Telephone connections, Coralville, IA

Stark wires and pole against a deep blue sky.

North Ridge Trail, Coralville, IA

The North Ridge Trail is a lovely bike path that goes through some odd little pockets of swamp, wilderness, and farm in otherwise solidly suburban and business park areas of Coralville.

Luminous grasses, Waterworks Park, Iowa City

Grasses lit from behind by the slanting morning sun.

Waterworks Park deer, Iowa City

A deer in Iowa City's Waterworks Park, browsing while keeping a wary eye on me. Eventually, it decided I was a bit too close.

Steeple in trees, Iowa City

Church steeple rising above the trees in downtown Iowa City.

Hospital Wing, Iowa City

One of the great bulking wings of the University of Iowa's gigantic hospital complex.

Pipe truck, Iowa City

Stacks of PVC nestled on great big rectangles on the back of a flatbed truck.

Balancing tractor, Iowa

This balancing tractor is seen beside the highway, advertising a farm equipment sales business.

Days Till Kickoff, Iowa City

Before I lived in Iowa City, I had never really experienced being part of a community with a serious communal sports obsession. The University of Iowa is a Big 10 school, however, and you can bet that nobody is allowed to forget the major events of the football season.

Chalk pain ratings, Iowa City

Seen in somebody's driveway, I wonder about the game the kids were playing that may have led to this illustration / game-board.

Moron Tag Sheet, Iowa City

"Moron Tag Sheet: Be Sure To Sign In" --- I love the sarcasm of this indictment of graffiti, in graffiti.

Flooded culverts, Iowa City

Culverts pieces, waiting for installation in a construction project, but currently sitting flooded by the riverside.

Cicada collection, Iowa City

Some other, previous findings: my daughter's collection of dried out cicadas, both nymph and adult.

Japanese beetle, Iowa City

My older daughter had a science-themed birthday party, and in our "backyard naturalists" event, the kids brought in subjects for "microscope" macro photography.

Flower interior, Iowa City

My older daughter had a science-themed birthday party, and in our "backyard naturalists" event, the kids brought in subjects for "microscope" macro photography.

Wolf spider, Iowa City

My older daughter had a science-themed birthday party, and in our "backyard naturalists" event, the kids brought in subjects for "microscope" macro photography.

Flower mites, Iowa City

The interior of a flower, including little white shrimp-like mites---I'm including multiple images, so that you can see them move (my older daughter had a science-themed birthday party, and in our "backyard naturalists" event, the kids brought in subjects for "microscope" macro photography).

Moth, Iowa City

A small moth, gently contained within a plastic cup: my older daughter had a science-themed birthday party, and in our "backyard naturalists" event, the kids brought in subjects for "microscope" macro photography.

Feather, Iowa City

My older daughter had a science-themed birthday party, and in our "backyard naturalists" event, the kids brought in subjects for "microscope" macro photography.

Petals on a clover flower, Iowa City

My older daughter had a science-themed birthday party, and in our "backyard naturalists" event, the kids brought in subjects for "microscope" macro photography.

Tangle-haired pine, Portland, OR

Something odd seems to have happened to this pine, which does not have the smooth structure of all its fellows, but looks instead like it is in desperate need of a chance to brush its hair.

Sprouted stalks, Portland, OR

Sprouting stalks of some sort of asparagus-looking wild plant (definitely not asparagus), growing in dense low stands along the path.

The birds, Portland, OR

Here are the birds! A whole line of colorful handcrafted wire sculptures, one on every fence post in the front of this person's yard!

Please don't feed the birds, Portland, OR

This quirky hand-painted sign and its topping sculpture have a simple yet emphatic request. But which birds are they talking about?

Swarming ants, Portland, OR

A closer look into the heaving carpet of ants, so thick on the ground that they are piling atop one another.

Swarming ants, Portland, OR

Swarming ants, apparently migrating their hive across a sidewalk.

Powerline park, Portland, OR

Here is a great long linear park formed in the clear-way of a high-voltage powerline, its central bike trail looping in switchbacks to handle the slope the wires are soaring up above.

Multiplex housing, Portland, OR

Now that we're done with the gorillas and other shenanigans of the Fourth of July, let's go back to Portland, Oregon for a bit, now heading out to the Eastern suburbs, where the housing surges in cresting waves across the hillsides.

Blase gorilla, Coralville, Iowa

Perhaps my favorite in the whole parade, this blase gorilla went past at least twice, zipping blandly along on its recumbent bicycle.

Red white and balloon, Coralville, IA

Red white and balloon, flag-invoking cylinder.

Dalek brigade, Coralville, IA

Part of a swarm of library-endorsing Daleks. I swear it makes sense in context.

Choose the God who answers by Fire, Coralville, IA

I think something may have gone wrong somewhere in the messaging from this Christian group. Yes, I get that it's referencing the Kings passage where Elijah asks for a miracle to show up the priests of Baal. But that seems rather overshadowed by the impression that they're into animal sacrifice and the firey bolts of destruction that are the rather more dominant impression of a vengeful and jealous god.

The Universal Symbol of Martial Arts, Coralville, IA

Leading a troop of minor ninjas is, of course, this sacred totem, the universal modern symbol of martial arts.

Grimace goes corporate, Coralville, IA

Sometime in the past few decades, Grimace has apparently embraced corporate culture, gotten an MBA, and ascended to a respectable white-collar tie-wearing position.

USS Riverside, Coralville, Iowa

The USS Riverside makes its appearance, reminding us of the nearby future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk and Federation shipyard.

RC ground crew, Coralville, Iowa

The RC plane club always has one of their jets being towed by a randomly swerving Herky ground crew. I don't think mascots are well qualified to drive.

Rollerderby Unicorn, Coralville, IA

Of course, not all fantastic roller derby participants are giant carnivores: some are much more dangerous.

Roller dinosaur, Coralville, Iowa

How can you possibly beat the awesomeness of a roller derby dinosaur? You simply can't.

Agricultural queens, Coralville, Iowa

Queens of some agriculture-related competitions, perching on hay bales in their cowboy boots.

Czech Princesses, Coralville, IA

Hailing from the local Cedar Rapids organizations that celebrate the Czech and Slovak immigrant history of the area, these princesses have the subtle royal wave down pat.

Dictator Herky, Coralville, IA

This Herky appears to be ranting about the eternal glory of Ruritania and the necessity of defeating all enemies both foreign and domestic.

Firefighter Herky, Coralville, IA

This incarnation of Herky is ready to fight fires, though only those behind and to the side thanks to the comically belligerent pose of the original pre-decoration statue.

Crownie, Coralville, Iowa

There are a lot of bizarre, stupid, or offensive mascots out there, but Crownie the Fighting Crown always takes my breathe away for its sheer unabashed absurdity. I honestly don't know whether it's incredibly terrible or simply brilliant as a mascot.

Obligatory Herky, Coralville, Iowa

Herky the Hawk, putting in its practically legally mandated, yet grotesquely grimacing appearance in this Big 10 town.

Religious Water, Coralville, IA

A virtual sea of religious water bottles, a cross and a quote on every bottle.

Thirst quenchers, Coralville, Iowa

These folks had the right idea, in hundred degree heat, to toss not candy but bottled water from an enormous pile just filling their entire float.