January 2019 in Photos

I’m changing up My Photo of the Month series to be more of a recap of the last month, instead of focusing on just one Instagram photo.

1. Getting out of the Holiday Blanket

Getting back into a regular routine at the beginning of January feels like emerging from a holiday cocoon. Or, as Quijote illustrated, peeking out from the snuggly blanket my mom made me (us?) for Christmas.

2. Museum Date Day

Phillip and I had a couples’ counseling appointment (we go periodically — I recommend it!) and decided to make an afternoon of it.

We dropped Quijote off at doggie daycare, went to therapy, got lunch at The Coronado, and then went to the Phoenix Art Museum, so we could see the Teotihuacan exhibition before it closed.

We also took at quick look at a few other exhibits while we were there, including Scandinavian Pain + Other Myths, José Guadalupe Posada and the Taller de Gráfica Popular, and Mexican Photographers, Mexican Views.

Also, I did a double take on the way to the elevators when I spotted a particular neon color combination that I thought I recognized from the Seven Magic Mountains installation we saw in Nevada. I don’t even know what exhibit it was part of, but, yep, it was a single Ugo Rondinone sculpture — in travel size, I guess!

3. Park Snacks

We’ve been trying to be more consistent in Quijote’s training, practicing things like coming when he’s called at the park. One day, I thought I’d give him a break since I didn’t have his usual reward treats with me, and he seemed (hilariously) annoyed.

How is your 2019 starting out?

January 23, 2019January 23, 2019

Photos of 2018

2018 was the Year of the Dog. Adopting our Quijote in May was a watershed moment for us. There has definitely been a before and after to how we approach travel, socializing, and our daily life with this adorably sweet yet feisty addition to our family.

I have a tradition here of summing up my year in photos from my Instagram, both my own favorites and the year’s “Best Nine,” as counted by an app.

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A post shared by stephanieliebold (@stephanieliebold) on Apr 24, 2018 at 5:59pm PDT

This time it seemed a little different, since I hadn’t been posting to my Instagram gallery as frequently, and a lot of the photos I did share were from earlier years.

Still, I think this can give you a little window into my 2018…

You Like This

In a way, you (or anyone who liked my Instagram posts) voted for this first set of photos, since Best Nine just automatically selects the photos with the most likes.

Best Nine (from left):

Row 1 — Motel sign, Sedona / Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix / Women’s March Phoenix 2 — Dragon tree shadows at Coronado Island, CA / Spreckels Organ, San Diego / Monet Pond, Denver Botanic Gardens 3 — Typewriter at George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, Phoenix / Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, Altea, Spain / Mosaic in the Vatican Museum

My 2018 Picks

This collage I put together somehow feels more like my past year — especially with Quijote at the center of it all!

1 — Pompeii at Arizona Science Center / Date Night, Yuma, AZ / Typewriter at George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, Phoenix 2 — Downtown Tucson / Quijote / Dragon tree shadows at Coronado Island, CA 3 — Sunset at La Jolla, CA / The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix / San Marco Square, Venice, Italy

What memories stand out from your past year?

December 10, 2018

November 2018 Photos: Vintage

1980s Cassette Player

I saw the tape deck buttons on this vintage stereo, and it gave me one of those deja vu-y moments where you’re transported back in time for just a fraction of a second, like remembering a flash of a dream. They looked just like the buttons on the stereo my parents had when I was a kid, so I had to capture it.

It’s funny how objects from childhood leave such a strong imprint on your memory. I think it’s because kids tend to look at things more closely with fewer preconceived notions.

1580s Cartography

Speaking of capturing things that are strangely familiar, I’d seen reprints of this map of Italy long before knowing it came from the Gallery of Maps (Galleria delle carte geografiche) in the Vatican.

Seeing it in Italy felt a bit surreal, and I had to take a photo. And so did Phillip. Apparently, at the same moment. So he became part of my picture.

December 4, 2018

October 2018: Terra Cotta Pots

On our anniversary this year, we took Quijote for a picnic at The Farm at South Mountain.

We saw herbs in terra cotta pots on these stepped shelves that looked like little plant bleachers. Maybe they were cheering on the good weather!

October 8, 2018October 8, 2018

September 2018: Cloud Coverage

It was just cool enough to sit on the porch awhile the morning I took September’s photo, and Quijote seemed to want a little extra sun.

The sky was mottled with little white clouds, like the edges of the approaching cloud bank had crumbled off ahead of it.

They reminded me of the bits of cream cheese you get when it’s too cold to spread properly. Or the pattern of paint after a timid first pass on a textured wall.

Later, the wind and air pressure and afternoon heat would work together to spread the storm clouds across the sky and cover it completely.