Fellow blogger Les over at A Tidewater Gardener posted 10 of his favorite photos from the year to close out 2012. Les is a talented photographer/blogger who can capture the beauty of water and sunsets like no other. I decided to follow suit and throw some 2012 photos on this blog. They may not be my fav photos but my fav memories of the year.

A week spent photographing on Star Island, one of the Isles of Shoals off the coast of NH gave me a unique opportunity to play with my camera from sunrise to sunset.

Everyone on the island gravitated to the West at sunset and we were usually richly rewarded.

The seagulls of Star Island seemed to ham it up for anyone with a camera. They were always ready for an encore, too.

Back home in Durham, our neighborhood swan entertained us with his antics. He seemed to be aware of his good looks. Was he looking for food or checking out his reflection?

We just loved the hazy, lazy days of summer in New Hampshire. Grandchildren put away their tech toys and joined us for old fashioned entertainment and the joys of nature. No TV… it was water and hikes during the day and puzzles that kept their focus in the evenings.

Mister gardener and I discovered the benefits of walking again on the multitude of NH trails, something that he and our dog have continued to do throughout fall and winter, despite rain, snow, sleet. Not I. It’s cold outside!

We were regularly offered the loveliest of Nature’s gifts if we just took the time to look.

We’ve been renting in New Hampshire for one year, exploring, sampling, tasting, touching and photographing. We now know the state well and where we’d like to put down some new roots. More to come…..