Weekly Photo Challenge: My 2012 in Photos

This photo challenge was, well, challenging!   My family had a lot of fun this year.  We only left Ohio twice, and even then we just went over the border into Pennsylvania.  We went to a lot of beautiful and interesting places, saw amazing sights, some right here in Ohio’s smallest county – Lake County. We had a big party with family in Columbus, Ohio, to celebrate my husband’s MBA graduation.   Dana and I had a wonderful vacation in the Hocking Hills.  I got to go to my first ever food show and sat in the VIP seats!  Andy did lots of fun stuff with us and without us.  I took a lot of pictures.  It was hard to narrow it down but these are some of my favorites.  Click on any photo to enlarge and read the details.  In case you missed one, below the gallery are links to stories about some of these photos.

I made some new friends this year, on and off line, and I thank you all for your faithful readership.  Next year we’ll have even more adventures!  I hope you and your families have a very Happy New Year!

January snow

Andy gets ready for a St. Patrick’s Day party

Spring arrives on the North Coast – Veterans Park, Mentor, Ohio

Spring hike at Hogback Ridge, Lake Metroparks, Lake County, Ohio

Spring birding with Andy at Headlands Dunes, Mentor, Ohio

Chicken of the woods mushrooms, Zimmerman Trail, Mentor Marsh Nature Preserve

Summer hike at Lake Erie Bluffs, near Erie, Pennsylvania

Mentor Lagoons shoreline, Mentor, Ohio

Oliver! at Rabbit Run Theater, Madison, Ohio

Andy drumming at music camp, Mentor, Ohio

Mentor Marsh Nature Center, Mentor, Ohio

Andy reflected in the Fresnel lens, Fairport Harbor Lighthouse Museum, Fairport Harbor, Ohio

Dana graduates from Franklin University with an MBA – Columbus, Ohio

My favorite place we stayed this year, Sunrise Cabins in the Hocking Hills, near Logan, Ohio

Hiking at Old Man’s Cave,, near Logan, Ohio

Sunset over Lake Logan, near Logan, Ohio

BBQ Food Truck in Nelsonville, Ohio

Just one of the amazing panels on the Portsmouth, Ohio, floodwall

Apple Festival at Patterson Fruit Farm, Chesterland, Ohio

Dana’s cousin Cyndi, aunt Ruth and mother Dorothy at Mount Jeez, near Mansfield, Ohio

Beautiful blue sky and water at Paint Creek Lake, near Greenfield, Ohio

My mother and I at the Salt Cooking Show for our birthdays, near Wilmington, Ohio

Andy and his friend, Alan, at Lake Metroparks Halloween Hayrides, Lake County, Ohio

Andy and Dana taking in the beautiful fall view from the Chapin Forest overlook, Lake County, Ohio

Sunset over Headlands Dunes, Mentor, Ohio

Hogback Ridge – Wildflowers, rocks and water

The sounds of spring on Granger Pond / Veterans Park

Birding Headlands Dunes with Andy

Looking for Eagles (again) on the Zimmerman Trail

Erie Bluffs – A long walk to a small spot

Lake Erie Today – Erosion and Birds at Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve

Oliver! at Rabbit Run Theater

August sunset

Summer Graduation

The challenge of Old Man’s Cave

Portsmouth Floodwall Murals

Glee Thriller at Lake Metroparks Halloween Hayride

SALT Market Place and Cook Show – and a BIG Surprise!