2012 ~ A Look Back

A look back at 2012.

As always, I took an enormous number of photographs ~ over 18,000 of them!  It started off with my photo a day project, which I did very well with until March, when my Mom fell ill.  It picked up in earnest with my trip to England and Scotland!  With this many photographs, it is so difficult to choose a single favorite or even a dozen of them.  After much deliberation, I narrowed down to this collection of photos, which I believe represents some of my best photos for 2012.  

In the past, much of my photography has centered around my handwork, but this year there were few projects.  I only participated in one round robin, which I had to drop out of, so there are just a few things to show.  Most of these were created in January and February.  I have hardly picked up a needle since then, though I hope that will change with the new year!


One thing that increased however, was my artwork!  The sketchbook was opened frequently throughout the year and I enjoyed it so much!  It was also wonderful to get the oil paints out again ~ something I hope to do much more of in the coming year!


Of course, travel played a huge role throughout the year, from a trip to Colorado in January to see the family, to the unexpected trip to Costa Rica in March, to the incredible dream come true trip to England and Scotland via the Queen Mary 2 as well as several journeys to Rocky Mountain National Park as well as several National Parks and Monuments in Arizona.  Once again, it was so difficult to choose just a few photos as representative of my travels this year.


If you've been reading my blog for very long, you know how much I love flowers and especially roses.  Usually I put up a mosaic of flower and plant life photos, but this year I had so many lovely rose photos, that I wanted to share a selection of them with you.  From my Mom's backyard, to the Eden Project in Cornwall, to the David Austen Roses gardens as well as many of the other amazing gardens I visited throughout England and Scotland ~ here are some of my favorites.


The thing I will remember most about 2012 though is that it is the year that my Mom passed away.

Her passing came so unexpectedly.  And with so many challenges.  Not a day goes by that I don't think about her and my Dad.  To have lost them both within a 10 month span of time has been so hard.  Truthfully, I never anticipated that it would be so difficult.  She and I were as different as two people could be.  Where I tend to be quiet and shy, she was outgoing and loud.  Where I tend to sit back and observe, she was the center of attention, the life of the party.  While I try to avoid conflict at all costs, she had no fear of it and a temper that knew no bounds.  Growing up with her was not at all easy, and she and I often misunderstood one another due to the fundamental differences in our temperaments.  

But during the past couple of years, we finally were able to move beyond that and develop for the first time, a fully warm and loving relationship.  It still had it's moments, but it was a vast change from what it had been throughout the majority of my life.  The past couple of years with her were such a blessing and a joy.  It made it doubly hard to lose her just when our relationship was blossoming so beautifully.  But how thankful I am, that we were blessed with this time of comfort with one another, that the anger of our earlier years was gone.

Oh Mommy, how I miss you.



I will also remember 2012 as the year I found my little cottage!  In the space of 2 short months, it has become as much "home" as any place I've ever lived!  I look forward to many years of joy and peace here!


There were other joys in 2012 as well ~ celebrating the marriage of foster son Gary to Marcy in June!  Seeing them with one another makes my heart glad and reinforces for me the beauty and joy that marriage should be!

We also celebrated the engagement of my daughter Jessie to David!


With all that took place this year, my sister Holly and I were able to spend more time with one another than we have had in the past 20 years combined.  What a joy our time together has been!


So, I look back on 2012, with it's great sorrows and great joys and what seems a life time of memories packed into 12 short months.  There was a lot of moving!  From Arizona to Colorado, from my Mom's house to my son Jonathan's, and then from there to the new home in Greeley.  There was a great leap of faith in quitting the job I loved in Arizona, in hopes that a new job will come in Colorado ~ something that I hope will be coming soon!

Through it all, I've felt God's firm hand holding me up, guiding me, comforting me, nudging me, and yes, even a little disciplining here and there.  It has been a miraculous year.  It has been evidence of the Psalm that has been my guiding light this year.

I lift my eyes to the hills, 

From where does my help come from?  

My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth! 

He will not let your foot be moved,

he who keeps you will not slumber.  

Behold, he who keeps Israel 

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;

the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 

The sun shall not smite you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil; 

He will keep your life. 

The Lord will keep 

Your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and for evermore.

Psalm 121