Hello!
It's the end of 2025, a remarkably challenging year. I'm hoping that the year ahead will be kinder and brighter.
But before we leave this one behind, here is a visual retrospective — from me, of all people, the least visually oriented person you know! — of the year that was.
January
Obviously the big news at the beginning of 2025 was the arrival of Ms P, or Penelope, who technically arrived at the end of December. But we're so glad she's here.
February
Because I was teaching a course in arts management, I made an extra effort to participate in arts and cultural events. This "At the half" image is from a Pro Coro Canada concert at McDougall United Church downtown, on a very cold Sunday.
March
This image is from an ESO concert featuring Brahms and trumpet music. It was fabulous! And while I know true orchestral aficionados wouldn't care for seats so close to the stage, for me they are a perfect balance of sound and activity.
Bonus images: Friday night painting activity in support of my dance group. Bruce was skeptical about the whole enterprise.
April
Do you sense a theme emerging? At the ESO again, this time for orchestra and organ.
June
Since we weren't on the coast, we went to one more Pro Coro Canada event, this one at the Arts Barns.
July
A sunny July Saturday afternoon on the Ukrainian Ties walking tour with Nicole. I enjoyed the tour enough to sign up for another one in August, when the weather was decidedly less pleasant.
August
This opportunistic image was caught on a walk in Coronation park. These are two of the remaining mosaics adjacent to the planetarium; the new velodrome is in the background. We were in the area because we were going to a laser show at Space Science Centre (which was wonderful for my brain).
September
Best thing I saw while cycling! There's a porcupine in this picture. What a surprise in the neighbourhood!
October
I had a front-row seat, sitting next to the book's editor, at the launch for Revolution Songs by Carissa Halton. A fabulous event! And we sang revolutionary songs, of course.
Bonus image: This is from the Edmonton launch event for Songs from This and That Country, by the wondrous Gail Sidonie Sobat, at Audreys.
November
This image was taken a moment or two before we began our two minutes of silence on November 11. Looking out over the RCAF lake. A surprisingly mild day for November, but the weather soon cooled, as the next image (November 29) demonstrates.
December
View from the fifth floor of Rutherford North. I haven't been here for years, and while much has changed on the ground floor and second floor, this floor is largely as I left it decades ago. Old home week!
Does this post make up for a year of not writing? Probably not, but here we are.
Wishing you and yours the best for what's ahead.
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