July Weekly Journal 2009

Welcome to my Weekly Journal. Each month I create a post to collect my thoughts and meanderings for the month. You can quickly find this post as it drops down the list by clicking on the Weekly Journal Link at the bottom of the Web Page.

July 25 Why No Post
Looks like July is going to be my least number of post yet. Summer is busy for everyone and mine has been no exception. I must admit that I have spent some quality time with my other blogs but most of the reason is that I have not had a chance to visit any churches. I have taken a thousand plus softball, t-Ball, swim meet, wedding, senior, Dog Portraits and Lutheran Church pictures but NO Cross Tipped Church Pictures to speak of. Hopefully the dust will settle in August and I can get back to making some regular post.

Look for a Public Display of the Cross Tipped Churches in February of 2010 at the Amos Memorial Library in Sidney.

Maria Stein Country Fest Sand Sculpture

Well I didn't make it to this years Maria Stein Country Fest. So I was pretty happy when I found this years Sand Sculpture still intact this weekend while taking pictures of my son and his girlfriend on the grounds.



The festival is noted for its square dancing tractors and this sand sculpture.

St. Marys Catholic Church Philothea

I took off after work and went to the Church of Saint Mary's in Philothea. I have no idea on how you pronounce the name. I had never been there before my visit to the church. Like so many of these churches just a few buildings and homes surrounded by farm country. It has been awhile since I have been to any of the Cross Tipped Churches much less a new one. It was nice to be able to take my time. More time than I planned in fact. More on that later. READ MORE ...





I was hoping to get the pictures of the outside before we got the much needed rain we needed. It was really starting to cloud up while I was taking these.



I found this Grotto as I made my way around the church.



Inside I found a very lovely church. I went upstairs in the balcony to get this picture of the altars.



I wonder what idiot photographer left his gear bag in the chair for the picture.

These are just a couple of the stained glass windows.



This altar candle was my best picture of the day.



My other favorite was the processional crucifix with the stained glass window background.



I almost missed this mural on the ceiling.



The Stations of the Cross were small reliefs.



This Pieta was hidden in the shadows. I tried to capture it with flash without killing the shot.



I noticed the cemetery just up a ways from the church. I headed out there for a look and hopefully get a few pictures.





The inscription at the base of the Crucifix Memorial is in German. You're on your own for a translation.



Done and ready to go home I head back to van, only to find my keys locked inside. So I called my wife who would make the 45 minute drive after her meeting finished. So I headed back to the church and took a few more pictures while I waited. I took this picture while I waited on the steps of the church.



I am not a fan of marathon post like this, but it has been so long since I've done one of the churches, I decided to let you have it all at once.