slices of my life

child in child's pose

2012-02-06T10:23:00.004-06:00

Presley Wood, 2, momentarily collapses under a table at her home in Moore, OK. I had a lovely weekend visit with the family in OKC and got tons of great photos of the kids I love. Facebook album and perhaps another post soon to follow.

January weather

2012-01-26T18:16:00.002-06:00

It was really cold a couple of weeks ago: Mark Propst shovels the sidewalks at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church in preparation for a funeral on Thursday, January 12, 2012.

But most of the month has been like this:Unseasonably warm weather brought Rhonda Brashers, left, and Kristie Reynolds out to walk their dogs, Hailey, left, and Jolie, at Nathanael Greene Park on Thursday, January 5, 2012. "It's a beautiful day in January and the dogs were looking in a way that said, please take us out," said Reynolds. "You can't pass this up in January."

Rogersville Senior Center

2012-01-19T17:39:00.002-06:00

Carolyn Raney (center) rejoices with Ron Horn and Marg Galloway after cutting the ribbon at the Rogersville Senior Center grand opening on Tuesday.

Red Hacker (left) and Tom Sampson jam on Tuesday at the Rogersville Senior Center grand opening.

skippin' rocks

2012-01-08T16:43:00.003-06:00

at South Dry Sac River

city hall/pretty sky

2011-12-29T17:36:00.002-06:00

On my way to a bank robbery this afternoon, I stopped at a yield sign longer than necessary to take this photo.

cookout for the homeless

2011-12-19T11:06:00.005-06:00

Alaijsha Wagner, 4, take a bite of an apple at a cookout for the homeless behind the Missouri Hotel on Sunday. Volunteers provided the meal for the homeless and also distributed warm clothing, blankets, hygiene items and toys.

"Mama D" and "Whitey" eat meals of barbecued pulled pork, baked beans, potato salad and chips behind the Missouri Hotel on Sunday. Here's the full story.

Bakersville

2011-12-16T20:31:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I went to Bakersville, the "pioneer village" and headquarters of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Mansfield, MO. It was a ghost town, except for a few employees in the seed store, rushing around picking out packets of seeds to fill orders. I had fun checking out the animals and exploring the unmanned shops. I'm looking forward to the spring, when their monthly heritage festivals start up again.

wild turkey

2011-12-05T12:38:00.004-06:00

I ran into this guy at the nature center on Saturday. Two of them crossed the trail at the beginning of my hike.

angel and silo

2011-12-03T09:58:00.004-06:00

While stopped for a train near the office the other day, I thought I saw some people standing in a parking lot. When I got a little closer I realized they were statues. There were about 20 in the same style, a solider, a pregnant woman, children and horses. I only had a few minutes before the light faded and a construction worker came to lock the gate. He told me that the building they're behind is owned by MSU and he thinks the statues were on Commercial Street at some point.

lovely day for a protest

2011-11-28T17:58:00.003-06:00

Occupy Springfield demonstrates at Drury University on Monday, November 28, 2011. The group marched from MSU to OTC to Drury to show support for students at UC Davis who were recently pepper sprayed while demonstrating. It was a very cold day, but pretty.

Henning Conservation Area

2011-11-16T09:20:00.001-06:00

Last weekend we hiked the Homesteaders Trail at the Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area in Branson with our friends Graham and Laura from Tulsa.

harvest time

2011-10-21T09:41:00.004-05:00

This year's garden was the best ever! We harvested everything this week, just in time for the first frost. We have more habaneros than we know what to do with (about 800), so I'm trying to figure out how to preserve them (and everything else).

A rainbow of habaneros.

Aren't these the cutest little eggplants you've ever seen?

Jamie really babied the sunflowers, which are the first thing I've ever successfully grown from seed. We planted late, but once they dry, we should have a ton of sunflower seeds.

I taught myself how to can this year! From left: tomato sauce with basil and garlic, medium salsa, and mild salsa verde.

The Youth

2011-10-08T10:45:00.003-05:00

With a group of writers and editors, I've been working on a public service journalism project aimed at improving the lives of area children. Here are some teens I met through Rare Breed Youth Services.

Michael Housley feels his baby kick in the belly of his girlfriend, Sonserae Wilder, with their 9-month-old, DeShealyn, between them at Rare Breed Youth Services on Thursday, September 1, 2011. Wilder and Housley are both 19 years old and have been on their own--homeless, couch surfing, and staying in shelters--since they were 16.

Wilder said she was miserable in foster care and has been working hard to make sure her daughter's needs are met to keep the family intact.

Victoria Stokes, 19, also grew up in the foster care system. After running away at 17, she couch surfed until she found "the Breed" and got into their transitional living program. Now she has her own apartment and takes classes at Ozarks Technical Community College.

Victoria says she is happiest at home with her cat, Simba (a female, with a boy's name, she'd like me to point out.)

coming home

2011-10-06T08:23:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago (Sept. 14) I had the privilege of photographing Army reservists reuniting with their loved ones after a year in Iraq and Kuwait. I'm kind of a sap, so I teared up a couple of times.

Sgt. Ronald Farrow hugs his granddaughters, Mallory Wood, 3 (left) and Mackenzie Wood, 4.

Samantha Tubbs kisses her husband, Jakeb Tubbs. Samantha's mom made the dress for their daughter, camo with peace signs.

Pedro Benitez holds his finance, Vanessa Tucker. Those two stood like that for a long time.

big cats

2011-09-19T15:13:00.002-05:00

I got to photograph big cats last week. The first four are from the National Tiger Sanctuary in Saddlebrook and the last one is backstage at the Fercos Brothers show in Branson.

Merlin, a lion who didn't take to show business, is now retired at the sanctuary.

Right after this photo, Midnight leapt up a growled in my face. I screamed and jumped. The black leopard was someone's pet before coming to live at the sanctuary. People be crazy.

Vincent weights 750 lbs and stands 10 feet tall.

Banshee, a cougar, was a pet too.

Tony Fercos brushes his lion, Sinbad. "I always say 'Sinbad, like the entertainer' but people still think it's Simba," said Tony Fercos.

Little Sac Woods

2011-09-13T11:39:00.004-05:00

We hiked at Little Sac Woods last weekend and ran into about a million spiders dangling in the middle of the trail.

What a weird tree, huh?

Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area

2011-09-07T17:21:00.003-05:00

yesterday's harvest

2011-08-24T11:09:00.002-05:00

I keep hearing that people's gardens aren't doing so well this year, but ours has been prolific!

R.I.P.?

2011-08-20T11:04:00.002-05:00

Dear Blackie,

Where did you go? The other chickens aren't talking. You were always at the bottom of the pecking order, pecked at and picked on. But so pretty. I never got the kind of picture I wanted of the iridescence of your feathers. We miss you, even if the other chickens don't.

Love,
Val and Jamie

in the backyard

2011-08-09T11:34:00.002-05:00

Jamie takes a break from gardening to chat with our ninety-eight-year-old neighbor, Nick. He always has good gardening advice, and his dog, Sara, is a sweetheart, too.

baby giraffe

2011-07-24T13:30:00.004-05:00

I got to go to the zoo recently and photograph a 2-day-old giraffe, Stretch, Jr. At 165 pounds and six feet, four inches tall, he's the biggest baby I've ever seen.
Kamili licks her 2-day-old calf Wednesday at the Dickerson Park Zoo. This is Kamili's sixth calf, and she is more protective of him than she has been in the past, said zookeeper Tracy Campbell.

Such a big baby, yet so small.

He has to learn how to use his tongue, because it's so long, Tracy said.

Stretch, Jr. nurses awkwardly.

Awe. He's all tuckered out. Tracy told me that adult giraffes only sleep about an hour per day, and in this kind of position. Usually the babies will curl up with their heads near their haunches, but this was just a little cat nap.

more fireworks

2011-07-11T10:18:00.005-05:00

On Saturday Jamie and I borrowed a canoe (Thanks, Geoff and Rose!) and floated the James River. We stopped in at Hootontown afterward. They were about to start a fireworks show for the Freedom of the Road Bike Rally. We had never been so close to where they were shooting them off. It was a beautiful ending to a beautiful day.

Fourth of July

2011-07-05T23:07:00.005-05:00

A sparkler Spirograph in the backyard, courtesy of Trysta.

Jamie's family

2011-06-25T13:46:00.003-05:00

Last weekend I went from Oklahoma City to Springdale, Ark. to meet up with Jamie and his relatives.

Uncle Corvin kept giving his cousin JoAnne a hard time about looking just like their grandma and trying to get a picture of her without her teeth.

Sand Hill Cemetery in Yardell, Ark., near Hasty, Harrison and Walnut Grove.

We met extended family from all over the country in Walnut Grove, more cousins of Jamie's grandpa, Uncle Corvin and Aunt Joan.

Cousin Leon was a hoot. A few choice quotes:

"Oh, you're pretty. You'll be my girlfriend before the end a the day."

"I'm not too good at math, but I know my guzentas...2 goes inta 4 twice, 4 goes inta 8 twice. You gotta know you're guzentas."

"you come back! We'll treat ya so many ways you're bound to like one a 'em."

Grandma Lora, Jamie (rockin' the Star Trek shirt for his mom), Aunt Joan, Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Corvin

Babies

2011-06-22T22:32:00.007-05:00

Last weekend was a whirlwind of family. Here are the kids I love in Moore, OK.

Presley and Ashlyn play in the curtain at Mom's.

Malory, Weston and I try to avoid the blob. (Photo and blob by Thomas.)

Weston heads out to save the day.

Malory pretends to be shy.

Presley and Thomas share a moment.

Ashlyn is such a sweetie, just like her momma.

Chicken Trap

2011-06-13T21:58:00.003-05:00

Fairelyn, Mike and 4-year-old Jordan came over for dinner the other night. "Can I pet a chicken?" Jordan asked. "If you can catch one," I answered. She tried for about an hour, until her dad suggested a trap, like on Scooby-Doo.

Nate helps set up the "ACME arsenal."

Jordan hides behind the chair to wait.

She's going for it!

Goldie is caught!

In her excitement, Jordan leaps onto Roseann's lap.

Jordan finally gets to pet a chicken.

Joplin tornado aftermath

2011-06-05T18:52:00.008-05:00

Photographing the devastation in Joplin was the toughest assignment I've had yet. My friend and coworker Roseann Moring put it into words better than I can, but all of our words and pictures just can't convey the overwhelming destruction and sorrow there.

Roger Dedick walks down 18th St. in Joplin, Mo., where his home was destroyed the previous evening by an EF5 tornado that razed about 30 percent of the city.

Carolyn Hall salvages a photo from her home at 2822 E. 18th St. in Joplin, as her sons Chase, 15, left, and Zach, 13, sort through the rubble on Monday, May 23, 2011.

Angela Harris (facing camera) hugs Michelle Trolinger on New Hampshire Ave. near 20th St. in Joplin on Monday, May 23, 2011.

Joplin firefighters pause their recovery efforts to take shelter from a thunderstorm inside the tornado-damaged Great Plains Federal Credit Union in Joplin on Monday, May 23, 2011.

Coworkers Cindy Albers, left, and Kim Hoosier hug on 20th Street near New Hampshire Ave in Joplin on Monday, May 23, 2011.

Richard Bashor looks for salvageable books at his home just south of Joplin High School on Wednesday, May 25, 2011.

An aerial view of tornado damage in Joplin on Tuesday, May 24, 2011.

Jason Boswell, left, and Leif Anderson watch Caleb Smith secure a flag to a tree branch at 24th and Iowa Streets in Joplin on Wednesday, May 25, 2011. "We're getting ready for Obama," Anderson said.

features

2011-06-03T14:09:00.004-05:00

I'll post some photos of the Joplin tornado soon. I just haven't felt like looking through them again yet. For now, here are a couple of featurey photos I've been meaning to post for a while. Both are from May 22, tornado day.

At the Andy Dalton shooting range, this little girl slept right through the din of gunfire.

After the storm that ravaged Joplin passed, Springfield got a double rainbow.

more chickens and ollie

2011-05-13T12:03:00.003-05:00

through the patio screen

Jamie took this one right before Ollie attacked a garter snake. He bit the thing 3 times! Jamie likes to call him our jungle kitty.

chickens!

2011-05-08T23:21:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we brought home 4 laying hens from Millsap Farm. Watching them roost this evening I remembered David Rees saying, "Chickens are inherently funny." And they really are.

barred plymouth rock

production red

black sexlink

rhode island red

dam/flooding

2011-05-03T10:44:00.004-05:00

With all the flooding in the Branson area, last week was exhausting. It's kind of old news now, but better late than never, I guess. All 10 flood gates were opened at Table Rock Dam, releasing 68,000 cubic feet of water per second into Lake Taneycomo. I had no idea how much people liked watching dams. A couple asked me to take their photo in front of it. I shot and Bob produced this dam video.

Fantasia Hair Creations owner Cheryl Meadows-Wilkinson, right, gets a hug from Vicki Wilson as she carries items out of her salon in the Turkey Creek Junction shopping center in Hollister on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. "I've never seen anything like this before," she said. "It's never gotten close to my business before."

The south Branson Landing parking lot was flooded.

Check out a few more from Hollister, or the album from earlier in the week.

I was off on Friday when Nate got to shoot aerials, and Bob went out with the water patrol. I would have loved to get either of those assignments, but I was also ready to relax.

fishing at Capps Creek yesterday

2011-05-01T21:31:00.003-05:00

The first of two rainbow trout Jamie caught.

We watched this guy go over the dam at Jolly Mill Park.

farm girls

2011-04-14T12:49:00.004-05:00

Those Millsap girls sure are good chicken catchers and potato planters.

Day 30 - chicken butt

2011-04-07T21:02:00.004-05:00

I shot 821 frames today at 4 assignments, so editing was tough. In the spirit of the 30-day challenge, this is what I pulled over to shoot.

The Great American Chicken and Steak House, Branson, Mo.

Day 29 - house fire

2011-04-06T20:34:00.002-05:00

This is the first fire I've chased that was still going when I got there. Check out the slideshow for more. There's also a slideshow of the Amish construction from yesterday.

Day 28 - Amish construction

2011-04-05T19:05:00.002-05:00

An Amish worker guides a beam into place during construction on Arnie's Barn, which will be the club house at Top of the Rock, a par 3 golf course designed by Jack Ncklas, at Big Cedar Lodge. The 150 year old barn was dismantled and moved from Latrobe Pennsylvania, Arnold Palmer's birthplace.

Day 27 - scarecrow

2011-04-04T18:53:00.003-05:00

I keep cruising by community gardens, but I never see anyone out.

Day 26 - LARP in the Park

2011-04-03T19:01:00.003-05:00

Nico Portillo, aka Jin Moonskar, plays the live action role playing game, Amtgard, at Phelps Grove Park. "You just get in two lines and hit each other," said Mitch Lewis. "Just like every medieval movie you've ever seen."

Day 25 -gorgeous weather

2011-04-02T20:55:00.002-05:00

The neighbor's tree. Anyone know what it is?

Jamie cut out almost all the wood for the chicken tractor.

And I dug out one garden bed. Two to go...

Day 24 - Ollie

2011-04-01T20:18:00.002-05:00

My cat is the cutest.

Day 23 - Dr. Wanda Gray

2011-03-31T20:50:00.004-05:00

Retired school principal Wanda Gray reacts to a birthday gift from her friends, a $90 gift certificate to a hair salon, on her 90th birthday.

Wanda Gray and her sister, Colleen McBride, look at a birthday gift. Most of the women wore pink because it's Dr. Gray's favorite color. "[The party] means so much to Wanda because she loved the school and teaching so much," McBride said.

Day 22 - restaurant

2011-03-30T17:52:00.003-05:00

A place to eat in Lebanon, Mo. Wish I had a passerby in this shot, but I didn't see a soul.

Day 21 - Carolyn Jessop

2011-03-29T17:43:00.003-05:00

Carolyn Jessop during an interview at the University Plaza Hotel. Jessop wrote the book, Escape, a fascinating autobiography about growing up in the FLDS, and how she escaped with her 8 children in 2003. She's a very brave, strong woman, and it was an honor to meet her.

Day 20 - daffodils

2011-03-28T19:09:00.004-05:00

I copied Bob and shot daffodils today, too.

Day 19 - pretty in pink

2011-03-27T21:23:00.002-05:00

Phillip George and Anita Gayler stroll through the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden.

Day 18 - chicken stock

2011-03-26T15:50:00.004-05:00

It's been a pretty boring, rainy day so far, but rainy days are good for making chicken stock. Jamie once taste tested mine against canned chicken broth when he was on a clear liquid diet and said he would never go back to he canned stuff. Here's how I do it.

raw or cooked chicken bones from one or two chickens. (I used some of both. I just freeze them until I'm ready to make stock.)
one onion, quartered (leaving the skins on is supposed to give it a richer color)
a few carrots, whole or broken in half
a few celery stalks
parsley

Combine everything in a stock pot and fill it up with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 4 hours. You can also add salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, dried herbs, or even a bouquet garni, if you want to get fancy. Cool in the fridge overnight (or 2 days at the most), strain with a mesh colander lined with cheese cloth and then freeze in one cup portions. I use plastic cups, yogurt containers, glass storage containers, etc. Once it's frozen, you can store the portions in a freezer bag. You can also do it in a crock pot, but I haven't tried that method yet.

Day 17 - flea market

2011-03-25T19:44:00.002-05:00

Bathroom window at Downtowner Flea Market.

Day 16 - Rural Missouri

2011-03-24T18:06:00.003-05:00

This one's for Meredith. I was driving from Greenfield to Stockton Lake on Hwy H, when I saw this scene and had to pull over.

Day 15 - phlox...

2011-03-23T20:59:00.003-05:00

...about to bloom.

Day 14 - friendly firefighter

2011-03-22T19:24:00.002-05:00

I went to a car fire at an auto body shop today, but by the time I got there it was all over. "We work fast," said firefighter Robert Davidson. "Why don't you take my picture with this old fire truck? It was the first one I ever rode in."

Day 13- Captain America

2011-03-21T19:28:00.004-05:00

I had to chase this guy down today. I got a kick out of asking people, "Have you seen a guy dressed up like Captain America?"

Allen Mullins, 28, walks east on E. Kearney St. dressed as Captain America on his way to Jefferson City from Austin, Tx. on Monday, March 21, 2011. Mullins, originally from Dalton, Ga., is walking to every state capital in the contiguous United Sates to raise awareness for homeless veterans. Since January 2010 he has been to 27 capitals. Mullins is not a veteran himself, but said 33 percent of the U.S. homeless population has served. "In order to get the attention necessary to make it work, you have to go beyond your comfort zone," he said. "I had to become homeless." Donations can be sent to the Veterans of Foreign Wars at 3800 West Oak St. Palestine, TX 75802 or call 903-723-8120.

Day 12 - park day

2011-03-20T20:50:00.003-05:00

The lovely weather we were expecting finally showed up today, so we took the kids to Rutledge-Wilson Farm Park.

Malory and Weston loved milking the "cow."

Weston shows off his moves on stage. Later he met another 4-year-old and they performed feats of strength throwing sticks around. "He's my best friend," he said. Monica: "What's his name?" Weston: "I don't know."

Meredith and the babies before we left.

Day 11

2011-03-19T23:40:00.002-05:00

Butterfly Palace and Incredible Pizza

"Everything's so big!" Malory said.

Weston was terrified of the butterflies landing on him.

Ashlyn makes her rabbit face.

Presley loves the bee game.

Day 10 - more family fun

2011-03-18T19:52:00.003-05:00

Malory resists Monica's affection. Malory hates this picture because she's making a whiney face. "Do not put that picture on facebook," she said.

day 9 - family visit

2011-03-17T23:36:00.002-05:00

My sisters and the kids are here for the next few days! It's chaos, but in a good way.

Day 8 - kitties love camera bags

2011-03-16T17:42:00.002-05:00

day 7 - nap time

2011-03-15T21:05:00.003-05:00

Day 6 - Circus

2011-03-14T20:41:00.001-05:00

Day 5 - subtle disappointment

2011-03-13T18:20:00.002-05:00

Nolan Epstein, right, texts a friend and Neil Harrington, left, and Josh Evans, center, react after seeing that Missouri State didn't make it into the NCAA tournament at Boomer's on Sunday, March 13, 2011. "It hurts more when you're that close," said Nolan's father, Larry Epstein.

Day 4

2011-03-12T21:28:00.002-06:00

We went to Lake Taneycomo today and on the way back were arguing about where to eat when we passed this place in Forsyth. Finally! No compromise necessary! Guess who had mexican and who had chinese.

What a gorgeous day! This guy was chirping up a storm in the backyard this morning.

Day 3 - another sprout photo

2011-03-11T19:20:00.003-06:00

"It looks like a sea turtle," Jamie said. I'm not thrilled with this one but, whatevs. I was off today, and I thought I would shoot more, but somehow the day escaped me. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?!

Day 2

2011-03-10T22:40:00.004-06:00

Lots of rural driving again today. Not much chance for cool outtakes, but this happy face made me happy.

30 Day Challenge - Day 1

2011-03-08T20:42:00.007-06:00

My coworkers, Bob Linder, Nathan Papes, and I are challenging each other to post a photo every day for the next month. I've wanted to do this for a year or so, ever since some of my MU friends did it for their their picture story class, so I'm glad to have coworkers who want to participate.

Today I went out to the boonies, and stumbled upon this weird group of signs.

Sprouts!

2011-03-05T17:52:00.004-06:00

Last Saturday I started some seeds for the first time, and most of them have already sprouted. It's so exciting! After buying worms for the worm composting bin I made yesterday, I messed around with the "poor man's macro" this afternoon. Arkansas Traveler tomato

basil

pineapple tomato

Artichoke. Just kidding! This is a chick from my hen and chicks plant.

Opening Day

2011-03-02T17:33:00.003-06:00

of trout season at Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, Mo.

pies

2011-02-28T20:09:00.002-06:00

We picked up a rolling pin at a flea market a while back, and Jamie was on a bit of a pie kick for a while.

This apple pie was by far the best. He took great pride in making the crust super-thin.

The tangerine pie experiment didn't turn out too well. "The first bite was shockingly bitter. The second bite was a little less bitter. By the sixth bite, it seemed pretty sweet." Jamie said. You might have better luck with this recipe, which is neither tangerine, nor pie.

election day

2011-02-23T17:02:00.002-06:00

These two are from a story on low voter turnout for the Springfield City Council primary election yesterday. "Go photograph people not voting," seemed like a real challenge, but I think it worked out pretty well.

Teacher's aide Brian McHaney cleans tables at the polling station Tuesday afternoon at Delaware Elementary, where 73 people had voted by the end of the day.

Zachary McFarland (right) takes a break from making rounds to polling sites to entertain poll workers Mary Ann Berger (center) and Teresa Osborn at Trinity Lutheran Church. By 2 p.m., 25 people had voted there.

herons and hobos

2011-02-14T12:11:00.005-06:00

While Jamie fished at Lake Springfield last weekend, I photographed birds. "You must be a naturist," said a hobo as we were leaving. He also told us how he walked all the way to Pennsylvania because he woke up bored one day. Then he got arrested because he didn't know hitchhiking was illegal there. The police put him up in hotel for a week to rest up and then bought him a bus ticket back to Missouri. Another time, he got arrested somewhere south of Springfield, "for some reason," and had to stay in a pink cell. Pink! "They could've at least put me somewhere that was neutral!"

bird 1, Jamie zero

snow, snow, snow

2011-02-07T17:52:00.002-06:00

Last week I only worked Tuesday through Thursday, but the blizzard of 2011 made it the longest 3-day-week ever. Here are a few of my favorite shots from last week.

inmate GED graduation

2011-01-24T13:28:00.003-06:00

Last week I went to the county jail to photograph an inmate GED ceremony. I love getting to go places that I never would without this job. Check out Jess Rollins's story.

Pharris funeral

2011-01-17T15:42:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I went to Seymour, Mo. to photograph the funeral of Sgt. 1st Class Robert Pharris, who was killed by an improvised explosive device in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan on January 5. It was rumored that those Westboro wackos were going to show up, so a human shield effort was organized. I never saw any protesters, but heard a few came and left when they saw the crowd that gathered in support of the Pharris family. Check out the story and the photo gallery.

John Deere Plant

2011-01-10T10:11:00.002-06:00

Ryan Whiteley moves a remanufactured cylinder head at the John Deere Reman plant on Wednesday. The plant hired 45 new employees last year.

Millsap Farm

2011-01-03T14:20:00.003-06:00

I got to meet and photograph Curtis Millsap and his chickens last week. I hope I get the chance to go back soon!

randomness

2010-12-22T16:24:00.004-06:00

a few unrelated photos from the last week or so...

Kelly Frakes (left) and Liza Lopez of His Image Salon joke that they should have brought some hair product to spike Roger Stoner's new mohawk. Stoner, an associate dean at MSU, was among three men who volunteered to have their heads shaved in support of a colleague who is battling cancer.

Greene County Sgt. Jason Johnson (left) and Deputy Matt Hough (right) arrest a man Monday on West Sunshine Street. Sheriff Jim Arnott intends to reassign six of the eight civil process servers at the sheriff's office to patrol duty if new positions remain unfunded.

Sharon Manz paints Jane Atterberry's toenails "Smitten with Mittens" red during a pedicure at Ashley Lauren Salon & Spa.

MSU graduation

2010-12-22T16:21:00.001-06:00

it's really cold

2010-12-16T20:28:00.003-06:00

Sierra Bell and Tyler Bartlett hold onto each other for warmth outside Plaster Student Union at Missouri State University on Monday, December 13, 2010. The high temperature that day was 24 degrees. Bell wore two pairs of pants and said the worst part of the cold weather is having to brave the elements to take early morning finals.

Outside my bedroom window on Sunday.

basketball

2010-12-13T11:13:00.004-06:00

I shot two basketball games last week--my third and fourth ever.

Benjamin June

2010-12-10T12:34:00.003-06:00

Artist Benjamin June has made a pillow for every or each suicide attack in Iraq since the U.S. invasion on March 20, 2003. His work is on display at Drury's Pool Art Center Gallery through January 28. For more info, check out the News-Leader article.

new backyard

2010-11-29T18:16:00.003-06:00

on Thanksgiving, while a "wintery mix" was coming down.

the first week flew by

2010-11-22T21:11:00.002-06:00

My first week at the News-Leader was great! I think we're really going to like Springfield. This weekend we're moving, so hopefully soon, things will be a little less crazy and I'll be posting more regularly again. For now, here are a couple of shots I like from a WIC recipient's appointment with a nutritionist last Friday.

a few football features

2010-11-05T10:23:00.004-05:00

I've really improved my sports shooting during my St. Joe internship, but features are still my favorite part of shooting football. These are a few of my favorites from the season. If you wanna see some action shots, check out the Friday Night Football gallery. This is my last post from St. Joe! Goodbye Pony Express town.

window painting

2010-10-29T10:47:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I photographed some people painting the windows at the Downtown Furniture Emporium building. The business moved to the mall a while back and now plans to return to the original location. At first I had no idea how to make an interesting picture of some guys way up in the air. I could barely even see what they were doing from the ground. Then the owner of the company doing the work offered to let me go up in the lift. Then he mentioned he had keys to the building, and let me go inside. And viola! What I thought was a doomed assignment turned out to be a lot of fun, and I like the pictures I made, too.

Bluffwoods Conservation Area

2010-10-25T18:48:00.002-05:00

Jamie came to visit this weekend and we went to Bluffwoods Conservation Area yesterday. I've passed by it several times on the way to Atchison, KS and am glad I finally got to check it out, and on such a gorgeous day for hiking.
I think this shot needs a unicorn leaping through it.

There was a patch of giant turnips...

... and pretty fall colors.

Jamie kept saying, "This is like Arkansas!"

Albany, Mo.

2010-10-22T11:30:00.002-05:00

I drove to Albany, Mo. on Tuesday for a story about the town winning the Community of the Year award in the Missouri Community Betterment competition. I had no information until I got there, and soon realized that nearly all of the projects that won them the title were unphotographable--clearing lots of abandoned houses, a recycling program for which the bins are still on order, and improving the wastewater system. So, I photographed the trophy, the Old City Cemetery (cleaning it up was another project) and a volunteer repairing old Community Betterment project reports at the library. When I left the library, I saw this mural and waited for a passerby. It's a simple photo, but I think it captures the small town atmosphere and has a nice sense of place.

a pretty portrait

2010-10-22T11:27:00.001-05:00

Mary Collins has been battling breast cancer since July 2009 and will soon undergo a mastectomy. She spends time in the chapel at Heartland Hospital because it's a peaceful and reflective place to be. "I am who I am because of my faith," she said.

Hibiscus

2010-10-15T11:13:00.002-05:00

For a story on allergies a few weeks ago I experimented with a "poor man's macro" by holding a 50mm lens backwards to the front of a 70mm lens, which caused the vignetting in the top image. We ran a macro shot of just the pollen, but these are a couple of outtakes that I like. It was tough to get what I wanted in focus, because every slight breeze moved what I was trying to focus on, but I had fun with it.

Halloween is approaching...

2010-10-08T11:13:00.004-05:00

Ken Nice removes excess pieces of Cherry Mash centers on the conveyor belt between the machine that forms the centers and the one that coats them in chocolate and chopped peanuts at Chase Candy Company Wednesday. The batch of Mini Mash pieces was being made to fill last-minute orders for Halloween candy. Chase Candy Company has been operating in St. Joseph since 1876.

Skeletons sunbathe in the fountain and watch volunteers prepare for Pumpkinfest at Patee Park on Thursday. The annual festival kicks off Friday, October 8 from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Pumpkin Mountain, a massive display of about 1,000 carved pumpkins, will be lit Friday at 8 p.m.

outtakes from MPW

2010-10-06T18:52:00.005-05:00

I spent last week at the Missouri Photo Workshop. I met so many wonderful people, worked my tail off, barely slept, and somehow got through it with a nice picture story. My story was about Macon's police captain, Jeff Brown. He's a single parent to an 11-year-old son, has been a foster parent to 30-40 kids over the last seven years, and tries to take care of everyone in town. Below are a few shots I like that didn't make it into the final edit. For the story, click here: Doing the Right Thing.

Jamie's big fish story

2010-10-04T20:38:00.003-05:00

Jamie got to come to the final festivities of the Missouri Photo Workshop in Macon, Mo. I was so happy to see him! He mingled at the exhibit as long as he could stand it and then went fishing at Long Branch Lake. First he caught a three pound, 19.5 inch catfish, and then a four pound, 20 inch small mouth bass. He was ecstatic!

lightning

2010-09-22T18:13:00.005-05:00

The lightning in St. Joseph last night was amazing! I shot these from the window of my apartment.

a few recent standalones

2010-09-16T20:34:00.004-05:00

Camden Erickson, 11, and Keaton Lieffring, 11, make thier selections from an ice cream truck while J.R. Murphy looks on. With the first day of fall around the corner, the season of serendipitous frozen treats will soon end. Frosty Treats manager J.R. Murphy said that October will be their last month of business until spring.

Larry Leivan paints the facade of the Downtown Library on Monday, with pipes from the Felix Street Streetscape project in the foreground. When they started to repaint, they discovered that the limestone needed to be waterproofed. "Limestone is so porous, you really have to watch it," said Chris Silcott, Director of Operations with the St. Joseph School District, which owns the building. Luckily, they caught it before there was much damage, he said.

Kavanaugh Conner, 2, hands an apple to his mother, Jeanne Conner at Schweizer Orchard on Saturday. Apple season began about a week ago and will continue for at least a month said Cory Schweizer. The Conners plan to make apple sauce and apple butter with the gala, honey crisp, and early jonathan apples they picked. Canning has, "an old fashioned feel to it and it's very community oriented," said Jeanne Conner.

Providence Hill Farm

2010-09-12T11:40:00.002-05:00

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I had a great time meeting Christy and working on this video! If you want to know more about Providence Hill Farm, check out Sylvia's article.

Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Casserole

2010-09-11T20:37:00.003-05:00

This casserole was inspired by one I made earlier this week from a recipe I found online. It's nearly identical but calls for eggplant instead of butternut squash and cheddar instead of chevre. Both were great! I got all the ingredients for both casseroles at the Pony Express Farmers Market. I'm addicted to Nanny Cheese!

Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Casserole

1 small(ish) butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 cups croutons or course bread crumbs
4 oz goat cheese crumbles (chevre)
fresh sage, chopped (a handful or so)
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste

Bake butternut squash at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Add everything else, mix and bake for another 20.

I also added some summer squash and zucchini that I needed to use. I think blue cheese would be great in this too.

CCUA farm stand

2010-09-01T12:32:00.002-05:00

I had a wonderful couple of days off in Columbia. On Monday, I photographed the farm stand at the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture's production farm. It's pretty cool to see how much they've accomplished since I first started hanging around in March.

Saturday's work

2010-08-30T15:52:00.002-05:00

Juan Vidal, left, and Lee Jordan, right, move a truss into place at a Habitat for Humanity house at 11th and Olive streets as part of the Griffon Edge program Saturday. Griffon Edge is a three-day orientation program for freshman and transfer students at Missouri Western State University.

Cub Scout Nate Eller, 7, shows off animal pelts during a tour of the American Mountain Men camp at Camp Geiger’s 100-year birthday party for the Boy Scouts of America on Saturday. The event was open to the public and also featured Pony Express reenactments, opportunities to earn historic merit badges, hatchet throwing and carnival games.

Kansas City

2010-08-23T22:27:00.005-05:00

Jamie came to visit this weekend and we made a spontaneous trip to Kansas City.
Jamie played disc golf at Waterworks Park.

We saw dear friends Amy and Jose and their daughter Audry, 4.

And we went to the City Market. (finally!)

squash blossoms

View from the Town of Kansas Pedestrian Bridge.

the pool and golf

2010-08-23T22:15:00.003-05:00

features

2010-08-13T22:53:00.003-05:00

a few photos from this week

A teen practices her MJ moves at a summer arts enrichment camp. This one didn't make it into the paper, but it's still my favorite.

Carmen Canchola demonstrates how to use a confetti egg on her husband, Ray. The couple has helped with preparations for the St. Patrick Mexican Fiesta since they joined the church in 1959.

Holly Morris cuts Jaycee Markley's hair at Vatterott College's first annual 'Cuts for Kids' event on Tuesday. The cosmetology department gave free haircuts to children ages 8 to 18. 'We're doing this to build the confidence of the students going back to school and to help out families that need a bit of support,' said campus director Adrienne Faulkner.

I love being an aunt.

2010-08-11T19:33:00.002-05:00

My sister's family just returned to Oklahoma from Germany. I'm so happy they were able to stop in Missouri on their way. If you want to see a few more, check out the album.

brunch and linner featuring tomatoes and basil

2010-08-02T20:55:00.005-05:00

egg sandwich with tomato, basil and mayo

Spinach Spaghetti with Lentil Bolognese Sauce
I've been making this sauce for a long time. I found it in a vegetarian cookbook with gorgeous photos. Almost every recipe in that book is super complicated, but this one became my go-to pasta sauce. It's perfect for a light summer meal, when just thinking about meat makes you sluggish. It's also great for making veggie lasagna and it freezes well.

Lentil Bolognese Sauce
1 cup(s) onion(s)
3 medium carrot(s), grated or chopped, and/or celery or other veggies
1 cup dry red lentils
28 oz canned tomatoes, crushed
4 tbsp canned tomato paste
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced

1. in a large skillet or stockpot saute onions and veggies in olive oil until onions are translucent
2. add lentils, tomato paste, tomatoes, broth, and spices
3. bring to boil, cover and simmer 30 minutes, or until lentils are soft
4. add garlic and serve