As a friend of ours frequently says before a long and fascinating email, you might want to get another cup of coffee or snack.  This blog is a long one.  

Love them or hate them, the new year is packed with "year in review" and "healthy living" and "how to do it better" columns in every media.  Too much?  I don't think so.  At the pace news and information is issued every minute of every day, humans tend to forget quickly what happened when and where and why.  It is good to look back on any given time period because it is history in the making.  It is important to take note of that history. Thus, today's blog contains a few of my favorite photographs that I shot during the year.  Admittedly, for reasons of self-censorship to protect individuals, and future use, some of my favorites will not appear here quite yet.

Five subject areas consumed much of my photographic work this year - flowers and nature, food, construction, photojournalism, and commercial products.  Here is a sampling.

Bamboo vent pipes, Albuquerque Botanical Garden

ABQ Botanic Garden - Sasebo Japanese Garden 6
 

Gifted tulips

Flowers - tulips from Cristina 2 2025

Wildflower garden at PERA building in Santa Fe

wildflower garden at PERA Santa Fe 2 2025
 

Pumpkin in bed of thyme

pumpkin with stem 1 2025

Ingrid's specialty

Food - lemon tart with berries by Ingrid 1 2025
 

Window replacement

window replacement 14 2025

Protest rallies

Not my president rally 11, Santa Fe, New Mexico 11, February 2025 No Kings Rally Santa Fe, New Mexico 3 06/14/2025

A nod to Josef Albers (detail) of  Rug 423 by Fred Black

         Rug 423 detail

Numerous lists and recommendations of assorted media appear in general year-end wraps and I cannot resist recommending The American Revolution by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt.  It should be required viewing for everyone, and certainly every student of history.  On the entertaining/mystery side, Wake Up Dead Man, a Knives Out Mystery directed and written by Rian Johnson, is quite the romp.  The gravelly and amazing voice of Tom Waits'  Come On Up to the House over the end credits is nearly perfect.   

Since I'll be reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain again before beginning James by Perceival Everett, a quote from Mark Twain takes us out of this first blog of 2026.  It is one of my favorites.

"Dance like nobody is watching.  Love like you've never been hurt.  Sing like nobody's listening; live like its heaven on earth."

During the holiday and political chaos that is our world, many of you commented on last week's blog.  Thanks to Gustavo, Tim, Victoria, TTT, Rebecca, Marilyn G., Catherine, Steve, Barbara F. R., and Pater for your creative and wonderful responses.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image©