Coreen's "Iron"

I looked out and saw these giant towers.   We watched them being built in 1967.  And one fell down and had to be rebuilt about three years ago.   They are giant towers of IRON and STEEL.   Real IRON MEN built them.  
We watched them walk around up there like they were on their patio having a beer.  It was amazing to see.   This morning these towers were covered in frost.  It was like they had been decorated for Christmas.   They glimmered in the sunlight.   Look closely and you will see a vapor trail of an iron/steel UFO.  Also amazing!!

Michael's "Iron"

Iron is the main element in most types of steel we use to make cars and building though more modern materials are starting to take it's place.  Houses used to have steel pipe, and it required tools like this to take that pipe apart, and replace it.
These are left over from my house on Iowa street.  I keep trying to give them to relatives, but most have newer houses that use copper or PVC.  If not, they are replacing that iron pipe with it.

Next Week "Tales or Tails"

"Iron" is due Sunday midnightish.

-mvm

Coreen's "Astonish"

There is much that astonishes me.  Most of it cannot be photographed.   But this particular Christmas display is really something.   This house is on 69th and Hartman.   I watched these people decorate for about two weeks. 
Every time I drove by,  they were out there in warm clothes stringing lights and putting up displays.  This photograph only shows about half of what they have burning in the night.  I needed a wide angle camera to take the full expanse of the display.  It is "astonishing" to see.  I wish the photograph did the display justice.  It does not.

Elizabeth's "Astonish"

This is my astonish because Mom told me to go take the sheets off of my bed today. When I went to get them I was astonished to see them all piled on my bed. A gift from my brother. I couldn’t help but laugh.

Michael's "Astonish"

Well... let's see.  When I am bored I like to try and "astonish" the little children in our family with the old pull my finger off my hand trick.
Later I just ask them to pull my finger.

Next Week "Iron"

"Astonish" is due Sunday Nightish.

-mvm

Danelle's "Altered"

altered mice 009
Originally uploaded by grlbandgeek4

This is what happens when me and my friends start baking.... These oreo cookies, kisses, cherries, and almonds have been altered into mice!

Elizabeth's "Alter"

I’m in the process of altering the content of the book I finished this summer.
It needs a lot of work and I should go now and alter it some more!!

Michael's "Altered"

Thank goodness there is a nine day window for taking pictures in this contest.  (Weekend prior to weekend of)  Because I shot this last Sunday when the weather was nice!
This is the Old Mattress Factory Bar and Grill.  It was a mattress factory, now it has been "altered" into a bar and grill.  Hence the name.

Coreen's "Altered"

This little Christmas Angel was made for me by a friend a long time ago.   It is a little altered with time.   Most Christmas Angels feel a little altered about two weeks before Christmas. 
I don't know if I can rescue her for another year or not.   The weather also altered our view from our front window.  It totally changed in just a couple of hours.

Mary's "Altered"

What we have is a dead water heater in the front yard of our neighbor that has been altered. I thought I could not be shocked any more my the hillbillies I live with in Missouri, but i was wrong.  This one did it.
My card club is mortified and said i should call the police, but i would not hurt the guy's feelings.  So I am making fun of him behind his back.  Nice godmother.

I am sending the pictures of daytime and night time so you can have the full effect.

(Note: I could not decide whether to post the day or night photo for Mary, so I made a collage of them all - Mike)

Next Week "Astonish"

"Alter" due Sunday Night

-mvm

Danelle's "Tipped"

Peaceful_Mountains_021
Originally uploaded by grlbandgeek4

I went mountain tipping! (tongue in cheek)

Coreen's "Tipping"

Did Santa tip or is he tipsy?

Michael's "Tipping"

I was half "tipping" over trying to take this shot.  I don't know if it makes the building look that way or not.

This is the Tip Top building down by the new ball stadium.  It has been turned into loft apartments.  Hmm... I could use this picture next week for the "alter" topic. 

The Tip Top used to be a factory that assembled model T Fords.  After that, it became a factory for making bobby pins and pink hair curlers.

Next Week "Alter"

"Tipping" is due Sunday night.

We could also use some more topics. You can email me ideas.

-mvm

Elizabeth's "Restore"

Yesterday we restored the Christmas tree and brought it back up stairs. It’s fake so we had to restore it to its old glory. It didn’t take nearly as long as it does some years, but I think it still looks great.

Coreen's "Restore"

Our neighborhood park, Orchard Park, has been in a "great restoration" process for the past two years.  The city removed three fourths of the trees, moved the creek, put in a walking path, planted lots of shrubs and trees, and put in several rain gardens.   It has been very interesting to watch.   In the process the City had to sink two new sewer inlets.  The sewer covers they put on these inlets are of special interest.   They appear to be old, old covers that were probably removed from inlets on the eastern side of town where there has been a lot of "sewer restoration" being done for several years.
These covers were cleaned up and brought out to Orchard Park and "restored" for use.   Look at the cover very closely.   It has the seal of the City of Omaha on it.  The seal is quite interesting and filled with history and symbolism.   I can see a settler with a shovel, an indian, a deer, ducks, a river, the sun, forest, fields.   I cannot figure out what the shield (?) in the middle says or is?   Fortiter In Re means "in firm resolve".  I would love to talk to someone from the Sanitation Department to find out the history of these covers.  But I do not know anyone at the department and they probably would not want to receive such a call from a local citizen?

Danelle's "Restore"

Tolmie and Olympia Docks 030
Originally uploaded by grlbandgeek4

This is a bridge at Tolmie State Park near Lacey Washington. It leads us out on to Puget Sound. It is pretty old looking at needs to be restored.

Michael's "Restore"

It's going to take a lot to "restore" this old farmstead if anyone decides they want to live there again.
Andy showed me an app for my phone that makes your pictures look retro.  Even though I did not use my phone for this picture, I found some Photoshop tricks to do the same.

That being said, the outskirts of town has many old farms like this that will fade away into subdivisions. 

Next Week "Tipping"

"Restore" is due Sunday night.

-mvm

Dee's "about to be' Potted

Dee's "About to be' Potted
Originally uploaded by DandyPhotography

This was a tough one for me. Not sure I made it in time. But this plant is "about to be' potted. I love the roots in this picture. The red you see is paint from when Christina was painting a bunch of my pots one day (with permission.) Hopefully this plant will be 'potted' soon! It is ready!

Danelle's "Potted"

Outside Washington 049
Originally uploaded by grlbandgeek4

This is a tree that was in a pot on my campus. It was some sort of tree that had lichen growing all over it. In the background you see some snow. It doesn't snow here often and we had a "storm" that dumped 1-3 inches and EVERYONE freaked out!

Coreen's "Potted"

We have so many potted plants and pots around here that I could not figure out what to photograph.  Most of my outside plants are done for this year.   So I decided to send a picture of our plant hospital and incubator.  I put my sick and young plants under these lights for a few weeks and they turn beautiful. 
We take cuttings of our favorite outdoor plants, plant them in pots,  and turn them into new plants for next year.  The lights work wonderful.  It is kind of our mini garden.

Elizabeth's "Potted"

This plant is totally potted. It’s potted three times. Luke thought I should find some guy on pot, but I chose this instead. I think I like this idea better. Hope you like it!

Oh and, don’t worry, the pot wasn’t actually in the toilet water.

Michael's "Potted"

Its a little hard to find potted plants in November, but I did find one place that had many of them.
Hint.  That's the base of a tombstone off to the right, and I'm guessing these flowers came from Hobby Lobby.  I love the fall colors.

Next Week "Restore"

Potted due Sunday Night.

-mvm

Dee's Dairy

"Got'ta Have "Milk"
Originally uploaded by DandyPhotography

No one can have oreo cookies without milk! Doesn't this picture even just make you crave milk like crazy!! I gotta have it! Yum! Dairy never tasted so good before compared to having it after an oreo cookie! I already consumed what you see in my picture. I think I have to go have some more now! Bet you are thinking of having some too!

Coreen's "Dairy"

I could not think of a good entry for "Dairy" short of finding a great big dairy cow to photograph.  Then I thought about my milk pitchers.   I have had a collection of these pitchers for years.   They came from my grandmothers.

From Coreens Stuff

In years gone by, the farmer would bring the fresh milk from the barn and pour enough of it into a "milk" pitcher for the next meal.  These pitchers were used for many, many years since refrigeration is a relatively new invention as compared to the cow.  The pitchers were usually ornate and ceramic.  A few were metal.  A have six of them - all beautiful.

Michael's "Dairy"

I know you all expected teats out of me on this one, and I do not like to disappoint.  Sandra has always had this cow in her kitchen, until I pointed out it was defective.
I could be "utterly" wrong, but I remember milk cows as having four teats and this one has six.  Its rocking a six pack.  I imagine it was very popular at the "dairy".

Next Week "Potted"

"Dairy" is due Sunday nightish.

mvm

Coreen's "Salvage"

This is the salvage from my kitchen, flower beds, and yard.   Bob has had compost bins for several years.  They are kind of stinky but work really well.   We always have a lot of wonderful compost to spread on our flowers and garden in the spring.  Christina and I took this picture.
She put the red maple leaves in the bin.   Then we looked and could see all kinds of  "salvage" - orange peels, carrot tops, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoe peels, squash shell, egg shells, apple peels, etc.    You name it - it is there.

Dee's Salvage

IMG_5283
Originally uploaded by DandyPhotography

I'll try to join in again - but we will see how long this lasts!
Here is our "salvage." It is the best I can do on short notice. We salvaged the pumpkin by making it a "jack-o-lantern." I salvaged an old towel as our table cloth. And Christina is salvaging an old t-shirt of mine for all the fun and mess. Oh yeah - and we got the pumpkin for free - salvaged off the Miller farm. What a cheap night of fun this was!

Michael's "Salvage"

This is a salvage yard North of Ashland, NE. 
I'm not certain if they really do any business, but I have always found the sign amusing.  To be honest, I was a little worried that I might get shot at taking this picture.

Next Week "Dairy"

Salvage is due on Sundayish night.

mvm

Coreen's "Elementary"

Christina spent the day with me on Saturday.   We did a lot of Cooking #101.  We made smoothies, brownies, and pizza.  She loves to cook.   These cooking lessons are at the "Elementary Level" but so much fun.
The finger licking is good too.

Michael's "Elementary"

The techniques for marketing or advertising your product are very "elementary".  You find a place that has high visibility, and traffic, and put your message there.
Hopefully the target audience can read your handwriting.

Next Week "Salvage"

Elementary due Sunday night.

-mvm

Danelle's "Relation"

phone info 005
Originally uploaded by grlbandgeek4

I know this isn't the best photo in the world but I was sitting in class tonight looking at the board with a glazed look in my eyes and realized that what we were talking about was supposed to be all related! Hell I dont know what half of these bubbles mean and then the arrows are all going in different directions. Anyways I it is all supposed to related I guess and I need to know how by the test on Wednesday. Drool....

Andy's "Relative"

It's all relative. To some these are just some branches. Others this might be your home. All depends on your view. And if your a bird... Or maybe a squirrel.

Coreen's "Relative"

Relative - I had a difficult time with relative.   Is it relative the noun or the adjective or the adverb?   Anyway, these chairs are relatives to each other.  They were made my our creative son-in-law for us a few years ago.    He is our relative!!!!"
That's it?     If you don't like it, I have a back-up.   Too bad I cannot submit more than one.

Michael's "Relative"

I took my camera to the 3rd Annual Omaha Zombie Walk.  I thought I might see Ryan and Jenny there, but there were so many people!  Like hundreds!

There were more zombies than people.  There were more photographers then people.  I don't think any of these zombies were relatives of mine but you never know!

Cliff High and George Ure of WebBot fame claim the next Long Wave Predictive Tipping Point is the week of November 7th, so maybe the zombies are coming soon!

Next Week "Elementary"

"Relative" is due Sunday Night.  Relative has many meanings so don't get too stuck on this!

Places to go for ideas.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Relative

Don't get stuck on Elementary either!

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Elementary

Danelle's "Driftwood"

driftwood 001
Originally uploaded by grlbandgeek4

This picture was taken on the Evergreen State College campus. It us a Native American inspired piece of art. It is wooden and seems to be drifting amongst some water and fish. There is alot of driftwood by the ocean but not much in Puget Sound.

Ryan's "Driftwood"

We used a chunk of driftwood as a target this weekend. I somehow forgot to get a good shot of it. This is all I have:
Various other photos are linked at the other photo contest.

/rl

Michael's "Driftwood"

I headed out to get my driftwood picture today, but did it on the motorcycle.  I lost a bolt out of my shifter linkage and had to bring it home short of getting to Dodge Park.
I took this picture over the summer when I was out with Craig on the bikes.  It does not count because it was not in the last ten days, but shows that there is a lot wood moved around by the rivers this year.

Coreen's "Driftwood"

Diftwood is hard to find in Nebraska. But here is a picture of some "drifting wood". We put a couple old boards in the cow tank so the our bees could land on them and more easily get to water.
Bees need lots of water to make all that honey. Sometimes they miss the morning dew. The grosshopper on the board looks a little "adrift". I think he is wondering how he is going to get out of this!!

Next Week "Realative"

"Drift Wood" is due Sunday Night!

-mvm

Danelle's "Suction"

zoo_capital 007
Originally uploaded by grlbandgeek4

I took this pic a couple weeks ago so I guess I cheated. But this is a pic from the Tacoma zoo. It probably has nothing to do with suction but I thought it was cute.

Coreen's "Suction"

Grandma Coreen enters the contest this week with a picture of two things that technically cause suction.
I have a feeling Grandpa Bob helped on this photo by holding the plunger.

Michael's "Suction"

 A wedding bouquet seems to have its own kind of suction that causes a vortex that sends young women flailing about, and young men heading for the door.
This picture was an obvious mistake, but turned out quite funny.

Next Week "Drift Wood"

Suction is due Sunday Night.

Grandma (Coreen) Miller has made her first entry.  Look for it!

-mvm

Danelle's "totem"

evergreen 002
Originally uploaded by grlbandgeek4

This is a picture from one of the buildings at the evergreen state college. Native American art is very prominent in the Northwest.

Ryan's "Totem"

So, I am pretty sure I have seen some sort of totem pole somewhere near Omaha, but I can't recall where.

Here is a totem of some sort from a sculpture on UNO's campus.




/rl

Next Week "Totem"

I picked this topic, because for some reason it was a trending topic on Google.  I don't know why.  I scoped out Manglesen's for a totem pole, then remembered that I had this tiki thing in the back yard!

The story behind it is kind of funny.  I wanted an Easter Island statue, like Dumb Dumb in Night at the Museum and could not find one, but we found this one day at Hobby Lobby.  The problem was; Sandra and I were on the motorcycle.  She agreed to hold onto it as we drove home.  We got a series of strange looks and a few honks.

Next Week "Suction"

"Totem" is due Sunday Nightish.

-mvm

Ryan's "Financial"

Various American financial instruments:


/rl

Michael's "Financial"

This is an Irish coin.  My friend Paul got it for me when he went to Ireland this summer.  He said it was a penny, but its about the size of a quarter.
The Irish do not use this form of currency to finance their purchases since they joined much of Europe in the more standardized Euro. Many were kept to sell as souvenirs or to tourists.

Next Week "Totem"

Financial due Sunday Night

-mvm

Danelle's "Hydrated"

capital at night 018
Originally uploaded by grlbandgeek4

This is a picture of the Olympia capital that overlooks capital lake. The Olympic peninsula is very hydrated. We will experience rain almost everyday this winter.

Ryan's "Hydrated"

Once again will be a day late and a dollar short. I had planned to get a shot of the fog tonight, but it seems to be disappearing. The shots I took don't even look hazy, much less foggy.

I'll see what tomorrow brings.

/rl

Michael's "Hydrated"

Today the Papio NRD held its annual WorldO!Water event.  There were booths and educational games for the kids that explained the importance of water conservation.

Of course the event got off to the slow start because of rain.

It was held at the Papio-Missouri NRD at Wehrspann Lake, in the Chalco neighborhood.

Next Week "Financial"

Hydrate is do Sunday Nightish.

-mvm

Michael's "Memorial"

This shot is from last week, but I believe the rules (what rules?) are from the weekend the next topic is announced...  This mural in Ewing, NE is a memorial to my dad's uncles by marriage, Matt and John Savidge who were early aviation pioneers in the sand hills.
This plaque also stands in memorial to them on Highway 275.

Ryan's "Memorial"

From the 9/11 memorial in Memorial Park.

/rl