Cherish is my favorite word, and I cherish the ability of turning the routine into a beautiful moment.
Nature creates in me, a spiritual and meditative time to bring peace, harmony and balance, into an otherwise ordinary day~
Mary Howell Cromer







Tuesday, January 1, 2013

My Top 10 Favorite Images From My Blog for 2012~


This will be my first year to participate in

 
It should be a fun way to share my top 10 favorite images from this past year. 

There are so many reasons that make certian images more special, more favored, so personal in nature to each of us who have the pleasure of viewing them. 

Like so many others, I take not hundreds, but thousands of images, every year. 

We then have to edit and then delete, or keep the best and then decide which of those we will share on our blog entries. 

Many times, I find that final selection the most difficult challenge and I end up using several in collages, and, or mosaics, and then can enjoy sharing more, than I could otherwise. 

This year was no exception, but I have narrowed my shares down to these final 10, and have left behind so many others that made something in my spirit soar.

I hope that these will be enjoyed by those who will have a chance to view once again, or possibly for the first time.

~ Happy New Year ~



Late emergence of a Monarch butterfly~


 First year Red-tailed Hawk ~


Gray phased Eastern Screech Owl...owlet~



Tree Swallow, one of my top 10 favorite birds~


Dusk in the mountains of southern Utah~


Final showing of wildflowers in Kentucky~


The above image was powerful to me, because of many reasons.

It is a hybrid...a cross breed of a Red-tailed Hawk and a Red-Shouldered Hawk.

A few weeks after photographing this beauty in nature, I was privileged to witness copulation of a male Red-shouldered Hawk and a female Red-tailed Hawk.

Then even later, I came upon the injured male Red-Shouldered Hawk and got it to Wingspan of Kentucky.  
He had severe head injuries, that would eventually take away his sight.  
After several months in his care, the manager peacefully put him down.
Nature at it's best, and worst~





Last January, the husby drove me to view the Sandhill Cranes in Tennessee. 
There were thousands of these gorgeous birds, and I can still remember fondly their voice sounds...it was amazing. 
My friend whom I met by doing a "Google"  search on love for Red-Shouldered Hawks...Vickie Henderson, was my inspiration for becoming a blogger going on 4 years ago. 
She also shares so much of her love for the Sandhill Cranes on her site and I had to include one of these images in my top 10 for 2012~





These last 2 images were taken during a snowfall on one of the
"Most Dangerous Roads in America"
also known as the
"Million Dollar Highway"
near Durango, Colorado~


17 comments:

  1. they're all beautiful. i think my favorite, if i picked one, it would be the last showing of wildflower seedpods. so beautiful!

    happy new year, mary! blessings to you and yours. may this year be easier for all of you!

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  2. I always enjoy your beautiful photography Mary and these are among many of your favourites I'm sure. I think my favourite is the swallow landing on the post. # 2 is the butterfly. I hope this year will be filled with blessings for you and your family. Pamela

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  3. Fabulous review! Such great pictures and such a great blog you have Mary. I remember some of those pictures from when you first posted them, but they're so lovely its wonderful to see them again. And there are a few that I must have somehow missed. So thank you for doing this. And Happy New Year!!!

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  4. Your choice of photos is spectacular! Love the Hawk in Flight shot. Happy New Year, and I'm looking forward to blogging with you in 2013.

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  5. Amazing captures.
    Wish you Happy and Prosperous New Year!

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  6. Happy New Year to you ;-)
    Céline & Philippe

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  7. I couldn't choose a favorite if I tried...they are all lovely.
    I just linked to follow. :)

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  8. Well I wouldn't like to say anyone was "best" because they are all so brilliant, but that little owl certainly made me smile. I'll bet it made you smile too Mary? Thousands of images - yes, us bloggers know how hard the blogging actually is - some sensible folk just read blogs.

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  9. I've loved seeing your photos all year but I have to say it wasn't hard at all to choose a favorite. The owlet is hands down the cutest I have ever seen! Happy New year my friend!

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  10. That really is a great set of images - its tempted me to do a "best of" soon. Well maybe!

    I remain jealous of all the shots of birds of prey you manage to get!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  11. Such an amazing collection -- the owlet and the GSD puppy (a few posts back) are my favorites.

    Happy New Year to you Mary!

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  12. Hapy new year to you too and I also do prefer this powerful hawk flight shot which is wonderful.

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  13. Beautiful items from last year, cheers Mary.

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  14. Very, very beautiful! Great shots.

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  15. I like all your birds images. My favorite is the "Gray phased Eastern Screech Owl"- I love the texture of its feathers and the background fit the subject and surrounds it in beautiful, fresh greens.

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