Knowing I would not follow through on another 365 project, I decided to try for 52 weeks this year. I wanted a simple glimpse into each week, with photos from both my Nikon and my phone.
Percy takes his first steps as we all follow him on our hands and knees. One day we head down to see the eagles and come across beautiful herons. The Christmas lights are taken down, with adult supervision, and the sunsets over the lake are lovely.
I put together a few collage templates in Lightroom using the print module. Wanting to make this project as easy as possible I decided to go from Sunday to Saturday, making the first week a bit longer because of where January 1st fell.
The weather over the lake changes like my mood, although it’s darkness is beautiful while I struggle some to find the beauty in mine. There is lots of Percy time to help fade that darkness, some snuggles with Baker and dinners with the kids.
As I edit my photos throughout the week in Lightroom, I flag those that I might consider. I also have Lightroom on my phone, so when I open it up all my new phone photos sync right to my computer. This makes everything I need right there. Come Sunday morning I have everything I need to put the collage together quickly. I lightly edit and drop them into the template and export the photo to a folder on my desktop. Easy peasy, done!
I spend four days with Percy this week while his dad and grandpa work on the garage. I am tired at the end of each day, but full of love and gratitude for all the time we have together. I am scolded for allowing him to pick flowers when we walk, assuring his mother they are not out of people’s gardens but along the weeds in the grass. I get her point, but still! The cherry blossoms are out and the weather has been amazing.
We celebrate all the mothers of the world on Sunday, Katie gives Jordan a haircut and Lao comes over with Brandon and Courtney. Jordan makes great progress on the office/hobby room and is almost done and ready for the final inspection. We buy a car seat so we can bring Percy home with us on days we are helping out, where he spends a lot of time watering as the weather is so warm. I find Brandon’s old tie-dye stegosaurus shirt and take it over for Percy to wear.
I am super excited to start Joy’s mindfulness with photography class. So much to be grateful for.
I then upload the collage to my blog and to Flickr, where I keep it in a private album. In Flickr I make a few notes about my week. At the end of the year my plan is to take the collages, along with the notes and make a book.
The heat wave breaks and lovely summer weather returns. Baker basks in the coolness of the grass. Brandon and Courtney come for Monday dinner with the pugs. We stuff ourselves on shrimp and french fries done in the new air fryer. There is water play and fork mastery for Percy and beautiful evening light. I go to the foot doc, where he gives me a wedge in my shoe, which helps so much. I feel as if I am falling apart, going to the doctor all the time over the past few months. Also we go out for dinner, practicing the new normal.
These are not my best photos, but the most meaningful, the ones that document my week. Some weeks are fuller than others, making it hard to narrow down my choices. Other weeks there is no contest as to what I want, or need to remember. In preparing for this post and revisiting each week I can see how much this project has grown and how important it is to me.
Jordan makes us pizza on Sunday, and the first dahlias start to bloom, Percy and I walk the neighborhood and watch the big machinery. We head to the lake one morning to kayak and swim, it is glorious. We go back early Friday morning with the kids where Percy is a bit hesitant of the water, but loves the minnows in the water. The hummers are so active right now and come right up to us on the deck. Percy turns 18 months, and Baker gets some new toys!
Making it easy has been a lifesaver for me, and so far I have not fallen behind!
The week is full of Percy and dog watching, as the kids all head off for summer fun. I turn 67 and Percy comes for a sleep over! Come morning I bring him into bed with us where he snuggles a bit, before saying, eat, eat, eat. I make him cinnamon toast to go with his soy yogurt with chia seeds and peanut butter. There are birthday kisses and vegan ice cream later. I also get my hair cut short and am happy to find a familiar face in the mirror. We discover Percy loves the sprinkler and introduce him to Brandon and Courtney’s chickens. Some days my heart overflows with pain for the world and so much love for my blessed life.
It is a crazy thing to balance out.
What kind of projects are you working on?
xoxo, Cathy
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Wonderful! After 12 (or is it 13? I forget now) years of Project 365 I too decided to make it easier on myself this time and just focus on taking pictures through the week. I abandoned many of my previous self imposed rules, and find I am much happier.
Your images are beautiful as always, and that grandson of yours is too cute!
Lisa, I just popped over to take a look! What a wonderful blog you have, and such a beautiful project. For me those tiny snippets of life are magical, and need to be rounded up in some way or form. Thank you for sharing.
There’s so much to love in this post! Family and everyday moments. Projects. Color palettes and collages. And the goal of a photo book! Cathy, this is post is full of inspiration and practical advice on how to tackle what at first seems like an overwhelming project. This is meaningful work!
Donna, thank you so much! I find I look forward to looking at the roundup of each week, sitting with it for a bit, and finding so much gratitude.
Cathy, thank you sharing your weeks with us. I have been so low lately and your photographs brought a smile to my face. I don’t have any projects going at the moment; perhaps it is time to begin again.
Grace, it is so hard at times to stay positive, to find some hope. I have found this project to bring to the forefront all that I have to be grateful for. I hope you find one that fills you up.
so much love for this, Cathy.
and for you. xo
Thanks so much, Michelle. It has proven to be a very fun project.
He’s getting so big now!
And I love how you document all the things with such love.
xox
Kirstin, he seems to grow overnight!
Kirstin, thank you, and he seems to grow overnight!
Cathy, this is lovely and so well organized. I do a photo book for each year plus I often do something extra some years — it may be a gift for family or sometimes it’s a compilation of some of my favourite ‘good’ photos. But I’m not at all as well organized as you. I love that you’re doing these weekly and even making notes at the time. It makes so much sense. I spend so much time each year narrowing down photos that will be included in the ‘yearbook’. I need to take a page from you and organize as I go. Oh and I so agree with you about making these books of our year, that they aren’t always the best photos but they are the meaningful ones. Thank you for sharing this.
so very sweet! love him 🙂
Also, I’m in awe of your cataloging skills!
<3