Congratulations to the winners of our web design and development competition. Post secondary winners - gold (Idaho), silver (Kentucky), bronze (Pennsylvania). High school - gold (Missouri), silver (Tennessee), bronze (Kansas). Well done!

Excitement and anticipation is building to learn the winners of our national web design and development competitions in Atlanta. State Farm Arena is packed.

Getting everything ready for the second day of our national web design and development competition in Atlanta. Today post-secondary teams are competing.

Today we hold our national web design and development for high school competitors. Congratulations to all teams competing. They had to win first place in their state to compete here in Atlanta.

Don’t know why I am so amused by this meeting location/ room every year, but I am. Meeting not found?

Our national web design and development competition starts tomorrow in Atlanta at the GWCC. Tables are being set up today. Excited for another year of competitions.

Really appreciate the recognition by SkillsUSA as a career cluster sponsor again this year. Web Professionals Global logo in lower right as a career cluster sponsor.

A few more photos of Aurora Borealis in rural Tazewell County, Illinois tonight.

Actually got to see the Aurora Borealis in rural Tazewell County, Illinois tonight. Impressive.

It begins. #2024Eclipse

Scammers are at it again. Let’s see - not an Illinois’s area code, not a proper top level domain for a government agency and more.

Scam attempt to obtain information about my account. Assuming I have one.

Encountered this creature at the start of our walk in Forest Park Nature Center today.

Male turkey in profile. Iridescent wings.

Happy Pi Day!

Went for a walk this evening and heard spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer). This is the earliest I have ever heard them in central Illinois.

Happy Leap Day. It is ok to jump to conclusions today.

Eating supper in East central Illinois. Can you guess the city?

I think this is the earliest I have ever seen a blooming dandelion.

Just added a video showcasing some of the insects we encountered in central Illinois in the past couple of years. Many thanks to Jose Luis for taking the photos and creating the video.

centralillinoisinsects.org/weblog/ph…

In late August, I visited the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca, MN. The water molecules I “touched” are now reaching the Gulf of Mexico. It takes roughly 90 days. Amazing.

Why do so many journalists/ others continue to use the word “unprecedented” when discussing news items? Clearly there must be synonyms. Yes, there are! How about extraordinary, unheard-of, unique, unparalleled, unusual? Who agrees with me that we should be using synonyms during these exotic times?

Sure looks legit. Or not. HA! So many things wrong. India in from. Brazil in URL. Duh!

One more done with Adobe Firefly. This is text I entered - “rainbow over snow capped mountains with eagles flying in the distance, autumn color forest foliage in foreground.” Photo is the result.

And, here is a butterfly themed text effect done with Adobe Firefly.

Experimenting with Adobe Firefly this afternoon. I like the text effects one can generate quickly. Yes, this is ant themed.