Category Archives: Photo Challenge

FOTD: Zinnias at the Iowa State Fair

Zinnias, Discovery Garden, Iowa State Fair. Photo: TLClark, 8/13/19.

One of our customs when attending the Iowa State Fair is to stop and enjoy the flowers in the Discovery Garden. Click here for information about the garden.

Zinnias, a Marigold and a Fly, Discovery Garden, Iowa State Fair. Photo: TLClark, 8/13/19.

The zinnia with a fly isn’t a dahlia and a bumble bee as shared by Cee in her Flower of the Day photo challenge (click here) but her rules are simply to post a picture with a flower. It’s a great challenge to follow for a little color, a little happiness no matter what your day holds.

Zinnia, Discovery Garden, Iowa State Fair. Photo: TLClark, 8/13/19.

The red zinnia caught my attention when at the garden but it wasn’t until looking at the pictures at home that I realized it was the rolled-up edges of the petals that made it look red and white.

Photo Challenge: Overhead

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“Looking up” is what I remember.

But “overhead” is the actual Tuesday Photo Challenge this week.

A rather literal interpretation struck my fancy this morning. My husband was willing to model: hat, umbrella, and clouds overhead. Too bad it wasn’t raining.

Overhead. Photo: TLClark, 8/7/19.

He had a little fun spinning the umbrella as I looked up.

Umbrella Overhead. Photo: TLClark, 8/7/19.

Another LQQK at the patterns on the underside skeleton of an umbrella:

Underside of Umbrella. Photo: TLClark, 8/7/19.

After playing with the umbrella and the camera, I went for a walk. Here’s the sky overhead – to my left and to my right!

Hope things are looking up for you this week!

Photo Challenge: Rectangles

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I’m late to last Tuesday’s Photo Challenge – Rectangles photo challenge but Frank hasn’t posted the round-up yet so I thought I’d try to sneak in a picture of this old country school.

Lame Jones Schoolhouse, Fallon County, Montana. Photo: TLClark, August, 2008.

The school was a landmark for getting to the Neumann Ranch. Directions: from town (Baker, Montana), head to Ekalaka on the highway, turn right at the Willard store, turn left at the school, and turn left at the second mailbox. If I remember right, it was about 26 miles total. I know the only paved road was the highway.

I’d remembered taking pictures of the curtain billowing out the window and so searched the digital archives to see how rectangular the windows were. Discovered I’d also taken photos of the old house on the Neumann Ranch before it was torn down.

Neumann Ranch House. Photo: TLClark, August 2008.

Rectangle shaped siding and windows and doors!

Neumann Ranch. Photo: TLClark, August 2008.

Photo Challenge: Wall

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“Wall” is the word for the weekly Tuesday photo challenge. This wall is next door to the coffee shop where I gather with quilting friends once a month.

Walnut Street Gallery Outside Wall (looking west on 3rd Street). Photo: TLClark, 7/13/19.

Walnut Street Gallery, a framing shop and art gallery in uptown Ankeny, uses parts of painted picture frames to create seasonal scenes on their outside walls. I remember a Christmas tree in December and a large heart in February. July (or is it all summer?) is flowers and a flag.

Flowers, Walnut Street Gallery. Photo: TLClark, 7/13/19.

Closer look at the red flower. Photo: TLClark, 7/13/19.

American Flag on outside of Walnut Street Gallery. Photo: TLClark, 7/13/19.

Flag and Bench. Photo: TLClark, 7/13/19.

For more “wall” pictures, visit Dutch Goes the Photo!

Photo Challenges: Outdoors & Flower of the Day

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Outdoors is the Jansen Photo Challenge this week and I couldn’t resist a second post. And since it’s three flowers, it also works for Cee’s Flower of the Day (FOTD) Challenge.

Photo: TLClark, July 3, 2015, Pilgrim Heights Camp & Retreat Center, Iowa.

Photo: TLClark, July 3, 2015, Pilgrim Heights Camp & Retreat Center, Iowa.

Photo: TLClark, June 9, 2012, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Iowa.

Photo Challenge: Outdoors

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When I read outdoors was the Jansen Photo Challenge this week, I thought of grand, panoramic vistas and the delicate details of wildflowers. But in the back of my head I heard Mom’s voice, “Go play outside.” My childhood home had a swing set in the backyard and an entire school playground across the street. With camera in hand, I headed to a local playground this morning.

The simple, straight lines of the monkey bars of yesteryear have been replaced with a curved span of triangles.

Monkey Bars. Photo: TLClark, 7/4/19.

The long metal slides of my childhood are long gone. Tubes and curly-queues are more the norm today.

Slides. Photo: TLClark, 7/4/19.

The merry-go-rounds of my youth were definitely not this safe! Nor did they need dad to make them go round. We’d all push, running as fast we could before jumping on. (Thanks to this dad and son for allowing my to take a few pictures.)

Round and Round We Go. Photo: TLClark, 7/4/19.

Of all the playground equipment, swing sets have changed the least over the years.

Receding Swings. Photo: TLClark, 7/4/19.

It’s no longer hard ground or gravel below the swings; spongy mats making falling off a bit less painful.

Single File Swings. Photo: TLClark, 7/4/19.

As far as I could see, there are no teeter-totters on this playground. Have they disappeared completely?

Hoping you get to go outdoors today!

Tuesday Photo Challenge: Radiant

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My first thought for the photo challenge “radiant” issued by Jansen Photo was of a bride glowing on her wedding day. New parents gazing at their new bundle joy also came to mind. Then I thought of family and beautiful smiles at special events. While looking for smiles in the electronic files I was sidetracked by pictures of stained-glass windows.

Stained Glass Window at Parking Lot Entry, Trinity UCC, Quincy, IL. Photo: TLClark, 6/9/19

The first photo was taken on the Pentecost Sunday my youngest niece was confirmed. I was struck by the dove at the top, the red glass, and the flames of fire – all symbols of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The blue glass makes me think of Baptism which is closely associated with Confirmation. The tree (could it be a vine?) and the branches remind me of Jesus (“I am the vine and you are the branches.” John 15:5). The butterflies symbolize resurrection and new life. Is the owl there for wisdom? Are the three eggs in the bird’s nest a symbol of the Trinity?

The next photo is of a window in the sanctuary at the same church. You can see greenery and grass through the clearer grass at the bottom of the window.

Stained Glass Window – Tree, Trinity UCC, Quincy, IL. Photo: TLClark, 6/9/19.

The most radiant window that I’ve photographed in the age of digital cameras was at a church I served in eastern Iowa. Here it is on an Easter Sunday.

Rose Window on Easter, Faith UCC, Muscatine, Iowa. Photo: TLClark, 4/12/12.