coming up for air... 2011 reflections...and favorite shots of the year

Well, yeah, I made it to Illinois for Christmas.   The maiden voyage for my new/er car with power windows, key-less entry, air conditioning (no, I didn't turn it on),  automatic transmission, and mp3 player.    It was a grand ride I tell you.  I had a wonderful time with my family, ate way too much, and yes, the Packers won.   Was it a white Christmas?   Not even a flake.   Moving on...

After returning home I decided, against my better judgement, to pull together the annual Jingle Mingle.   Good friends, good food, good fun.   Two days later I was down with my first cold in over ten years.   I don't blame my friend who came to the Mingle Jingle with a few lingering symptoms.  Oh no,  I blame the balmy temperatures we've been experiencing.   It's January 2nd and I've still not been sufficiently chilled to the bone, my favorite and most comfortable state to be in.    At any rate, I took to my bed and didn't rise until this morning,  three days later.    And it wasn't even a bad cold - a few sniffles, a sore throat, and a minimal cough.  Still, the child in me awoke - "oh woe is me, this is horrible horrible horrible"...."I'm miserable miserable miserable".    

I got up this morning and decided that maybe I could throw together a post for Ashley's Memories, Dreams, and Reflections 2011, to which I had previously committed.    That was 6 hours ago.   My intent had been to work on it over the holiday break, but it just didn't happen that way.  I didn't feel like looking at photos, much less picking up my camera.  Most are repeats, but I threw in a few that haven't been previously posted.    I had no idea how long this would take.

I cussed a lot.  

1.  Me!

what are you most proud of accomplishing in 2011?   well, I guess finishing the You Are Your Own Muse class and getting a selfie in a public spot besides the ladies room.   Ack. 

2.  I love you

isn't Daiseymae purdy?


3.  Still laughing

In early December I attended a corporate Christmas party that was held at Discovery World in downtown Milwaukee.   While snapping some photos of fish in one of the large aquariums,  this guy suddenly appeared in my viewfinder.    I couldn't stop laughing - he held a writable tablet and was writing phrases like "Go Pack" and "Pack Attack" to show the crowd - the Packers were playing a few hours later.

4.  Winter wonderland

We had a wonderful winter last year - lots of snow and cold.   Fabulous winter.  Everything a winter season ought to be.  In February we had a blizzard that dropped 27 inches of snow and shut down the city for three days.   Ooh la la I was happy.   This photo was taken early last year, from the train window.    I was heading to the hinterland to visit a friend.


5.  Birthday

It wasn't specified that the photo had to be taken by me, so here's a photo of me on my last birthday taken by my best friend Donna.    I was horsing around trying on goofy clothes at Wild Woman's in Sparta.     I love that the photo is out of focus - so was I.     Double Ack.

6.  Friends

a typical Friday evening in Milwaukee - fish fry with friends.


7.   I was inspired

this was taken in the hinterland again - Wilton -  with my point and shoot, before I got the new Nikon camera in spring.    Nothing inspires me like snow.    Where is it this winter anyway???


8.  Spring fever

for me nothing says spring like a newly-planted corn field on the family farm.


9.   Travel or vacation

the closest thing to a vacation I got last year was house-sitting for my friend.   this photo was taken on Minaret Ave. outside of Wilton, just after sunset.


10.   Summer days

Wisconsin state fair in August.    I just noticed that there is no one on this ride.   I'm not even sure it was moving.


11.  A day in my life

on any given day of my life, I'm navigating a road to somewhere, and looking skyward.


12.  All smiles

my favorite smiling face - the Chinese warrior at the Milwaukee Art Museum.  I can never get enough of those guys. 



Intermission.  Go grab a cold one.



13.  Autumn harvest

Northwest Illinois cornfield at sunrise


14.  Family or home

this one was supposed to be a photo that represents family/home for me.   that means either a cornfield or a cow, and I decided to go with a cow since the last one was a cornfield...

15.  Celebrate!

buskers,  taken at Locust Street Days celebration, Riverwest Milwaukee.   Bob Dylan redux.


16.   Let's do it again

taken while hiking Wildcat Mountain state park last July.    I'd like to do that again soon.    But come to think of it, the temperature at 10 a.m. was 93 with dew points in the 70's.   Hmmmm.    At one point I questioned if I would ever make it out of that valley.

17.   I miss you

I'm not much for forming attachments to people, places, or things.   Last summer I visited the little cabin in the woods where I lived for two+ years with my three kitties.    It sat perched on a cliff above the valley where my friends Mike and Donna lived, and had a wonderful wood stove that kept me way too warm in the winter time.  Curiously I have few recollections of having lived there.   Must have been the meds.    I created flower beds in the front, and had a clothesline too.   Perfect living.

18.   Beautiful

Lake Michigan is beautiful in a storm


19.   Dress up

Queen Anne's lace is all dressed up


20.   Macro

I'm not too big (d'oh!) on macro shots, but I shot this day lily in my backyard last summer.


21.  Holidays

this was one of my favorite shots from last year, taken at the Milwaukee lake front on the 4th of July.  


22.   My favorite

My favorite photo from 2011.   


23.   Don't ever change

I struggled with this one.    Finally decided on my boots.    I hope my feet never change to the point that I can no longer wear Doc Martens.


24.   Just because - so there!

I love this photo for everything that's wrong with it.   Other than minimal winter landscapes,  this would be my favorite type of photo.    So there.

25.    Hope and dreams

Rockbottom Brewery, Milwaukee Wisconsin

I limit my dreams to sleep-time but during my waking hours I always have hope that whenever I hit rock-bottom  I'm always looking up.   Where else is there to look or go? 


So thanks for checking out my year in review.   Whew.    That was work.  But a whole lot of fun too.   If I do this next year I'm doing it in stages and not leaving it all until the last minute.   It brought back memories of college, and beginning a term paper on the Russian Revolution three nights before the due date.  

I'm also linking up with Lisa over at The Creative Exchange.   For this first week of Exchange 2012 we're posting our favorite/s of 2011.   Head on over and check it out.   Or join in! 

Happy new year everyone.   I hope you have no sniffles.   And if you dunk your cookie in your coffee, I hope it holds together until you can take a big bite out of it.


January 2 stone~

no words escape the throat
afire -
kept inside,
they alight the heart.