This week I have to say I wasn’t as productive as I’d intended to be. I kind of overdid it on my exercising this week it took two days for me to recover from that. I can see that I really do have a long ways to go if I’m going to make that triathlon in July. :)

On the posting front, I did make a post here every day except Friday because that was my first day feeling energetic enough to get some writing done, and so spent the day putting together the most recent issue of The Acorn Stash Newsletter. I still have to create the cover for it, and post the table of contents over on the blog, but the issue itself is ready for download.

This week’s photo posts included:

Scenes From the Path
Raindrops on Maples
Around the Lift Lock
My Afternoon Stroll
Sunday Sunset
and Sittin’ on the Dock

I also posted three new wallpapers with quotes on happiness. My favourite of the bunch is this one:

Happiness is like jam. You can’t spread even a little without getting some on yourself. ~ Anonymous

I’m thinking this week that I might add a few new ones without any quotes that are based on my own photos. What do you think?

And that’s unfortunately about all I got done. From the list I posted last Sunday I still have to set up a blog for the fitness stuff, and get started on the weekly Squidoo lenses. Those two tasks will head the list for the coming week, along with the usual photo posts and articles. I’m planning on heading out of town for at least one day this week to do some “country” photos. I’ve seen a few amazing shots of fence lines and snowy fields in my blog travels this week that have inspired to me to go out and capture something other than water and park paths.

Here’s to another amazing week. What do you plan to get done this week?

Now that the first week of the year is officially over, it’s time to reflect a bit on how it went and what that portends for the rest of the year. I wrote out a lot of goals and plans before the year started, and as usual, I’m off to a slower start that I wanted. But I’m not at a complete standstill, so there’s still hope for me! :)

I’ve fallen in love with doing photography stuff… almost to the point where I have to remind myself that I’m a writer first and foremost. So this week my focus was more on writing than it was on pictures. I missed two days of posting, and where once I would have stressed over it and tried to double up another day, I just let it go knowing that there are lots of days left to do more than one post if it’s warranted. Today is shaping up to be one of those days. :)

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new online this week:

On HelenaRitchie.com

Photo posts:

Rails and Trails
It’s Monday
Going With the Flow – where I also talk a bit about how one of my major goals this year is to live more in the flow instead of trying to structure each and every moment.
Urban Sunrise

More wordy posts:

Thank You post for December Commenters

On TheAcornStash.com

A new article – When Not Making a New Year’s Resolution Can Be a Good Thing

A new announcement about the Self Improvement Giveaway that I’m participating in. I’m giving away a free report on self-sabotage and how to overcome it. The giveaway is going on until the 19th of this month and you can check it out here if you’re interested: Self Improvement Giveaway (that’s an affiliate link)

A new free wallpaper you can download – This one includes a quote from Abraham Lincoln on success. (not my photo)

I also started up a new tips-style newsletter that sends out a short email every few days with success tips, quotes, and free stuff like wallpapers and reports.

On the health front, another of my major goals this year is to get healthy and compete in a sprint-distance triathlon this summer. When I told my doctor this, he actually laughed at me. So where I was mildly determined to do it before, I’m super-determined to get there this year and not only compete but finish in the top 10 for my age group. And of course, I’ll be blogging about the whole experience.

And that’s my week that was. :)

On the horizon for the upcoming week are a new full issue of The Acorn Stash on the 15th, a new blog for my fitness exploits, and of course more photo posts here, and more articles. I’m also taking part in Tiffany Dow’s challenge to build a squidoo lens a week for 52 weeks. I’m a week late starting but I’ll catch up somewhere along the line. :)

Have an awesome week! And may you accomplish everything you set out to do this week. :)

As you can no doubt tell, my personal space here has pretty much morphed into a photo blog. Over the past few weeks I’ve discovered that while I’ve always loved taking pictures, I was a little hesitant to share them. But thanks to the support of the photo blogging community, I’m coming to realize that I do have the ability to take some pretty decent pictures and am having loads of fun sharing what I come up with each week.

There are tons of great photo memes around to contribute to and share in and I’m really proud of myself that I haven’t missed a day yet! Until today, that is. Because the color for today at True Colors is cranberry, and the theme for the Thursday Challenge is toys, neither of which I have much of in my house, or in my archives to share. :)

Instead, I’ve put together a list of the twenty-nine weekly memes I’ve found so far. And I’m sure there are more, so if you know of one I’ve missed please feel free to leave a link in the comments.

Are ya ready? The rules for playing along are pretty simple.
Post your photos on your blog along with a badge or a link back to the host, and then go to the host blog and leave a direct link to your post. Then visit other participants and check out their submissions, and leave comments. You can even go one step further and social bookmark, stumble, tweet or facebook your favorites. Some memes do have a few extra rules, so be sure to read them before you post your links. :)

Most of the themes are pretty self-explanatory, but I’ve added the descriptions here for clarity’s sake.

Monday

Macro Monday – Macro Monday is easy to play, snap a macro (or any close-up) photo, and post it on your blog.

Mellow Yellow Monday – Every Monday post a photo with a little or a lot of yellow.

Blue Monday – Post about something blue on your blog. It can be pretty, ugly, funny, old, or new as long as it’s blue.

Mosaic Monday – Create a mosaic out of photos you have taken, and post it!

Tuesday

Ruby Tuesday – On Tuesdays (or Wednesdays, or Thursdays…) you can post any photo you like (it must be one of your own) that contains the color RED.

My World Tuesday – This is the place where you show others the area around you and become our Tourist Guide!

Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday – The one that started it all (I think). You can play every day here, but I’ve put it under Wednesday because of the name.

Remember Whensday – Remember Whensday is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing your “old” photographs and memories.

Watery Wednesday – This is one of my favorites since I’m totally addicted to taking water shots. :)

Window Views … and doors too! – Post photos that you have taken of windows and doors.

ABC Wednesday – Not strictly a photo meme, but you can submit photos, artwork, poetry, or prose related to the letter of the week. I am in awe of the creativity of the people who participate in this each week. The posts are absolutely amazing!

Outdoor Wednesday – Another one of my favorites since nearly all my photos are taken outdoors.

White Wednesday – Post a photo with a little or a lot of white.

Thursday

Thursday Challenge – Thursday Challenge is a place for photographic fun and learning. A theme is announced on this site each week. You may either take a new photograph related in some way to the theme or select one that you have taken previously

Think Green Thursday – This is not limited to photos, nor is it limited to the color green. In the words of the hosts, “This is not so much a color-based meme but one where people focus on the concept of environmental awareness, renewable energy and protecting natural spaces, animals and their habitats.”

Motion Thursday – Take a picture of something in motion, and share it with the rest of us!

True Colors Thursday – To join True Colours Thursday, all you need, is to post a photo/photographs & text, or better still both, on the specified colour of the week. The colors are already set for the coming weeks, so you can plan ahead and keep an eye out for things to photograph!

Sepia Scenes – Post a photo that you have taken — it can be anything you like as long as it’s done in sepia (either directly or by editing).

Friday

Skywatch Friday – Post your favorite photos of the sky that you have taken. There are some extra rules here too, so be sure to read before you post.

Photostory Friday – Post photo(s) that YOU took and simply tell the story behind it. Explain why you pressed the shutter button, what memory it invokes, what we don’t know, why you love it or why you don’t.

Weekend Reflections – Post a photo that contains a reflection. You can get pretty creative with this one. :)

Color Carnival – The rules are simple for this one – just post a very colorful photo on your blog (one you have taken yourself of course!)

Saturday

Pink Saturday – Just post something pink – it can be anything – something pretty, something funny, something old, something new – just not something blue.

Camera Critters – Share photos of your pets, other animals, insects or critters that you have taken.

Monochrome Weekend – If monochrome photography is your thing, this is the meme for you.

Sunday

Straight Out of the Camera Sunday – On any Sunday you can post any photo you like (it must be one of your own) that hasn’t been tweaked or altered in any way (cropping is OK). In other words Straight Out Of the Camera.

Scenic Sunday – Scenic Sunday is a photo meme of the scenery. It can be landscapes, buildings, flowers, or anything you feel it’s a scenery photo.

Today’s Flowers – Post one flower picture of your choice, or as many as you want.

Shadow Shot Sunday – Post a picture of a shadow. Please be sure to read the rules before you join in. :)

So there you have it… twenty-nine places to share your love of photography with the rest of us. The great thing about these memes is that you don’t have to be a professional photographer to share. In fact, I took all the photos in this post with my little point and shoot Pentax. The participants are wonderful, and I can honestly say that in all my years of blogging I’ve never had as much fun as I have had so far this month.

Have a great day!