Sony World Photography Award Possibilities?

There'll probably be no awards given out for "Best Picture by a Blogger/Hacker" for either of these 2 photos. Then again, let's see Alejandro G. Inarritu do this!
For those of you who may not know, Mr. Inarritu directed the Academy Award winning movie, Birdman, that received this year's award for best motion picture. Although these aren't motion pictures, the two subjects, Stinger and Doakes, were in motion when the pictures were taken. That could put the photographer at least in the running for best supporting photographer, should the photography industry decide to add a category for "Best Barry County Evening Snow Shot With an iPhone" to their Sony World Photography Awards program.
I'll keep you posted regarding any positive feedback we receive from either the motion picture  academy, Sony, or Mr. Inarritu's attorney...

Bovine vs. K9

 I'm sensing a cow theme here. My friends Barry and Kim like cows. Kim actually likes just about all animals, with the possible exception of the hyena. She really loves dogs and although Barry prefers the bovine over the K9, so far Kim hasn't allowed him to keep one in the house. I don't know for sure, but I'm betting he just hasn't thought to ask?
As it relates to possibly becoming the first man in Webster or Green County, Missouri to talk his wife into letting him keep a cow in the house...I'll keep you posted.

Log Cabin Spaces

This isn't Pintrest and I'm not a designer by any stretch, but I've noticed that even a small log cabin is essentially made up of numerous small spaces that together, create the overall atmosphere. The space in this picture is the outside corner of the bathroom where it intersects a log wall. Nothing special, but kind of cool. Hang up an old gun and a $58 light fixture from Lowes and BOOM, you've created a space.

I suppose a space in the more traditional sense is a place you can sit, stand, or lay down in. With that in mind, this is probably more that kind of space when compared to an overhead space you can't actually do anything with other than look at. I'm not positive, but it's likely a professional designer could share more insight on the overall subject of spaces.

This is an outside space. A nice place to sit when it's not snowing, although after our recent Canadian snow adventure with Rick and Martha, I may have to re-think how we're using this space in the Winter.
In the event I come up with any additional space related information, I'll keep you posted....

Seeing Eye-Max

Max appears to be thinking "What's up with that?" In reality, he's just waiting for me to come outside so he can follow me around. I'm quite confident he thinks he's a seeing eye dog. I am near sighted, but not bad enough to require the assistance of a seeing eye dog. Maybe I should tell him. On second thought, there's probably no harm in him believing he's something he's not. Dang it: now it sounds like he's a politician! Wait a minute, wait a minute: this is beginning to make some sense. I have noticed he recently took up the bad habit of doing his "business" in the neighbors yard, and not just one neighbor...several neighbors. Apparently, he either wants to spread the wealth or he's not pleased with the current administration. Maybe I'll ask Klietus to do some behind the scenes investigative reporting and get back with us on his findings. I'll keep you posted....

PS. If you're tuning in from Australia, I'll let Klietus know there's a 14 hour time difference. I'll leave it up to him to figure out which way.

Snow vs Sand

Well, I suppose Aunt Dee thinks we may have fallen off the edge of the earth, since I haven't posted in a few days. Turns out, we did not! My bride and I did, however, spend a few days in Toronto and a few more in the Halliburton Highlands area of Ontario, Canada. As you may be able to tell by this picture, it was cold to say the least. I believe the high temp during our visit was about 3 Fahrenheit with a low in the neighborhood of -25F.
Our good friend Martha, who shortly before was occupying the empty chair, took this picture as Rick, Sue, and I sat around the camp fire, just a ways down the hill from the Blickstead Family Cottage. I only had to nudge my good friend "Major" a little, for him to see the virtue of digging 3 feet of snow off the fire pit, hauling a few loads of wood down the hill, and setting it on fire, before digging the chairs out so we'd have a nice place to sit and relax. It's just my opinion, but if you've never sat around a camp fire at about -10, while enjoying your favorite adult beverage (in Major's case, a nice single barrel Scotch and in mine, a cold, or should I say, extremely cold beer), you should consider giving it a try. "Doll Face" and "Martimus" preferred piping hot chocolate to cold beer and scotch, but who's keeping track of the finer details.

I'm guessing that given the choice between heading south this time of year to sit on the beach or heading north to sit in the snow, most folks would choose the former. But every now and then, it's fun to go against the grain and do the not so obvious. In our case, it turned out we added another page or three to our book of fun family memories. And as I've said many times before..."you can't go no better"!
I'll keep you posted....

PS. Thanks Major and Martimus for hosting such a memorable CFDW " Canada Family Day Weekend"!

Grande Corse'!

With the outside temp around 16* this morning in Northwest, Arkansas, you probably won't be seeing this sign sitting outside very many restaurants or establishments who specialize in booze. If you're tuning in from Paris, France, it's a balmy 36*, which is the perfect temperature for sitting on the veranda while sipping a piping hot Grande Corse'!
I wonder if the French drink American Roast and own American Poodles? I'll ask Klietus to do a little leg work on that. After-all, he speaks nearly flawless English and knows several French cuss words: that makes him the perfect man for the job.
I'll keep you posted....