Maria Donovan

Odd looking back through a year in pictures, to see them in a mass stretching back ‘to this time last year’. I picked 12 of my nature photos – it seems I like shadows, odd angles and the sea.

I have spared us from grey skies and rain.

December. There was this one bright day in our holiday season.

November. Our usual walk takes us to the top of a hill, where you can see across to the other high places – Iron Age settlements all. For once, the more recent past in the valley below is veiled in mist.

October. Fly agaric is becoming rare, it seems. This one’s been eaten but from this angle looks like a Pacman of the Woods – about to gobble … something!

September. Two pilgrims on their way through Autumn.

August. Sunset brings out strong lines and vivid colours.

July. I could only photograph this beauty with its wings open because it was dead and lying on the path. Other photos I took were clear but I stood up while this was going off and it seemed to give the poor thing back a bit of life.

June. A rare day off, starting and ending at Eype. Lovers of ‘Broadchurch’ will remember this chalet. Closer to the edge than ever now!

May. So many photos of blossoms this month, but I like this one of a seed-head, touched with rain.

April. A special, sunny day. It made me feel joyful to see the water leaping!

March. A tiny spring bouquet of primroses, forget-me-nots and ling – from the garden, so nothing stolen from the wild.

February. The colours are sharp and the shadows long.

January. Ending with a golden sunset.

And so back to January and starting again …

Looking forward to being outdoors in 2022! To everyone, best wishes for the New Year.