of mulch and winter debris, flowers blooming, trees were leafing out, the grass was emerald green and recently mowed, and spring vegetables had been seeded …

Quarantine

Quarantine!? - Now What? The coronavirus that started in Wuhan, China in December, 2019 is causing major disruptions around the world. It spread rapidly to Italy and Iran, and the WHO declared it a worldwide pandemic on March 11, 2020. Two weeks later there were half a million cases world wide, with the epicenter being …

Beach Chairs

Oh, the colors of summer. Thought for the Day: Winter is on my head but eternal spring is in my heart.Victor Hugo

Stone Wall

Potted Wall - St. Augustine, FL Stone walls around houses are as common as fences in St. Augustine, Florida. Some of the walls are more than 300 years old. This newer version, less than 200 years old, was decorated with potted flowers. Quite festive, I thought. Thought for the Day: The strength of walls depends …

18th Century Sentry

1700's British Soldier A sentry standing watch atop the outer wall protecting a British outpost would carry more than just his musket. Hanging from his neck would be several other items in preparation for ... just about anything. The bayonet for his musket would be sheathed and within easy reach if needed. A leather pouch …

New Beginning

Nice Touch A new year, out with the old in with the new, a new beginning. Forget the mistakes of the past and look forward. Unburden yourself of past mistakes and boldly step forward with a positive attitude. Like the dawn of a new day, I like to think of it as a fresh start. …

Scoops

Scoops Galore The Mormons spent the winter of 1846 in what became Florence, Nebraska, now Omaha. While here, they built a mill to grind their corn, wheat and rye. The mill still stands today. While milling around (pun intended) the current art gallery, I found some relics from the old mill, like the wooden box …

Castle Gate

Joslyn Castle Joslyn Castle, located in Omaha, Nebraska, was built in 1903 as the private home for George and Sarah Joslyn. This is the man gate that leads pedestrians up a winding path through manicured lawns and flower beds to the 35-room mansion sitting atop 5.5 acres near downtown Omaha. The castle is a landmark …

Grist Mill

Roaring Fork Grist Mill This is a small grist mill along the Little Roaring Fork River in Great Smoky Mountain NP. It's right on the road of a six mile motor trail that starts in Gatlinburg, TN. Easy to get to; you can visit this place in your flip flops. Thought for the Day: America's …

Hidden Mouse

Hidden Mouse Childhood memories drew me to this old barn; the old milk can gave me flash backs of my grandparent's farm and the "milk route" they had, supplied by five Holstein cows. Gunny sacks, hay bales and watering cans were commonly found on the farm; however, I don't recall them being stored so neatly. …

Solitude

Solitude A boy's version of a man cave is a tree house. When I was a kid, a neighbor and I used some scrap lumber and built a tree house in his elm tree. It was more like a platform spread across two sturdy limbs with no walls or any cover. Nothing fancy, but it …

Bobby’s Helmet

The bobby's helmet rested on the corner post of a lonely bench in back of Beatrix Potter's home in England's Lake District.  The bobby (slang for English police officer) was no where to be found. The rainy day did nothing to discourage visitors to the site; there was a steady stream of hardy souls wandering …