Last year it seems it was later in spring when I remember seeing American Gold Finches visiting backyards in Siouxland. But this year it has been wacky weather time as winter was trying to hang on, then nature would tease with some warmer than normal temperatures and then drop back down into the 20’s and 30’s overnight, sometimes not even getting out of the 30’s during the daytime.
Some trees have barely budded out when the gold finches showed up this year, and it was delightful to see them. Along with the American Robin, as one then realizes that spring is at hand and the cold winter weather will soon become a faded memory.
I have visited a variety of alleys over the years in Siouxland, most of which now sport some kind of decorative art to add a little ambiance and brighten otherwise drab alleyways in different communities. This time around I focused just on the painted art themselves using some camera filter settings to juice up the colors used for the work. Nothing fancy, just exploring settings and various formats as well as just enjoying a day out in a small Siouxland community.
Some feathered creatures have already visited Siouxland and more than likely have departed already as well as the region becomes more spring like, although winter has been hanging on dearly with recent overnight temps still in the high 20’s only a couple week ago. A number of geese settled for a short bit on a local park water area. taking in the sights, and refueling before taking flight again to continue their journey.
It seems amazing to find so many birds congregating in one place. Although I guess there is safety in numbers. I would think at the first sign of “trouble” they would just bolt and be off to another place that would be relatively safer. There is no hunting around this area, although I have seen duck and geese hunters looking along the edges of these areas. Just hoping this group made it home safely and maybe will pass by again down the road.
There are many days in Siouxland I hear my backyard neighbors laboring hard in Siouxland. Just making a go of it day in and day out. And sometimes I get to see them in action, although they remain a bit elusive and bashful. But am glad they can get their job done.
Sometime when photographing in and around Siouxland I find that making minor movements on my part will alter an image ever so slightly, or very much. On the grand scheme of things this doesn’t really matter much to most viewers. But some folk pick up on it and understand the intent. When shooting in black and white, what is seen becomes more intentional simply because the lack of color distills an image down to basics. Shapes, contrast, objects and whatever else a photographer might enlist to inform a viewer. Sometimes doing this is intentional and sometimes it is purely serendipitous. One of life’s unexpected occurrences.
Sometimes I am amused of what I find in Siouxland. Traveling about or closer to home. Recently the total eclipse was a non event in Siouxland as the skies were overcast and cloud shrouded, preventing anyone to see even a partial eclipse.
However, that didn’t stop a pair of amorous house sparrows making their own excitement in a bush even with other “neighbors” nearby. The thought of them “getting a room” didn’t cross their minds, and apparently seeing paparazzo nearby wasn’t a deterrent either. Ah springtime, when romance seems to fill the air.
Recently the season of brown in Siouxland has been slowly changing over as spring’s warmer temperatures creep into the area and some greening of the landscape begins to appear. Warm days, cold, overnight showers produce some clouds the following day which are just a joy to see.
I am an admitted “cloud slut”, seeing the formations over a rural landscape. And when the clouds appear I try to take advantage of seeing and photographing them and the landscape below them as the interest in the scene is more than less when faced with the dreaded “bald sky” that occurs more regularly.
And like many places, the more I drive these back roads the more I see and see a changing landscape depending on the time of year as seasons play a part along with agricultural plantings which transforms the area landscape from spring planting to fall harvest. A visual feast for the eyes. And, the occasional older, now fading barn that will at some point vanish from the rural American landscape, replaced with steel structures.
Sometimes while out and about in Siouxland I come across some interesting events. Recently there was a goat and lamb yoga class at the Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve, although I think they have been held previously there as well as many other places through out the U.S.
In photos I have come across online the animals interact a bit more than what I saw the day of this particular class. But I guess it all depends on the people attending and the animals themselves. There are those days where I like minimal contact with other folk myself, not often, but occasionally. And so for the most part the lambs stayed together wandering about looking for a finger or milk bottle, while Karen the goat and her “kids” checked out the attendees often offering encouragement, although it could have been more, “Hey, pay attention to me.”
But it did seem all enjoyed the time spent outdoors on a nice, warmer, spring day, when so many recently have been chilly and rainy. But then again, it’s spring, and how can one expect May flowers without those April showers.
I don’t always understand or know exactly why I am drawn to photograph some objects and not others. Sometimes I believe it’s just a visceral response to what I see before me. Shapes and angles and lines and contrast. Something simple, direct, with no hidden meaning, at least not by the photographer. Just a curiosity and an attempt to document something seen.
Spring is beginning to show itself in and around the Siouxland region. Trees are beginning to bud out and blossom and some flowers, like tulips and daffodils are beginning to show themselves in people’s gardens and yards.
But sometimes random snapshots of places visited can also inform a visitor and capture what was seen at the time and the enjoyment of just making an image, good or bad. It’s a nice way to spend a day outside enjoying nice weather and waiting for Mother Nature to settle down and hopefully regain its normal rhythm and pattern.
I live in the Siouxland area that encompasses a wide swatch of land in northwest Iowa, northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota. The people that inhabit this area are generous folk and your basic honest, Midwestern people you like to have as neighbors. I explore the area and share observations, mostly photographic, sometimes through video, and and short text. All images and video are copyrighted material of the author.
Jerry Mennenga, Sioux City, Iowa
jerrylmennenga@yahoo.com