I rather shy away from the word ‘resolution’ at New Year and to be honest at any time of year. Being resolved is about as fixed for me as a butterfly on a flower. Knowing this tendency whilst aiming to be committed to the practice of Qi gong (which I’ve studied for years, with gaps!) I’m collecting YT links to teaching forms and recording my own days of practice with a pic quote @ my latest blog: Qi~ways.
Resolution is thus more of a gentle nudge in a positive or desirable direction rather than the crack of a whip. I also seek freshness over familiarity, and to that end propose ringing some changes to this blog’s posts.
Poetry: To advance our writings, we must of necessity follow in the footsteps of those with bigger shoes, just as we learn dance steps by standing on the feet of a pro. It’s an enormous task reading through the vast store of published poems and literature so I plan to continue more Sunday Sayings and also venture into Patchwork Poetry, which enables more focused reading in order to write:
A patchwork poem is a form of ‘Found’ poetry made of lines taken from different sources,[poetry or prose] and when assembled together they create an entirely new poem.
Word Wool
Photography: By definition, my photography already has a spark of novelty for 2023 in that I’ve just purchased the Ricoh GRiii. A premium compact camera with its fixed 18.5mm f/2.8 lens(28mm in 35mm terms) which will necessitate getting used to shooting at this focal length as well as figuring out all the controls. Thus I resolve to read the manual!!
I opted for this Ricoh as its gives me back the walkabout snap options being good for street photography, holidays shots but it also copes well with landscapes, cropping, and macros on the zoom function. Although too wide-angled for standard portraits, it does fit the ‘environmental portrait’ as shown in the top monochrome image of ‘Jim’, my son’s collie mix, smiling for the camera!
Other than that, my goal is to restore my Lumix G6 LCD screen and maybe find a themed project to focus on but certainly I should filter out more photo duds and display less but best.
Prose: I hardly write any prose but intend to do more in 2023. Nothing on a large scale but I’ve been inspired by Teju Cole’s “Blind Spot”. Both photographer and writer, Cole places text alongside a snap from his travels but it is a far cry from the literal and rhetorical ekphrastic exercise of putting images into words. Rather Cole’s words are much more tangential:
Instead, Cole’s squib-sized texts are more like meditations, often lacking a direct relation to the photos. In the space between each image and its paired text, much is implied
Blind Spot by Teju Cole review – a writer’s photographs
Gardening: And over at my gardening blog, 2023 will be the year I actually begin to plant the Japanesque Garden, after 18 months of planning, constructing and designing, as well as much clearing, heaving and digging.
Wishing all my readers a fresh and healthy 2023
PoetryPix 
Patchwork poetry sounds insteresting! Also cute pic of Jim.
I wish you fun in all your 2023 endeavours and look forward to seeing your pics and reading about your gardening process.
Its fun to sew others’ words together – and be inspired at the same time. Jim was in his element but was instructed to sit for longer than he’d have liked!
many thanks Kiki – if it would stop raining here for just one day I might get out with camera soon
Sounds like a full year….wishing you all the best in 2023!
sending you good wishes too for 2023 Donna – and wondering how your writing/publishing is coming along. Also you mentioned a new blog?
Well the publisher has been delayed with projects she didn’t anticipate would take so long so looking more toward spring we hope….will be filling the well so to speak and writing a bit as I hope to get ready for a new writing project. Not sure what it will be yet. I decided to keep Gardens Eye View and revamp it from just gardening to more about life, me and my writings instead of a new blog entirely at this point. In the next few years I will decide if I want to move to a new blog.
exciting times then still ahead Donna 🙂 glad you are keeping GEV
Sounds like lots of good things ahead and I shall continue to enjoy your poems and pictures and garden.
Jude – that is so encouraging – many thanks and wishing you all good things for 2023
All good goals. I look forward especially to the Teju Cole-like photowriting. (K)
I certainly want to give it a try as and when – happy 2023 K!
A good 2023 to you as well!
All wonderful and intriguing plans! My first camera was a Ricoh 35mm film (no idea what model). It took me through my first two years of photography classes at university. May your 2023 bear much fruit.
thank you Charley – I wish I’d begun with film but in my advanced years am thankful for the digital support
Me too!
You expressed my own feelings and reservations about resolutions perfectly! We’ll just stay fluid and try to do our best. It’s interesting that you’ve been studying Qi gong. And a new camera! It sounds great – I just checked it out. Personally I would miss having multiple lenses but oh, the size plus good image stabilization and all the rest! I get that it will take time to get used to the new focal length but just keep at it! Did we talk about ‘Blind Spot’ before? It’s a favorite book of mine. I really like the, as you put it, the tangential way he pairs image and text. Good luck with the garden! Sounds like a busy year. 🙂
I still have my Lumix G6 for lens swaps (though each one requires a year or so worth of savings!) and have logged your post on the vintage lens which is on my wishlist now. Also from your mention, I bought the Teju Cole ‘Blind Spot’ hence the desire to try out some photo-prose in his style – so thank you for both inspirations and for that which you give with your photography
Of course, I forgot that I mentioned the book to you – glad you like it! The Lumix is a very nice camera, isn’t it? But I’m sure you’ll have fun with the new one!
(OK lost comment to WP) (let go I tell myself) so, in brief. Me don’t know photography, but I see and what you do I call “recognizable”, (personally meaningful) and THAT is a real ability not many have. I know I don’t see what you don’t select, but that you select what you do – that’s the ability itself. Like poems, Centos too. I suggest (my 25 cents) focus on one poet/author to appreciate/learn their style. Or let two authors go into “conversation” with each other – interesting/provocative/powerful. Whatsoever you do, me be here looking/listening to you. appreciatively, neil
curses to WP’s black hole but blessings for your comments which reach here Neil. I’ve drafted a couple of patchwork/centro poems – one with alternate poets but even more intriguing is the prose writers mix.
Good observation you made Laura, poetry/prose. Me thinks 1) good writing is good writing, and taken line by line, poem vs prose, what difference? and 2) (I know, an odd craft, centos), but here’s where you/NOW make huge interplay (moreso with 2 voices, than 1) and can really raise the level of interaction (wonderful). Funny, was gonna suggest you read my “the universe begins” cento poem, but now see, yea, you been there already! So, that aside, here’s a third thing I suggest (contrary maybe to that article you referenced before).
Go into the process half-blind with no specific pre-planned topic. Just go farming for interesting lines (regardless). Some you’ll use, some not (like photography?). But now, post harvesting, you get to “see” a second time, find interactions you didn’t even guess at before. Exciting. (Discovery) Old myth – originality (another story). But a good witch/wizard knows to include more flavors than just one-by-one, unconnected. Meanwhile, yes, have fun my friend.
good prose is food for poetry indeed because the lines between them blur! – I will aim as you suggest to go in blind/randomly picked and hence let the hybrid arise organically
good harvesting.
A fresh, creative and healthy 2023, my dear Laura. I look forward to all your creative endeavors!
🌸
and to you Marina – your 2023 has come in with a flourish!
Ah, thank you, my dear Laura… may it truly flourish! 😉
Happy New Year, Laura. It sounds like you’re planning for an interesting and creative 2023. 🙂
thank you Robin – I hope 2023 is similarly creative for you