Day Ninety: Paper Wings

When I'm not out taking pictures, I actually do have a job that keeps me rather busy. I am a high school math teacher, and my first class of the day starts at 7 a.m., an hour before the "official" school day begins.

Waking up early is sometimes a struggle, for me and for the students. And studying statistics first thing in the morning, every morning, for an entire year can be a long haul without a few activities here and there to keep things interesting.

Fortunately, the AP Statistics curriculum lends itself well to experiments and activities - I especially enjoy finding creative ways to collect data. Today was paper airplane flying day.

The test was to see which model plane flew farther: the Stabinaw Flyer (as it came to be known in our class, so named after "the kid in 5th grade who sat next to me and always got in trouble for making paper airplanes like these," as one girl in class said) versus the Dart.

The Dart proved superior in distance performance (as the name alone might suggest) topping lengths traveled of 55 feet. The Stabinaw Flyer seemed, on average, more aloof - prefering spiral paths and scenic routes over the intended straight-line navigation.

One Flyer, seen above, did soar high into the rafters and get some good distance.

In the end, though, both Darts and Flyers ended up at the same finish line: the recycle bin.

Day Eighty-Nine: High Cycle

I've said it before: you can see some strange stuff in Lawrence. So many things, in fact, that cars built out of hot tubs and the rest seem to fit right in with the city after a while.

So what surprise should it be, then, to see three bicyclists riding through downtown: two on standard ten-speeds, and one on two standard ten-speeds?

This double-decker bike (that used the welded frames of two standard ten-speeds) looks like the brainchild of an engineering major moonlighting as a garage mechanic, and I imagine the construction process was something like what a surgeon might do in the trenches if he had to operate using only a rusty knife and a spool of twine.

That being said, the bike seems to excel in form and functionality, leaving but one other important factor of consideration: practicality.

Besides a general amazement for the bike itself and the balance of the rider, the most-asked question by onlookers (that I heard repeatedly while tyring to chase down the cyclists after getting out my camera) was, "How did he get on that thing?"

Good question! And I may never know the answer. By the time I got this close for a shot, they were already riding off into the sunset.

Day Eighty-Eight: Rudolph Beware!

High atop a book shelf in my bedroom looms the terriblist of terrifying, the horriblist of horrifying, the abominablist of abominations: the Abominable Snowman.

I shiver just looking at him.


"The Bumble" came to fame in 1964's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, a stop-motion animation television special that has become a Christmas favorite in many families, including mine. In fact, it is the longest running annual television special (one year older than 1965's A Charlie Brown Christmas).

Year after year the abominable snowman would make his appearance, surrounded by dramatic music and wild camera angles, and year after year I would cover my eyes and hide behind the sofa until he was gone from the screen. (This became quite embarrassing to be doing when I reached my teens.)

But what was there not to be scared of? His pointy fangs, his googly eyes, his sharp claws protruding from his vinyl paws...Thank goodness Yukon Cornelius and Herbie the Elf de-toothed him in time to "humble the bumble."

Now that I'm a bit older and not as scared of animated monsters from children's television specials, I can appreciate this gift from my friend Sarah (who recognized the true importance of Rudolph in my life). I also appreciate the irony that the abominable snowman standing high atop the book shelf in my room is holding a tube of Blistex.

Few others do.

:)

Day Eighty-Seven: Glazed Over

Well, no sooner did I speak than Old Man Winter strikes again! Friday's gentle coating of ice on my car window, which quickly and quietly melted away with the warmth of the defroster, was billed by weather forecasters as a precursor to upwards of 10 inches of snow!

Of course, when the forecast calls for "anywhere from zero to ten inches of snow" (we like to cover all our bases here), it was no great surprise to walk outside and see the world in its normal technicolor hues instead of a blanketed shade of white.

So there was no snow on the ground this morning. But, things were a bit...shinier?

Lawrence is generally good for at least one ice storm a year.

These are days when you have to wake up 20 minutes earlier just to scrape away the frozen shell of ice that is caked on your car windshield.

These are days you consider wearing baseball spikes to work so that you don't slip on your way out the door.

These are some of the most beautiful days to look outside and see every stem on every branch of every tree finished in crystal, gleaming in the sun - assuming the sun decides to make a vivid post-storm appearance.

Today's "storm" was mild by Kansas standards. Traffic was not slowed, people were not bound to their homes - life proceeded as normal, if not a bit more brilliant.

Today's picture shows how a soft rain, falling and freezing, can coat everything - down to the individual blades of grass - in a thin layer of ice.

Even Lucy's favorite stick was not immune to the weather!

Special Edition: City Skylines

City skylines are some of my favorite things to photograph. Each city has its own feel and personality defined by the distribution of its buildings, the styles of its architecture, and the uniqueness of its landmarks.

Part of the fun in photographing skylines is searching for the best place to take a picture that captures the entire scene. This process of driving through downtowns, exploring surrounding neighborhoods, hiking up hillsides, etc, inevitably teaches me something new about each city and provides me with more elements to try to piece together in a photograph.

The entire process can take as little or as much time as I need and want. And because the buildings aren't going anywhere, I can plan for whatever time of day I feel might best capture the mood of the city (and of me) that day.

This spring break I traveled to destinations in six states in seven days. That gave me plenty of opportunities for picture taking, and many skylines to capture. In today's special edition I offer you one city skyline picture from each state I visited (and two from Minnesota...twins, if you will).

Click on any picture to enlarge it. I hope you enjoy!

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Des Moines in the early morning from the capitol building.

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Kansas City at dawn.

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Chicago at night from the steps of the Adler Planetarium.

(This is the composition of two wide-angle pictures, showing the bright lights of downtown fading to the right out across Navy Pier -- the dot on the far right is a tour boat returning to dock.)

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The University of Notre Dame skyline (with the steeple of the Basilica of the Scared Heart to the left) as seen from the Hesburgh Library at sunset. (Thanks, Matt!)

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St. Louis at midday from the Eads Bridge across the Mississippi River.

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Minneapolis at dusk.

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St. Paul from the capitol steps, with downtown on the left and the Cathedral on the right.

Day Eighty-Six: Old Man Winter

Old Man Winter must be feeling pretty stubborn these days. March has marched in, spring has officially sprung, and temperatures have reached the 80s...and yet today when I left work and hurried through the parking lot (under threat of snow) I found a fresh sheet of ice painted on the driver's side of my car.

Kansas has its fair share of ice storms. I have gone to bed with a soft rain falling outside and woken up the next morning to find nearly an inch of ice caked on anything and everything in sight, leaving the city as still and silent as the peaceful precipitation the night before. Some of these freezing rainfalls have shut down the city of Lawrence for days.

Today's teasing layer of thin ice was more of a gentle reminder that, while the winter months may have flipped by on the calendar, more winter weather is only a cold front away.

It did provide an interesting photo opportunity: can you make out the object seen here through my crystallized car window?


I've tried on a few occasions to photograph the neon Jayhawk that hangs in the window of the business across the street from my house. Before now I was never satisfied with the resulting images.

Today's shot seems fitting, though, as the Jayhawk basketball team is playing tonight in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament.

People in Lawrence are very supportive of their hometown 'Hawks and will cheer them on as long as they are on the court. But they also know that the boys from KU are facing a tough match-up tonight, and the predicitions for the game and the rest of the tournament are a little unclear....like today's picture.

Here's hoping that tomorrow morning brings a warmer sun and a brighter light to shine on KU fans and the city of Lawrence!

Day Eighty-Five: Down Memory Lane

In today's quest for a photo I came upon this stately treehouse that rises proudly above the first floors of the houses in the neighborhood in Lawrence in which I grew up.*

*for those of you who were counting, that was eight prepositional phrases in one sentence - not counting the "dangling" preposition at the end...

Something about this treehouse called out to me for a picture - and called me away from a couple of other scenes I was thinking about photographing today.

Was it:

· that this was the only tree in the entire (front) yard of this house on the corner lot, making this lofty plywood castle visible for blocks?

· the green 2-by-4 steps crawling up the side of the tree, reminiscent of the Calvin and Hobbes tree fort in which the cartoon 6-year-old and his faithful tiger companion held meetings of their club G.R.O.S.S. (Get Rid Of Slimy girlS)?

· the memory of my old tree house that once stood high among the hedge apple trees not too far away from here?

...Probably a little bit of all of these.

In any case, coming across this arborial harbor today prompted me to take a walk down memory lane and visit my old back yard to see if the treehouse my dad and I built about the time I was 8 or 9 years old had stood the test of time.

The trees surrounding my childhood home were sporadically covered in thorns, which must have been an initial concern in the location and construction of the house...but Dad and I found a group of close-growing trees that looked like the perfect spot to build our lumberial loft. And what better protection for a mighty tree fort than to be thicketed in thorns and surrounded by softball-sized hedge apples (read: ammunition) hanging from nearby branches?

I remember spending time up in that small (but sturdy) room in the trees - in between games of horseshoes, tetherball, and whatever other adventures my friends and I could find in the backyard.

But taking a stroll past the old-but-familiar yard today I found that most of those things I remember are now gone. The treehouse has vanished. The horseshoe pits have been uprooted. And all that remains of the tetherball game is a lonely rusting pole...no more ball...no more tether.

Things have changed as I walk through the old neighborhood.

But strolling down Memory Lane, everything is still the same.

Day Eighty-Four: Golden Brown

Is there any better sight in the world for someone who's sweet tooth needs a little satisfying than the warm glow of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven?

If ever a picture could convey a smell, this one might be it.

Of course, as the photographer, I had the advantage of actually being able to smell these cookies while they were baking (...and maybe even taste a few).

But even now, as I sit at my computer miles away, I can still catch a hint of the brown sugar working together with butter, flour, and chocolate to form that most perfect of confectionary unions:

     the chocolate chip cookie.

Day Eighty-Three: Bark Softly...

Even though she's still an energetic young puppy, Emily's 7-month-old dog Lucy makes for a pretty good teddy bear. And that's not her only tie to former president "Teddy" Theodore Roosevelt: Lucy also has her own form of "Big Stick" diplomacy.

Wherever Lucy goes, whatever Lucy does, she would rather do it carrying a stick in her mouth, and the larger the stick the better.

Emily and I have watched her move from one twig to another in the yard until she finds one that is satisfactory, wondered - as she chases down sticks we throw for her - if and when she will return with the original, and laughed as she has tried to drag fallen tree branches through much narrower front doors.

On this particular day when I was feeling a little under the weather, I was happy to have Lucy around to cheer me up with some more of her Big Stick diplomacy.

Day Eighty-Two: Hanami

On a spring day in Kansas windy enough to make the wickedest of witches hold on to her hat and watch above for flying farm houses, a few spring buds were out in full bloom and grasping to their branches as they were tossed about in some wicked Kansas winds.

People walking down Mass St. today were holding on tightly to their shopping bags, loose clothing, and small children for fear that any or all of these items might be blown away in the gusts of wind that topped over 50 mph.

The flag that sits high atop the historic Eldridge Hotel in downtown Lawrence was busy all day - continuous winds kept Old Glory at constant attention.

And in the forefront of today's picture are the cherry blossoms - or sakura, by its (native) Japanese name - a common sight this time of year in downtown Lawrence.

By viewing today's blog entry you are taking part in hanami, which the KU Center for East Asian Studies describes as "the custom of cherry-blossom viewing...accompanied by food, drink, singing, and general merriment."

Here I've provided the cherry blossoms - hopefully you are finding the general merriment in your own lives.

And if you happen to be raising a glass of sake at the moment, then happy hanamizake to you!

Day Eighty-One: Open Air

As we have already established, Lucy likes to ride in the car with her head out of the window.

But what happens when the craving for that open air hits a dog traveling down the interstate at 70 miles per hour? Well, click on today's picture to see for yourself:

Day Eighty: The Super Acrosonic

In my parents' living room sits a piano that has been a part of our family longer than I have. Some 45 years ago my parents acquired this Baldwin Acrosonic from Frank's family. Frank was an Edgewood High School (Madison, WI) classmate with both my mom and dad, and after he graduated and moved away from home, the Acrosonic was lonely for attention.

Some 45 years later, Frank is now Fr. Frank O'Meara, a noted scholar and Catholic priest, and the old spinet piano has seen more than its fair share of attention, somehow surviving a family of five kids (and one accordion-playing dad) banging away at its ivory keys with little mercy.

This Acrosonic has been the source of torture for children ("I have to practice piano for thirty minutes?"), the source of torture for adults ("We have to listen to him practice piano for thirty minutes?!"), the centerpiece for neighborhood Christmas carol sing-alongs (torture for the whole block?), and the premium spot for hiding Easter egg baskets.

For ten years my mom and I sat at this Acrosonic for lessons and practice.

I used to think of playing this Acrosonic a chore. Now I consider it a wonderful gift. So thank you Mom and Dad for the lessons, for "making" me torture my siblings, friends, and neighbors (and you) with practice, and for making sure I stuck with the piano long enough to be able to use it and appreciate it like I do today.

Day Seventy-Nine: Home Cookin'

What could be better than coming home to visit parents and having some good home cooking waiting for you?

On the menu today was Tuna Fish Casserole (being a meatless Friday during Lent). These colorful measuring spoons hang in Mom's kitchen, and no doubt have a part in wonderful meals that she makes.

The kitchen and utensils aren't the only colorful things about the home cooking, though - Dad often comments on how "colorful" the meals themselves are! Indeed, there usually is a variety of colors and tastes on the dinner plate, and we have been blessed (and spoiled) to have such a wonderful cook in the family.

But Dad, as pretty a shade of green as Brussels sprouts might be, that still doesn't hide the fact that they are icky vegetables that Mom is making me eat!

Day Seventy-Eight: On the Road Again

I've been on the road a lot in the past week, visiting Chicago, South Bend, St. Louis, and (currently) Minneapolis. In today's photo I wanted to capture that feeling of being on the highway.

I've made the trip from Lawrence, my current home, to Minneapolis, my former home (but still very much where my heart is) many times over the past decade or so. Driving through 450 miles of farmland might not seem like the most exciting journey, but is has its bonuses.

Some of the best sunsets I have ever seen have come on trips to the northland - and as have already noted, sunset pictures are like candy to me. In the summer months at night you can look to the side of the road and see hundreds of glowing streaks from lightning bugs seeking refuge and companionship in the tall grasses. And on a clear night away from cities and street lights the stars are as bright as I've ever seen them.

On our current trip, Emily and I pulled off of the interstate to take a few pictures (okay, I took the pictures while she waited patiently and warmly in the car with the dogs). Though Interstate-35 was a blur of headlights and taillights, the exit itself was unpopulated and made for some great (albeit brief) stargazing.

I've gotten to know the mileage markers along this trip pretty well. "153 miles to Minneapolis" means we're about to pass Clear Lake, Iowa, then Diamond Jo's Casino, and then the Minnesota border with about 100 miles left to go.

Given my affinities for road trips, seeing family, and picture taking, don't be surprised if more "Kansas to Minnesota" pictures make their way on the blog!

Day Seventy-Seven: Burning Up the Road

I thought I had been burning some rubber this week on my six-state spring break road tour of the midwest, but it's been nothing like this:

A recurring sight along my journey has been the "controlled burn," a way of cleaning up brush - in this case alongside the interstate - that may otherwise be difficult to maintain or may represent a potential fire hazard.

Though the burns are controlled and closely monitored by D.O.T. workers, seeing the ground on fire only feet from your car as you drive by is an unusual (and somewat unnerving) sight. So, after passing a few of these blazes on my trip from Indiana to Kansas today I decided to look for a good way to capture the activity in a photo.

Note: "good way" did not seem to equal "pull over to the side of the interstate to take a picture," nor did it equal "cruise by a smoking fire at 70 mph with the window rolled down to take a picture on the go."

Because of this, I ended up backtracking a few miles on a frontage road where I could pull over and walk as close as I cared to get to the line of fire. You can see the heat of the fire, which leaves behind only ashen black ground as it progresses down the roadway, in the ripples on the back of the semi truck driving by.

Looking for unusual or unique scenes to catch with the camera definitely helps pass the time on long road trips...and I think I caught a little bit of the unusual today as I was burning up the road.

Day Seventy-Six: The Grotto

There are few better places to be on St. Patrick's Day than the home of the Fightin' Irish, Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana. And there is no better place on campus for peaceful prayer and reflection than the Grotto.

This cavernous, candlelit sanctuary, located a short walk down the hill from the Basilica of St. Mary, is patterned after the Grotto of Our Lady in Lourdes in France.

The Grotto is a destination for students and residents of the area who wish to offer special intentions, a place for joggers to catch their breath or find a little extra strength for their run, and a compelling reminder of the power of prayer.

Throughout the day a steady stream of people visit the Grotto to light a candle, kneel for prayer, or just sit in peaceful silence.

Here are a few more views of campus I captured on my recent visit to Notre Dame.

On the Road...

Hey everyone, I know there haven't been any entries in a couple of days...I'm on the road! This means slower posting, but it also means more pictures coming your way soon!

Check back in a day or two, or stick around and check out some old posts in the meantime!

Day Seventy-Five: St. Patty's Crew

Consider this late posting a belated Happy St. Patrick's Day in advance!

My spring break travels have brought me to Chicago on this the day before St. Patrick's day. One of my favorite memories of the windy city is seeing the portion of the Chicago River that cuts through downtown dyed green in celebration of the Irish holiday.

Even though St. Patty's day is tomorrow (Tuesday), the big parade and celebrations took place on Saturday, and the vibrant green has already started to fade as the river blends into waters of Lake Michigan.

A little green food coloring didn't deter this crew team from fine tuning its rowing skills. Here the 8-man crew is having their instructions barked at them - literally - by two coaches and a black lab (who looks right at home in the accompanying water craft) while onlookers peer over the Michigan Avenue bridge.

Here is a close-up (though somewhat grainy) view of the crew:

Until next year, consider this traditional Irish toast:

Saint Patrick was a gentleman,
Who through strategy and stealth,
Drove all the snakes from Ireland,
Here’s a toasting to his health.
But not too many toastings
Lest you lose yourself and then
Forget the good Saint Patrick
And see all those snakes again.

Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Day Seventy-Four: Your Inner Iowan

Going to college in Kansas while calling Minnesota home led me to take many road trips north and south on Interstate 35. Halfway between my starting and ending points on these journeys is a stretch of east-west highway that skirts the capitol city of Des Moines, Iowa.

For my first five years of school (no, it did not take me 5 years to graduate, nor was I redshirted to play on the KU basketball team - I'm including grad school years here) I would follow this perpendicular section of road and see the capitol building and downtown Des Moines to the distant south.

As I started to get a little more "adventurous" in my travels I discovered that not only did an earlier exit (I-235) lead me right through the heart of downtown while still pointing me in the direction home, but also the capitol lawn and surrounding parks made for a great place to get out and stretch, walk the dog, or sit and have a bite to eat.

Gradually I took more time to explore the city that once only meant "four more hours to go," and by the time I met Emily, who is an Iowa native, I felt I could hold my own on Des Moines knowledge: "why, yes, I have been to the Merle Hay Mall," or, "those war memorials outside the capitol building are great, but what's with that mini Statue of Liberty?"

I feel like I have taken great steps towards embracing my "inner Iowan." Here is a somewhat unique view of the capitol building as seen through the tile windows of a downtown skyway:

Hopefully these pictures can help you embrace your inner Iowan today!

Day Seventy-Three: Roadside Fortune

Let's hope so.

Day Seventy-Two: Childish Games

Wait, wait - I think I've played this game before:



(Don't worry, goose, I'm sure these ducks will let you play with them if you stand there long enough!)

Lately it seems like the weather has been playing one big game of duck, duck, goose! with us: a series of days with shorts-wearing temperatures in 60s, 70s and 80s, and then along comes a day where the mercury struggles to hit 30°.

This picture was taken is Ankeny, Iowa, where winter is still holding on - despite it being the time for spring break travels. Hopefully the ducks and geese will not be able to walk on water too much longer and those higher temps come to stay.

Day Seventy-One: Creative Minds

Ladies and Gentlebloggers, I give you the spring break...armadillo?

Yes, it is spring break time again. And unlike Emily, who went and found a job in the real world, I managed to find work that affords me a spring break, Christmas and summers off - thus avoiding the "real world" - or so my brothers might tell me.

When I'm not photoblogging or musichurching, I am busy at school, teaching...(dramatic pause)...math. (insert collective groan here.)

Tomorrow is the official start of spring break for our school, but some of my students started the break a little early in their minds. Being the mean teacher that I am, I made my students work down to the last minute of each class today.

Almost.

A few creative students still found time to put together a spring break-themed whiteboard mural in my room featuring a countdown timer, April showers, May flowers, pilgrims (?), and of course...the spring break armadillo.

If you think that's creative, you should see some of their answers to my quiz questions!

I enjoyed my time as a student, and I love teaching. It's interesting seeing things from different sides of the educative process. I still feel like I'm student at times - even teachers have a lot to learn (like, don't leave so many dry-erase markers out where students can get to them easily!).

And in case you're wondering, teachers do look forward to spring break as much as their students!

Hmm...I wonder what life is like out in the real world? Maybe I'll look into that a little further...after my break.

:p

Day Seventy: Open for Business

It's almost Thursday in Lawrence, and that means "reload time" for local drinking establishments.
Weekends start a little earlier on Mass Street in this town. As far as many KU upperclassmen are concerned, Thursday is the new Friday...which is why many businesses are sure to restock their shelves on Wednesday. One such watering hole in Lawrence is the Sandbar, the neon green and yellow building in the background.

What it lacks in subtlety it makes up for in class.

Today the tropical-themed hole in the wall had simultaneous visits by both Boulevard and Budweiser brew trucks. In the photo above, barrels of Boulevard's "Wheat" and "Bully Porter" are being rolled out of the truck and into the Sandbar, where later tonight patrons who stroll in will no doubt be having a barrel of fun.

If you happen to stop by Lawrence and you are of-age, and of-thirst, try a Boulevard brew for some local (Kansas City) flavor. Pay the Sandbar a visit around 10 p.m. to get caught in a hurricane - but lay off the beer here: Shark Attacks and Bahama Mamas are always in season.

And if you are a KU student, remember: that 8 a.m. class will still come bright and early Friday morning!

Day Sixty-Nine: In the Still of the Night

My friend Sarah recently "requested" I take a picture of KU's campanile at night. I don't know if this is what she was looking for, but last night with a full moon blazing through the wisps of clouds I captured this photo, and it is one of my favorites.

One reason that I like this picture is because I didn't have to "doctor" it too much at all - no crops, no color adjustments, etc. Just a nice, long time elapse to let the various colors of light soak into the camera.

So, Sarah, I hope you like this one.

Like any good DJ would say, keep those requests coming!

Seacrest out.

*

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*Really? You went there?

Day Sixty-Eight: Blue Streak

This afternoon was a rainy one in Lawrence. These two images are the result of raindrops gathering on the windshield of my car. If you look closely you can see reflections of the overhanging trees in some of the raindrops. Click on either image to get a closer look!

Day Sixty-Seven: On a Wing and a Prayer

Not much to comment about this picture, as a bird watches over the St. John the Evangelist church from the loftiest of perches while the moon rises in the early evening sky.

Day Sixty-Six: Pay Heed

Today's photo once again features Fraser Hall, which sits high atop Mount Oread on the University of Kansas campus. The building is such a prominent location that it is often difficult to snap a picture in Lawrence that does not include Fraser Hall, which is home to many psychology and sociology (among other) classes at KU.

But on this particular Saturday in March, Fraser Hall was specifically chosen as the subject of the photo, along with the car traveling over the Kansas River bridge and the row of banners welcoming people into Lawrence while warning them to Pay Heed...

There were plenty of cars rolling into town today from all directions to see the Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team play their final home game of the 2008-09 season - and hopefully win their fifth straight Big 12 Conference regular season title with a victory over the always dangerous Texas Longhorns.

This row of banners seems to lead traffic directly towards Fraser Hall and nearby Allen Fieldhouse, home of the basketball team, where a much larger banner reads:

Pay heed all who enter. Beware of the Phog.

"The Phog" is Phog Allen, the building's namesake, who coached KU basketball from 1919 until 1956. Allen's KU teams included future hall of fame coaches (such as Dean Smith) and players (such as Clyde Lovellette). He is also responsible for recruiting Wilt Chamberlain to KU, and although he coached Wilt on the freshmen basketball team, Allen retired before he could be a part of Chamberlain's two-year varsity career at KU.

Allen also led the KU football team to 5 wins, two losses and a tie in 1920 - his only year of coaching on the Kansas gridiron.

On this sunny Saturday in March, the 2009 version of the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team did indeed clinch the Big 12 title, defeating the Longhorns 83-73.

Poor Longhorns, we tried to warn'em: Beware of the Phog.

Day Sixty-Five: From a Distance

Kansas is not exactly known as a Land of Lakes, and while the University of Kansas has a beautiful campus in Lawrence, views of KU over bodies of water are a little harder to come by.

At first glance those familiar with Lawrence might think that the body of water featured here is the mighty Kaw, the Kansas River. In fact this is a small lake in the middle of a piece of farmland just off of Interstate 70 about a mile out of town.

I often roll right by this view at 70 miles per hour on my way in and out of town wishing I could pull my car over to the side of the turnpike and snap a picture of campus from a distance. Unfortunately a number of what I can only assume would be major traffic violations have kept me from doing so. But on this particular 80° day in March I decided to do a little exploring and find another path to this picturesque location.

After kicking up a little dust on some back roads and hiking about a quarter of a mile through woods and tall grass I came to a clearing by the water just in time to bother these two geese to leave behind their rocky perches and take a swim in the still-chilly water.

Today brought a colorful sunrise and many great picture opportunities. But in the end, this was a scene that I felt I might not be able to capture again, and so I went with it as my picture of the day: KU (almost) On the Waterfront.

Day Sixty-Four: The Restoration

If these walls could talk....

...they might tell stories of the dozens of KU students who took their dwelling here, with the St. Lawrence Center as their landlord.

...they might speak of the countless games of ultimate frisbee they have witnessed on the front and side lawns.

...they might recount early morning group runs followed by espresso shots, prayer services in the mornings and evenings, barbecues in the summer, hot chocolate in the winter...

...and they might even remember a little music group that formed in its deepest recesses, down in the depths of the Engel House where nobody had ventured for quite a few years. This little band of musicians brought new life to a once dark and dingy basement, and thus they became known as the Engel House Restoration.

I never lived in the Engel House, which sits augustly on a large lawn across from the St. Lawrence Catholic Center on the edge of the KU campus. But I do have a lot of ties to the house and many of the people who have lived in it.

Beyond the friendships and fun times, I will most remember this place for EHR, the band that (literally) rose from the depths of the Engel House and gained enough support to play venues in Lawrence, Kansas City, and surrounding areas.

Due to reasons much tamer than anything you'll see on VH1's Behind the Music, the band eventually broke up and the members went their separate ways. While no known audio or video recordings of the band exist today*, EHR will forever be remembered by its adoring fans for original songs such as "Waiting For Me" and "Lucky Star," as well as its signature cover song, "Shooting Star."

And so I leave you with one last memory of the Engel House Restoration, a set list from one of our many** concerts in Lawrence.

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*none that you get to see, that is. There is video out there somewhere on the Internet - good luck finding it!

**not that many.

Day Sixty-Three: Stress Relief

WARNING!! Today's picture is not for the faint of heart.

In fact, I thought twice - and even three times - about posting this picture at the risk of alienating some of my viewers due to content that some might find "crude" or "offensive."

But we all have our vices, our dirty little secrets, our weaknesses to which we succumb from time to time.

This is the season of Lent, and during this time I feel that I have been doing a decent job of eliminating many such vices from my daily routine. But this week has been a somewhat stressful one at work and, well, we all can use a little stress relief, right?

So what if some people think it's wrong, or disgusting, or shouldn't be seen in public?

(no, I'm not talking about clipping your toenails...but you're not far off...)

Still, I feel I must be open and honest with my blog-viewing public. I owe you that much. This is a part of who I am. And I'd be lying if I said I was doing anything to change it.

So, I tell you: proceed with caution. Sorry if it grosses you out. Click here to see today's picture. Don't say I didn't warn you.
:)

Day Sixty-Two: Ready...Aim...FIRE!

Do you remember that episode of Happy Days when Mork from Ork showed up and hijinx ensued? (Okay, I only saw it in reruns.) Or that episode of Frasier when Sam Malone took a vacaction from Cheers and visited his old patron in Seattle? Okay, how about a few weeks ago when the casts of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice shared roles on each other's shows?

(wow, I don't know what's more embarrassing: admitting I've watched Mork and Mindy or Grey's Anatomy.)

The point is, every once in a while fans of these shows get a special treat when cast members of one show make appearances on another show (often one is a spin-off of the other). Well, my 365-days-of-pics blog kind of started as a spin-off of Emily's blog (or at least a spin-off of the idea), and today fans worldwide are in for a special treat as we both have guest roles in each other's blog entries!

Last night we set up our tripods about 10 paces apart, turned, aimed, and shot. While it may sound like an old-fashioned duel, it was more like a game of "capture the flash." As Emily's write-up will tell you, one of us was usually a little quicker to the draw, which really just meant a do-over.

(that's how they did it in the ol' West, right?)

On a couple of shots we managed to pull the triggers simultaneously, and various stages of flash were captured in each other's cameras. Here is my favorite remnant from last night's shoot-out:

disclaimer: I have been advised by my lawyer to tell you that we were both trying to make goofy faces at one another!

"So, what have I learned this week, Orson?

I've learned that human nature is very interesting! I've learned that, as long as you have a fancy camera and are dressed somewhat nicely you can pretty much go wherever you want, even without a ticket.

I've learned that, no matter what your intentions really are, if you wear a stocking cap and use a telephoto lens, people will assume you are up to no good.

I've learned that one person standing outside a housing complex at night taking pictures is creepy, but two people standing outside a housing complex taking pictures...well, that's just goofy.

And I've learned that obscure references to Mork and Mindy do not go over well with my reading audience. Shazbot."

So, until we meet again, this is Pete saying, "Na-Nu, Na-Nu..."

Day Sixty-One: A Fish Out of Water

Yes, I know I just posted a picture of a classic automobile on Mass Street a few days ago. And here I come with another car photo. But if there is one rule by which I have always lived, it is this:

"If you ever see a car built out of a hot tub
parked downtown in the middle of winter,
be sure to take a picture."

And if a 50's era Cadillac constitutes a "classic car," then surely this jacuzzimobile qualifies as an instant classic (?).

Now, I've been around the block a time or two. I know there are other cars out there with hot tubs in them. Not only is this the first one I have had the pleasure of seeing in person, it just looks so....how shall I say...."ready to be installed."

Literally it looks as though somebody lifted this hot tub straight from the back porch, slapped on a windshield and some wheels, and went out to chlorinate the town.

Beyond my wondering when I will see this octagonal vehicle again, and if at that time it will be fully operational, there are a few practical questions that spring to mind with cars like these:

• what happens to the driver if the car must come to a sudden stop?
  
• are the spare tires kept in the swimming trunks?
  
• does this vehicle automatically qualify for the carpool lane?
  

I talked a few days ago about the "commonness of the uncommon" in Lawrence. There is always something unusual waiting to catch your eye. This uncommonality wasn't hard to spot, being the only car (and I use the term loosely) parked on its side of the street.

But I have a feeling that even if the block had been full of parked cars, this one still would have seemed a bit out of place....just like a fish out of water.

Special Edition: KU vs. MU Border War (Part 2)

This time it's personal.

Three weeks ago the University of Missouri Tigers did the unthinkable and defeated the Kansas Jayhawks on the basketball court the only way they possibly could: barely.

Today brought the rematch to Lawrence, and fans outside of Allen Fieldhouse were ready.

So ready, in fact, that students waited for hours in the snow just to get inside and (hopefully) snag the best possible seats to cheer their beloved 'Hawks to victory.


Not that there would be much sitting.

Hot chocolate and blankets kept these students warm while they waited outside, but once the doors were opened and the fans started pouring in, their energy and electricity seemed to instantaneously get the building hot and the basketball team on fire.

As if they had been doing nothing for the past three weeks except planning their payback, the Jayhawks pounced all over the Tigers for an early lead and never looked back.

KU won by a final score of 90 - 65, guaranteeing that fans like this one (whose message was subtle if not understated) would not go home disappointed.

Currently the Jayhawks sit alone atop the Big 12 standings and are poised to bring home another conference championship.

All in favor of another National Championship, say "Rock Chalk!"

Day Sixty: Closed for the Winter

This birdhouse outside my back door has been vacant for a while (probably due in part to its location which was chosen by me for reasons more aesthetic than ease-of-squirrel-access-related).

But this morning, with remnants of yesterday's snowfall still clinging to one side, this empty room seemed a little more vacant than usual.

Snow generally doesn't stay around too long after it falls in Lawrence, and as warmer days start springing up more frequently, I'm sure the birds (and the squirrels) will be out and about in no time exploring their dwelling options and finding new homes for the coming seasons.