For the past few years, I’ve looked back through my photographs and selected a few (this year many) that tell my story for the year.  It’s a great way to document some of the joys and beauty that fill your life.   My 2016 began with a trip in January to visit friends in Grand Cayman Islands.  For such a small island, there are lots of unique wildlife.  This Iguana was out by the pool…

We went for a hike and this blue-throated Anole’s vibrant colors caught my eye!

Not sure if this is an egret, a stork, or something else?

One of the highlights was swimming with the Stingrays.

I learned how to stand up (and paddle a little) on an inflatable paddle board…

After returning to Ohio, we had a beautiful snow.  That’s our small shed.

I didn’t have to endure the cold for too long because I took a small group (three people) to Central America for two weeks in February, through my Travel Spirit Meetup.  We visited Antigua, Guatemala.

and Lake Atitlan, Guatemala…

We then flew to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua and that’s me horseback riding on the beach.  I wanted to gallop and that I did!

and we watched the surfers…

We then moved on to Granada, Nicaragua for three nights…

Next, we flew to Panama City, Panama…

As a freelance photographer for Cincinnati Refined, I had 30 photo shoots this year.  The cool thing about working for them is that I can pitch ideas and if they like it, I’m given the assignment.  Here are a few of the shoots…

View of Northern Kentucky from the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati…

The Asian Food Fest at Washington Park in Cincinnati…

Jazz in the Garden at the Taft Museum of Art…

Top of the Park restaurant/bar overlooking the Ohio River from Cincinnati…

84.51 building in downtown Cincinnati…

One of the dishes served at The Golden Lamb Restaurant in Lebanon, Ohio

Kellie Pickler from American Idol at the Pink Ribbon Luncheon held at the Duke Energy Convention Center.

Calysta Bevier (from America’s Got Talent)

A welder (a somewhat unusual assignment for me, but fun)…

Indoor water park at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio

The Cincinnati Dinner Train experience.  One of the perks…my husband was able to join me for a free dinner/ride.

Cincinnati Prime Restaurant Grand Re-Opening…

Shawnee Lookout Park, North Bend, Ohio

Horseback riding at Salt Creek Ranch in Metamora, Indiana (there’s the hubby on the right)

Metamora, Indiana

Shawnee State Park, West Portsmouth, Ohio

Thanksgiving Day Race, Cincinnati, Ohio

Lights on the Hill at Pyramid Sculpture Park, Hamilton, Ohio

Through my own business, Sherry Lachelle Photography, I had quite a few real estate photos (here are three of them)…

My third wedding reception for friends…

A family photo shoot…

Another family photo shoot, but the little boy stole the show…

Senior Photos for my beautiful second cousin

One of the most time-consuming and important accomplishments this year was starting a business in partnership with Urban Adventures, called “Cincinnati Urban Adventures“.  I give tours of Cincinnati.  This group of guys (most from the UK) were loads of fun!

This is a wine tasting/foodie tour and I have a beer/tasting foodie tour also.

My longest trip this year and a truly amazing experience was taking two people through eight countries back in June for a month.  We began in Bulgaria (three Cities)…

Rila Monastery, Bulgaria

We then headed to a variety of Cities in Romania.  Peles Castle was amazing!

Bran Castle aka Count Dracula’s Castle in Romania

These next photos are also in various Romanian cities…

I took photos of at least three brides in different cities throughout Europe on this trip…

Sibiu, Romania has its eyes on you!

We then flew to Helsinki, Finland

Temppeliaukio Church aka Rock Church

We took an over-night cruise to St. Petersburg, Russia and had 72 hours to see what we could.  The Hermitage Museum was amazing!

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

Peterhof Park and Palace

We took a bus to Tallinn, Estonia…

A bus to Riga, Latvia…

Another bus to Vilnius, Lithuania and one of the highlights was Trakai Castle…

Next up, a bus to Warsaw, Poland…

And then a train to Krakow, Poland…

Where of course we went to Auschwitz.  Unbelievably sad and horrific…

I took a long weekend /solo trip to Cleveland and Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio and got paid for my photographs.

The Rock n Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland

Cuyahoga National Park

Later in the summer, just for fun, at Serpentine Wall along the Ohio River in Cincinnati…

Fountain Square at night, Cincinnati

A car show

Canoeing at Green Acres Canoe in Harrison, Ohio (and got paid for this one)

A Bengals football game.  We had nose bleed seats, but I had my zoom lens…

Of course there were family get-togethers.  My son and his girlfriend at our home for a Bengals watching party/bon-fire etc.

and at a holiday party…

Jake trying to catch frogs in the Koi Pond…

Kate walking the tight-rope…

My husband and I spent a week in the Cape Coral/Ft. Myers, Florida area in mid-December…

I read or listened to almost 50 books.  A few of my favorites, in no particular order, were: Flowers for Algernon, A tree grows in Brooklyn, The invisible bridge, The red umbrella, My name is Lucy Barton, The Shoemaker’s Wife, These is my words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, Lilac Girls, Me talk pretty one day, Salt to the Sea, Someone knows my name, and Plainsong.

In between, I prepared new and old recipes, hiked, biked, ran a 5-K fundraiser, went motorcycling, lots of girls’ nights out, and dinners/parties with my husband.  The older you get, the more you want to squeeze in!

I hope next year is as good as this one was!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours!