When I married my husband, I inherited four children of varying ages. The oldest was 22 and the youngest was 13. Step-parenting is an interesting journey, and it definitely has its ups and downs, but I love my kids, which now also includes two sons-in-law, a permanent partner, and two grandsons. They are wild and wacky and very, very different from each other, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
Sorry for the very late posting for this challenge, but it’s been one of those weeks. In fact, I’m cheating just a little. This week’s challenge is for you to pick any photo you choose, just please tell us why you chose that photo. This photo is one I took this last summer up at our family cabin. One of our daughters loves For-Get-Me-Nots. I knew that they grew near the cabin, so I went in search and found these lovely blooms. Very small and delicate, but worth the hunt.
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO (OR TWO OR THREE) OF YOUR CHOOSING.
Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.
Here’s how it works:
So I seem to be stuck on a theme. Last week the challenge focused on endings. This week it is nostalgia. Memories are powerful things. And the way our brains store and retrieve memories means that they aren’t always exactly accurate. Since the invention and wide-spread use of photography, we are able to capture moments and memories in a way that could never have been dreamed of just 200 years ago. This photo is my mom’s lilacs. The house I grew up in had several lilac bushes. Light lavender, deep purple, white. So many colors lining the back wall of our home. When my parent’s moved, the new house didn’t have lilacs, and my mom missed them very much. When it came time for my folks to leave large houses and move into a condo, my mom insisted on a lilac bush. The community my parents moved to allows the residents a bit of autonomy when it comes to plants around their unit, so she got her wish. Every time I walk by lilacs, my mind is flooded with memories of my childhood home.
These words from a song the children at my church love to sing pretty much sums it up for me:
Whenever I hear the song of a bird
Or look at the blue, blue sky,
Whenever I feel the rain on my face
Or the wind as it rushes by,
Whenever I touch a velvet rose
Or walk by our lilac tree,
I’m glad that I live in this beautiful world
Heavenly Father created for me.
(My Heavenly Father Loves Me, words and music by Clara W. McMaster)
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) THAT SHOW ENDINGS OF ANY KIND.
Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.
Here’s how it works:
Life is full of beginnings and endings. Each experience has high points and low points. This month, we experienced quite the milestone. Our youngest child graduated from college. We are now truly empty-nesters. We are so excited to see what the future holds for our young man, but it will be strange to no longer have a reason to travel to Cedar City frequently or field calls about long-distance car repairs. As he moves on to the next chapter in his life, we will be looking about in a new way, too. No matter what the future brings, this one thing remains true: time moves more quickly than I like.
(This picture has all of our kids but one. Our oldest was wrangling our two adorable grandkids.)
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) THAT SHOW ENDINGS OF ANY KIND.
Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.
Here’s how it works:
I seem to fancy photos involving glass this time each year. Last week, my mother, sister, and I bottled what we call chow chow (also known as mustard pickles). I don’t know how it got the name chow chow, but that’s what my grandmother called it. I love the tangy taste of the mustard sauce on all of the other ingredients, which include cucumbers, pearl onions, and cauliflower. When I was a kid, I wondered why my mom and grandmother only used pints for bottling them. I don’t wonder anymore. Cutting up the veggies and pealing those tiny onions for 23 pints was enough to make me look crosseyed and vow to not do this again for another two years, but they sure look pretty through the glass of the jars.
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR THREE OR…) OF ITEMS VIEWED THROUGH GLASS OF ANY KIND.
Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography. Here’s how it works:
Yesterday, the United States of America celebrated the signing of the Declaration of Independence and our victory over Great Britain in the American Revolution. We like to celebrate July 4th with fireworks, grilling food, and family gatherings, but especially with fireworks. My husband and I also watched the musical 1776 as a reminder of why we celebrate and what people went through 242 years ago to create this country that we love so much. No matter where you live or what holidays your nation has, we all have celebrations.
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO SHOWING CELEBRATIONS.
Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.
Here’s how it works:
Our youngest daughter moved to Chicago a couple of years ago after graduating from college. While we miss having her and her husband close by, we love visiting them. I also love watching my husband interact with his children, especially now that they are adults building their own lives. Halie and Russell share a unique sense of humor and a love of performing (onstage and off). When they are together, you can feel their deep connection and love for each other. She took us to Wrigley Field just so we could get a picture of Russell to show off to his business partner who loves the Cubs but hasn’t been to Chicago.
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE PHOTOS THAT FEATURE FATHERS AND DAUGHTERS.
Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.
Here’s how it works:
I missed yesterday, so today you get days 6 and 7 together.
Here are the rules:
• Post a B & W photo for 7 days.
• 7 black and white photos of your life.
• No people.
• No explanation.
• Challenge someone new each day.
I would like to invite anyone who is interested in participating to do so.
Our lives are made up of moments. Some are very public and some are very private. As a professional photographer, I’m frequently invited to share very private moments with people, especially couples. At our niece’s wedding this weekend, I didn’t take pictures at the ceremony or reception, but the couple asked me to take pictures at the luncheon between the two big events. It was a lot of fun, and they are adorable together, how could I resist grabbing this tender moment as they took a minute to sit and just be together.
(P.S. I did this same challenge almost two years ago with a picture of the bride’s parents. Seems to be a theme with my sister and her family.)
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR THREE OR…) OF SWEET, TENDER, PERSONAL MOMENTS.
Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography. Here’s how it works:
In the northern hemisphere, we are moving nicely into the heat and freedom of summer. In Utah, there are so many places to go and natural wonders to see, that the summer highways and byways are teaming with eager tourists ready to snap photos and create lasting memories. There are also quieter times during the summer that stay with us for our lifetimes, like a family outing to the park, throwing around a frisbee, and eating picnic food from paper plates.
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO OF SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE SUMMER MEMORIES.
Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.
Here’s how it works:
1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
3. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.
nancy merrill photography 