I am very late with my annual picture essay, which I’ve been doing every year since 2013. It was originally part of a linkup, but now I just do it because I like to! It’s fun to reflect on the year that has gone by.

JANUARY

If the above picture is not our life in a nutshell, I don’t know what is. Pictured above is Emily as the center of the hopeful gazes of Rameses, Penny, Rosie, and Mace. Sadly, we lost Mace this year. Not pictured are Echo, who is mostly outside, and Homer, Jake’s dog who currently lives with us.

FEBRUARY

I love reflection shots, and I had to include at least one photo from my favorite park down the street, where I have spent so many hours since it opened in 2018.

MARCH

It’s not a pretty picture, but it’s one I want to remember. John, Emily, and I got our vaccines the first possible moment, driving over 30 minutes for an appointment. I don’t ever want to forget how excited we were, how eager to be vaccinated, how grateful that we could protect ourselves and especially our vulnerable family members.

APRIL

I’ve taken many pictures of Immaculate Conception Church, where I was baptized and have attended ever since and which may well be my favorite place in all the world. What’s special about this one is that I took it the day John and I returned to Mass after our vaccines took full effect. That’s another thing I never want to forget–crying after Communion because I was so grateful.

MAY

I could have included a picture from our trip to visit our son in Boulder, but this is something else I want to remember. He knew that this note would be even more of a gift than the flowers. He was the last of our kids to be able to be vaccinated.

JUNE

It was really difficult to decide on a picture from our trip to Kiawah Island in June. My sister and her family have been vacationing there every summer for years. This year almost the entire extended family spent some time there. We have never gone on a family vacation like that before, and after over a year of staying six feet apart, we were ripe for some togetherness.

JULY

I took this picture at the Van Gogh Immersive Experience in Atlanta, which was amazing. If it comes to a city near you, I promise it is worth the price. I bought the tickets for this months in advance, in the hope that we would feel safe to travel by then. It was something to look forward to that got us through some difficult times.

AUGUST

There is nothing pretty about this picture, but it’s a testimony to the goals I achieved and maintained during the pandemic.  This is the second pair of shoes I wore holes into since starting to walk from 1-2 hours every day.

SEPTEMBER

Here we are back at the park. I love this misty morning photo with a few leaves already starting to fall.

OCTOBER

This is from one of my Sunday morning nature walks. Our park has unpaved trails through the woods and there is always something pretty to see. Because of Covid, our church changed Mass times so I have just enough time to squeeze in a walk while everyone at home is still sleeping.

NOVEMBER

I took so many nature shots this year. I like this one for the late-fall color with the hint of frost.

DECEMBER

This is a little different from my usual Christmas photos–Lorelei’s cat Penny, who is very curious, hanging out in the box of Christmas lights.

To see photo essays from past years, click the links below:
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020