These two photographs were taken of the Mississippi River. The trees you see are on little islands that are flooded when the water rises every year. I love the beauty of nature.

Grant Woods Stained Glass Window

I have now updated the Grant Woods Stained Glass Window from the Veterans Memorial Building. I really like the color and balance of this photo. This Stained Glass Window that Grant Woods made is visually awesome and very difficult to capture on camera. I have also included the outside of the Veterans Memorial Building in the following two photos, one daytime and one nighttime. I especially like the night shot because it shows the Glass in the front of the building. The day one is fun because of the three police officers on the roof...

Grant Woods, the local Cedar Rapids, Iowa artist best known for his American Gothic (the stone faced farmer with the pitchfork and his wife), created this 24 foot tall stained glass window. Lynn Ford and I visited the Veterans Memorial Building last week and I took the photo. They handed out a small postcard that had a horrible washed out photo. I like this one much better. It is not perfect, I am still playing with it, but it is much better than the postcard.

I helped with a garage sale one morning recently. The lady had this tree in the yard that had a family of Red-Bellied Woodpecker's in it. These two pictures show Mom and Dad feeding their young. I never did get a glimpse of any of the little ones. They are hiding in the tree trunk.

Ready to Bloom

Our Heavenly Father sees our real potential. He knows things about us that we do not know ourselves. He prompts us during our lifetime to fulfill the measure of our creation, to live a good life, and to return to His presence. 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Of Regrets and Resolutions", Liahona and Ensign, November 2012