Nancy Merrill’s Photo Challenge: Something Pretty
Photos taken June 26, 2020
Sunday Snaps: Pink Clouds
Category: Weekly Photo Challenge
Vivian’s View From Here: Joie de Viv*
Hey, bloggers and cat lovers!
Vivian K. Perry here today with a quick guest blog
for your viewing pleasure.
Most of you know how much I love to explore the outdoors at every opportunity. In the chill of January, though, I don’t stay out long. My little paws get oh-so-frozen, and before you can say “where’s Viv” I’m back meowing at the door for my staff to let me in. 
As much as I adore a warm lap, a much-loved pastime for me during the winter is cuddling up with a cozy throw blanket. 
I’m a pro when it comes to finding comfy spots.
But paws down, this fluffy white blanket is my favourite.
Where does the blanket end and I begin?
*All photos from our Instagram account. You’re invited to follow. š
Cityscape: the Big Apple*
In June of 2002, husband Paul and I took a trip by car to New York City. We were attending my cousin’s wedding in Nova Scotia that month, so we settled on a plan to extend our vacation afterwards and to take in some of Maine and Massachusetts on our way to the Big Apple.
With our plan already in place when 9/11 happened, we thought about cancelling the U.S. leg of the trip, but ultimately decided to go anyway. No trouble to notice the absence of the Twin Towers in the photo above, as well as the absence of the new Freedom Tower.
I will never forget our visit to Ground Zero.
In retrospect, I’m glad we didn’t cancel. It was a memorable experience all around.
*Photo Challenge: Cityscape by Nancy Merrill Photography
Vivian’s View From Here: October Bliss
Greetings, peeps and pets!
Vivian here, covering for Jennifer today while she rests her back from berry-picking this weekend. She loves this time of year when the partridgeberries are ripe, and when they grow on your own land, it is oh-so-convenient to pick them to your heart’s content.
But what does October mean to me? Sure, I like roaming around the bushes on the point, helping to gather berries—although Jennifer says all I basically do is get in the way with my head bunts and demand to be petted—and I enjoy the fact that when I go outside I don’t have to sit in the shade to keep cool anymore.
But what I dearly love to do in our garden is roll around in my happy place: a mysterious patch of something that grows among the grass, moss and lichen in one particular spot. It seems to have the same heady effect on me as catnip!
Check out Maisie and me below, enjoying our special spot. She blends in better than I do! This pic was taken a few years back. We can’t help but think of my sister fondly whenever I go out there.
I still miss Maisie,
but when the sun is shining,
the wind is light, and my peeps
are out and about with me,
I’m in a state of bliss.
October bliss!
“In the entire circle of the year there are no days
so delightful as those of a fine October.”
~ Alexander Smith
Photo Challenge: October
Up Close and Personal*
Happy Sunday, everyone!
For today’s photo challenge, here are a few close-ups from my media files. The theme I have chosen is nature.
āLook deep into nature,
and then you will understand everything better.ā
~ Albert Einstein
“Study nature, love nature,
stay close to nature.
It will never fail you.”
~ Frank Lloyd Wright
*This is my contribution to A Photo a Week Challenge: Up Close and Personal by Nancy Merrill Photography
Further Reading: Guest Post: How to Use Nature to Connect with Your Grandkids
Interested in sharing one of your original articles as a guest? Feel free to submit your ideas toĀ jennifer@jenniferkellandperry.com. Preference is given to topics relevant to my blog, such as books, writing, nature, photography, travel, children and pets. ā JKP
Sunday Snap: Focus
Pic and a Word Challenge: Depth of Field
While my latest book is on submission, I’ve recently shifted my focus to photography (see what I did there? š ). I’m starting an online course this week to study what my Canon camera can actually do beyond my usual point and click.
What is Depth of Field?
“Depth of field is the distance between the closest and farthest objects in a photo that appears acceptably sharp. Now your camera can only focus sharply at one point. But the transition from sharp to un-sharp is gradual, and the term āacceptably sharpā is a loose one! Without getting too technical, how you will be viewing the image, and at what size you will be looking at it are factors that contribute to how acceptably sharp an image is.”Ā ~Ā photographylife.com
My humble contribution: I captured the above photo when my daughter and her family came to visit. My grandson took a shine to this gorgeous little caterpillar we found near Cape Freels beach.
Speaking of online courses, Iāve also signed up for a certificate course through the University of Alberta called Indigenous Canada, which includes 12 lessons that explore Indigenous histories and contemporary issues from an Indigenous perspective. The course is also accessible outside of Canada. For more info, click here.
Never curb your lifelong desire to learn, my friends. Focus on something new, to you! š
Sunday Snaps: Hope*
If ever there was a time to have patience, we’re living it right now.
While we each strive to do our part in what is expected of us during this pandemic, I hold onto hope.
I hope the global outbreak will become a distant memory sooner rather than later.
I hope common sense and cooler heads prevail. In many ways, the outcome is up to us.
I hope, above all, we remember to preserve the most precious part of our humanity: our kindness and compassion for one another.
Ā Embrace hope
ā¤ and stay healthy, everyone. ā¤
Tree in Autumn*
On the cusp of her dark autumn
November gathers and descends
once bright in October’s glow
her fallen raiment of gold
now flies upon the wind.
Stiff limbs scrape the starless sky
mute shadows fill her spaces
so no one sees the cracks
wrought by her many seasons
of frost and limp regret.
Ā©J.K. Perry
***
*Photo taken November 14, 2019 in Grand Falls-Windsor
Nighttime and Here I Stand:
2 titles in #2019picoftheweek challenge. For details see MariaAntonia
Rise and Shine
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” ~ Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor and Philosopher
Thanks for the wake-up call, Vivian. Ā But first let me wipe the sleep – and the cat hair – from my eyes!
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Ā View from the Side
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Ā Cute Factor
Good as Gold
Well, hello, Spring! I’m so happy you’re finally here!
Thanks to you, the temps are up, the days are longer, and the snow has nearly disappearedĀ Ā from Perry’s Point.
That said, I don’t have any pretty daffodils to show off or anything else outside that screams of spring, so I thought I’d bring you inside for a little pop of colour.
Hey, faux flowers with real branches are better than nothing, and they complement my little pair of golden figurines.
These two vintage figurines used to look too dated, so I painted them with gold paint.
I love their updated look. Now they come out every spring to brighten up our kitchen/dining room.
No surprise to find cat figurines around this house. Someday I might show them all to you!
This is my contribution to theĀ 2019 Photo Challenge by Maria at ofmariaantonia.
I covered two: Good as Gold and Pop of Colour.
