Zoo.  Going to the zoo is special, and my most local recently added giraffes.  We decided to go meet them with my nephew, and had a very fun day in June.  Mack and my mom meeting giraffes at the zoo last summer (above), me and my mom meeting giraffes at the zoo during an earlier summer (below).

This was not my finest photographic effort, nor was it my Z when I took the pictures.  I took a picture of Queen Ann's Lace that day, and that was definitely with Q in mind, but not Z.  This one was hard... I think I'm a little past pleasing for zaftig, and I'm not sure quite how I'd portray that, anyway, so Z for Zoo it is!

Have I ever mentioned how much I've enjoyed participating in the ABC-Along?  I was sometimes rushed and sometimes fell behind, but I so enjoyed thinking about each letter and how best to represent it, taking pictures to reflect a little of me and making it personal.  In the beginning, I'd intended to photograph each letter as it came up, but it didn't work out that way -- for the most part, it did, but there are a few "out of order."  I've definitely had some favorites -- okay, I was just going to go back and link to a few, but they're all favorites, they all really do reflect me -- people, places, things that I love and that are special or important to me.  I was inspired, N was just too much fun, O took me miles off my route to get to the spot after finally finding the one, V was pure chance, and X was a last-minute save; I wish I had a do-over or two... I forgot that I'd intended to do watch pins for W, though I guess that turned out okay.  Some of the pictures could be better...  From the very beginning, I've planned to print an Abecedary of my very own, and now I can finally do it!

Thank you, Anne, for sharing your inspiration and being such a fine hostess.  I've enjoyed every frame.