Monthly Archives: April 2011

Basking in the sun

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Today’s edition of “old stuff poking out of the snow” brings us this retired implement, standing guard on a hill south of Hensler. It was bitter cold despite the beautiful, sunny blue sky. The snow in the ditch I crossed for this photo was deep too. This shot prompted me to investigate a purchase of some snowshoes…

Welcome to Bismarck. Restrictions in effect. Only one catch: you may have to guess what they are

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It’s that time of year again: the ubiquitous “Restrictions in Effect” signs are popping up around the periphery of Bismarck. Restrictions of what nature, you ask? If your only source of information is these signs, I suppose it’s anyone’s guess.

I first saw these signs go up three years ago (and every Spring since) and thought they were pretty funny. It’s because of the load restrictions on Bismarck roads, which I heard about on the radio, but the signs are vague enough to omit that detail. It’s only after someone figured out what was missing (maybe they read this blog) and wedged a little “Load” in there that the signs made sense:

This is how the corrected signs look. I was actually surprised to find an unmodified one posted up along Divide Avenue this afternoon. As you can see in this post from last March, I was almost second-guessing whether I’d even seen the signs without the word “Load” inserted. Today’s sighting of one of the original signs is a bit of a vindication, I suppose. Now someone’s going to have to dash up to Divide Avenue with another “Load” sticker!

Barney

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The remains of this old barn reside just northwest of Mandan on Highway 25. I’d photographed this structure before, but I don’t think I have done so while it’s been covered with snow. I like the range of colors.

A number of familiar old “fallen farm” structures around town have finally succumbed to old age and fallen completely. There’s only a certain window of time in which these photogenic pieces of history may be captured, and after that they’ll simply collapse into piles of rubble and rot. I’m always intrigued by the thought that these were new at one time.

Somebody once stood back at the completion of building them and stopped to survey a job well done. Somebody was excited to finally have that barn or that new home. Somebody grew up, worked hard, or maybe even passed away in many of these crumbling old buildings. That’s why I think I’m so drawn to them; a photo of a decrepit farmhouse, barn or shed is merely a starting point from which one can look back and surmise what it could have been like back in its glory days.

Square Butte Horses (updated with larger photo)

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One of the last things I did on my weekend photography outing was come down Highway 1804 and River Road in my truck, looking for a good shot of the Square Buttes across the Missouri.

I already have the best views of these unique formations marked in my GPS. I was dismayed to see the clouds begin to roll in a little while before sunset, but there was still color in the clouds before they began to thicken.

Adding to the mix was a pair of horses grazing in the field along the highway. I was sitting in my truck when I nabbed this quick shot and a few similar to it, and then I bolted home. I had just received a phone call from my four year old, wondering when Daddy was going to be home. “Soon,” I told him…and put the wraps on a pretty decent photography day. I’ve got plenty more from that trip that I haven’t posted yet, but they’re on the way.

Traumatic April Fool’s Day experience

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I have the sweetest, most wonderful, beautiful wife…BUT yesterday she pranked me hard. I came home from lunch to find her sitting on the couch, crying. Confused, I attempted to figure out what was wrong so I could “fix” it. I am a guy, after all. She simply sobbed, “I left something on the kitchen table for you.”

Even more confused, I made my way to the kitchen to find the above: a CUTE little photography-related onesie with a little pink stick laying on it. Huh? I looked at it, saw two lines, read the writing on it, and internally FREAKED. Putting on my best calm, reassuring husband facade, I came back to the living room to assure her that everything will be okay. We’re all going through a lot of lifestyle changes right now, including her becoming a stay-at-home mom, so really this isn’t as scary as it could be. Of course, inside my head are all the flashes of guy-type panic, but I’m not going to let her know that.

That’s when, through her genuine tears, she sobbed, “April Fool’s, honey!” And started laughing. I was so shocked, I didn’t know how to react! Internally, of course, I felt enormous relief…but I was still off-balance emotionally from trying to process the idea of a Baby Number Three.

Of course, I can appreciate a good prank as much as the next guy. I wasn’t angry (again, probably due to relief) and simply gave her a hug and assured her that even if it HAD been true, I’d still have been okay and that I love her very much.

I later found that she borrowed the stick from a friend who’s expecting. You’ve got to love a girl who will go the extra mile for a little fun. Thank God that this day only comes once a year!