A Photo a Week Challenge: OFF CENTER

Posted on February 26, 2021 by johnvic8

A standard recommendation to create interesting photographs is to move the center of attention off center. It’s not just an oxymoron, but good advice. This week’s challenge from Nancy Merrill Photography is to share a photo with OFF CENTER as its focus. As I looked through my files, I was surprised to find so few photos that met her criteria. That’s a good lesson for the future.

This country farmhouse in New York is my first example:

A second offering is a photo of one of my favorites azaleas: ‘Gwenda’. It has the unusual habit of creating an occasional splash of complementary color…on the same plant.

Please visit Nancy at https://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2021/02/22/a-photo-a-week-challenge-off-center-2/. She and others will be sharing their compositions with us.

Posted in Gardening, Nature, Photo Challenge, Things I See Around Town, Weekly Photo Challenge | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

A Photo A Week Challenge: SOMETHING NEW

Posted on February 15, 2021 by johnvic8

SOMETHING NEW is the challenge this week from Nancy Merrill.

I captured this photo of a new arrival to my garden…this tiny bunny…just a few inches long. I was not particularly happy to see yet another rabbit preparing to take advantage of the tasty treats I had planted. But, I guess one just has to focus on how cute this wee critter really is. I wish I had found one like this when my grandkids were little. They would have loved it.

Visit Nancy at https://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2021/02/15/a-photo-a-week-challenge-something-new-3/ to her response this week.

Posted in Nature, Photo Challenge, Things I See Around Town, Weekly Photo Challenge | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

A Photo a Week Challenge: MOTION

Posted on February 9, 2021 by johnvic8

How to capture MOTION in a still photograph is this week’s challenge from Nancy Merrill Photography.

Almost everywhere in this world of ours one thing that is most likely in motion is water…water in rivers, steams, waterfalls, and our oceans.

Here are two examples of water in motion, one in a peaceful North Carolina mountain stream and one in a thundering Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls

Visit Nancy at https://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2021/02/08/a-photo-a-week-challenge-motion-2/ see her interpretation this week.

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An Anniversary: #7

Posted on January 31, 2021 by johnvic8

At the end of January 2014, I started A Walk in the Garden. I hoped to share some observations about one of the loves of my life–gardening–and to attract attention to the two books I published over that period.

Photography of my garden and “Things I See around Town” also worked its way into the blog, and I’ve enjoyed responding to photo challenges from photographers around the world. 

With almost 640 posts, A Walk in the Garden has reached readers in over 140 nations. I am blessed by a number of followers, many of whom have become “blogofriends,” whose blogs and comments have enriched my life. Some have even bought my books and made reassuring comments about them. 

It has been fun to combine gardening and photography. This is a favorite, Itoh peony Bartzella. This is the meaning of the phrase “breathtakingly beautiful.”



My Arranger and I have moved into a fine retirement community, and I no longer have a garden to enjoy. Age has taken its toll. But I can look to others and continue to build the garden of my dreams…in my dreams. 

Thanks to so many of you for your faithfulness in following me for all these years. I look forward to repeating this sentiment in another seven years.

Posted in Gardening, Photo Challenge, Things I See Around Town, Weekly Photo Challenge | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

A Photo a Week Challenge: Tasty Treat

Posted on January 28, 2021 by johnvic8

Nancy Merrill Photography challenges us bloggers to share a photograph based on her theme of the week. This week’s subject is TASTY TREAT.

This is getting close to home—for chocolate lovers wherever you may be.

Visit Nancy at https://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2021/01/28/a-photo-a-week-challenge-tasty-treat/ to see her selection and that of others who are sharing in the challenge.

Posted in Photo Challenge, Things I See Around Town, Weekly Photo Challenge | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

A Photo a Week Challenge: Something Pretty

Posted on January 17, 2021 by johnvic8

This week’s photo challenge from Nancy Merrill Photography is SOMETHING PRETTY. I had lots of choices among my wife, daughters and granddaughters, but I couldn’t decide on one without hurting feelings of the others. So I looked at sunsets, art works, and flowers. I figured the flowers wouldn’t be so sensitive, so here we are.

Daylily Barbara MItchell

There were many choices, but this was one of my favorites.

Visit Nancy at https://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2021/01/14/a-photo-a-week-challenge-something-pretty/ to see her offering this week.

Posted in Gardening, Photo Challenge, Things I See Around Town, Weekly Photo Challenge | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

My Hope for 2021

Posted on January 1, 2021 by johnvic8

A special prayer for all of you out there in the blogosphere:

May 2021 be a year of PEACE

Happy New Year!

Posted in Holidays | Tagged , | 6 Comments

A Photo a Week Challenge: Abandoned

Posted on December 31, 2020 by johnvic8

Nancy Merrill gets the New Year off (or the old year out) with this week’s photo challenge: ABANDONED.

I found this fellow alone on a park bench in the Atlanta Botanical Garden, his face leaning on his hand, downtrodden. If anyone has ever felt abandoned in this life, I suspect you can sympathise with this poor fellow.

Did the bus leave with the rest of the touring party?

Did his wife get lost in the gift shop?

Did the battery on his cell phone run out?

Was he abandoned by his group for not wearing a mask?

Who knows? It’s 2020 and anything could have happened.

Visit Nancy at https://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2020/12/31/a-photo-a-week-challenge-abandoned/ to see her photo this week. Other fine photographers sharing their best interpretation will surely follow it.

Posted in Photo Challenge, Things I See Around Town, Weekly Photo Challenge | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

A Photo a Week Challenge: CHRISTMAS

Posted on December 21, 2020 by johnvic8

Nancy Merrill’s photo challenge this week is appropriately: CHRISTMAS.

I think back over Christmases past, and the memories always involve family…and food.

Spider men

Please visit Nancy’s site at https://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2020/12/19/a-photo-a-week-challenge-christmas/ to see her offerings and those sharing during this special week.

My Arranger and I wish all our readers a Blessed Christmas and a return to a safe and open life in 2021…with peace and happiness.

Posted in Holidays, Photo Challenge, Things I See Around Town, Weekly Photo Challenge | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

A Photo a Week Challenge: CRACKED

Posted on December 6, 2020 by johnvic8

This week’s photo challenge from Nancy Merrill Photography is CRACKED.

When I built these terrace walls with Pennsylvania field stone in my North Carolina garden, I created openings as I placed stone on stone. I planted low growing ground covers in the openings to “fill in the cracks.” The results were delightful, especially during bloom time.

Visit Nancy Merrill at https://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2020/12/03/a-photo-a-week-challenge-cracked/ to see her tasty and savory example of something with a crack in it.

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