I have returned to an old habit—following the Capture Your 365 daily photo prompt challenge (#CY365), and pairing the photos with a few lines. I’m finding it’s really quite doable if I keep up with it.
So, without ado, here are some of this week’s captures:
Last Saturday’s prompt was WITH WORDS. Here is the photo and poem I cobbled together from the week’s words in my 2018 Word-A-Day calendar.

(Photo © 2018 by V. Nesdoly)
On New Year’s Day the BENTHOS froze
under our polar bared toes.
Our Christmas treats we now CONTEMN
against our hopes of getting slim
(though with bold APPETANCE they still beckon
our calories we’ve resolved to reckon).
PROCRUSTEAN as resolutions are
without them we won’t go as far
their value is at least HEURISTIC
and though our methods are simplistic
to fight holiday excess PIACULAR
our hopes still burn for the spectacular.
Sunday, January 7th the prompt was WHITE.
We met our newest grand-dog on Sunday. His name is Henry.

Henry (Photo © 2018 by V. Nesdoly)
Tuxedo Henry—
natty polka-dotted socks
fashion forward tail
Monday, January 8th’s prompt was SPLOTCHES (OF WHITE). This photo doesn’t really answer the prompt, but it had to be taken. (The next three photos are of my grandchildren.)

(Photo © 2018 by V. Nesdoly)
Little Santa girl
delivers the best gift—
herself
On Tuesday, the prompt was ODD ONE OUT.
Two moments made my photo day, and inspired a tiny poem:

(Photo © 2018 by V. Nesdoly)

(Photo © 2018 by V. Nesdoly)
Caught
in the act
of play
On Wednesday the word was MINIMAL.

Hooded Merganser (Photo © 2018 by V. Nesdoly)
Study in white, black,
brown, with amber eye
Hooded Merganser
And finally yesterday, Thursday, the challenge was to photograph EXQUISITE. Oh boy… it was a very unexquisite day here but I did escape the dull and dreary indoors for an even more dull, dreary, and damp out. And I found something exquisite!

Nandina also known as “Heavenly Bamboo” (Photo © 2018 by V. Nesdoly)
Leaves of flame, embers
of berry warm this soggy
January day
(I just had a great suggestion from Joy in the comments below about making the verse above more comfortable in its skin…. changing it to a rhyming couplet or a quatrain. I’m opting for the quatrain. Thanks, Joy!)
Here’s version 2:
Leaves of flame
embers of berry
warm this soggy
January
(All poems above © 2018 by Violet Nesdoly – All rights reserved)
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This post is linked to Poetry Friday. Our hostess today is Jan, who directs the poetry traffic at the Book Seed Studio (what a fabulous name for a blog!). Thanks Jan!
Tabatha
January 12, 2018 at 9:33 am
Adorable grandkids and granddog!
I like “embers of berry” — that’s a great shot.
Hooded mergansers are my favorite. I love the sound their wings make when they’re flying.
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Violet Nesdoly
January 12, 2018 at 8:12 pm
Thanks, Tabatha! I must say I can’t recall ever hearing the mergansers fly. I must notice next time!
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Violet Nesdoly
January 12, 2018 at 8:15 pm
Thanks, Tabatha! I must say I can’t remembering hearing the mergansers fly. I must notice next time!
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margaretsmn
January 12, 2018 at 3:50 pm
This is such a cool project. Loved seeing your images (especially the grandkids) and your accompanying poems. Such dedication to the daily writing. I’m writing a poem a day in my notebook, but only one was worthy of sharing this week.
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Violet Nesdoly
January 12, 2018 at 8:06 pm
Thanks, Margaret! It’s such a treat when the grandkids visit … I try not to be obnoxious with grandma pix so am glad you enjoyed them. Actually, the habits of taking a photo and writing daily deliver their own feelings of security and well-being.
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bookseedstudio
January 12, 2018 at 4:41 pm
Cuteness alert with the family photos! And I never ever was tempted to kiss a duck before this post. Appreciations for all that but also for words new-to-me, employed so cleverly in your poem.
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Violet Nesdoly
January 12, 2018 at 8:06 pm
Thanks Jan! “Tempted to kiss a duck” – you’re funny!
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Myra GB
January 12, 2018 at 7:48 pm
So much fun and lightheartedness in this post – those photos are gorgeous! 🙂
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Violet Nesdoly
January 12, 2018 at 8:08 pm
Aw thanks, Myra! One must do something to light up the long, dark, damp winter!
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joyacey
January 12, 2018 at 11:22 pm
Violet,
Sorry your verse isn’t a haiku–it is a rhyming quatrain, or a couplet.
Leaves of flame,
embers of berry
warm this soggy
January.
Or,
Leaves of flame, embers of berry
warm this soggy January.
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Violet N.
January 13, 2018 at 6:21 am
Thanks, Joy – I like that last suggestion as in changing this to a couplet or quatrain! I noticed the rhyme of “berry” and “January” so either of those forms would just acknowledge it straight out. These are definitely works in progress, so ideas for change are much appreciated.
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Linda Mitchell
January 13, 2018 at 3:01 am
Wow! You have taken quite a challenge. I love how you “keep up with it” as a practice. I think that your creativity muscle is very strong. That last poem with the flames and embers and berries was wonderful for a gray january day. You inspire me, Violet!
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Violet N.
January 13, 2018 at 6:22 am
Linda, you’re the one with the strong creative muscle. Your daily haiku-for-healing was part of my inspiration to take this up again.
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maryleehahn
January 13, 2018 at 7:52 am
Challenges galore! Way to keep up with it!!
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Violet Nesdoly
January 13, 2018 at 2:24 pm
Thanks, MaryLee. It’s actually easier to do it now than it was when I first started last spring… a good rut?
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lindabaie
January 13, 2018 at 9:14 am
Love the challenges and your accomplished response, Violet. Your grands are wonderful, including Henry, and the merganser picture, wow! It’s a superb ending, and what a nice surprise, that flaming bamboo. There’s much joy in your post today.Thank you!
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Violet Nesdoly
January 13, 2018 at 2:25 pm
Thank you very much, Linda. Glad you picked up on joy.
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Kay McGriff (@kaymcgriff)
January 13, 2018 at 1:29 pm
I love these photos and poem pairings. I’ve done similar challenges for shorter lengths of time (Advent and Lent), but not an entire year. I am trying to write a poem of some sort every day. Some days even get a photo.
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Violet Nesdoly
January 13, 2018 at 2:27 pm
Thanks, Kay. Good for you about the poem a day. I hope you share your collections with us.
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Jane the Raincity Librarian
January 13, 2018 at 3:31 pm
Wow, those are some fantastic words there, I’m going to dazzle everyone at my next family Scrabble night! 😀
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Violet N.
January 15, 2018 at 7:41 am
Yep, this little calendar digs up some pretty obscure words. “LIKE”!
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Heidi Mordhorst
January 14, 2018 at 9:23 am
Oh, you’ve been busy! A daily practice is a good thing, isn’t it? Love the heavenly bamboo words…
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Violet N.
January 15, 2018 at 7:43 am
Thanks, Heidi. My niece, who is quite the gardener and fills me in on plant names I don’t know made sure I was aware that this isn’t real bamboo plant… but heavenly nonetheless.
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Michelle Kogan Art, Illustration, & Writing
January 14, 2018 at 2:56 pm
Well I think your first poem was “spectacular” Violet, and I like the last one as a quatrain. Full week of word play, bravo!
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Violet N.
January 15, 2018 at 7:43 am
Thanks so much, Michelle!
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mbhmaine
January 15, 2018 at 4:29 am
Reading your post on this early frigid Monday morning was just what I needed to warm me up! I love Tuxedo Henry and the word “natty” is fabulous (as are others you put to good work today). Grandchildren photos are always welcome and your word choice in that final poem is wonderful–especially embers of berry. I admire your dedication to daily writing and look forward to reading more.
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Violet N.
January 15, 2018 at 7:44 am
Thanks, Molly! Glad this added a few degrees to your winter morning. Stay warm!
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Brenda Davis Harsham
January 15, 2018 at 2:04 pm
Love the new words, the well arranged haiku words and the glimpse of your family. Happy New Year!
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Keri Collins Lewis
January 16, 2018 at 10:17 am
Each poem is such a treat! The grandkids are ADORABLE! I loved the Hooded Merganser most, until the rewrite of the nandina poem, which sounds like something Hermione from Harry Potter would say as she cast a spell to dry their socks. 🙂
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caroline mwasigala
January 28, 2018 at 10:41 pm
spectacular
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