Gallery: last chance to see (or possibly not!)
You could say that all of life is a series of last chances
Cynthia Voigt
A thought-provoking quote from a writer I really admire. And thought-provoking too was Tina’s proposal that for the last Lens Artists challenge of the year we share some shots taken in 2022 but not yet shared for any of the challenges.
It sounds a simple ask, but I decided to make it harder for myself by searching out some favourite images not yet shared in any post. Which meant a lot of checking back … Even so, some may have slipped through; let me know if you spot them! And of course I can’t promise never to use these again, hence my title! Maybe these are more accurately described as ‘first chance to see’?
My featured photo is from our recent Nepal trip. While staying in a lodge near Chitwan National Park we watched the sun set every evening over the Narayani River. I already shared some shots from those evening in my latest Changing Seasons round-up, but not this one. And what could be more appropriate for a ‘last chance’ theme than a sunset?
The couple of other Nepal shots included below don’t really fit into posts I’ve either already shared or plan to, so I’m grateful to Tina for giving me an excuse to include them here!
So here it is, 2022 in a series of monthly images, taken close to home and far away. They aren’t necessarily my best shots, as most of those probably made it into earlier posts. But I am happy with these ones too, and they reflect the pattern of my year.
January: in London’s Soho district
February: in the garden of the Aguila de Osa lodge, Costa Rica
March: Magnolia in Ealing
April: bougainvillea in Faro, Portugal
May: the view towards Lindisfarne Priory from St Cuthbert’s Isle, Northumberland
June: mallard duck in Walpole Park, Ealing
July: at Kingfishers Bridge Reserve, Cambridgeshire
August: seed-head and spider, Eyam, Derbyshire
September: the fountain in the Place Saint Sulpice, Paris
October: local, ox and egret near Chitwan National Park, Nepal
November: on the road to Pokhara, Nepal
December: at Hampstead Ponds, London
46 Comments
bluebrightly
I like the minimalist feeling of your sunset very much, Sarah. So many flowers here! But my other favorites are the smiling people in Nepal and the final image of that huge old tree. I wish you a wonderful 2023, full of new sights and sounds!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Lynn, and sorry for the late acknowledgement. We’re away at present in Newcastle, so I’m not online quite as much as usual! Happy New Year to you as well – I hope it’s a good one 🥂🎉
susurrus
It’s bittersweet to see inside the fallen over section of tree, although we imagine a tree like that is lifeless well before the community of things living in it have departed. Do you think it has been in the river? Wishing you a very happy 2023.
Sarah Wilkie
I know what you mean about that tree, but what a long life it must have had! No, I don’t think it would have been in the water, which is really just a large pond (one of a series on the heath here)
Paul
Stunning photos Sarah. Merry Christmas to you and a Happy New Year.
Paul
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Paul 😊 Merry Christmas to you too, and the very best for 2023!
Leya
Thank you for sharing your “leftovers”, Sarah, as usual excellent photography. My favourites are the bee and the Nepali photos. In fact we took out the old equipment for slides yesterday just to relive our Nepal journey in 1986. The old photos are not in good shape, so I really enjoyed yours! Happy Holidays!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😊I know what you mean about those old slides. We have loads from the 80s and 90s that we were so pleased with at the time but now find a bit disappointing to look at!
SoyBend
I liked the bumblebee on the thistle, Sarah. You showed a nice variety of pictures this week, all lovely.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Siobhan, so glad you liked them!
restlessjo
Obviously a good year, Sarah. I especially like the lion and the bee.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Jo – yes, a good year indeed 🙂
margaret21
Well, that was a great gallery of images seeking to have their 15 minutes of fame! Well-deserved too.
Sarah Wilkie
Haha, thank you Margaret 🙂
leightontravels
Some lovely images Sarah, naturally. The mallard looks so regal and is it naughty that I found myself chuckling at the caption: ‘Magnolia in Ealing’? The Hampstead Ponds shot has made me nostalgic for an afternoon that was only 10 months ago. The time you spent carefully handpicking these has definitely paid off.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Leighton 😊 Glad you liked my choices!
equinoxio21
Compliments on the selection.
Joyeux Noël and a Happy New Year.
Om…
🙏🏻
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, and Merry Christmas 🎄
Marie
What a lovely selection Sarah – and to think they didn’t even make the grade for your posts during the year!!! 😅 They deserve an outing!!!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Marie 😊 Often it was more that they didn’t fit any post theme or topic, but they also slipped through the monthly highlights somehow – maybe I just had too many!
Amy
Hi Sarah, I really enjoy your year-around photo selections! Love your nature capture.
Happy Holidays!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks for all your comments Amy and happy holidays to you too 🎄
grandmisadventures
Beautiful pictures to go with such a thought provoking idea, especially at the end of another year.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, I’m glad you liked them, and the quote 🙂
Yvonne Dumsday
As always, stunning pictures. I am still trying to work out if that tiny speck of red, on a bench by the shore at Lindisfarne, might just have been me, taking a picture of you all silhouetted on that smallll island?
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Yvonne 🙂 No, not you – I checked some other photos and you were wearing pale blue that day. Blowing up the image I don’t think that’s anyone from our group although it’s hard to be sure. She/he seems to be taking a photo of a couple seated in front of the building to the right, and the guy is wearing shorts which I don’t think any of our crowd was foolish/hardy enough to do!
Leela Gopinath
Lovely Pictures!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Leela 🙂
Wind Kisses
The landscape shot of Lindisfarne Priory was beautiful, with the pink flowers in the foreground. My favorites are both from Nepal. At first, I didn’t notice the egret in the tree as the eye draws us to the local and the ox. I love that photo. And finally, I love the smile of the woman in Pokhara but I am most curious about all the branches on the roof. That is interesting. All great captures and a great place to land with this theme.
Yes, all of life is a series of last chances.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Donna 😊 That woman’s smile was a lucky capture – she wasn’t even aware I was taking her photo but was smiling at another woman approaching along the path to the little shop. I don’t know about the branches. The stones are used to weigh down those corrugated roofs so maybe the branches help a little too? Although I’m surprised if they’re heavy enough to make a lot of difference.
Wind Kisses
Yes, but sometimes in these small villages, they have done things like that for years, so it just seems natural to continue. I love that. And yes….great smile capture. It looks like she is looking right at you.
Cee Neuner
That mallard is special. Sarah, I enjoyed viewing all your photos 😀
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Cee, so glad you liked him!
Mike and Kellye Hefner
This is a great selection of photos, Sarah. All are beautiful, but my favorite is the bee. I love bees!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Kellye – I’m fond of bees too and that nature reserve was a great spot for photographing them 🙂
Tina Schell
Sarah, that was such a wonderful idea to break out the images by month – and hopefully a fun reminder of your travels this year! Loved them all but I think your nature images are my favorites! All the best for the holiday and the coming year!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much Tina 😊 It took a while to decide what to include (and exclude) but yes, it was a fun reminder of my travels and also times at home this year. Happy Christmas, and thanks for all you and the LAC team do in hosting these excellent challenges!
JohnRH
Great selections. That banner shot is unusual!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you John 🙂 I took a lot of ‘usual’ ones. with the sun in, but the reflection seemed worthy of its own shot!
thehungrytravellers.blog
Now there’s another good idea…..I’ve issued the challenge to Michaela!
Sarah Wilkie
Great – I’ll look forward to seeing what she comes up with! How’s Panama?
thehungrytravellers.blog
Very interesting city….and very humid!
Aletta - nowathome
Amazing photos you have here Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Aletta 🙂
Anne Sandler
This is a very clever presentation of your review of unposted images Sarah. I enjoyed them all, especially your Soho image. Have a great holiday and stay safe!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne, and best wishes for a Happy Christmas too!