Awesome Mondays - Rusty Bug

Since summer sports are over and fall sports are just getting started, I have taken a bit of a break from photographing action and looked for other subjects to capture. The other day I found this sculpture in downtown Rogers, AR. The sculpture actually includes two or three of these rusty blossoms as well as a little surprise on one of the leaves.

A close up of the center of the bloom reveals the creativity and attention to detail of the artist. I really like this kind of stuff.

Looking at one of the leaves one finds a little surprise, a rusty bug. Actually he's not that little, but he is another part of the detail of the piece. If you look again at the first photo you will discover the surprise that that blossom is created from shovel and spade heads, welded and shaped into the flower. I am sure there is a chemical application to accelerate and temper the rust. Very creative.

Like most bugs, this one has adapted to his environment by taking on a similar color. I really like this touch.

Awe...some Mondays

Recently we traveled to Lee's Summit, Missouri to see some of my wife's family.  During our visit,
their grandson had a football game. He's in the 6th grade so there was plenty of entertainment that didn't always include the competition on the field. Still, I managed to keep my lens focused on the game and captured a few of images.

Of course the family had seats on the 50 yard line and they were free. Try getting this deal at a college or pro game.

The grandson is No. 64 in the blue jersey. Sometimes it's hard to get a good clean image of a lineman. They are usually in the middle of a pile of arms and legs.

Here he is providing a little pass protection for his quarterback. It's very important to keep your quarter back on his feet.

Our team lost 13-6 by way of two "Hail Mary" passes, but it was a beautiful day and we got to spend time with people that are important to us. Have a blessed week.

Awe...some Mondays - New Mug

Is there anything from your childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood that you found boring only to discover it's true worth later in life? For me, it was Frankoma pottery. The colors seemed uninteresting and the glazes seemed awkward, not to mention that the whole thing reeked of the southwest and cowboys. When I was a child, I wanted to be a cowboy, but when I became a teen I left the wild, wild west in my rear view mirror. However, decades and decades have passed and the past few years I have come to appreciate the earth tones and the subtle designs that make up this pottery from my home state of Oklahoma. This mug is my most recent purchase and an excellent example of why I like this stuff.

The handles on most all of Frankoma pottery is comfortable to hold and fits most any hand. Here you can see that the handle starts from the right at the top. It starts from the left at the bottom and the pieces of clay have a subtle ridge where they overlap to form the handle. It is these little design ques that really make me appreciate the work of Frankoma. The company was started in 1933 by John Frank. He was the first professor of ceramic art at the University of Oklahoma. The family owned company was in business continuously until 1991. This particular mug has another unique characteristic.

It is at least twice the size of a normal Frankoma coffee mug/cup. It may be too large for coffee, but I can see it filled with soup or hot cocoa on a frosty fall evening by the fire while watching football.  Have a blessed day.

Awe...some Mondays

Let's face it, for some people, their car is their pet, especially if it is and really cool hot rod and they built it themselves. Something tells me that a stop sign is nothing more than a starting line of the next drag race for this Little Duce Coupe.

When the flag drops most competitors never get this view of the little coupe. All they get is the smell of burnt rubber and the glow of taillights disappearing into the night. Have a blessed day.