I have a wonderful life. I love my husband. We have great kids. Most of our family lives close by, and we have good opprotunitues to visit those who don’t. We travel frequently to really cool places. We have our own business and live in the freest country in the world. Life is good.
I’m glad that I’ve had the chance to reflect on what I’m grateful for this November. Hopefully our gratitude isn’t limited to just one month each year.
May this holiday season fill your homes and hearts with love, thankfulness, and peace.
There has never been a time in my life that hasn’t included music. I grew up in a family of seven (including parents), and all of us played at least two instruments (including parents). My dad’s mother was a piano teacher. She taught me for 11 years, and she was my biggest supporter when I chose to study music in college. I play the piano, and violin. In college, I studied singing and choral conducting. I started teaching piano when I was 18, and I currently have 15 students who do two to three recitals a year. I met my husband because I was the music director for a show at a local community theater. The show we were doing was written by a friend who asked my younger sister and me to arrange the music. I have written a little original music, but I mostly do choir arrangements (makes sense, see previously mentioned college path). I love music. I don’t know what life would be like without music infusing pretty much every aspect of it.
I realized that I haven’t taken many non-travel photos lately, so I stepped out my front door and took this picture this morning.
I really like my neighborhood. We have great neighbors, the area is relatively quiet, and there is a wonderful park with a walking trail at the end of our street. The elementary school is just behind the church on the corner, and kids are usually out playing after school when the weather is good. During the holidays, people deliver neighbor Christmas gifts, and the youth take one evening a couple of weeks before Christmas to deliver Christmas cards for anyone (you do have to address your own cards) to anyone in the neighborhood. People out walking or driving wave to each other, and regardless of your religious status (or lack thereof), everyone is welcome to come to the big neighborhood block party every September at the local LDS Stake Center where the congregations (known as wards) in the Stake (six to eight LDS wards in an area) take turns providing the barbecue meal. It’s best when the Tongan ward is in charge and we get a luau!
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO (OR TWO OR THREE) OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.
Here’s how it works:
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.
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.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
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:
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.
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.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
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:
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.
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″ and “Photo a Week” tags.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
I love this image, not just because I think it turned out well, but because it shows the connection between Daddy, Mommy, and Baby. We’ve had a rash of babies and weddings amongst our friends and family lately, and all of these joyful activities got me thinking about what life really is all about. For me it’s family and close, personal relationships. For someone else, it might mean being close to nature, connecting with their environment, and leaving this planet a better place for the next generation. So for this week’s challenge, I want you to dig deep into your own psyche and show us what matters most to you. What mark do you want to leave when you leave this place we call earth?
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE PHOTOTS THAT REPRESENT THE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE YOU HOLD MOST DEAR.
Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.
Here’s how it works:
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.
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″ and “Photo a Week” tags.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
Whenever we come across a dead tree, my husband loves to take photos of it. I have to admit that I’ve come admire the stark beauty of dead and dying plant life (yes, I know that’s an oxymoron). It can add startling contrast in the midst of life. It can accentuate a bleak landscape. In a forest, it is also a sign of the cycle of life. As the old trees and plants die, they decay and enrich the ground so that new life can thrive.
IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO THAT INCLUDES DEAD OR DYING PLANTS.
Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.
Here’s how it works:
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.
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″ and “Photo a Week” tags.
Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
nancy merrill photography 