Year's End 2013

I have many photographs  from the final quarter of 2013. (And one or two surprises.) Out of the several hundred I shot these are the ones I wished to share with you.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

In October I headed down to the little lake near my house to plein air sketch/watercolor with  my friend Deb, who is an artist also.

I adore this handsome Chinese Gander.  His wife is a Snow Goose and he is wildly protective of her.  I love watching the pair of them together.

Winding my way through autumn on the Alpine Loop.

November was "Adventure Month" .  Tracy and I appeared at the Singapore Writer's Festival.  The flight was 22 hours plus 4 hours layover total in San Francisco and Japan. (yes 26 hours!)  We lost  a Tuesday and got two Mondays in return....I want my Tuesday back.

Singapore is a fascinating mix of old and new.  A shining, clean, safe city...just like a big port city should be. (New York and LA take note!)  The cherry on this cake for me is that while everyone may speak several different languages, the national language is English.  It was a delightful week full of a fabulous variety of Asian food, long walks and fascinating people. 

The architecture is a fascinating blend of colonial and ultra modern.

The hotel.

 I found the building facades to be absolutely delicious.

They were starting to decorate the entire town and the airport for Christmas.  I couldn't resist this fellow.  

Caught this sunset in the Narita, Japan airport, waiting for our long night flight home.

After a week at home for me and quick trip to Indianapolis for Tracy, we headed to Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada for another appearance.

In the distance you can see the Canadian Rockies.

I don't think I've ever understood how flat and wide-open (and lonely-feeling) the land is to our north.  Excellent land for cattle and wheat.

On Sunday we got to take a road trip and we stopped in Cardston to get this picture of the Temple.  It is a very small town, but not nearly as tiny as Glenwood, pictured below.  

Here is the main street of the town my Grandparents settled after immigrating from England.

To get to Glenwood, you must be going there on purpose, for it isn't on the way to anywhere.  It is still surrounded by wheat farms just as it was in 1911 when my mother was born.

Here is a house at the edge of town.  Amazing view, but oh, so desolate.

Here is first of the surprises: a picture of my mother, Jennie at 13. (Obviously not from my camera!)

I couldn't resist stopping to take a picture of this abandoned church on the roadside just outside of Glenwood.

Sunset in Lethbridge.

And finally we come to December.  

Here is a lovely accidental photo I call 'Christmas Secrets'

You know how I love rainbows.  But they are scarce in winter.  So I will make-do with a sundog.

On my birthday, (Dec. 7th) I woke up to a beautiful snow.  It makes me think of New England.

Later that day I dropped my camera.  Ouch.  It is at a camera hospital. A kind friend has lent me a camera.  Hopefully there will be something worth shooting in January.

Surprise #2: A gift I recently received;  I took this picture of my friend Dezra in spring of 1974.-- Almost 40 years ago. 

'For Auld Lang Syne, my dear.'  Happy new year.