Day 76: Watching the Strawberry Drop

I'm so grateful for all the gifts of 2012, including a dinner and laughter with friends tonight. As the year comes to a close I'm watching the strawberry drop and looking forward to all the opportunities of 2013. Cheers!

Day 75: Sea Oat at Sunset

Day 74: The Party's Over

Day 73: Self Portrait

Color me crazy, but I just had to play with the new app.

Day 72: Winter Moon Rising

Day 71: December Sunset

Yet another beautiful display of "Christmas Color" tonight at Gulf Shores Public Beach.

Day 70: Father Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Day 69: Tracking Santa

"And every mother's child will spy to see if reindeer really know how to fly" has taken on a whole new meaning. We were kept up to date on Santa's progress all through the evening as Ashlyn kept track of his current whereabouts via her mom's iphone.

Day 68: Thanks, Neighbors

I don't know who owns this fence just up the road from my house. It's just a fence facing the road, on what appears to be a vacant lot. Every holiday it's creatively decorated. It always makes me smile when I drive by and today I decided to share the festive feline message. Thanks, neighbors!

Day 67: Jerusalem Cross

This is the cover of a Bible I got when I was lucky enough to visit Jerusalem several years ago.

Day 66: Ornaments

Day 65: How's That?

How's that for Christmas color? Watching the amazing colors of today's sky, that's the question that came to mind. If I needed reassurance about the reason for the season, that sight would certainly make a believer out of me. It was nice to share it with my friend Michelle, too.

Day 64: Woo Hoo April

Today was April's "No More Radiation Christmas Celebration" and what a great day it was! The jar is filled with reminders to April of all the ways she's an inspiration to her friends. And then of course, there's the cake! I'm so happy to have been a part of the celebration and even happier to see her conquering this challenge and still being such a positive force in all our lives. So much to celebrate and so much more to come!

Day 63: Hotel Magnolia

Day 62: Bright Colors

I thought a shot of the bright colors at The Wharf would be a good way to let my friend Jan know I'm thinking about her and a fitting tribute to Howard.

Day 61: Intense

Day 60: Abundance

I'm feeling lucky to have a great job, working with wonderful people. Tonight we celebrated the Christmas season with an abundance of friendship, food, drink, gifts and laughs. I am thankful.

Day 59: Prayer

Day 58: Festive Foley Fence

Day 57: Winter Boardwalk

Day 56: Steeple In Light and Shadow

The rainy night seemed to exaggerate both the light and the darkness around these church steeples.

Day 55: Looking Up

I did a drive by of the palm trees at The Wharf tonight. There are trees of all shapes and sizes decorated for the holidays.

Day 54: Hair Blowing in the Wind

Day 53: Wolf Bay at Sunset

It was very peaceful at Orange Beach Waterfront Park at sunset today. I missed the Lighted Boat Parade shortly afterward, but am feeling very lucky to have enjoyed this scene.

Day 53: Kale

It was a "side salad" kind of day for photos .  . . . nothing exciting.

Day 52: Hold My Calls

Day 51: Now That's a Tree!

I haven't been in the Christmas spirit yet but tonight I came across a tree and a setting that's just too beautiful to ignore. The Battle House in Mobile certainly does it right!

Day 50: Great Gifts

Books by Alabama authors make great Christmas gifts. -- Now who has my copy of Debbie Wilson's book? It seems to be missing from the shelf.

Day 49: Apples and Oranges

Just comparing.

Day 48: Morning Dew

I had a wonderful walk in the woods this morning. Here's a tiny little piece of what I saw. Thanks, Roberta!

Day 47: Flying Cotton

It looked like some of the cotton escaped the stalk and was flying over the field in Foley today.

Day 46: Billy's

I've been trying to get to Bon Secour for a couple of weeks. I got inspired when I was in Apalachicola a while back and have wanted to shoot the boats here, also. Today at Billy's Seafood was a good start. There's definitely potential here. There is also shrimp inside. And oysters. And tuna. -- Yep, I'll be back real soon.

Day 45: Door Number One

Day 44: Winner

Winner, winner, chicken dinner. This is my pick for pic of the day.

Day 43: Leaves in a Puddle

Day 42: Big Birds

After yesterday's visit by the tiny fishers, this morning brought the big birds! Two pelicans, two cormorants and the resident heron were all competing for space. The best shots I got were of the pelicans flying away, but I like this one with the black and white treatment. I'll keep working on my focusing skills and maybe I'll get a keeper of them flying in one day.

Day 41: Tiny Fisher

My dock was a popular fishing spot this afternoon. This Carolina Wren (I think) was the tiniest fisher I saw. He made up for his small size with his impressive intensity.

Day 40: Princesses

The princess cousins were looking very fashionable this afternoon!

Day 39: The Basics

Lazy today. Via iphone, 100Cameras.

Day 38: Family Recipes

There was A LOT of food to be thankful for at our family gathering today. Some tried and true recipes and some we just made up as we went along. My niece Angel did a wonderful thing to make sure we keep many of those family favorites close at hand. She's been busily scanning and copying all of my sister Deena's recipes and she made cook books for all of us. What a great gift! So much to be thankful for today.

Day 37: Happy Thanksgiving

We'll file this under "never put off until tomorrow . . . ." Wishing a happy holiday to all my friends and family. I am thankful for you all.

Day 36: The View . . . .

 . . . from the back side of town.

Day 35: Photographs & Memories

"All that I have are these, to remember you." -- Jim Croce. Just a nod to everybody missing a loved one this holiday season. I'm thankful for photographs and memories.

Day 34: Along the Way

Day 33: Button, Button

I have this burlap hanger filled with buttons from years gone by. It makes me smile when I remember the events related to these; and grateful to have survived them all! And . . . It scares me to think of how long ago some of them were.

Day 32: Shell on Glass

Day 31: Big Wheel

Girls' Night Out with April Boone and Kristi Woods started at the big wheel. Good friends, good deals, good food, good fun at The Wharf.

Day 30: Sunset in Biloxi

My timing was very lucky this afternoon. I got outside just in time to see the sun set.

Day 29: Shiny Things

My shiny new bowl.

Day 28: Lagniappe

I was lucky enough to be able to make a long weekend of it and catch one more sunrise before leaving Florida's Forgotten Coast today. What a gift! Another little extra: Phyllis and I saw a beautiful Bald Eagle yesterday as we were looking a for a spot to shoot one more sunset. Thanks again, Bear Woods Photography, it was a wonderful weekend.