Here’s one of Seattle’s hidden gems, the Volunteer Park Conservatory, all decked out in its bright new LED lights. They were installed not only for the winter holidays but also to kick off its 2012 Centennial celebration. I read that there are only three remaining Victorian glass conservatories in the U.S.A.— this one, the smaller one in Tacoma, WA, and the one in San Francisco. What an architectural and historical treasure we have here!

Visit Thursday Challenge (Light), Skywatch Friday, Outdoor Wednesday, and Scenic Sunday, for fascinating photo frolics. Click around the blog here first, if you have a minute. The banner Sara’s Fave Photos will get you the complete collection.

Driving across the 520 bridge towards Seattle the other day, I was wowed by this sunset setting up. I so wished I could pull over and wait for the pink clouds that I knew were to follow. This slice of sunlight is pretty cool, though, even though the photo quality is low. A fitting post for the Solstice, almost here. The sun will return!

Visit Pink Saturday, Mellow Yellow Monday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Thursday Challenge (Light), Skywatch Friday, Watery Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday and Weekend Reflections for tons of photo fun. Guaranteed! And be sure to click around here and there onSara’s Fave Photos first, hear?

The other night at the lighting ceremony at Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory, there was magical harp music. In that mysterious and romantic environment, it only sounded more beautiful, if that is possible, than harp music usually does. Wish I had a video of it, but I’m a still camera kind of gal, at least so far.

I like the special mood of this photo and I’m calling this my Best Post of the Week.

Take a peek at Thursday Challenge (Light), Color Carnival, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Ruby Tuesday, Pink Saturday, Mellow Yellow Monday, all tons of fun photoblog memes. Before you go, be sure to try a new tag or category here at Sara’s Fave Photos, just for a lark.

Farmers markets are so great. I took a look at the prices in our local Burien Farmers Market and realized that sometimes they are only a quarter of the cost in the supermarket, and fresher to boot. Next year I am going to make more of an effort to make the Thursday market each week. I like that the money goes right to the farmer, too.

Take a look at what people have posted at Macro Friday, Color Carnival, Macro Monday, Mellow Yellow Monday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Shadow Shot Sunday and Thursday Challenge (Golden) for more interesting photographs around the blogosphere. And if there is only one photo below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos to see a nice bunch here.

With a nod to the king of peppers, Edward Weston, I choose this as my Best Post of the Week.

Have I mentioned how much I love camping? A tent, in the woods, the whole thing. I just love the air outdoors, the oxygen. And what could be better than a campfire? Just the quiet sounds of the flames whispering, the logs snapping, the crickets. I could stare at this for a long, long time.

Visit Thursday Challenge (Fire), Outdoor Wednesday, Color Carnival, Scenic Sunday, Macro Monday, Macro Friday, Mellow Yellow Monday and SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera). And if there is only one photo below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos to see them all.

On the way back from our camping trip last week as we crossed the Puyallup River, our local volcano, AKA “the mountain,” was out and glorious. Taking lots of photos from the car window sometimes lucks out. This one is SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), not even cropped. Not bad!

Visit Skywatch Friday, Watery Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday, Weekend Reflections, Blue Monday, and Thursday Challenge (theme is Blue). Do see what else is fun around here first! Click on the tag of “scenic” perhaps?

A gray sky, late in the day, but the calm water gives this a peaceful feeling. A little slice of Seattle for you.

Visit Thursday Challenge (theme is Wooden) Skywatch Friday, Watery Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Scenic Sunday, and Weekend Reflections. If there is only one photo below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for others.

This leaf star from the yard earlier this week. I will have some flowers to show you soon, but it’s Watery Wednesday so rain jewels are called for.

News flash: My book is getting closer to reality. It’s going to be about the flowers at Volunteer Park Conservatory. Lots of work, believe me, but of course with my very best, most gorgeous photos of their incredible blooms and foliage, followed throughout the year of changing flora. I hope to be able to start taking orders in just a few weeks for August delivery. You can be sure I will keep everyone posted. I’m so excited!

In the meantime, lots of good work all over. Visit Outdoor Wednesday, Thursday Challenge (Wet), Macro Friday, Macro Monday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera) and Wordless Wednesday for lots of photo phun. Do try a new tag or category here first as long as you’re here. And if you see only one photo below, click on the Sara’s Fave Photos banner for the whole blog.

One of my favorite things about belonging to a local garden club is that every 3 months they all get together and bring flowers to show (“hort” as it’s known, or horticulture). I don’t care about the ribbons they award, but this particular venue has a skylight over the display tables and the effect on a sunny day can be dazzling. I think this kind of peony is called a single form, but I am no expert. I only wish I had grown it in my own garden, but at least I can take a photo—and share it with you!

Today, I have the honor of being Guest Friend on Today’s Flowers and you might hie on over there to see some magnolia photos I took last week in my backyard. Plus many other lovely blooms from around the world, with a new thumbnail linky!

Visit Macro Friday, Ruby Tuesday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Color Carnival, Shadow Shot Sunday, Thursday Challenge (Beautiful) and Macro Monday for more photo fascination. Do see what else is fun around here first! Click on the tag of “close-ups” perhaps?

Glorious tulips! Even on an overcast day, what a show. This year at the Washington State (not Holland!) Skagit Tulip Festival I went to Tulip Town as well as RoozenGaarde and found there’s a big difference between the two. Tulip Town has really great and huge fields planted in a multitude of fabulous varieties of tulips. RoozenGaarde, however, has it all over them in the breathtaking garden areas they have planted. I’ll show a bit of them later. Below is a slice of the Tulip Town fields for your scenic viewing pleasure.

Visit Color Carnival, Outdoor Wednesday, Pink Saturday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Ruby Tuesday, Thursday Challenge (Spring), Today’s Flowers and Scenic Sunday for more photo fun. If there is only one photo below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for others.

Driving north on Seattle’s viaduct, soon to be replaced with a tunnel, we think, the waterfront with its incomparable views is to your left and the city to your right. I love the big loading cranes, sometimes looking like actual big bird-cranes, and this reflection of them in the afternoon on a typical Seattle gray skies day caught my eye. Note the piece of Seattle’s iconic Smith Tower on the left.

Visit Thursday Challenge (Reflections), Skywatch Friday, Weekend Reflections, Window Views, SOOC and Scenic Sunday for more fascinating photos. As always, if there’s just one photo here, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the whole blog.

The Pacific Northwest has green down pat. If it’s metal, it rusts, and if it’s not, it’s mossy. Roads, roofs, entire tree trunks (NOT just the north side!), rocks, everything. Especially in March. This completely unadjusted photo is of a street near my house last week. Can you say Green? I’m calling this my Best Post of the Week, too.

Green is the theme of the Thursday Challenge this week. I say this qualifies. Also, check out Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday, Watery Wednesday, Weekend Reflections, Scenic Sunday and Wordless Wednesday, just for fun. As always, if only one photo below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the complete assortment.

Oh, and tomorrow is my THREE YEAR blogoversary! Wheee! And I owe so much to Perry Internet Consulting, with the fabulous Marsha Perry at the helm. Couldn’t have done it without you, Marsha.