Hydrotherapy Treatment for Manic Expressionism

Even though I’m feeling better, it’s important to take the entire prescription. Out on my bicycle again with the Manic Expression Cube, northeast this time.

In the late 20th century, Oshkosh experienced numerous floods because the storm sewer system was inadequate after development altered the drainage of the land. Shortly after the millennium, the city addressed the problem by installing giant pipes under the streets. Anywhere there was a handy spot of vacant land they dug storm water runoff ponds, which are left as natural wetlands. I walk past this one on my way to the grocery store several times a week. There’s been an egret hanging out in it the last few days, much to the chagrin of the red-winged blackbirds.

There’s another just across the road behind a large townhouse development. For some reason they cut most of the growth on the other one but have left the cattails and reeds grow in this one. In the spring millions of frogs provide a choral performance as you pass by.

Farther down North Main, just about where the neighborhoods end, is another that stretches about two city blocks.

Just north of that is a cluster of apartment buildings, and then another pond stretching most of the block with decorative rocks on the Main Street side.

At the intersection of Main and Packer is another which looks more like a natural wetland.

The area is an industrial park with some pretty large factories, most of which pay at least some attention to landscaping next to the road.

It also includes a sizable water feature which I wouldn’t be surprised to hear had something to do with storm water management.

After getting sucked out of Lake Winnebago and run through a lot of modern treatment, the water ends up here.

There’s a little roadway behind the water tower that turns into a dead end after just a few yards.

I suppose you have to get heavy equipment and supplies inside to maintain these things.

The storm water of course ends up in Lake Winnebago.

Here’s a group launching a boat into Asylum Bay.

The public launch area includes this very old wavy boat house.

Looking back across the bay from Asylum Point.

They’ve removed most of the damaged bridge which went over to the island at the end of the point, but still have to deal with these pilings.

Between the ice shoves and offshore winds, it’s not uncommon for trees to fall into Lake Winnebago.

This looks pretty recent.

A boat with the kind of grid of lines that’s irresistible to a user of a camera with a rising front.

At least half of the Winnebago County Community Park is covered by wetlands.

There’s a disk golf course threaded between the marshes with the occasional boardwalk to cross between the fairways.

The south end of the park includes a long lagoon, home to families of geese at this time of year.

No matter how slowly and casually you approach, it’s hard not to look threatening to a goose when you’re carrying a tripod.

They shed a lot of feathers.

A small private campground is sandwiched between a ranch house development and the old landfill. It includes a recreational water feature.

Nice place to get the rustic rural Wisconsin experience.

A few farm fields still exist between the campground, the suburbs, a horse ranch and a few factories. On one side of the road were soybeans.

On the other, corn.

Back in the city, the North High School Nature Laboratory drains the water off the school parking lots.

The Manic Expression Cube has a .17mmm pinhole 24mm from a 24x24mm frame. The film is Lomography 100.

Manic expression on the road

Ready for some rollin’ pinholin’? I set off the next morning on my bike to continue my therapy.

I only got as far as Merrill School. This little tree on the playground that didn’t make it through the winter seemed to be an appropriate metaphor for the year.

Here’s a treat for double exposure fans. It’s rare that I do it, and even rarer when I admit to it. First Presbyterian over the Raulf Hotel.

A nice little illustration for a travel poster. I’d been trying to get a cloud reflected in these windows for a while.

The back of an elaborate Italianate fire station by ubiquitous Oshkosh architect William Waters.

The back entrance to The Brooklyn, recently closed for good. The last vestige of the original name of the district.

The camera had been mounted on the little Joby tripod attached to handlebars of my bike. For the next scene, I decided to use the full-size tripod. Trying to unscrew the Joby, I pulled the nut right out of the bottom of the camera. For the next two pictures the camera was just balanced on the top of the tripod without being attached.

The great white almost-windowless hulk of the north wall of the Miles Kimball building.

The back wall of the Miles Kimball building.

Ardy and Ed’s drive-in, which employs roller skating wait staff.  Hand held against my handlebars.

The brilliant white Wonder Bread bakery, recently ceasing operation lately as well. Also held against the handlebars.

Did you ever wonder where those military vehicles that showed up in your town last month came from? They’re made by Oshkosh Corp. At least 10 very large parking lots next to factories all over the city are full of them. Several large vacant properties around town are occupied by hundreds of them.

Known locally simply as “Truck,” this is their main plant. The world headquarters used to be here, but they threatened to leave and the city sold them half a golf course to build a new one.

Those two photographs were done with the camera held against a light post.

South Park Middle School, held against a tree.



A little further forward, with the camera on the shadowed table in the right foreground above.

These were all very short exposures. In order to keep from moving the camera during what would be a significant portion of the exposure, I held my finger against the shutter, opened it and then made the exposure by moving my finger away from the pinhole. I think I did this one with the camera held against my forehead.

And then I ran out of film.  It had taken me just over 24 hours to finish the roll. Toward the end I ruined a few frames and advanced farther than I should have a few times.

I feel much better now, but I still have the need, ya know? I have more film.

Manic Expression in the Garden

Working with color again was fun. However, I kept wondering if every shot I considered was the best photograph of the 21st century and worthy of the investment of a frame of 120 color film. There’s only one cure for that kind of thinking - Manic Expression.

I loaded the Manic Expression Cube with a “36 exposure” roll of Lomo 100 and tried to shoot it as fast as I could.

As luck would have it, this occurred during the mid-June flowering of a lot of perennials. It was also shortly after a rain fall, and quite still. So down the garden path again.



A basket on the bench just outside the porch door. The black petunias kind of disappear.

The daisies are just wild.

Elwood’s corner.  I should have turned him on for the picture.

Four years ago our former neighbors tore out the privet hedge, poured Roundup all over the ground and truncated the fence to just the corner of the house using a variety of agricultural fencing held together with baling wire. The new neighbors just had this much, much less ugly corner installed. Still would like to get a vine to grow on it though.

A mandevilla blossom holding still by leaning against the house.

This year’s papyrus, joined by a branch from one of the oak trees.

A progression of peony blossoms.

Rosebuds waiting in the wings.

A peony with a fern draped over its shoulders.

An exuberant peony.

Arugula, lettuce, parsley, onions and a strawberry that survived the winter.

Looking down a tomato cage.

A peony bud and some snow-on-the-mountain blossoms, a restricted invasive in Wisconsin.`



The weigela.

White peonies among the phlox.

A very watercolory white peony.

It rained again so I had to stop.

Spenser slept through it all.

And that’s only half the roll.  Time to hit the road.

The Manic Expression Cube has hand drilled .17mm pinhole.24mm from a 24x24mm frame.