Before my mom passed away, I asked her if I could have her camera.  It's big, got HUGE lenses, and is significantly more complicated than I can handle.  But I wanted it anyway.  She loved taking pictures, she loved the outdoors and I figured, living in Alaska, I had the best opportunity to take amazing pictures with a pretty cool camera.  I received the camera last week.  It still had pictures on it which was, well, good and bad.  Not only am I pleased that the last year of my mom's life is captured in the camera but, well, it's hard to look at a smiling face of a loved one that is no longer around to smile.

Here are some of the best pictures...mostly of family and friends: