Year in Review: Photographic highlights from 2013

I always feel daunted by all the reflective posts at this time of year; I generally don’t have deep thoughts in this week between Christmas and New Year’s. Maybe I’m just too busy flomping from the hectic season, I don’t know. Anyway, this year I’ve decided I will at least reflect a bit: here, enjoy a smattering of our photos from the year.

I know, these sorts of posts usually have their place in the days leading up to 31 December, not on 1 January. I’ve always had a problem with punctuality. Ho hum. Besides, the year wasn’t over yet – something interesting could’ve happened!

Chris has found and installed for me a great new photo widget (thanks to John Scalzi for using it so I knew it existed), which I didn’t really explain in my last post. Click on the blue arrow as ever, and then if you want, you can click on any of the photos to start the slideshow view – where you’ll be able to do things like read the whole caption and look at all the photos by using the left and right arrows.

A beautiful sunrise near the start of the year – 16 Jan 2013.

It was a particularly cold and snowy winter last winter. The duck pond where we frequently feed the ducks (pond is the wrong word: the water flows from one end to the other) even partially froze over. – 18 Jan 2013

A very atmospheric shot from a walk around town on 27 Jan 2013.

We always celebrate Mardi Gras, though apparently we’re lousy at taking photos of that. Must improve this year. This photo of the king cake I made is our only photographic record of Mardi Gras this year! – 12 Feb 2013

I went to the county WI meeting in Chesterfield in the spring. It was an incredibly atmospheric morning, and a couple of the photos even show it. – 5 March 2013

There was one particularly foggy area, making the sun look like the moon. – 5 March 2013

Chris and I found this notice on a trip to Buxton in March. It struck us as so absurd we snapped photos of it. After weathering so many months of winter, it was quite crumpled, so we could only get a decent shot of half of it at a time (holding the other half steady). – 7 March 2013

Don’t like the weather? Wait ten minutes, it’ll change. – 2:33pm, 11 March 2013

See what I mean? – 2:43pm, 11 March 2013

I went with Charlesworth WI to watch the BBC film one of its game shows, Countdown. It was okay, but I wouldn’t recommend it: we were required to stay for three shows in a row, which was really a bit much. – 12 March 2013

“You only THINK you’re going on vacation!” – 23 March 2013

We did make it, thankfully. Here’s Chris towards the beginning of our trip – Bass Pro has wonderful socks, and he needed more. – 23 March 2013

I got to celebrate my birthday with my family for the first time in years (albeit a bit early, before we set off on our road trip). It was good. Also meant I got to have an ice cream cake, my favorite! – 28 March 2013

Off we went on our road trip! We’d left Louisiana and made it up to Michigan to find this model lighthouse at a highway rest area. Michigan, being surrounded by the Great Lakes, has (or at least had) gobs of lighthouses. – 2 April 2013

In Michigan, we visited various relatives. My great aunt Doris’ daughter’s farm is huge – 10,000 acres – and has the huge machinery, silos, etc to match. Here’s me in one of the huge tractors. – 3 April 2013

We also visited Frankenmuth, Michigan, which among other things had this fun whispering bench. We tested it – it really works. 🙂 – 4 Apr 2013

The sun was lovely, as was the sky – nearly the whole month we were in the US, we had beautiful, sunny skies. It was a lovely change. – 4 April 2013

On my birthday, we wound our way through West Virginia on state highways. It was scenic and wonderful. We stopped just before sunset, and from the parking lot of the hotel managed to capture the sunset. It was absolutely stunning. – 5 April 2013

All the lovely people who wished me well for my birthday couldn’t be with us, of course, since we’d decided to go gallavanting all over creation instead. I brought them in spirit – here’s their cards keeping us company at dinner. – 5 April 2013

Ahhh, the shave gel is trying to take over! Run for the hills!!! – 7 April 2013

We were headed for the Blue Ridge Parkway – that’s the Blue Ridge there, part of the Appalachian Mountains. It’s absolutely gorgeous; highly recommended! – 7 April 2013

The Blue Ridge Parkway passes near Natural Bridge, Virginia, which is truly a sight to behold. When I realized we’d be so near it, I insisted we go there so Chris could experience it. – 7 April 2013

We visited my grandfather’s memorial garden at Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, where he was a park ranger for many years; he loved that park. It was still quite early in the spring for the garden. – 10 April 2013

I had to show Chris the Pinnacle Overlook at that park; I have many memories of visiting as a child. Here’s part of the view. – 10 April 2013

I also had to show Chris the place where you can stand at the join of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia – the tri-state peak. The ranger explained that they’ve changed a lot since I was there last, including making the trail up to this about thrice as long as it was back then. We knew it by the time we’d gotten there! Such a hot day, too. But hey, we both got to stand at the peak! 🙂 – 10 April 2013

On one of our afternoons in New Orleans, we decided to copy a trip my brother and father had done some months before: heading south out of New Orleans on La Hwy 23, we drove til the road ended and saw what there was to see. We were vastly amused at these guys fishing right next to the No Fishing sign. – 13 April 2013

We were also very flummoxed by this strange little ornate hut out in the middle of nowhere on that same peninsula. – 13 April 2013

Another afternoon, I wanted to check out the Botanical Gardens in New Orleans City Park, but they were closed. The sculpture garden was open, though, so we took in some interesting sculptures. I particularly like this one. – 15 April 2013

We wandered round the French Quarter on this day. There was a wonderful cooling breeze coming off the Mississippi River, so we sat and enjoyed it awhile. – 16 April 2013

Homeward-bound! – 20 April 2013

No sooner was I home than I was off again, to Denman College, the WI’s own adult college. It generally offers short residential courses – and absolutely gorgeous grounds. – 1 May 2013

I was at Denman for a week of sewing with the fabulous May Martin. I looked like this a lot. – 1 May 2013

Also in May, I made it to one of the exhibits for Sheffield’s celebration of 100 years of stainless steel (invented in that city). These utensils from the 1960s made me laugh. – 13 May 2013

Also from the stainless steel exhibit at Millenium Gallery was this wedding dress. The outside is made of a mesh of stainless steel fibers. The sample, surprisingly, felt quite lovely. – 13 May 2013

My newfound sewing confidence led to my first big sewing project: a banner for one of my groups. – 15 June 2013

For Glossop Carnival, Chris and I helped with two stalls. For the WI stall, Chris made the display board and I put the stuff on it. We served cream teas here, and Barbara did a fabulous job of making a lovely space and organizing everyone. – 6 July 2013

We also helped with the Transition stall. – 6 July 2013

Charlesworth Carnival was much easier: I just baked for a few hours one afternoon to help supply the bake sale. – 13 July 2013

I got to help make a well dressing for the first time! I worked on the large one in the middle. I liked it, and will probably help out again next time. 🙂 – 13 July 2013

Chris and I went to the retirement party for his longtime friend and boss, Alex. That was an absolutely lovely afternoon, evening, and night! – 16 July 2013

I helped out with the Inspire Festival by making and maintaining the website; I also helped with the Transition stall again. – 3 August 2013

Also at Inspire Festival, I found the display set up by a local writing group, Write from the Heart, very amusing. – 3 Aug 2013

In September was the Charlesworth & Chisworth Village Get Together. There were a few competitions bolted on to make it a bit funner, though the point was to see what’s going on in the two villages – a well-achieved aim, by the sound of it. I won a ribbon or two, as well. 🙂 – 15 Sept 2013

We really enjoy the Hayfield Show, and this year was no exception. – 22 Sept 2013

Once again, the chainsaw wood carvers, brothers Andy Burgess and Tim Burgess, were back at the Hayfield Show so we could watch them do their thing. Fascinating! – 22 Sept 2013

We took a trip to New Mills during its festival, and took in the New Mills Chrysanthemum Society’s Annual Show while we were there. – 28 Sept 2013

Chris helped me make this entry into a “Spirit of Your WI” county competition for Simmondley WI – and it took 2nd place! Hooray! – 1 Oct 2013

I visited Carlisle with Charlesworth WI, via the Settle to Carlisle railway, which I’m told is particularly scenic. Unfortunately it was overcast and quite yucky that day, but I enjoyed Carlisle. I visited Carlisle Cathedral. – 4 Oct 2013

I quite like the ceiling of Carlisle Cathedral – and I like the little angels sticking out just below the ceiling, too. Unfortunately, you can’t really make them out in this photo. A better photo is here. – 4 Oct 2013

I also visited Carlisle Castle. – 4 Oct 2013

We went to the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) on Chris’ birthday (and a few other days) this year. This time, with that perfect sign for BRAINS in the background, I got him to impersonate a zombie. He did it a bit too well, if you ask me… 😉 – 8 Oct 2013

Chris gearing up to blow out his birthday candles. 🙂 – 8 Oct 2013

I had a lovely trip to the south of the county, near Ashbourne, for a WI day of Autumn Arrangements and Amazing Cakes. It was a glorious day, and a beautiful place the hall was in. Tis a bit flatter in the south of the county, but I was still sorry to go inside! – 17 Oct 2013

I learned a thing or two about flower arranging that day – most of all, it’s nowhere near as difficult as I’d thought. I quite like the pumpkin arrangement, and may do that for Thanksgiving next year. – 17 Oct 2013

Chris and I went to Whitby, Yorkshire. That was another lovely day. – 20 Oct 2013

I was there to help one of my groups, Walk the Wheel, celebrate its first birthday. – 27 Oct 2013

This gorgeous sunset heralded the Glossop Christmas Lights Switch On Festival, which was also fabulous. – 30 Nov 2013

Chris isn’t getting the presents – the presents are getting Chris! Aaaaack! – 25 Dec 2013

Cass is most definitely a box cat. – 25 Dec 2013

She emerged to play with some of the wrapping, though. – 25 Dec 2013

She’s also drawn to things that make crinkly noises, like tissue paper and carrier bags. I think she had a good Christmas. – 25 Dec 2013

My amazing hubby made this beautiful clarinet stand for me! It comes complete with a drawer for my bits and bobs! I love it! Thank you, Chris! – 25 Dec 2013