At the beginning of this year, instead of making New Year’s resolutions, I chose a theme for the year. My theme was “magic.” Of course by February I’d totally forgotten about the whole theme thing, but I would say that 2016 has indeed been magical on several levels.

As some other bloggers have done, I’ve chosen 12 photos, one from each month of this year, and am sharing them here today. They are snapshots of the magic that was 2016.

January came in rainy and grey, but there are always patches of color underfoot. Mind the steps; they’re slippery.

February: Spring tries to rush things, as these daffodils bravely poke up from the cold ground in late winter.

March: Combining color and creativity is always magical.

April begins filling out nature’s beautiful spring palette.

May: Beauty in art and animals.

June: Warm, expansive days encourage outdoor activity.

July: The heat (and plants) get a little prickly. But just a little.

August: Those lazy, hazy days of summer.

September: Shadows begin lengthening, but there’s still plenty of time to get out and play.

October: Time to break out the warmer (and waterproof) clothing.

November: Grey skies return, and the last vestiges of autumn defy the rain and wind.

December: Snow is rare where I live, so one must make the most of what little we get.

The seasons followed their usual path in 2016, but these photos each carry a reminder of special moments, special places, special people, and the magic  of a year well played.

My theme for next year? I’m still pondering that. I can’t determine the path down which 2017 will take me, but I can certainly choose my company and mindset. I plan to choose wisely.

Do you have a theme for 2017? Resolutions?

The Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Path