Mid April Snow

Here it is the 19th of April, 2018 and this is what we woke up to. A scene such as these are what people, young and old, hope for on Christmas morning. Yes, it is beautiful, but untimely. At this time of the year farmers are usually out in their fields preparing for planting. That ain't happening. Gardeners are cleaning up their beds and gardens, preparing to plant their vegetables and flowers. Signs of spring should be popping up all over. You know, things like tulips, daffodils etc. None of these things are happening.

Instead we are have these late spring snows which while beautiful are causing huge problems. Not just with agriculture, but it is devastating the bird population. Migratory birds that depend on insects, worms and berries are starving because their aren't any. It is sad to see literally hundreds of robins in one place foraging for the limited food that may be available. People all over the area are doing everything they can to help with the situation.

Hopefully, this will be short lived. We are supposed to be entering into a warming trend the next several days. Soon, we will be seeing signs of spring popping up all over. By July and August the late snows of spring will be just a memory and many people, such as myself, will be complaining of the heat and humidity of late summer.

Sphinx moth caterpillar.

This morning I was going through some photos and came across this guy. My wife and I were attending a family reunion in Central Wisconsin when it was discovered. At the time no one could recall having ever seen one before, so it quickly became the hit of the day. Since then I've learned it is the caterpillar of a Sphinx moth. They can be found around grape vines and other types of vines such as Ivy etc.

As you can see this is not a small caterpillar. It was at least a couple of inches long. To me the striking thing is the face. It reminds me of a bulldog with a look of I'm friendly, but, don't mess with me or I will put you down.

I've not seen one since that day, but, next time I am around grape vines or Ivy plants, you can bet I will be on the look out.

Meet Kia

Meet Kia. Kia is one of our two cats. Kia and her sister Karma became part of our family when our daughter finally became convinced that someone with severe pet allergies shouldn't have cats. Now, I must admit, the last thing my wife and I wanted were a couple of cats. Our daughter was having a problem finding a home for them, so dad, being a pushover when it comes to his kids, agreed to take them.

This photo represents the first time I experimented with adding color to a black and white print. Just the addition of the color in the eyes, for me, really makes this photo stand out. It has also been appreciated on Viewbug. Viewbug is an online community of photographers. A place you can post your photos, join challenges, and enter contests. I really enjoy looking at others work and when I see a photo that really stands out, it causes me to start thinking of the mechanics behind the photo. If you would like to join in, you can check it out here.

https://www.viewbug.com/user/ready?ref=larryjelken

Don't think you need expensive camera equipment to become part of a group like this. I have seen some amazing photos taken with cell phones. In fact, one of the photos on my page  was taken with a cell phone, and it is one of the most appreciated photos I have posted so far.

One of my favorite photos

For those of you who live in South Central Wisconsin, you may recognize this as having been taken at Devils Lake State Park.

Devils Lake is probably the most often visited State Park in Wisconsin. Tens of thousands of people visit it every year to camp, hike, rock climb and picnic. The scenic beauty of the area is breath taking, especially in the fall. In the summer months this park is mobbed with people, especially on the weekends.

I like this photo for a couple of reasons. The color is quite vivid. I will admit I pumped up the color saturation a little, but, not that much. I also like it because of the absence of people, buildings or any other sign of civilization. It gives it a nice wilderness look. So, I hope you enjoy this photo as much as I do.

Peace, flag and a good cup of coffee

Like everyone else, there are many facets making up Larry Jelken. The photo in this post points out just a couple of them. Hope you enjoy today's effort.

This photo represents a couple of things that really are important to me. Well, three actually. The first one is a good cup of coffee. Now I'm not talking about that sweet stuff sold at Starbucks, or one of those so called coffee shops. I am talking about the kind of coffee you brew yourself. It really helps to get my day going.

The second thing is the flag. You see, I view myself  a Patriot. I spent 20 years of my life in the Air Force. In that time I took an oath to protect the USA and the constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic. It really pains me to see how the flag and the values Americans have always held so highly are being disrespected today. Do I believe the United States is perfect, without fault. No, not by any means. However, I have had the opportunity to travel a bit, and in my travels I have not found anyplace better then the good ole USA.

The third thing  in this photo important to me is a mighty and awesome God. You say, just where is God in this picture. I say he is everywhere in it. He provided everything in the photo. From the materials it took to make the cup, the coffee, the table, the flag, to the flowers and plants in the photo. Even the homes in the background and the asphalt of the roadway were provided by God. He is my rock and the anchor that keeps me stable when the seas of my life get a little rough.

So there you have it. You may say the reflection in the table top is a reflection of me. Just as the weather was on that day, I am pretty calm and serene at the moment, although, like the weather I can indeed become stormy at times.

Old Friends Together Again

Last October (October of 2017) my wife and I celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary. Every five years we do something special for our anniversary which usually involves travel. We discussed many different ideas, from Alaskan cruises, to London, and many parts in-between. After much discussion we settled on Vermont. Why Vermont? Well that is where our good friend John and his lovely wife Kim live.

So, you might be wondering what the big deal is. Well, John was my best friend 40 years ago, and is still a very good friend even though we have only seen each other a couple of times in the last 40 years. John was also my Best Man at our wedding. Here is a photo of the four of us together. As you can see, none of us have changed a bit in the last 40 years. The grey hair and any appearance of weight gain, I photo shopped in.

John and Kim made excellent tour guides while we were in Vermont. In fact, I would say they went far beyond what Jean and I expected. Were it not for their being so familiar with the area, I know we would have spent much of our time there, hopelessly lost. Instead, we were treated to a tour of the natural beauty Vermont has to offer along with the side benefit of being introduced to some excellent craft breweries, restaurants and what is famously known there as a maple creamy.

I guess I should add for those who don't know. Jean and I are on the left. John and Kim are on the right. 

Photos that should have been but weren't

Today's post will be slightly different than my others. You see it will not have a photo with it. The reason it won't have a photo is because unfortunately, none were taken. Let me explain.

Some 40 odd years ago while living in Syracuse NY, my wife and I were invited to go cross country skiing with some very good friends. Now Jean and I had never been skiing before, but, we gladly accepted the invitation, knowing it would be a good day, with good friends.

So the morning of the big day came. It had snowed during the night,  and we woke to one of those beautiful,  days you only dream about but rarely see except except in your dreams, movies or on postcards. You know the kind I'm talking about. Heavy, fluffy snow hanging from the trees. A perfect, unblemished landscape stretching in all directions. It was a beautiful sight. So, I decided to take my trusty camera along to record all the events and beauty the day would have to offer.

We arrive at the skiing area, rent our skis, and tried to set out for the trails. I say tried because as I said neither of us had ever been on skis of any kind before. Being to proud to admit it would be wise to take lessons, we set out like the two adventurers we thought we were. Fortunately for us, it was early morning and the trails still had nice soft snow to fall on.

Between trying to figure out how to stop, start, and change direction, I was busy taking pictures of the beautiful winter landscape surrounding us. I was so engrossed in trying to figure out the mechanics of cross country skiing, I didn't notice for some time just how many photos I had taken. After a couple of hours though, it dawned on me that I should have run out of film at some point. So, we stopped and I rewound the film back into its canister as I didn't want to expose it and opened the back of the camera only to find (drum roll here), I had forgot to put film in the camera.

Yep that's right. I forgot to put film in the camera. A mistake that most photographers have made at least once (the honest ones anyway). Today it would be the same as forgetting to put a data card in your digital camera. (Something I have also done.)So we have no photo record of that beautiful day, and we never again went skiing again either.

Now you know why I titled this "Photos that should have been but weren't". The moral of this story is obvious. Before leaving for the day, check your gear and make sure you have everything you need.

Another S. Dakota photo and story

Here it is the last day of March 2018. I am sitting at my desk looking at a windy, rainy day. Ya know, one of those days where you just can't get motivated to do much of anything. So, guess I will add another photo story to my blog.

Going to remain in S. Dakota with this photo. For those who have never visited S. Dakota, you really should, especially the western part of the state. You have the Black hills, the Badlands and so much more. Some of the most scenic and interesting areas I've ever visited were found in S. Dakota.

Take this photo for instance.

Many of you probably recognize this as the head of George Washington at Mt Rushmore. How many of you have ever seen it from this angle. It is rather humorous, at least to me, just how I came about getting this photo. Jean and I were on our way to Mt Rushmore, when we came across a turnout for a scenic overlook. Seeing as how we were on vacation and in no particular hurry we pulled off to take a look.

We got out of the car and spent a couple of minutes looking at the vista in front of us. I decided to sit on a large boulder and just relax from the driving for awhile. After a couple of minutes, I just happened to look up and there was good ole George, gazing out over the landscape. I immediately went to the car and got my camera to take some photos. The funny thing is, that people started watching me, and apparently started wondering what I could possibly be taking pictures of, since my back was turned to the beautiful vista behind me.

One by one, they all turned around to see just what it was I was so engrossed in. You could tell by the looks on their faces they were surprised to see George. I can't help but wonder how many people over the years have stopped at that overlook, and completely missed George behind them. So the moral of the story is that once in awhile we need to look behind us to find the real beauty of life.

I have been interested in photography since about 1973. It is about that time I purchased my first 35mm camera. It is an Olympus OM-1.  I say is because I still have that camera. It had been neglected for a long time so I recently sent it to be refurbished. Now, it works like new again, although, it doesn't see much use. I entered into the digital age with several point and shoot cameras, most of which were made by Olympus. My first DSLR was a Canon Rebel XS. Many of the photos that will appear on my blog will have been taken using that camera. I now use a Canon SL-1. I think one of the reasons I like the SL-1 is that it is very close in size to the Olympus OM-1.

I in no way consider myself to be a professional photographer. I am an amateur, working at improving my art. It is not my intent to try and sell my photos. If however, a particular photo really strikes a chord with you, and you would like to have it, please feel free to email me and I will be happy to share with you a means to get a copy for yourself.

The primary purpose of my blog will be to share my photos and hopefully a little back story to each photo. In my opinion, a photo should tell a story, and so it is my hope to be able to share just a bit of that story with you. I hope you enjoy the photos  and the stories I share with them.

So this is the first photo I wish to share. Not because I think it is such a great photo, but, because of its back story.This photo was taken July of 2009 while my wife and I were on vacation in the area of Mt Rushmore in South Dakota. What the photo doesn't tell you is that just a few months before, in February, my wife was nearly killed in an auto accident. She lost control of the car on an icy road, ended up sideways and was hit broadside by a 3/4 ton passenger van. She was taken by Flight For Life to a nearby trauma center where the doctors nearly declared he deceased. A surgeon who happened to be in the emergency room at the time asked to try one last procedure before they called it. It worked and she survived. My family and I are convinced this was a miracle and so were many of the attending doctors.

The miracle doesn't end there. After surviving when everyone thought she wouldn't, the staff at the hospital told me to consider putting her in a care facility and start the paperwork for Social Security Disability. One of her injuries was a brain injury, and it was thought she would never live independently again.

That brings us to this photo. As I said, this was taken July of 2009, just a few months after her accident. We were hiking the trails and climbing around the caves found near Mt Rushmore. Today, except for her scars, you would never know all this occurred.

Well, that's it for my first post. I hope you will check back once in awhile to look for new posts. Most likely, I won't post everyday, but, I should be posting something new every few days.