Beginning in early 2024, I wrote these opening lines: “I have decided to take this year and document and capture memories… from our everyday life activities. Everything isn’t glamorous, we work long hours, 6 days a week, but Richard and I find time to share and unwind. I hope you enjoy a few of my favorite collected moments via photography.”
What a journey it has been! Here’s a look at a few of my photo favorites from each month in 2024. Below each photograph, I will include the original link to each month from 2024, in case you missed it or would like to see more photos from each month.
The festivities of Christmas and New Year are complete. The decorations are boxed up for another year, and the cold, brisk winter weather looms ahead. Will we have snow to look forward to this month???
The answer is yes! Snow on January 10th, 2025!
January can be a bit of “let down” after the holidays. So how do we celebrate one of the all time coldest months of the year? January is like eating an elephant… you can’t tackle it at once, but you can manage it one bite at a time, as the old saying goes.. January, take it ONE day at a time!
Here’s to celebrating the long, cold, brisk, windy January days, one day at a time, breaking it down into manageable chunks, offering a bit of sunshine on an icy, bitter cold January Day. Have fun this January with a few trips and stops inside Wilkes County Hardware this January, warming by the old-fashioned wood stove. You never know what you might find that you need!
January Days
1st- New Year’s Day– a feast of cornbread, black-eyed peas, greens, and pork, and New Year’s Resolutions. Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to grab a new cast iron skillet this month!!
5th- National Bird Day– Winter is the perfect time to watch and enjoy the birds feeding in your yard. Stop by to pick up a new bird feeder, suet, or bird food
Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to pick up your winter suet, feeders, feed and more!
6th- Epiphany (3 Kings Day)– Celebrating the arrival of the Wise Men, many observe this as the official end of the Christmas season
9th- Static Electricity Day… no one likes this problem during the winter! Bring more humidity into your home, add lotion to hands to help fight it. Carry a coin with you or even a bolt 🔩, pocket knife…. You get the gist to reduce the risk.
These lotions are selling fast during the winter months at Wilkes County Hardware
10th- Houseplant Appreciation Day. Winter is the perfect time to enjoy those green plants!
11th- International Thank You Day- send a note of thanks to someone today!
12th- National Sunday Supper Day– Gather around the table and enjoy family time. Make it a weekly tradition in 2025.
Handcrafted by Keegan… a beautiful piece to add as a centerpiece of your Sunday Supper celebrations… Supper vs. Dinner
13th- Clean Off Your Desk Day– Time to tackle your desk, or any other surface areas that need to be cleaned! Stop by Wilkes County Hardware for some cleaning essentials.
Did you know that Wilkes County Hardware has a great selection of cleaning products???
15th- Hat Day– it’s definitely time for a new Wilkes County Hardware Hat today!
17th- Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day… Don’t give up! It takes time to create a habit (like a few months of consistent practice ) remember the phrase, eating an elephant one bite at a time…
19th- National Popcorn 🍿 Day- Go watch a movie today at our nearby Liberty Theater and eat the famous popcorn!
20th- Blue Monday/Take Walk Outdoors Day- it’s time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine! Check out the blog post for more ideas on how to beat the winter blues
A brief dusting of snow began December 2024, making me long for a bit more.
December marks the beginnings of the winter season. Winter… a time of perseverance and optimism for spring will come.
December, Christmas is near.
A Light DustingSnowy Morning SurpriseSnowy Stack At DuskWinter Solstice SunriseWaiting on SunriseDecember 31st… That Touch of Pink
Random Happenings
You never know what you will find in the middle of a grocery store parking lot! Parking lot golf????
Christmasat Home 2024
Fresh Mistletoe for Christmas! Thanks to Kim Reid for the adventure!New additions this year to my green plants to add a festive flare, pine cones and berries for the holiday season Our Christmas clock is a family favoriteBobbles and Santa Handmade Christmas Handmade Christmas Handmade ChristmasThis Christmas was the first year we put our inflatable back out in several years. Our sweet little neighbor has enjoyed it so much this year. Our original “Snowy” the polar bear was injured by heavy rain earlier this month. Santa was our quick find as a replacement.Cookie watching over her neighborhood
Thank you to everyone who has followed along my year long photographic journey in 2024 exploring the everyday life of #thehardwarelife. I’m excited about new opportunities in 2025! Coming soon, the Favorites of 2024 revisited. Stay posted on the blog.
This November has been a month of contrasts. Warm weather marked the beginning of the month and ended the month with colder than normal temperatures.
Autumn Glory
I think you will see some definite contrast in some of the photos captured this month. The leaves are beginning to fade away as compared to the glorious autumn colors of last month’s photo gallery. November brings us a time to reflect on our blessings.
November Beauty
My joy this year has been found in finding Blessings in the simple things we have in our lives, like capturing a sunrise moment. Each day brings unique moments and experiences.
Glimmering Sunrise
May you be blessed this holiday season with Thanksgiving in your heart each & every day. Happy Holidays!
First Light
First Fire of the season! About month later than usual. Glorious Beauty: this old, majestic and mature tree is one of the last ones to lose leaves in our neighborhood. Golden Hour: I must admit I’m not a fan of the time change but the Sunsets have been glorious at Wilkes County Hardware this month.Stealing The Rainbow Morning Love Story Blooming Beauties Hard to believe that flowers were still blooming in early NovemberJack Frost: Heavy frosts set in finally in later November, the sun quickly melts it awaySunshine Seeker: Joy enjoys a nap in the morning sunHometown Holidays: November kicks off the holiday season with Light Up Downtown.
Morning fogs, and vibrant colors… the best way to introduce my photography finds for October. The colors of Autumn are majestic, melding together as a kaleidoscope for the camera lens.
Foggy Mornings
Awakening to Fog Sun peaking through the fog Valley Fog
Northern Lights: Aurora Borealis
The unique colors are determined by the gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, the altitude of the collision of the gases, and the amount of energy in the particles… different colors are created. Just a few pictures of what I witnessed during this rare capture this month.
Pink/purple: Produced by nitrogen particles
Green: One of the most common colors at the lowest levels of the atmosphere, interaction of oxygen molecules
Red: Oxygen molecules interact at a higher level in the atmosphere.
Hello Indy!
Waiting for my nephews band to arrive to begin their routine uniform pickup before their performance in Bands of America competition. They placed 5th out of 91 bands in this super regional competition!!! So very proud!!! Go Wando!!! Early morning flight…
The Colors of Autumn
“Nature’s first green is gold. Her hardest hue to hold.” – Robert Frost Vibrant Reds Autumnal Gold and Copper A walk in the woods…Peaking in towards the mountain Colorful Woods Buck Mountain never disappoints 💕Kaleidoscope of Color Melding of Autumn Perfection of Autumn
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The Hardware Life - A wife's journey into the hardware business 