We spend so much time dwelling on the bad things that happen, it is easy to miss the good. For the positivity experiment, Kristy Jett invited people to participate in posting a list of 10 positive things that happened this year in their careers, relationships and adventures. It is happening today, Dec. 21. Find out more about Great Moments from 2013 on Facebook and see what others are posting.

My list follows. I made progress in photography this year, so several of my great moments involve the camera. The photo above was taken on one of my favourite walks of the year in Preservation Park behind our house on Feb. 28.

There are other great moments I could include. I ended up with 12 items and cannot choose any to exclude, so 12 it is.

1. I learned the technique of core spinning and it has provided countless hours of fun and creativity.
2. In June my partner Danny, my daughter Marian and I opened the cottage and got the pump working all by ourselves without outside intervention.
3. To celebrate our 10th anniversary, Danny and I spent the week of July 4 at Haliburton School of Art. I took a week-long course in landscape and travel photography with Rob Stimpson. It honed my skills and fired up my enthusiasm to do more photography, both for fun and professionally.
4. Also in celebration of our anniversary, Danny and I invited a few friends and family to our house on July 20. We enjoyed good food and eased into a fine, long, mellow evening on the back deck.
5. We bought a new 55 to 250 mm Canon zoom lens which has opened up endless opportunities for expression in photography.
6. My first published photo essay appeared in the winter 2013 edition of Edible Toronto. It highlights places in Guelph and the Golden Horseshoe where people can connect with the land in cities in winter. My images garnered high praise from editor Gail Gordon Oliver and designer Melissa Petersen.
7. Danny and I attended the men’s spring knitting retreat at Easton Mountain Retreat Center in May. It was socially engaging and creatively stimulating, as always one of the most enjoyable experiences of the year.
8. I arranged to spend a nine-day writing retreat alone at the cottage in August. It fired up my inspiration for creative nature writing. I wrote some 22,000 words in a journal. I also enjoyed the opportunity to practise photography.
9. We flew to Winnipeg to spend Thanksgiving with Danny’s family. I enjoyed their company and also an opportunity to explore more of a fascinating and beautiful city.
10. I began writing a regular column, Study Sessions, to appear in Gluten-Free Living magazine beginning at the start of 2014. It will highlight current scientific research about celiac disease.
11. I completed the 2013 WordCount Blogathon and inspired Danny to participate, too. It revitalized my commitment and inspiration for blogging.
12. The Ontario Handspinning Seminar inspired me to look at new ways of telling stories in fibre. It was also a great opportunity to get to know other fibre crafters better and spend some time with my cousin, Brenda.