Happy Monday!
For the next several days I will be posting images and telling stories about a remarkable experience Jeanne and I just had. I hope you find it enjoyable, informational, funny, and even inspiring.
The image above should give you a clue of what’s coming.
Enjoy your day and be comfortable.
Happy Monday!
Saturday was the annual Grandview Gallop. A 5 k run that I’ve photographed many times over the years. This year it was even more special because both Josh and Gabby ran it. This was Josh’s third race and the first for Gabby. I have four images to share today.
Gabby ran with Ben and Josh ran with Angie. It is a one mile run and both kids made it all the way without stopping.
Josh probably could have ran it by himself as he really didn’t stay with Angie and I suspect next year he probably will. He was able to acquire two Popsicles from the volunteer this year. 🙂
After the kid’s run, Angie and Ben did the 5K run in their best time ever. I was tired after sitting around and watching all the people run. 🙂
The Roling family runners enjoying their treats.
I am having a three-day battle with Ms. Robin again. She is back trying to build a nest for her second batch of eggs. I’ve encouraging her to look for a new neighborhood but I think I’m in a losing battle. She is very persistent.
Enjoy your day and be careful.
Happy Thursday!
Okay, really this is the last one. Yesterday morning the baby robin was sitting on the trellis being bathed by the warm morning sun. Now how could I pass that up?
Enjoy your day and be careful.
Happy Wednesday!
This is the last Robin report, I promise. 🙂
When I published the blog yesterday the image of the four young robins crammed in the nest was taken at 7:00 a.m.
By 4:00 p.m. all of them had left the nest. The image above is of the last one making the leap from the nest to the trellis. Later we found one of them hiding in some bushes we have in the back yard. Hope they all make it.
Oh and yes the nest is coming down later today. 🙂
Enjoy your day and be careful.
Happy Tuesday!
Although the image is of the baby robins, today’s post is a tribute to the most amazing person I have ever met.
Today marks the end of an incredible career of nurturing, compassion, and teaching learning disable children. For 43 years she has made an incredible difference in the lives of emotionally challenged children and has helped them find their way in a difficult world.
I’m talking about my wife, Jeanne. I asked her to be my wife after meeting her only 3 weeks earlier. 42 years later we are now starting on a new adventure of retirement together.
Jeanne taught in Missouri for 2 years and then we moved to Waterloo where she taught another 2 years before we settled in Dubuque. She has the highest seniority level in the entire Dubuque Community School System. I attended her retirement reception last week and it was a nice event for her but did not really explore her amazing contribution.
On many occasions during the last years when we have been in public together, an adult will come up to her and thank her for how she helped them when they were her student.
There have been many occasions where she has come home in the evening with bruises on her legs from students kicking her and or biting her. I’ve gone to bed many a night while she was still working on the school work she had brought home. I’ve seen her so sick that she could hardly put one foot in front of another but still went to work because her kids needed her.
She has taught summer school many years, not because of the additional money but because one of her students needed additional help and she was compelled to give it to them.
Jeanne knew at the age of 6 that she wanted to be a teacher. If you asked her how much she was being paid she had no idea what her annual salary was. She knew it once a year when we did our taxes.
On top of all that she was an amazing Mother to our children and now our beautiful grand children have a wonderful opportunity to be with her for many years.
I could go on for many more pages but you get the idea. The world in a much better place because of her and I thank God every day for letting me share her amazing life.
I think I have also contributed to her career as a test and practice to her patience and compassion for these last 42 years. 🙂
Enjoy your day and be careful.
Happy Friday!
I had lunch with a great friend yesterday and on the way home I ventured off on some new roads to see if I could find anything that interested me. There were some puffy clouds and some farm structures that I found, so I have three images for today.
I really enjoy photographing farm buildings especially old and worn buildings, barns, windmills, and sheds.
Found this old building sitting in the middle of a field and there was a place to park nearby so I made some images. 🙂
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The entire time I was getting set up for the shot this guy was harping at me and would fly toward me and then back to his perch. Red-Winged Black Birds are fearless and I’ve had many run-ins with them both on foot and on a bike. They will defend their territory no matter what size the intruder.
Enjoy your day and be careful.
Happy Wednesday!
This is the last of the Robin images for awhile. I have three images for you today. I took these last evening as I was again trying to grill some dinner and it proved to be a challenge.
Every time I made a noise or opened the patio door this is what happened.
If the kids weren’t wanting food, the Mother was squawking at me for being out around the children.
This reminds me that the squeaking wheel gets the oil first. 🙂
Enjoy your day and be careful.
Happy Saturday!
We have baby Robins. 🙂
I have two images for today. Last night I was grilling and of course each time I went out to attend to the burgers Mother Robin flew away. Even though I have had several talks with her about me being her friend.
I got a mirror (so as not to disturb the nest) and peaked in. I saw 4 baby Robins with their mouths open and moving around. Of course then Jeanne had to look as well. Remember you can click on the images to see a larger more detailed photo.
This morning Mother Robin was more tolerant of me, but apparently I got too close for her comfort so she flew a few feet away. I held up the mirror again and grabbed a couple of quick shots of the babies. Not the best photography but you get the idea.
Enjoy your day and be careful. More to come. 🙂
Happy Friday!
Fun day yesterday as it was graduation day from Pre-Kindergarden for Gabby. I have three images for you today.
It was a nice program and Gabby was excited for the ceremony. The kids sang some songs, presented a slide show of their activities during the year and ended up with the handing out awards and medals.
Ben was able to slip away long enough to see Gabby’s award. Austin was having some fun with his stethoscope. Ben’s Mother was also able to attend as was Jeanne.
This is the entire class. Hard to get a decent picture because of all the cell phones between me and the kids. My height gave me a small advantage. 🙂
Enjoy your day and be careful.
Happy Thursday!
I love the beauty and serenity of a well manicured golf course. Then you have to spoil it with golf. 🙂
Played in one of my favorite events at the Maquoketa Golf Club yesterday. The Kiwanis Charity Golf Outing. I have three images for today.
This is the group I played with. Great bunch of guys from work.
The other team was from Dubuque and represented Honkamp & Krueger. It was a fun day and the weather was perfect although the gnats were a real nuisance.
Enjoy your day and be careful.
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