The Best of the Rest 2013
Sunday, December 29, 2013 at 5:00AM Wow! 2013 is coming to a close, and it is time for this year's 'The Best of the Rest' feature. These are photos taken through the year that for various reasons did not make it onto my blog the first time around, but, nevertheless, deserve a look. I always enjoy going through the THOUSANDS of photos trying to choose appropriate selections for each month, but it is a time consuming task! In the end, the shots are are a good review of the year.
So, drum roll, please! Here they are:
January:
Autumn the cat came to us in October, 2012. She disappeared without a trace only a couple months after I took this photo. Although she was with us only a few months, she left us with lasting memories. We still miss her. If you love cats, or if you hate cats, and if you haven't already done so, you should read my previous post A Cat Tale.
February:
March:
Early spring in the woodland garden
Deodar cedar 'Feelin' Blue' is one of my favorites, and I have featured it in many of my blog posts. One more time won't hurt!
April:
Looking like a hairy newborn alien, an Autumn Fern frond unfurls.
This old urn belonged to my grandparents.
May:
June:
July:
August:
Red banana plant in the front garden; everything has a golden glow in August.
September:
October:
November:
December:
I hope you enjoyed the photos! Did you have a favorite month? Best wishes to everyone for a very Happy New Year! Deb
Reader Comments (23)
I wish you lived nearby! I'd love spending time in your beautiful gardens, and talking botany with you!
Happy New Year and thanks for posting this beautiful retrospective!
Sunday Dec 29 2013
Hi Deb,
I totally love your blog. Happy New Year and please keep sharing with us.
Jean
Thoroughly enjoyed your post Debs, a lovely round up of year via previously unseen photos. Feelin' Blue is gorgeous. And bless Autumn, gorgeous cat and not surprised you miss her. Have a wonderful year ahead!
I am so sorry about Autumn. Having grown up with cats, there's a chance she'll be back. Early summer is always my favorite time. Everything is so lush. Love your comparison of the fiddlehead to an alien! Very accurate. :)
I am so glad I just came across your blog. It is lovely and I am putting it onto my read list. I love your photos.....July and December are my favorites. Best for a Happy 2014!
Your garden is a delight in all seasons. It's so much fun to look back over photos and see how it changes each month. Happy 2014!
I really admire your woodland garden. How big does 'Feelin Blue' get? Is it hardy in zone 5?
Oh no, sorry to hear about Autumn! Perhaps she found her way back to her old home again. Your year end review of your garden is lovely! Do you ever make a calendar with your pictures? I was thinking you have such great pictures year round.
Hi everyone! Thanks for all your best wishes and kind comments! Jason, unfortunately for you, Feelin' Blue is hardy only down to zone 7a. It is advertised to grow only to about 4feet tall and 6 feet wide, but after a decade mine is about 8 feet tall and wide! Sweetbay, I haven't made a calendar, but that is something I have considered for the future. Again, I thank you all for taking time to comment! Deb
My favorites were June for the amazing color match and July for its perfection. I would like to do this if I can find time. As you said, There are always really excellent photos that don't make it to my posts!
All these photos are beautiful and very evocative of their seasons. Although it's hard to choose a favorite, I think I like the May photos best - that's exactly the kind of woodland garden I'd love to have. I've sorry to hear that Autumn left you - maybe she was just visiting to help your husband get over his anti-cat thing and she's moved on to instruct others (sort of like the Mary Poppins of cats).
Looking at your photos, I realized that it won't be long before February is here - and we will be counting the new blooms every day! And I was intrigued by the Edgeworthia. I have a new one, but it's quite naked right now. Interesting to me that yours was already budding in December!
What a wonderful walk through the year. I always enjoy spending time in your garden, your photos are so enjoyable.
Deb - I liked the white coneflower and the red November tree best. I am so sad that Autumn took off for parts unknown right after your husband the-former-cat-hater had adopted her.
What a thoroughly enjoyable post. We have 3 cats and only recently lost our old dog. Pets leave such a gap in our lives when they've gone.
You've a beautiful garden!
What a great idea for a post. I often have a case of 'too many photos' when I'm writing a post, and then don't know what to do with them. Makes for a wonderful look back on your year, even though it was bittersweet with the loss of Autumn. She really did have such stunning green eyes. Wishing you much joy in the New Year to come!
I like them all! I didn't realize that Autumn left you--that's kind of sad. Your arrangement of Collard Greens makes them look beautiful and yummy! Happy New Year, Deb!
Your garden is always beautiful Deb. I enjoyed every month, especially november. And I like all your bird houses a lot. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Deb! Lovely shots of your gorgeous garden. I wish you health and happiness for 2014!
My heart aches for Autumn...she was a stunningly beautiful cat..you were blessed to have her with you if even only for a while.
Jen
Happy New Year Debbie, I love your garden in all seasons; it was lovely to see the review of the last year and relive all the beauty that your garden holds.
Some great photos! I especially love the October one of the birdhouse in front of the path. It makes you just want to walk down that path and see what's down there! I went back and read your Cat's Tale, and what a beautiful tale it was. That is one smart cat, and I know you must miss her :( I have been a cat lover ever since a cat adopted me when I was 9 years old. It took a great deal of work to get my cat-hating father to accept her, but she became my constant companion and comforter through several different moves between three different states, and I'll never forget her.
I have been so enjoying all these "year in review" posts, and have been hopping around from blog to blog to see them all. Lovely Deborah, lovely!