In 2023, we told your stories. In the pages of this special issue, we present a collection of the year. Join us as we revisit the highlights, starting with the Monthly Covers' "Behind the Scene!"

Edee Dalke

The Pennington Family. Terry and I had been saving this month to do a shoot with their entire family visiting for the holidays. Sadly, the weather prevented one of her sons & family from getting there in time. Through the magic of Photoshop, you might not have noticed that photographer Tony Giese posed the group with an empty spot and inserted them later!

The Sevigny Family. This was a special shoot for me. I observed how loving this family is with Elizabeth, who has a rare condition causing her mental and physical disability. She is nonverbal but very loving. I wanted badly to give them great family photos. My photographer Tony grew up with a mentally challenged sister & he felt the same.

Huda Aljonaidy and Dhiaa Daoud family. This shoot was full circle. For 5 years I published Breakaway Trails magazine, and this family was on my cover in 2018.  So, when Huda told me they moved to the ocean, I was excited to recreate that cover. We did. Down to the same colors, suit, and positions. One BIG difference, they had added daughter Jenna!

Ken & Elaine Hawthorne.  This was the first time I had seen Ken smile. Still newlyweds, Elaine brought life into the photo shoot by, well just being herself! It was a beautiful day, so the only challenge was helping Elaine walk the dock in the most beautiful high heels. Even my photographer said it was a fun shoot because of Elaine!

Dennis & Sherri Purvis. This was my miracle cover. The deadline was approaching, I had a bad case of Covid and I was missing a cover resident.  Jeanne Schroeder reached out to her neighbor who was not even fully moved in! They were so wonderfully flexible and open to it. I arranged to shoot in OMAM’s gardens and without me, it all came together.

Steve Russ and Irma Harden.   As Tony and I entered this home in Dec. 2022, we were surrounded by CHRISTMAS! Steve is a HUGE Christmas decorator and there was no angle to capture a non-Christmas spring cover…especially since they were both wearing Christmas sweaters as well! So, what’s a publisher to do? Enjoy the amazing décor and make the shoot a “Christmas in July!"

Mike Murphy and Alice Stremick. I met Murph over Zoom during Covid. I interviewed him about his NASA job and we became friends. I heard of the enormous loss of his wife. He had not dated in 46+ years. I wanted him to find someone who fit. And along came Alice. She has added magic back to his life and he has added love to hers. Perfect fit.

Whitney Shoemaker and son Tay. I’m not a professional photographer. But the day before this photoshoot, Tony texted and said he could not leave his very ill daughter, I had only one thing to do; pick up my Canon and do the shoot myself. Lucky for me, Whitney was so sweet and understanding, it was a joy (and 300 shots to get a few good ones!).

Antoinette (Toni) Slick.  I have admired this great artist’s work for years.  I even had the idea (in my head) of having her art behind her. I approached her husband David about it, and he said he would talk with her. I was thrilled when the answer was yes except again I had to do the shoot myself and was relieved to see the photo I had envisioned.

Cici and Hyatt Brown. This photo shoot was in June during the summer’s heat wave. The Riverfront Esplanade was not finished but the end was in sight, and I wanted to feature the sheer beauty that was brought to Daytona. Originally it was only for an inside feature, but after seeing it for myself, I asked them about the cover. I kept the feature on hold until it opened!

The magazine’s contributors. EVERY single year it’s like herding cats.  But that’s because they all like to talk to each other! This tradition of putting the coordinators on the cover has gone on for 7 years and I am running out of ideas for future years! But we have great fun doing it except I get really bossy directing them to the different poses.  In case ANYONE didn’t get it: W is for Waterfront.