Scavenger Hunt Sunday - 31 August 2014

Off the wall kind of Scavenger Hunt Sunday.
We are hunting for, Back to School, family, books, portrait and detail.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

BACK TO SCHOOL
and other

All important crossing signs just in time for Back to school days!

Remember when every teacher (except art teachers) before they draw on the board say, 'I'm not an artist.'

FAMILY

Their first visit seeing The Badlands of South Dakota.

"Family in not an important thing.  It's everything." - Michael J. Fox

BOOKS

Reaching for books.

"Show me a family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world." - Napoleon

PORTRAIT

of Abraham Lincoln

From inside Borglum's studio at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.

"The best thing about the future, is it comes one day at a time." - Abraham Lincoln

DETAIL

Paying attention to the finer details 
of things.

"The difference between something good and something great is attention to detail." - Charles R. Swindoll

Sepia Saturday - 30 August 2014 Escape to Anywhere or Bust!

A bit of a twist for me, while Alan is off on an escape to a seaside adventure, I've just returned from an adventurous road trip myself.  I'm excited to see how the rest of us will complete this week's challenge.  A before, or after?   Possibly, a more current escape?

SEPIA SATURDAY

Perhaps more of an inland, dusty kind of escape plan is in the cards for you, like Deadwood, South Dakota (named after dead trees found in it's gulch) pictured below.

"It isn't running away they're afraid of.  We wouldn't get far.  It's those other escapes, the ones you can open in yourself, given a cutting edge." - Margaret Atwood

Whether you travel by train-


Stay overnight in a relaxing hotel-

Or you might discover pitching a tent, or locating an old log cabin more to your liking-

Sometimes, we just have to kick up our heels and escape from where we are.




Alone, or not alone, it's your decision.  Families have been packing up and escaping the comfort of their homes for the open road, for centuries.  Below, greetings from Mayodan, North Carolina.

"To look back is to relax one's vigil."  - Bettie Davis





Families on the open road escapes, come from all kinds of backgrounds and in all shapes and sizes, like this family below.

Meet "The Tin Family"  from Enchanted Highway, Regent, North Dakota.

I see escaping our everyday life in exchange for unexpected sights along an open journey, as refreshing as a dream come true.  Seeing the old with new eyes, is another form of escape without leaving home to do it.

Whatever your escape, no pressures, just do it.

Six Word Saturday - 30 August 2014

BEHIND THE SCENES OF OUR LIVES

Take time to see little things.

SIX WORD SATURDAY

Above is an example of where to place the corn to complete the picture, like the photo below.

LOOK AT ME, I'M ON TELEVISION! Live (kind of) from Keystone, South Dakota.

APPRECIATING THE HOW

LIVING THE NOW

Someday, I hope to see South Dakota from a motorcyclist's eye!

Don't just smell the roses!

Stop to enjoy all living creatures.


NATURE NEVER MAKES EXCELLENT THINGS FOR MEAN OR NO USES.  - John Locke

"There is frequently more to be learned from the unexpected questions of a child than the discourses of men." - John Locke

Good Fences #24 - Off the Wall

Don't stare at the bear too long and miss the fence.

GOOD FENCES

Our first stop on our way to South Dakota was just outside of Sioux Falls, and look who came to meet us.  South Dakota is known as the land of infinite variety! 

Bits and Pieces

Greetings from off the Wall so to speak, on this gigantic poster below in Wall, South Dakota.


It's located on a wall behind a fence at the Wall Drug Cafe and shops! 

Wall sized postcard at Wall Drug Store.

This was the first time I found the Corn Palace to be slightly disappointing.  Sometimes, you just need to shut everything down during remodeling stages.

Outside the Corn Palace of Mitchell, South Dakota

The corn designers are still finishing the Corn Palace for 2014, and what they call the Next Generation.  Get ready soon for the all new and improved palace, or so they hope anyway.

"Always respect Mother Nature, especially when she weighs 400 pounds and is guarding her baby." - James Rollins

A few shots of random fences from the baby cub area of my favorite stop at Bear Country, U.S.A.

I'd like to own a fence like this.

Baby bear cubs.

Shooting inside the Bear Country Gift Shop.

Thanks for stopping by my Good Fences post.

Thematic Photographic- #307 Birds of a feather

"It's not enough to have the feathers.  You must dare to fly!" - Cass van Krah

Thematic Photographic 


Carmi is calling for, "Birds of a feather" so let's see what we can fly in!

Did somebody say feathers?

Oh my, the feathers for this momma bird are going to be huge!

Last but not least, Educated feathers!

"If you keep your feathers well oiled the water of criticism will run off as from a duck's back."  Ellen Swallow Richards

The Mag - 24 August 2014

Greetings from Magpie Tales

THE MAG

"Dreams are the seedlings of realities ."

-James Allen

Starry Night by Alex Ruiz

SHOOTING or,

FAILING STAR

 He hopes to know

 Take root if he may, unfettered and alive his might.

 Who and what we wonder-

 will win tonight?

Shadows yawning in the light, stretching bright.

A shower of golden rays descend this painted scene  

reaching towards tonight.

Yet facing as it may, dancing through horizon's light

laid by swishing strokes, a hopeful wish, brushing towards tonight.

This brightly vivid painted scene

speaking through, invisible seams, never too bright

this shower of blushing 

gentle strokes, before disrobing

its way upon his easel, by evening's light.

His wishes may not take flight
and so upon this scene

 take the boot he may, and burn his brushes by tonight

 in a most unsettled and deprived blight

if he loses yet tonight.

I'm hoping he keeps the fight
painting his way toward the light-
into the pail moonlight.

Six Word Saturday - 23 August 2014

Take a closer look in life!

Things aren't always what you see!

SIX WORD SATURDAY

CAN YOU SPOT THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE?

For me, I'm off to the Minnesota State Fair today!

Let's hope it doesn't rain!

How about your plans for this day?

"It does not matter how long you are spending on the earth,

how much money you have gathered 

or how much attention you have received.

It is the amount of positive vibration you have radiated in life that matters." 

-Amit Ray

Fireblossom Friday - Lists - 22 August 2014

Are you a list maker?

From the Imaginary gardens and real toads, I present on this lovely, but dreary and gloomy Friday, Fireblossom Friday's post about "Lists" and she's asking us to make a list, and not a word list, but to write a poem with a list in it, or a list that is a poem.

Okay, this could be tricky, or cleverly artful!

What shall my LIST be about?

I know, my upcoming vacation.  As if ten times isn't enough, I'm off to see a Palace made from corn!

and other stuff off the beaten path.

This Year's American Journey

On the road again, a few days out.
Daily progress essential.
Pack only comfy stuff, eliminate fluff. 
Minneapolis to Deadwood or bust.
It's about the places and people I visit.
So many miles of posting traces
from off the beaten paths along the way.
Explore, Native American Heritage to 
famous faces cut from stone.
Detour by way of Badlands Petrified Gardens
before seeing Boondocks 1950's retro complex.
Catch new sights from Falls Overlook but
Must chase the mighty ancient T-Rex 
Before getting drunk on free ice water
in Wall Drug just miles 
from a palace built of corn.
Record voices and capture pristine snaps.
Please old scenic byway
return me fully spoiled!

South Dakota Guide see here.

Alphabe-Thursday - The letter N- News

"If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed.  If you do read the newspaper, you're mis-informed." - Mark Twain

Jenny's assignment from, Off on my tangent, is the Letter N.
My post is all about the "News" a should we, or shouldn't we tell what we know?

"News told, rumors heard, truth implied, facts buried." - Toba Beta

Adding to his quote, often hurting people's lives, or businesses, and ample material for copycats.

ALPHABE-THURSDAY

NEWS

How much, is too much, to be in the News?

Yesterday, someone shot somebody and the victim was airlifted from the place of discovery.  Although, the media announced where, (complete with a helicopter photo) which may not even be the actual helicopter) and no condition on the victim at this time.  The news also noted the victim's vehicle was discovered at a separate location and the occupant apprehended.

Curious minds can Google the whole story.  I won't be spreading this news, which could possibly damage new business where this victim was airlifted from. 

My question, doesn't it seem once the media announces, and especially when it over-saturates other hateful and vicious acts, (like news from Ferguson, Mo) does it fuel behaviors in others? Does it birth copycats or other lost individuals to act out in more violent manners as well?  

Sometimes, yes.


I was too little at the time to understand, but I recall my parents later telling me that our home state of Michigan was one of the first state's (maybe the only) to ban the movie, Bonnie and Clyde when it first came to town.  Michigan feared it would stir more outlaws.  Maybe my mindset about news stems from having been a Michigander.

Where do we draw the line for, "too much" news in the media?

Happy news, always delightful.  From Forth Worth, Texas, story here.

Artists and musicians in the news is always upbeat and rewarding. Info on photo here.

More worthy news below.

About this photo here.


Of course road construction news is always good news to know ahead of time.

You may remember last week I posted about something in the news.  Am I a hypocrite?  

I think not.  The very act of unearthing a bit of history in the news, especially relating to people from days long ago has to enhance us, right?  After all it preserves and honors what once was. It will forever strengthen our culture.


Please leave your thoughts on the News, in the comments.  For or against!

Good Fences #22 - 21 August 2014

It's time to show off some fences again!  


Welcome to fences of the Renaissance, and Madrigals and vocal parts, actors, turkey legs, Artisans and so much more.

GOOD FENCES

Renaissance song here and here as well.

I couldn't resist shooting some fences at the 2014 Minnesota Renaissance Festival last Saturday.  This year they're celebrating their 44th season so a good number of fences and gates are badly weathered and in dire need of paint.

Weathered and hungry for fresh paint!

Welcome from the Enchanted Forest.

Fairies only!

A mix of old and new wood here.  The Enchanted forest and Secret Garden have only been here for a few years.  

You are now leaving the Secret Garden and this is the last of my Renaissance fences.

If you want to see more fences just go to here.