I’ve come to sing you a song called December. Ryan Murphy, Down with the Ship
Last year really cemented these “Looking Back” posts and I love how they can change my feelings on the month! I love looking back at the photos and videos I captured to remember the days and rediscovering moments I forgot! Recently Mary looked back on her word for 2019 with some really wonderful questions! I am going to borrow that idea with the hope that it makes my memories richer.
The Best Part of the Month included Christmas decorations with all the memories attached to them and the joy of making for others! AND seeing Genevieve all “decked out” in her hand knits made me laugh right out loud! Finally, there were quiet times at home with good food, a beverage, and conversation – there were an abundance of those days in December!
There was Something New this month – we visited Spoonwood Brewing Co. for my birthday and discovered a place that will want to revisit (and we did the next day to insure that we will with their Growler Club!) The beers and the food were fabulous!
Best “Oh Wow” Moment/s Those December Skies were just so amazing, broody, and stunning!
What I did Well and What I can do Better is an easy one – I started the month strong with moving and getting outdoors for a nice invigorating walk, but that train derailed just before Christmas when a really un-lovely stomach bug attacked! Then I found excuse after excuse to keep that train derailed – but today I am putting it back on track!
Thank you for joining me in my look back at December!
I have come to regard November as the older, harder man’s October. I appreciate the early darkness and cooler temperatures. It puts my mind in a different place than October. It is a month for a quieter, slightly more subdued celebration of summer’s death as winter tightens its grip. — Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins certainly has November pegged! This month saw the most dramatic changes, I think. From colored leaves to bare trees. From gently warming days to repeated frosts. And, rain… a colder wintry rain, no longer the warm rains of summer and early fall! There was one day (the 6th) that the photos were so spectacular, I could not pick just one! It was a month that in looking back upon, there was much to be full of gratitude for, which if you asked me before this post – I would have been was hard pressed to say there was much to find gratitude in at all! I am profoundly grateful for these images that have helped me refocus.
November in 58 seconds was not bad either!
There was moving my body – indoors and out! There was so much good food and even a bit of snow! I sadly missed one day of video – so you get a double dose of Steve in his Jerome Bettis super-special and amazing jersey… only in Pittsburgh is this such a big deal! (Also, please note that though Steve hates modeling knitwear, he is eager to show off his jersey… just sayin’ lol)
I hope your November was spectacular as well! See you all back here tomorrow for a bit of Unraveling!
October is the fallen leaf, but it is also a wider horizon more clearly seen. It is the distant hills once more in sight, and the enduring constellations above them once again. — Hal Borland
My October images had a clear pattern of almost daily changes – I watched the trees go from green to glorious in slow motion – the color beginning at the top and gradually flowing down the course of the leaves. We had our first frost. We also had such amazing skies and, happily, very little rain! It also included a quick Michigan trip to visit some of my favorite people. And, movement… lots of movement.
The video last month has to be one of my favorites. There were so many butterflies all month long! Our butterfly bush just seemed to be hanging on just for this purpose and it was magical to head outside each afternoon and find dozens of them covering the blooming panicles.
Thanks for looking back at October with me! How about you? What did your October hold?
Today I am sharing my brief, but spectacular trip to Michigan in photos!
The sun and I arrived together in Chicago!
Grand-dogs are the best and Bowser was happy to see me!
A beer or two at the Lake Ann Brewing Co
The weather cooperated nicely for most of the weekend!
Which inspired an impromptu "picnic"
All picnics should include silly selfies!
Clear skies to close out Friday!
Saturday morning snuggles with Bowser!
Early rising in northern Michigan is the best thing ever!
I walked to Lake Ann and the views were glorious on Saturday morning!
A quick breakfast with these two was so much fun!
The undertaking of the day was my son's new tattoo.
I just love how it turned out (and how well he endured the process!)
On to the Empire Hops Fest with my son and his lovely girlfriend, Jupiter!
I think they make the cutest couple!
So many amazing beers!
Sunday included one more early morning walk to Lake Ann.
Harvest Festival at Vivi's school meant she had some of her own artwork this weekend!
Sunday night's clear, crisp skies!
And before I knew it the weekend was over, but flying into Chicago had some amazing views!
It was a whirl-wind weekend, packed full of so many good things!
My backyard pano was insane!
Monday’s sunset was truly amazing, but boy was I happy to get into my own bed!
And that, my friends, brings us to another weekend. One that will, at least for me, be much less busy! See you all back here on Monday and I hope you all have a great weekend!
September was an incredible month…there was baking, and the first day of school, and so many amazing skies (most of which were captured on my morning walks!) and there were good sips, Pilates, Sherman, and a new do! One thing struck me in looking back was this: even though the daylight hours were waning, the light itself was truly spectacular! Especially for taking pictures because it is softer and warmer and I definitely noticed that in this months photo images.
The video shares 1 minute of a September that felt like it began and ended about that fast!
And, that is a wrap for the week! I am heading off to Michigan bright and very early tomorrow morning. (Okay, really dark and insanely early as I will be on my way long before the sun rises!) I will see you all back here next week in time for Unraveled Wednesday!
August, die she must
The autumn winds blow chilly and cold.
April Come She Will, Simon and Garfunkel
If you asked me what I accomplished in August my response would be, ‘not much’. But as I look at these images, it seems I accomplished more than I realized!
There was so much making… pies and jams, sewing, and always knitting! Plus, hours in the gardens (although if you saw them today you’d be doubtful of that!)
Vegetable Garden Productivity was stunningly awful. I never had more tomatoes than I could use and not enough to preserve any for future use. The only tomato plants that had any success at all were the Oxhearts – and even that was a manageable production. As for my flower beds – alas, the deer ravaged them multiple times this month…sigh.
The biggest changes were in light and skies – those August skies were less blue but rather filled with interesting clouds! And, as the August days drew to a close, we felt the first inklings of the change of seasons. Cooler breezes paired with cooler days and nights that required another blanket on the bed and a sweater for my morning garden excursions.
The video this month was so much fun! There was so much butterfly footage! Including “Butterfly Skirmishes” – which look like a gentle, swirling, fluttering dance…those Swallowtail’s are very territorial, it seems!
And with that, August memories are tucked away.
What about you? What is your favorite August memory?
