I have been wracking my brain for days on what next to write about, but my creative juices are running a touch low after weeks – months – of work travel. Finally I thought of this post – throughout the year, wherever I am and no matter how tired I am, taking pictures of the beauty around me has kept me centred. And so in this post, I would like to share with you MY favourite pictures that I have taken this year, and a bit of why they are special to me.
This picture was taken on one of my favourite days all year, when I got up early after a snowstorm to wander Marblehead as the sun rose. I wrote a whole post about this day – so serene and stunning, it remains one of the best days of the year.
Boston coffee at its best. Most people are Dunkin’ people or Starbucks people. Whether they are next to each other or across the street, they almost always offer you the chance to choose between them, in Boston anyway.
Me? Cold brew Dunkin’, even in the depths of winter.
Next Stop Wonderland was a movie, and when I started riding the subways regularly in the 90s, was still announced by the driver. So, usually was, ‘Nexxop, Wondaland’
I love this picture of the light glistening off ice starting to drip from the tree branches as the sun began to warm the world after a day and night of snow. I sat under this tree watching for some time, until I was dripped on.
February started as a month of new beginnings, with a new job for me. This picture was taken at the end of a day in week three, as the sun set down Perth Road. Hard to beat a good winter sunset.
Speaking of sunsets, here’s another, one of my favourite nearby views including the old rail bridge and the River Eden.
And to counter the previous two, a sunrise – specifically the sun rising over St Andrews, a view I have captured 100s of times but never tire of, especially on a golden morning like this one. February was a rough month for us, but mornings like this one helped.
One Saturday in March I took a late morning walk on East Sands, and it was a gorgeous sunny day at low tide. It is hard not to love this view of St Andrews.
My morning walks in spring are often joined by the local small family of deer. I like to think that they get used to me and are less afraid of the woman in a purple coat who is always taking pictures.
The deer on this morning were so completely un-bothered by me.
Most of April was consumed with work, but I did my best to get out for an evening stroll whenever I could. I loved this one daffodil standing up against the setting sun.
Early in May, I took myself on a solo adventure to Castle Campbell. This stunning blue sky against the Ochils just filled me with joy.
Out of work for the month of May, I found myself free to have the occasional Friday evening pint at our local haunt. What a spectacular evening view. Though I do have a thing for bridges.
A hiking trip in support of the Step Count Challenge took some friends and I to the Hermitage, in Perthshire. It does not get much more fairytale-perfect.
Another day trip found me in Kenmore; I just cannot take enough pictures of this bridge, but this one with the distant loch and mountains peeking through is one of my favourites.
We also travelled south to visit friends for Eurovision weekend. As always when we visit Romsey, we went on a long walk through the medieval parts of the town, where the gardens are always stunning. Many happy memories.
Driving back from Oban, we enjoyed a day of almost perfect weather. We stopped at the Stalker View café and this perfect view awaited us. I love the hint of rhododendron in the corner.
While I have hundreds of pictures of this view, this one reminds me of a very special day – the end of final exams celebration for a student I worked with for years. She fought long and hard to get to this day, and I was so proud to see her soaking wet and grinning. (a St Andrews tradition)
We had a near perfect day in Oban when we first arrived – stunning blue sky and bright sun. This picture seems to cover it all – the monument on the hill, the harbour and the distillery and high street.
I positively fell in love with the rock-lined sandy beaches of Mull. How could you not?
This was our lunch view, looking over clear water with bobbing sailboats reminiscent of the Caribbean. But on Iona. Reminds me of a peaceful and moving day on the ancient isle.
June in Scotland is all about flowers. These lightly pink blossoms line the streets and woodland paths, and I love them.
One day in June, I sat in my in-laws’ garden and took pictures of the birds. Their garden is always full of feeders and birds of every kind, and this photo in particular is in memory of my father-in-law.
July was the first month of travel with my new job, and I found that I really loved the city of Toronto. This picture seemed to encompass both the old and new feels of the city.
The V&A Museum in Dundee held a fascinating exhibit on kimono, both old styles and new. It was beautifully presented, and I loved this mirrored display.
The pinnacle of summer in St Andrews is the Lammas Market. Held on the last weekend before kids return to school, a fun fair fills the streets of the town in an event that is somehow both very modern and incredibly ancient in feel. I have always been fascinated by the juxtaposition of old stone buildings and bright garish rides.
I travelled a lot in September, starting off with a trip home – I had not been home in September in many years and I almost forgot how beautiful late summer in New England can be. Almost. And of course this view is one of the best in Marblehead.
This was also my first 9/11 in the US since 2001. It was incredibly moving for me to be in a school on that day and learn how the teachers were ensuring the next generation remembered the day with the same poignancy as those who lived through it.
One evening, I drove from Houston to Dallas. It was a great drive and I loved this totally deserted rest area where I stopped for a short break. No question I was in Texas.
In the otherwise rather standard hotel I stayed in, they offered Texas-shaped waffles on a Sunday morning. The epitome of Texas and the US. Made me so very happy.
I love a good churchyard, and this one in Dunvegan on Skye was both old and beautifully kept.
Sunset on Skye. Seldom gets better, and this will always remind me of the little cottage in which we stayed, overlooking the fields and water.
On this stunning clear night, I stood outside with my camera for almost an hour playing with settings until I managed to get them just right. Sheep in the nearby field were baaing their impatience with me, but otherwise it was totally silent and peaceful. Heaven.
It is always nice when the sky is blue, but the Highlands lend themselves just as well to clouds and partial sun. I loved this view of rocks, loch, hills and ocean beyond.
That said, the day we started our drive home was sunny and gorgeous, so I could not resist a stop at Sligachan Bridge, which had been overcast on our last visit. I pride myself on staying dry while managing this under-the-bridge picture of the distant Cuillins.
October was an another busy month of travel, including my first ever visit to Southern California. This picture, taken out of my hotel window on my first night in CA, was a precursor to a really great – if busy – trip.
I found myself drawn to the Californian mountains. They were rugged like the Highlands but dry in their starkness. And stunning in the evening light.
As I recently wrote about, one morning I took myself on an adventure to Laguna Beach. I was entirely on my own and knew nothing about where I was going, but had a wonderful morning in the sun. There were so many gorgeous pictures to be had, but this of the palms and sea and sand was my favourite.
Bangkok was a city about which I knew very little. I found myself fascinated by the architecture, the greenery, the heat, and even the BTS sky train. Always crowded, always hot, and often beautiful in the way only a city can be, Bangkok surprised me.
In one of the more surreal nights of this year, colleagues and I were taken on a river boat cruise in Bangkok. The night skyline was even more beautiful, and it was a magical night.
This is one of my favourite picutres of the whole year, encapsulating the elegance of the ancient temple and the bustle of modern Thailand. I completely fell in love with the city of Chiang Mai and hope I can return!
Finally, in November, I returned to New England to finally see the autumn colours (or tail end of them) and do my job in my home town of Boston. The weather was gorgeous, as the area was in drought, and I was there for the full moon. It was a fitting end to a year of lots of travel to new places, and plenty of opportunities for pictures.
Clockwise from top left: Full moon rising over Marblehead harbour, a stunning tree at Worcester Academy, the statue of George Washington looking over the Boston Public Garden, a stunning red Japanese maple in Mt Auburn Cemetery, and Marblehead harbour at night.
I hope you have enjoyed this photographic trip through my year! Have you checked out my online shop yet?
The Wandering Medievalist 