Canadas on the Wapsipinicon River

A sunny 16F day in Anamosa, Iowa brought out a flotilla of Canada geese on the ice free Wapsipinicon River. The extreme record setting cold this week seems to not adversely phase these beautiful creatures as they gather for food and protection just below the dam.

Keys to Something in the Past

Keys for sale. Four keys for a dollar the sign reads. But to what? Unless these are universal keys, they don't open anything any more. Still these metal objects seem to sell - albeit slowly. To me they are more of an interesting photo study than anything else.

Behind the Fifty Shades of Red Door

Valentine's Day is about romance and love. Those emotions are generally equated to the red shades of the color palette. There is an opportunity in Dyersville, Iowa to seek the fifty shades of red beyond the red door.

Winter Wonderland in Eastern Iowa

 

On February 1st winter came back after a very mild December and moderate January. The Feb 1 snow started as rain, then turned to wet snow and finally powdery snow backed by wind. In all I shoveled three times to seek the concrete driveway under a storm total of 11 inches. The photo above was between shovel one and two periods. Thanks to the Toro snow blower for doing the job. The weight of the snow sent branches curling over. Two weeks later some of that snow has melted and the limbs have rebounded. Spring is five weeks away and can't come soon enough.

Scarecrow or Beetlejuice?

A door urchin begging for candy treats last fall afforded an opportunity to learn some Photoshop skills. Outside of the image brightening, cropping and font placement, this image had canvas extensions added. My question to her was if she was Scarecrow or Beetlejuice. Patrick McGoohan of Romney Marsh would be disappointed in the answer. I know I was.

Nile Kinnick's Outlook

For an Iowan, one way to look forward to a great year is to draw inspiration from University of Iowa athlete and student Nile Kinnick. As many Iowans know Nile is the only Heisman trophy winner from the UI. Iowa Stadium, the location where he played football was renamed Kinnick Stadium in the 1970s and this bronze statue was created and dedicated to him in 2006.

While he died just a month short of his 25th birthday on a naval training mission in 1943, his legacy seems to grow each year as new Iowa football fans learn about his on and off field accomplishments. He was a grandson of an Iowa governor and many people feel that Nile's interest in politics and persuasiveness could have taken him to higher office. His words at the Heisman acceptance ceremony in 1939 are considered the most eloquent of any of the trophy's acceptance speeches. Read them here or watch here at the 6:39 mark.

"I thank you very, very much, Mr. Holcomb. It seems to me that everyone is letting his superlatives run away from him tonight. "Every football player in these United States dreams of winning this trophy. The fact that I am actually receiving it overwhelms me, and I feel what those who have received the Heisman award before me must have felt. "From my personal viewpoint, I consider this a tribute to the coaching staff at the University of Iowa, headed by Dr. Eddie Anderson, and to my teammates sitting back in Iowa City. A finer man and a better coach never hit these United States and a finer team never performed on any gridiron than the Iowa team of 1939. I wish they might all be with me tonight to receive this trophy. "I want to take this grand opportunity to thank the sports writers all over the country who saw fit, saw their way clear to cast their votes for me. I also want to thank Mr. Pierce and all those connected with the Downtown Athletic Club for making this trophy available to the football players of the nation. "And I would like, if I may, to make a comment which I think is appropriate at this time. "I thank God that I was born to the gridirons of the middle west and not to the battlefields of Europe. I can speak confidently and positively that the football players of this country would rather fight for the Heisman trophy than for the Croix de Guerre."

SE Iowa Barn Charm With No Snow for the Moment

This barn sits on the way to Wildcat Den State Park in SE Iowa near Muscatine. It is located a few hundred yards from the Mississippi River with this exposure facing the river to the east. While we have escaped snow so far this season, except for November, it sounds like the accumulation will be a possibility this weekend. It was nice while it lasted.

Early Fall Loon

A trip to Leech Lake, Minnesota at the end of September into the first few days of October experienced both summer- and winter-like conditions. While the fishing on sunny days was slow, the chance to snap a photo of wildlife was quite good. This is a adolescent loon swimming along the shore of Bear Island looking for minnows - something the walleyes failed to do.

A Visit to a 1937 American Airlines DC-3

Ok one more photo from the 1937 DC-3 at the Iowa City airport last August. The shiny aluminum skin with the vintage American Airlines logo help give the almost 80 year old plane a modern look with a retro twist. If the aircraft makes a stop near you, go see it and experience something from another era but as cool as anything flying today. (The object above the aircraft, seen above the M in American, is the airport's spotlight in the background.)

Aft View of a Vintage DC-3

Another shot of the vintage DC-3 at the Iowa City Airport in August. The tail section has been replaced with more modern materials but it doesn't take away from the plane's beauty. Somehow my photo doesn't compare to Iowa City photographer, Juan Carlos Herrera's view of the same aft section. See his version at this link.

Vintage 1937 DC-3 Lands at Iowa City

 

On August 19, 2014 the restored Flagship Detroit DC-3 landed at the Iowa City airport. The 21-passenger plane was restored to its original 1937 flying condition and American Airlines color scheme after an extensive two year period.

 

With the setting sun's rays bathing the plane in golden light, the sight through the viewfinder was unbelievable. The plane looked unreal, like a shiny toy against a fake background. It didn't belong here - in our modern world. It took some adjustment to believe what was before me.

 

The Flagship Detroit is based at an American Airlines hanger in Tulsa. The plane makes appearances at many airshows throughout the year including the one at Greeley, Colorado, the destination following Iowa City. 

 

The crew had just left the plane for the evening before I arrived. Earlier in the day for a person could join the plane's foundation for $150 and receive a ride. While that sounded tempting, the airport manager said that the plane would be flying to Greeley directly the next morning. Read about the plane here from the Gazette.

Thanksgiving Day Barn Charm East of Amana

A ride down the river road from Main Amana, Iowa to just south of Swisher led past these two barns during Thanksgiving day. The air temp was frigid partly because of the cloudless skies. And this being two thirds into Fall it also meant most of the leaves are gone from the trees. These conditions produce striking looks at the area's main industry - farming.

 

A few miles east of the first two barns on the river road is this old beauty. The farm property has a large circle P logo on it. No sign of livestock on this trip.

Spring Thinking Near the End of Fall

Here along the mid-northern latitudes, the race from Fall to Winter is in full gear. To lessen the impact of warm temperatures sliding back into winter's grasp, here is a icon image from late May 2014 to help ward off any polar vortex - maybe.

Rusty at Thanksgiving

Rusty, our family dog, loved to play in the leaves. He also was a very photogenic Irish Setter and liked to pose for me. This leaf pile photo was taken on Thanksgiving 1976.