Top Photos for 2012

 

Inspired by Les at A Tidewater Gardener I took a trip through Picasa memory lane and picked my top pictures of 2012. Some gardeny some not so much but all bring a smile to my face...

 

 

I grew up in Philadelphia and spent a fair amount of time working in downtown Philadelphia hospitals as a younger nurse. I would see the touristy "Duck Boat" roaming the streets of Olde City with their quackers quacking. In 42 years, I never took the ride...until this year, returning to my "home," as a sort of tourist with my kids. One part of the ride is a "drive" into the Delaware River with views of the Ben Franklin Bridge that were spectacular!

 

 

 



 I was attending a research conference in DC and decided to take a walk before dark. About a half a block away I spotted this riot of pansy color. As a walked closer the fragrance of PANSY!! was amazing and energizing on an otherwise cloudy and gloomy day.

A favorite spot, if in need of an instant pick me up, is the rose garden at Norfolk Botanical Garden. According to the website there are "approximately 3000 plants in the genus Rosa representing 380 different species and cultivars." Again a riot of color...truly obscene roses of every size, shape and fragrance. You simply can't walk through it and be in a bad mood...

Back to DC...while I was there I decided to take a twilight tour of the city on one of those small buses. Totally worth the price, the tour guide was a font of information and it was cool to visit when there wasn't a hoard of people around. Snapped this from inside the Jefferson Memorial....

Sunsets and water, I have scads of pictures. This sunset was snapped on a pleasant summer evening as I was bumming around Jennette's Pier in Nags Head with my step-daughter. We had a nice time together checking what people were catching, reading all the fishy information on the pier. Just one of those moments that make you smile.

 I am lucky to speak each year at a patient safety conference in Las Vegas. I relish the chance to leave the strip and travel into the truly gorgeous countryside surrounding Vegas. This is an unretouched photo at Red Rock Canyon about 17 miles west of the strip. The rock formations here are gorgeous and the 13 mile trip through the park is a manageable short trip on a tight time schedule and no matter what vehicle you are driving. There are paths to hike and rocks to climb and the bluest sky....just incredible.

Last New Years Day at Pea Island..no matter the season, a place that I love that is beautiful and soul-filling

 I spend many hours on this beach each year, walking, reading, snoozing. The rickety, charming pier is part of our family history now. I have a huge collection of pictures here in all sorts of weather. A favorite pastime is to sit in my truck as a thunderstorm passes and get some pics of lightening striking the water. (This worries my husband a bit :))

I had the opportunity to travel to Malawi Africa this year on a medical mission trip for Physicians For Peace. My physician partner and I were teaching neonatal resuscitation and family planning in the Mwandama Development Village near Zomba. On our day off and along with my husband, we took a boat ride and a game drive. We rode in a smallish aluminum boat up a river filled with thousands of hippos, elephants, crocs, fish eagles and other things too numerous to mention. It was thrilling to see these hippos RUNNING towards the water as our boat moved passed. I read that one reason hippos kill is if you block their path to the water. This was just an incredible, indescribable experience in so many ways.

My Avalon Pier as the hurricane passed- two breaches :( She will be repaired and ready for the summer of 2013 I hear.

Lot's of time spent walking beaches always yields treasures. I particularly liked this vignette.

Another favorite beach, Cape May- the water on the rocks a contrast of colors on this grey March day.

 

 

Winter, spring, summer or fall, no matter where my travels have taken me, my favorite place, my favorite picture, my favorite everything is turning into the driveway and knowing that this wonderful man is my partner in life and wherever he is is home. <3 p="p">

 

After Christmas Lull....

 



 A lazy day in the after Christmas energy lull. Spent the day working on projects, analyzing data, then took a ride to change the scenery a bit. Usually when I have a camera the eagle at the end of the road is no where to be seen. Today- a lucky day to have camera and eagle in one spot with a gorgeous blue sky behind.

 It's the day before the full moon and again I was lucky to spy the just before sunset rise of the moon. It was such a pretty sight across the newly planted field of annual rye grass- contrast of bright green and sky-blue pink with the moon shining brightly even in the early twilight.

 There is something about the moon that has me mesmerized.

 The mailman brought a smile to my face with "The Cook's Garden"  catalogue, setting off dreams of late February and March and getting out into the garden to prepare. These cuties caught my eye, "Cherry Stuffer" sweet not hot. Lots more goodies in this book, will take several reviews to catch them all.

 After using a gift certificate from a friend at a favorite Thai place, I set about working on my mystery quilt. I am behind, but hopeful that the weekend of predicted rain will get me caught up to the current "clue." It's a scrappy christmas colored quilt.

Hoping the clouds and the tickle in my throat stay away this evening long enough for some full moon pictures once again!

Easter Sunday in the Garden

It was a gorgeous day to work in the garden...low 70's, low humidity, and breezy sunshine.

The Clematis is in full bloom on the trellis...

The spinach is starting to grow "up"

My experiment, a couple "French fingerling" potatoes. Hard to tell but there is about a 12 inch hill there.

Kind of a mess...there is ALOT of baby good stuff in those boxes!

Peas are almost to the trellis.

Beets, Early Girl tomato, arugula, and lettuce.

Romaine and Red Sails...salad soon!

Artichoke and garlic...just need some bread crumbs and butter!

Raspberry is reaching for the sky.

Arugula, swiss chard and lettuce.

A satisfying day in the garden followed by a delish ham dinner. Happy Easter!

You Know It's Spring....

...when you sit on the deck having your morning coffee while you watch great puffs of pine pollen blowing from the trees next door. (Look slightly below center)  Time for some Claritin!!

A Walk on St. Patty's Day

 It started off a sunny morning...the ocean was clear tealy blue today with fog hanging just off shore.

 With not a drop of Irish in me, I still was "lucky" to see Santa riding his bike on the Bypass near milepost 6! Where else would Santa be at this time of the year, but bumming around the Outer Banks!

 A nice walk around the neighborhood revealed....some delicate tulips reaching for the sunshine.

 The day was odd...creepy fog alternating with bright sunshine. The dew point and the temperature were neck and neck all day.

 These geezers were oblivious to us...I was really trying to capture a pic of the Kingfisher that was on a post in the water, but no luck there.

 Fog, fog, fog.....

 A little of this, a little of that blooming...

 Irises surprised me!!! They are surely early to be amongst the daffs and jonqs.

 Nest everywhere.....

A nice day and a nice walk.

...the Ides of March Bloom Day!

Not the most exotic of blooms...even scorned by some. But there is no denying that for a few brief moments in springtime, the lowly Bradford Pear puts on a show of dainty white flowers that get the bees all jazzed up until they fall like snow on the driveway.

Can't resist the pansies and violas...

A bit of Homestead Purple Verbena poking out....

And more violas...

Check out what's blooming in other blogger's gardens...head over to May Dreams Gardens where Carol is hosting another Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, held on the 15th of each month.