Challenges of a New Year...

As if the new year isn't bringing enough challenges my way, 

I've decided to join 

Shutter Sisters 365  

and  

Weekly Postcard 52:2013 

with a few Flickr friends I met while participating in past challenges.

(Pssst... Are you on Flickr? Would you like to join us on Weekly Postcards?

Let me know and I'll send you an invitation!)

(Pssst #2...I just discovered my friend Jill at She Who Carries Camera is doing her own 52 photo challenge with word prompts she came up with. If you need ideas, check out her list HERE.)

I'm telling myself the challenges will help me pay closer attention to my photography and help me grow and learn...

...and I think it will.

But I also think it might just be escapism.

 

At any rate, here we are on Week 1/Day 2, and I'm not even behind yet!

Max times 2

52:1

365:1

Faded Beauty

365:2

And this is just an extra one from New Year's Eve...

My word for 2013 is FAITH.

Did a word choose you?

A Fence, Explored

I'm writing a book. 

Well, actually two books, just bouncing back and forth between them.

I'm trying to keep up with two blogs - one for my overflowing words, one for my overflowing photographs.

I'm trying to get three businesses off the ground... personal history, photography and jewelry.

Naturally, FlickR fell a few places in my priorities.

But I haven't let go. I don't post often, but I still love it. 

This week I posted the photo above... 

Today I found out it was chosen for Explore.

There are no monetary awards with Explore, but each time one of my photos is selected, I feel like I've won the lottery.

Thank you, Explore People!

(To understand why I feel so honored, click HERE to see some of the other photos that were selected on January 3rd!)

And as if that wasn't enough,
Hilary of The Smitten Image picked this as one of the

(Click on the image to see the other Posts of the Week selections.)

Thank you so much, Hilary!