My Year In Review

Cindy at My Romantic Home is hosting a review party…it should be a “blast from the past”…

I started blogging this year…actually I opened my blog in September of 2008 but never got the courage to post anything until February 2009. Yes, sometimes it takes some courage to start something new. I had found blogs during the fall of 2008. My husband was working  in Memphis and could only come home on weekends. That was a difficult time and I guess I was seeking something to fill up the emptiness. I did…I found blogging and was off …timidly at first…

Buddy, Zoe and white squirrels think they are the most photographed animals in the world!!!

How many photos do I have of  Zoe…many, many…she was a puppy here…before she changed colors…

 

I found a lot of new things that I liked and some that I was not comfortable with. I loved photography from the moment I got my Canon Rebel for my birthday in January…that is still a love story…I think photography has become my creative outlet. I once painted with oils and acrylics and had my own business for many years. I’ve just not been able to paint for some reason since the death of my first husband. I wanted to and tried to but haven’t been able to find that “special” creativity that it takes. Hopefully, one day I will return to painting but for now my effort to learn photography skills is my outlet.

I also have been forced to become politically active this year. I was always interested in politics and kept up with things but never felt any desire to become active. I’m certainly not the only person in our country that has felt that need this year. Our country has awakened to politics like no other time in my life.  One of the highlights of my life was attending the 9-12 Tea Party March on Washington, D.C. I did things that I had never even thought of and it was even more special because my son and my best friend and her daughter were there with me. I think I may have lost a whole lot of my shyness on that trip. I also realized that this great country has millions of great people who are a lot like me. 2.1 million people attended that march even though no news outlet or government agency would publicly acknowledge the numbers. I saw it and I couldn’t believe it.

 

I’ve been so fortunate to photograph so many people this year (and so many puppy dogs) and have been able to share them with my blogging buddies. They’ve all been so patient with me as I learn and sometimes try silly things with them, but miracle of miracles, sometimes they were actually pretty good photos.

Having friends read things about my family and my life has been, well, different. I’ve always received nice comments about these things and appreciated it. Sharing personal details of my life has been difficult but it has also been a source of healing and personal growth that I never imagined when I started blogging. I just thought the photos were so cool on all the  blogs I visited and I wanted to learn how to take such cool shots.

This is getting entirely too long so, in a nutshell…thank you for being my blogging friends, its been a great experience!!!

See all of you in 2010!!!