For our final challenge of the year, Patti has asked us to show our favorite photos of 2019. Thank you Patti! Going through all my photos reminded me of how much fun we had this year checking off bucket list items, returning to some favorite places, and just enjoying the world around us.
January
Camellia at Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, GAGreat Egret and White Ibis in the Georgia Salt Marsh
February
Beach at Anastasia State Park, FloridaEgret with breeding plumage at St. Augustine Alligator Farm RookeryGinnie Springs, FL
March
Miniature azaleas, Georgia
April
Eastern Redbud at rest area in Western North Carolina
May
Pair of Irish SheepOn the road to Inverness, ScotlandDunnottar Castle on a Foggy Day, Stonehaven, Scotland
June
High tide in the Georgia Salt Marsh
July
Waterfront in Darien, GeorgiaNanny Goat Beach on Sapelo Island, Georgia
August
Summer Sunflower
September
The new lights at Dooley Field at Sandford Stadium were fun to see at the Georgia Bulldogs home games
October
Coastal Georgia Sunrise
November
Driftwood on North Beach, Tybee Island, GA
December
Christmas lights on display
Wishing you much laughter, happiness and adventure in 2020!
This week, Tina has challenged us focus on something that reminds us fondly of days gone by.
For me, the most nostalgic time of year is the Christmas season. Almost every Christmas decoration and ornament, inside the house and out, has a happy memory associated with it.
When our first grandchild was born 16 years ago right after Thanksgiving, our lives changed forever for the better. I’ll never forget getting our house ready for his first Christmas at our house when he was about three years old. He loved looking out the living room window at the lighted Christmas train we had put up on the arbor in our back yard. Just seeing the photos bring a huge smile on my face as I think of him at that age.
Christmas train
Our Christmas tree is filled with handmade ornaments, ornaments picked up on our travels, and special ornaments from special occasions. I managed to capture three of my favorites in the next photo. The one in the middle belonged to my mother-in-law. I wish I knew how old it was. The paper star Santa in the upper left of the picture was made my one of my children over 40 years ago. The one on the bottom right is a wreath with faces of me, my husband, our son and daughter.
Three of my favorite ornaments
My husband Henry and I celebrated our first Christmas together 49 years ago. We had little money and couldn’t afford to buy many ornaments so I made some. I remember needle pointing three bell shaped ornaments for the tree. I still hang them on the tree today.
I made this ornament 49 years ago for our first Christmas tree
I also hand painted a box of wooden ornaments that first year. Santa Claus is my favorite.This year he is on the tree next to the two Star Santas made by our children.
Two Santa stars made by our children over 40 years ago and a 49 year old hand painted wooden Santa ornament
Yesterday we put up our tree. I had fun all day remembering the story of each ornament.
This week, Amy has challenged us to explore waiting. It seems I spend a lot of my life waiting. Even when traveling or doing something fun we can’t get away from having to wait.
Whenever we attend a football game, waiting in line to go through security and have our ticket scanned is a normal thing. The photo above was taken after we got through the line and had entered the stadium for a Georgia/Florida football game in Jacksonville, Florida.
Theme parks such as Walt Disney World and Universal Studios have come up with great ways to keep the crowds entertained while they wait.
At Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, we saw a show while waiting for the gates to openI wish all train stations were as much fun as the one at Universal Studios Orlando where we boarded the Hogwarts Express
When traveling, waiting to get in a major attraction is part of the experience.
Waiting to enter Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
There have been many times in our RV travels where we have waited in line to board a ferry or travel through a tunnel.
Waiting in line to pull our RV onto the ferry to cross the Yukon River in Dawson City, YukonWaiting to pull our camper onto the Alaska Ferry in Skagway, AlaskaWaiting our turn to go through the Zion Tunnel in Utah
This week, Patti has challenged us to explore the world of monochrome using black and white, sepia, or different shades of the same color.
For this challenge I went through my archives and chose photos of scenes in Savannah, Georgia. Converting the photos to black and white added a bit of mystery to them. The photo above is of stone steps leading from Bay Street to River Street along the Savannah River.
The Forsyth Park Fountain is one of Savannah’s most well know sights.
Forsyth Park Fountain in Savannah, Georgia
Bonaventure Cemetery is always an interesting place to visit. Seeing it in black and white adds a little more drama.
Military graves at Bonaventure CemeteryBonaventure CemeteryBonaventure Cemetery
Perhaps one of the most famous homes in Savannah is the Mercer House made famous by the book “Midnight in the Garden of Good of Evil.”
Wandering Dawgs 