Monday, October 31, 2016

Zombies Walk in Paducah


Zombie family selfie moment in downtown Paducah, Kentucky. Just four of an army of zombies.


Harley Quinn or Zombie Blondie - Call me, I'm alive.


Captured Nazi SS zombie soldiers - the worst kind of zombies.


Zombie prom queen and her mom.


Zombies apparently love to eat their own leg.


Alienated lost soul teenage zombies in search of angst.


Another family of zombies walk in Paducah looking for brains but only finding the Ohio River in front of them.




Sunday, October 30, 2016

Industrial Transition in Cedar Rapids



In August 2016, construction work along one of Cedar Rapids' once busy industrial zones changed again. The area on the city's NE side was once home to heavy industrial manufacturing. As the local economy shifted throughout the last 30 years, buildings that once housed industrial machining were downsized or shuttered or demolished.


In this case, the work in August involved pulling up dormant rail lines that once serviced the industrial neighborhood. A bike way is planned as a replacement for the rail, which will connect other trails in the area to Coe College's new athletic complex.


A bit of rail iron still remains in the ground prior to the bike path's completion. Perhaps it serves as a reminder of what was once produced here. Now the rusting iron pieces are but part of an industrial-economical change debris, representing how cities, technologies, and market forces morph over time.

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Fiddlin' in Paducah KY



A bit of Irish inspired music following Paducah's Oktemberfest and Zombie Walk on a very warm October 15th evening downtown near the Ohio River. This talented musician was excited to play a selection of three songs - "Young Ned of the Hills", "Streams of Whiskey" and "Rocky Road to Dublin."

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Somewhat Rare Storm Shutters in Eastern Iowa


Many homes here in the Midwest have window shutters as decorative attachments. They are usually thinner than the windows and are securely bolted to a wall. But true storm shutters, those that actually are able to move on a hinge and close, are somewhat rare. True, the Midwest has its fair share of wind, rain, snow and ice, so the need for closed window protection seems slight compared to coastal dwellers. But sometimes if you look closely, especially on century old homes here, you may find properly hinged shutters such as this multi-painted wooden example found in Mount Vernon, Iowa.