The weekly photo challenge to end this year is to make a tiled gallery of pictures illustrating my 2012 in photos.
This is quite a challenge as I have only been writing this blog since August this year, so I have about 5 months which I can easily choose from, but the first half of the year are more difficult. The earlier months of 2012 were actually quite challenging, as my father-in-law was dying of cancer which couldn’t be treated. We are a smallish family, but very close, and my husband and I live the closest to my parents-in-law so much of the day-to-day responsibility and anguish fell on our shoulders. It was a painful and harrowing process watching someone who had been larger than life in many ways, slide inexorably towards death. He became very frail and weak, and it was a lot for my husband to bear. Not only has he lost the man who he admired most in the world, but also his business partner, and so as I’m sure you can imagine the gap he has left behind is enormous. One of my reasons for starting to blog was to help me get through a low patch following my father-in-laws death, and so it is somewhat ironic that I now find blogging itself has thrown me back into the grief filled months of 2012.
However, as is often the case with life, amidst the sorrow and loss came the joy of new life in the form of a puppy. Little Molly has brought lots of smiles and laughter, and is the puppy of one of our own dogs. So the year has been full of change, death and new life, tears and laughter, and I find we have survived and are ready for the next cycle of change which will inevitably unfold this year. I have raided my photo archives and without further ado here is my 2012 in pictures
breathofgreenair 
What a wonderful collage of photos, especially the landscapes. I’m sorry that you started blogging for such a sad reason, but very happy that we get to see your beautiful photos – you have a great eye. I feel particularly drawn to the gorgeous scenery as my grandmother lived in Kelso, and we spent many happy family holidays in Scotland. Time to go back, I think!
Kelso is a beautiful part of Scotland, so I’m sure you had some great holidays with your grandmother. I’m so happy to hear that my photos bring back good memories, and I’m very glad I started blogging too. It’s wonderful to be able to share photos and words with so many lovely people.
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BEAUTIFUL!
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
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Good for you! What a visually and emotionally rich way to honour your year. Have a happy and healthy 2013
What a stunning series…little Molly is a darling and I love the windswept doggies. I hope 2013 brings you more joys than sorrows. Have a safe and happy New Year
I loved each and everyone of these — both standing alone and for the story they told of your year’s highs and lows. But that photo of Arthurs Seat with the dogs all leaning into the wind, that definitely brought a smile! I look forward to exploring your blog further. ~ Kat
I’m getting addicted to your blog…Happy New Year!
This is only the second blog I’ve visited with this theme and I feel like I’m having a visual overload already, haha! Really amazing photos, I love them all, especially Molly of course 😉
Beautiful. Love the moon reflection!
am sad for your loss but so glad you found blogging – a pleasure to read and see through your lens. Mollie is a real dollie!
Scottish Lowlands, October 2012 – Newbattle Abbey = wonderful pic!
for sure a dog’s paradise …
All of the shots are really good but I especially like the Beardies in February.
Stunning 🙂
I absolutely love your collage of photos and also where you live – I could live there in a heartbeat! – in fact, my maiden name is MacKenzie! – rita
http://shapingthepoem.wordpress.com/
Gotta put Scotland on my list of places to travel to 🙂
Every photo has a story and memory! Thank you for sharing!
Beautiful photos. Love those trees.
The pup looks like pure joy. And the photo of the dogs with windswept hair – priceless.
You are an artist.
Nicely done. Enjoyed them all.
So many of your photos are favorites. Today I choose Scottish Lowlands. Tomorrow, it’ll likely be Isle of Sky. Then when holiday’s over, I’ll feel like that bovine creature.
The light! The colors! The woofies in the wind (as one of my sons has dubbed all dogs)! What a healthy outlook on those cycles, and on finding beauty among the sorrows. Peace to you in the new year, and keep on blogging!
Thanks Stephanie. I’ve found the whole blogging experience really healing, and looking at the bigger cycles of change always seems to soothe me. I will keep blogging….suspect I might be a little addicted to it now 🙂