Photo a day collection - January 2023

Welcome to the first of 2023’s monthly Photo-a-Day collections. The prompts are set by the wonderful Chantelle who blogs as Fat Mum Slim. This has been a daily fixture of my Instagram feed (search for #FMSPAD) since January 1st 2017, so this is the start of my seventh year of doing it It has been a wonderful community to join in with and there are some very talented photographers and artists taking part in it. It has also helped my own photography to improve, and to also see the world in a slightly different way.

1st Jan – Hell0

The spine and pages of a book most cover a smiling face.

Hello, you’ve caught me reading again.

I have done this photo so many times, and really trying to find different ways gets difficult.

2nd – My word for 2023

A bearded man lies on the floor, looking relaxed. The word EASE is on his forehead in banagram tiles. All in black and white

For the last seven years I’ve taken part in December Reflections run by Susannah Conway. This year I started and felt that it was too much for me to do. Part of this process is choosing a word that sums up my aims for the year. This year it is EASE: I am looking for Ease because I’m confident… Ease because my mind is calm… Ease because I can relax and recuperate… Ease because I am comfortable in my body… Ease because I don’t have to be strict with myself… Ease because I am comfortable with me. (I’ll list the previous years at the end of this post.)

3rd Jan – Breakfast

Close up of a partially eaten grapefruit.

This was actually taken on Christmas day as it’s one of our family traditions to start the day with a grapefruit half. Much more picturesque than a bowl of muesli.

4th Jan – Something New

A calendar hangs on a wooden door, suspended by a bulldog clip. The image on the calendar is a toucan, and the word January can be seen.

A new year means a new calendar. Yes, I still have a physical calendar as well as an online one (which is the one that has all my actual dates in it). I just love the artwork on them. This is from Ben Rothery’s Hidden Planet shop.

5th Jan – No filter

A blue sky with clouds, is reflected in water, with a tree covered island on the horizon.

A beautiful blue sky reflecting on the water at the Walthamstow Wetlands needs no filter.

6th Jan – Out & About

A brick wall, with patterned bricks, has two security camera domes that look like a pair of googly eyes.

A felt like someone was watching me…

Googly eyes or a pair of security cameras…

7th Jan – AM

Close up of a white cup filled with black coffee, with bubbles around the edges

In the morning I drink coffee… but rarely in the afternoon as it keeps me awake for too long in the evening.

8th Jan – PM

Black and white image of a mug with a colour pop of a blue filter pot holding green leaves.

In the afternoon I drink herbal teas, in this case a lovely Lemon and Ginger infusion.

9th Jan – I enjoy…

A pain au chocolat, a paper cup of black coffee and a camera lens sit on a wooden table. None are fully visible.

I enjoy many things: drinking coffee, eating pastries (although my waistline is less happy) and taking photographs (preferrably of wildlife). A trip to the cafe at the Walthamstow Wetlands combines them all.

10th Jan – Currently reading

A hand holds a kindle against a dark background and a blue duvet.

Yes, I am reading … sshhh!

Oh, what am I reading? The first of the four Secret Novels that Brandon Sanderson somehow wrote during 2020, even though he was writing many other books. The title has now been revealed as Tress of the Emerald Sea, but the book is only on kindle (at the moment) and my version doesn’t have a nice cover…

11th Jan – Sun

a pale yellow sun obscured by clouds and twigs from a tree silhouetted against the sky

It’s winter here, so the sun isn’t always the clearest.

12th Jan – I went here

A view of the Passion facade of La Sagrada Familia, the view makes the columns look very wide and the towers short

Last year, I had the great joy of going to Barcelona and seeing La Sagrada Familiar. Still not finished, but worth going back to when it’s done.

13th Jan – Colour

Neon letters and bulbs spell out "Art is never finished only abandoned"

This wonderful piece of art can be found at God’s Own Junkyard in Walthamstow. And I was lucky enough for it to be chosen for both the Facebook and Instagram Fab Fours.

14th Jan – Inside my home

Pictures hang on a wall, a darker lower half leads up stairs to more of the corridor

The walls of my home are covered either in art or in bookcases… And this is the tidiest bit of it, which is why you get to see this bit.

15th Jan – Outside my home

A green leafy view of an overgrown garden that is very green

Outside my house is my beloved (sometimes neglected) garden, which is looking wonderful in the picture from last year.

16th Jan – A recommendation

I was travelling back from spending a few days with Ruth and Linda of MFR UK, so this was the view. And my recommendation is to take time to look out the window, to see the beauty in each day (when you can). This was the Lake District looking wonderfully wintery.

17th Jan – Kindness

A magnifying glass is held over a page in a dictionary. The word "kindness" is visible.

Oh, this is a tricky prompt. How to show kindness in a photo: grab the dictionary and a magnifying glass.

Delighted (and amazed) that this was chosen as one of the Fab Four.

18th Jan – Nice

Close up of a sweet pastry, icing and cinnamon filling are visible.

Another tricky prompt, but this cinnamon bun was very nice.

19th Jan – The view from here

A jetty sticks out into a lake, the blue sky, clouds and pale sun are reflected in the water.

One of my favourite views of the Walthamstow Wetlands, especially when the water is wonderfully reflective.

20th Jan – I am passionate about…

A bare tree is silhouetted against a blue sky with ribbons of clouds

Yet another difficult prompt. I am passionate about getting out in nature, enjoying it whilst leaving as few traces as possible.

21st Jan – Water

Two ducks on water, the nearer is scratching its beak.

Water and waterfowl at the Walthamstow Wetlands. This gadwall seemed to be enjoying a good scratch.

22nd Jan – Skyline

Night view of a courtyard with illuminated columns either side, two towers are lit red and pink and in the distand a city skyline

The skyline of Greenwich Old Naval College in the foreground, and the London Docklands in the distance. Taken as part of their Lunar New Year celebrations.

23rd Jan – Today’s weather

It was a very cold time, but with glorious sunshine. The frost was amazing to look at.

24th Jan – Something I love

A model of the moon hangs within a highly decorated room, visible through an arch. A mirror reflects this

I love the moon, art, history and seeing things differently. This was “The Museum of the Moon” at The Painted Hall, Old Naval College, Greenwich. It was stunning to see, especially with the reflection in the mirror that is available to look at the ceiling.

25th Jan – Food

A suet pudding, is split open to show the dark meat and gravy oozing out.

This was an amazing suet crust pie I had last year at the Cart’s Bog Inn. It was delicious! Very, very, very filling…

26th Jan – My day

A massage couch in a room with books, and plants

It was a work day, so my day was spent in this lovely space in Clerkenwell.

27th Jan – Something blue

A blue circle, divided by lines, surrounded by a white ring of a light fitting. There are six arches on each side

I still don’t enjoy food photography, but this toad-in-the-hole turned out well.

28th Jan – I am…

Black and white portrait, man with beard, head wrapped in a dark towel, rests his chin in his hand and looks directly out of the picture, a slight smile.

Ready for my close up. This prompt comes around quite frequently and I felt very silly and foolish, but had to get this out of my head.

Slightly embarrased that this was chosen as one of the Fab Four.

29th Jan – Lunch

Green leaves of a salad, sit on top of a pile of quinoia grains, next to some chicken slices and across the bottom of the picture are sticks of carrot

I remembered to take this when I had something interesting for lunch. Quinoa salad, piri piri chicken and carrots.

30th Jan – Fresh

Close up of segments of a satsuma, sitting on the peel

Fresh fruit is wonderful, and currently it’s satsuma/tangerine/clementine season. Wonderful

31st Jan – This improves my mood

A view across a stretch of blue water, in the foreground are brambles. On the far side is a pale brown reed bed, with a building with a tall chimney, electricity pylons are on the horizon.

Yes, it’s the Walthamstow Wetlands, and a visit to them generally lifts my mood. It certainly makes me feel better. Having a lovely bright day, lots of birds and sunshine is so wonderful. Catching sight of a bright blue streak of a kingfisher is always a delight (as are the antics of long tailed tits), and capturing a photo of a kingfisher makes my week/month/year.

Bonus photo

In the centre of the picture is a kingfisher bird sitting on a branch, The electric blue colour of its feathers are obvious.

One of my attempts at photographing a kingfisher at the Walthamstow Wetlands.

So that’s it for this month, I hope you enjoyed the photos. I was amazed and delighted to be chosen four times for the Fab Four selection.

There will be a constant (some might think endless) stream of photos on my Instagram feed, so if you can’t wait until next month then follow me there. There will be another summary of my photos next month.

Thanks for reading this, my lovely interonauts,

Tim

COMING UP IN 2023

SMFR Therapy online classes. Group classes are running every Wednesday between 5pm-6pm. More info here.

Online yoga classes. I am continuing my Tuesday morning zoom classes (9:30am-10:30am). More info here

In person yoga classes. These are back at Clerkenwell Chiropractic Clinic on Wednesdays at 1pm. Please contact the Clinic to book. But more info here

Previous year’s Words of the Year

After a year of POWER in 2017 that whisked me through so many amazing challenges and learning experience, but which left me exhausted, I needed the integration of WEAVE in 2018 that ultimately left me feeling flat. The FLOURISH of 2019 was a welcome change that allowed subtle growth. With hindsight the STRENGTH (supported with Inspire, Explore and Space) of 2020 was perfect for that challenging year, and so in 2021 I moved to CULTIVATE (with support from Nourish, Strength and Growth) for 2021, and that has gently helped me grow in a steady way.

The word for 2022 was COURAGE, with support from two previous words Strength, Cultivate and Nourish.

Photo a day collection – January 2023