Mae, left, and Wes Roe renew their vows for each other at their fiftieth wedding anniversary party at Church of Christ in Edmond, Okla. Saturday, June 28, 2009. The Roes were married fifty years ago on July 4 which is also both of their birthdays. By Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Ashley McKee finished up her summer internship at The Oklahoman and headed for home last Friday. Ashley, who came to Oklahoma for the first time this summer, lives in Montana. She did a great job working in the photo department this summer.

Ashley had a chance to cover a variety of assignments. She went to the International Finals Youth Rodeo, her first wheat harvest, the Red Earth Festival and the Woody Guthrie Festival just to name a few. Ashley’s enthusiasm for photojournalism was contagious. Thanks for your hard work, Ashley. And good luck with your career.

Here are a few of the highlights from her short, eight week stay with us.

Stetson Cravens of Eufaula, Okla. falls to the ground after being dragged by a bucking bronc during the bareback bronc at the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee, Okla. Thursday, July 16, 2009. By Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Joseph Marcotte, left, and his wife Bernice Marcotte, who is the great-grandmother of Allie Croom, watch Croom's funeral service through a window at the Hibb's Funeral Home in Choctaw, Oklahoma June 23, 2009. Croom's death is under investigation and her mom's boyfriend is accused of drowning her last Thursday. By Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Robert Girard signs for his interpreter in his home in Oklahoma City Monday, June 29, 2009. By Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Maria Hurdle, a Coyote girl, gets excited while serving drinks during the opening of Coyote Ugly in Oklahoma City Wednesday, June 24, 2009. By Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Bones howls in his cage at the Stillwater Humane Society in Stillwater, Okla. Wednesday, July 8, 2009. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton

Austin Vincent, of Des Moines, New Mexico, jumps on his steer in the steer wrestling event during the International Finals Youth Rodeo at the Shawnee Expo Center on Friday, July, 17, 2009, in Shawnee, Okla. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

We cover a lot of rodeos at The Oklahoman. The one that our photo staff looks forward to the most every year is the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee. The great thing about the IFYR is that most of the competition happens during the day.  Rodeo can make great pictures, however, most of the rodeos we photograph happen at night or in dark, dingy arenas.

The beautiful atmosphere of this rodeo really comes through in the sun. The daylight allows us to use higher shutter speeds to stop the action better as well. So, the IFYR is the best rodeo, for pictures at least, in Oklahoma.

Here are some photos and galleries of pictures from the competition.

July 13, 2009.

July 14, 2009.

July 15, 2009 in the evening.

July 16, 2009.

July 17, 2009.

July 18, 2009.

Cody Carlton of Mims, Florida, gets thrown off a horse during saddle bronc at the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee, Okla. Thursday, July 16, 2009. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Tyler Taylor, of Stephenville, Texas., kneels down to say a prayer before his go in the bull riding event during the second day of competition in the International Finals Youth Rodeo at the Shawnee Expo Center on Tuesday, July, 14, 2009, in Shawnee, Okla. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

Landon Parrish, from Kayenta, AZ, holds on the shoot rail as the bull he was trying to ride gets out of the gate early at the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee, Wednesday, July 15 , 2009. Photo By David McDaniel, The Oklahoman.

Cole Miller, Lahoma, Okla., wears a friend's hat while that cowboy competes in bull riding during an evening session of the International Finals Youth Rodeo at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center in Shawnee, Wednesday, July 15, 2009. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

Bullfighter Rob Gann gets rammed by a bull at the International Finals Youth Rodeo at the Shawnee Expo Center on Thursday, July, 16, 2009, in Shawnee, Okla. Photo by Sarah Phipps,The Oklahoman

Stetson Cravens of Eufaula, Okla., falls to the ground after being dragged by a bucking bronc during the bareback bronc at the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee, Okla. Thursday, July 16, 2009. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Taylor Hayes, of Bryan, Texas., tapes up his wrist as he prepares for his go in the bull riding event during the second day of competition in the International Finals Youth Rodeo at the Shawnee Expo Center on Tuesday, July, 14, 2009, in Shawnee, Okla. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

Cody Tyler White, of Choctaw, Okla., competes in bull riding during the final round of the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee, Okla., Saturday, July 18, 2009. By Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

-Nate Billings

Randy Crouch, right, tunes his guitar with fellow flute player and bandmate at his side at the Brick Street Cafe during Woody Fest in Okemah, Okla. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Woody Guthrie is a legend.  He influenced some of the most inspired singer-song writers to date including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and bands like The Band and the Rolling Stones.  It was an honor to travel to his birthplace to shoot a celebration just for him.  The festival itself was right my alley.  Bluegrass, rock, folk, blues, and country-western music and style surrounded my every move.  I met young and old alike who shared a common love for music and playing music.  I love going to a place or an event where it doesn’t matter how much you know or how good you are at something, but because you are there celebrating one person or thing, you are family.  It is that small town goodness we all forget about sometimes.

Virgil "Cowboy" Kalbaugh places his hand against a panel of the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall on the name of Brent Street, Sunday, July 5, 2009, in Piedmont. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

Here’s some interesting pictures from the staff over the last couple of days. Some of these were published in the paper and some were not.

Michael Roeder hits the water as he goes down on his wake skate run during the first day of the Air Nautique WWA National Championships on Wednesday, July 8, 2009, on the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City, Okla. by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

Oklahoma City's Steve Murphy (21) breaks his bat in the seventh inning during the minor league baseball game between the Omaha Royals and Oklahoma City RedHawks at the Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Monday, July 6, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Jacquelyn Renner, 9, places her nose against the chalkboard to experience older forms of student discipline during 1889 School Camp at the 1889 Territory School in Edmond, Okla. Tuesday, July 7, 2009. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton

Fans watch fireworks at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Saturday July 4, 2009, in Oklahoma City. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

The photographers of The Oklahoman were out in force to cover Independence Day. The weather shifted from nice to muggy and then rain in the evening. I’m glad we got the rain, but just wish it had happened either the day before or the day after. The RedHawks didn’t play their baseball game, but did have fireworks. Other fireworks shows were postponed. Here are some of the photos from the day.

To see a gallery from events around the metro area, click here.

For former President George W. Bush’s Independence Day visit to Woodward, click here.

A gallery of photos from Edmond’s LibertyFest parade is here.

And Bryan Terry did a cool time-lapse video from the LibertyFest parade that we highlighted in this blog entry.

Jesse Hardiman and Ava Welch, 1, walk during Bethany's Centennial Freedom Festival, Saturday, July 4, 2009, at Eldon Lyon Park in Bethany, Okla. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

Boy Scouts carry a huge American flag in the LibertyFest Parade in downtown Edmond, OK, Saturday, July 4, 2009. By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

Trent Nondorf, 4, left, and Ethan Nondorf, 2, wait for the start of the Quail Creek Fourth of July parade in Oklahoma City, Saturday, July 4, 2009. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Kristen Gregory sported a festive Fourth of July headband during LibertyFest at UCO campus in Edmond, Okla. Saturday, July 4, 2009. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Former President George W. Bush and wife, Laura, were given a warm reception when they arrived at Woodward's July 4th celebration and re-dedication of Crystal Beach Park. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

Lauren Atkins, 9, from Norman, eats free watermelon at the Norman Independence Day Celebration at Reaves Park in Norman, Okla., on Saturday, July 4, 2009. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman

Darren Ransley slides on the tarp during a rain delay of the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Omaha Royals at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark, Saturday July 4, 2009, in Oklahoma City. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

-Nate Billings

A girl dances in high heels during the opening of Coyote Ugly in Oklahoma City Wednesday, June 24, 2009. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Christina Clark, a bartender, smiles at a customer during the opening of Coyote Ugly in Oklahoma City Wednesday, June 24, 2009. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

- Ashley McKee

I knew traveling roughly 1600 miles to a different state would set forth new challenges for me as a photojournalist.  I’m in a different place- different climate, different weather, different terrain, different people and strangely, different animals.

A few weeks ago I traveled southwest Oklahoma with reporter Bryan Painter in search of wheat harvesters.  I’m lucky I enjoy the open road and cruising down highways because we decided to look for the harvesters the day after Oklahoma had some heavy rainfall.  Wheat harvesting is a very particular craft- the wheat needs to be dry and crackling like that popping noise one hears after pouring milk on their Rice Crispy cereal according to Brian.  The day we decided to go out, none of the farmers were risking harvesting their already lower than average wheat supply.  So we kept driving south.

As the day rolled along and the driving became more routine, we were almost to the border of Texas near the Red River in Olustee, Oklahoma before we found our farmers.  A father and his son were confident enough to begin harvesting around 5 p.m. when the wheat already had enough time to dry out during the long, hot day after the rain from the day before.

In Montana, where I am from, I have witnessed farming practices several times before, from small family garlic farms to large grass-fed cattle ranches, but I have never been in the heart of true agriculture country so I was excited to see such heavy, colossal columbine tractors rip through the fields.  After introducing ourselves to the farmers I decided to take my cameras to the end of the gated field and get a wide picture of the situation.  I had seen the shot coming in and wanted to get it before the sun sunk deeper into the horizon.

While setting up my video camera and taking a few shots I had in mind I saw Bryan making his way toward me.  Thinking he was coming to tell me to move so the tractors could start doing their job I quickly tried to shoot some video of the wheat slowly moving with the wind before the tractors took it all away.  Bryan had a different report to give me.  At first he asked me what kind of shoes I was wearing, which I found odd, but I just told him I was wearing my hiking boots because my editor warned me the landscape was going to be a wee bit different than city streets and carpeted floors.  Bryan looked relieved and preceded to tell me I was in a Rattlesnake-infested wheat field.  There are rattlesnakes in Montana, but it has never been anything to worry about when perusing in nature.  Bryan looked a little concerned, but I told him I would be just a few more minutes.  As adamant as I was about shooting wheat blowing in the wind, my mind started to vear to serpentine reptiles popping their chilling heads out of unseen holes in the ground and biting me with their venomous-filled fangs.  The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to get out of there.

I try not to let things like that ever get to me, but the more somethings wraps its eerie-self around my brain, the harder it is for me to concentrate on why I am there in the first place.  The last thing I want is to have to be sent to an Oklahoma City emergency room for a totally new set of adventures, and bills…

-Ashley McKee

Ashley McKee

Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman’s 2009 photo summer intern started this week. Ashley comes to us from The University of Montana in Missoula. Ashley went to her first assignment Friday, the reopening of the Rock Cafe in Stroud after its destructive fire last year. Here are a couple of her photos. Some were published on Saturday May 30 and more will run with the Food Dude’s column in the Life section this week. Look for more from Ashley as we get her up to speed and she finds some projects to work on.

The reopening of the Rock Cafe happened Friday, May 29, 2009, a year after the historic building burnt down. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

The reopening of the Rock Cafe happened Friday, May 29, 2009, a year after the historic building burnt down. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

-Doug Hoke, Dir. of Photography