My daughter Lila is travelling in S.E. Asia for a few months (lucky!!) and has been sending updates and photos to friends and family, courtesy of the internet, of course. The days of a postcard arriving months later are over, or at least are supplemented by more timely stories and images. This view of a river and the sky was taken in a small Cambodian village where she got to stay with a local family overnight.

Visit Skywatch Friday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Weekend Reflections, Watery Wednesday and Pink Saturday. And if you’d like to see the rest of the collection here, you can search by your interest in the upper right search field, or just click on the Sara’s Fave Photos banner for the entire blog.

It’s finally raining, although softly, so I went outside for the pretty raindrop display on the coral bark Japanese maple tree. We have gotten almost no rain for the past two months and usually get 5 or 6 inches in both November and December. The garden (and I’m sure the ski resorts) really need the water. Not to mention it’s put a crimp in my scenic shots for Watery Wednesday!

Other fine photoblog memes are Macro Friday, Macro Monday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Ruby Tuesday and Weekend Reflections. See my neighbor’s house in that middle raindrop? I think that is so cool. And you can find lots more photos here by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos any time you like.

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?

Well, sunset comes early now, that’s for sure, so we just have to enjoy it when we can. I missed a really spectacular sunset last week with just a glimpse as I drove along, so I was extra happy to see this sweet one that I could photograph, even if just delicate pink and not red. I’ll take it. And do you notice almost a rainbow reflection in the water? I can’t quite figure it out. I love the mysterious reflection and I’m calling this my Best Post of the Week.

Stop by Scenic Sunday, Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Weekend Reflections, Skywatch Friday, Pink Saturday, and Watery Wednesday for lot of photos on a theme. As always, especially if only one photo below, you can click on Sara’s Fave Photos to view the complete blog here.

Happy note: Only 16 days ’til the solstice means just 32 days until days are lengthening and longer than today!

When my daughter was visiting recently, we went to a crafts fair to exhibit the Flowers book and were envious of all the traffic (and sales!) at nearby jewelry booths. Since she has made jewelry and is “crafty,” she got the idea of making jewelry from a copy of the book and next thing I knew, she’d ordered supplies and we were off and running. Made from glass tiles and a damaged copy of the book, each piece is unique! We’ve made pendant necklaces, earrings and  magnets. Still not ready to offer online, but hoping to do that soon. You can see the pretty things in person tomorrow and Sunday, Dec. 4,  if you are in the Seattle area. See the Media page (Upcoming Events) for details.

Visit SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Today’s Flowers, Weekend Flowers, Macro Friday, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday, Weekend Reflections  and Macro Flowers Saturday for lots of photo fabulousness. Clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos brings you the complete blog here. Thanks for visiting and hope to see you this weekend!

You have to love nice weather after a rain. Nothing makes a walk better than to come across a scene like this one, wandering around the neighborhood. This was over a week ago and by now those leaves are history, I am sure, but, like a flower in bloom, they were good while they lasted.

Visit Watery Wednesday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Scenic Sunday, Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera) and Weekend Reflections for some fascinating photographic fun. If you have a moment to poke around here, I think you’ll enjoy it. Click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the complete blog. Thanks for visiting!

The Holiday Open House at Trudy’s Floral Design in Seattle was so much fun yesterday. I met all kinds of really nice people, signed some books, and of course amused myself with photographing some of the beautiful displays. What a great party. If you missed it you must come next year.

One lovely woman said I inspired her because I created the Flowers book with only my pocket camera, not a lot of fancy equipment. That’s a pet peeve of mine, the idea that you must have super-expensive, complicated (and heavy!) equipment to get great photos. Just not true. If you are interested in learning more about my simple approach to photography, please download the “7 Secrets” pdf to the right in the sidebar. And then please write and tell me if it helped you.

If you have a moment, visit Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Watery Wednesday, Weekend Reflections, Today’s Flowers, Weekend Flowers, Macro Friday, Macro Monday, and Macro Flowers Saturday. It’s loads of fun to see the talent of people around the planet. If the photo of orchids in the vases is the only one here, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for more. Thanks for visiting!

We were at the Normandy Park, WA cove and saw a huge bunch of birds (common murres?) on the water. This photo shows only a small portion of them. They were sitting out there and then, whoosh, they all went into the air at once and settled a ways away. Quite beautiful to see them fly like that.

Visit Outdoor Wednesday, Skywatch Friday, Watery Wednesday, Weekend Reflections, Scenic Sunday, Wordless Wednesday and Blue Monday. Before you go, try a new tag or category (Waterscapes, perhaps?) or just click Sara’s Fave Photos for the full blog here.

We were in Kennewick, WA, at the edge of the Columbia River, not too long ago. There was a smoky fire in the area which I must admit made the sunset even more beautiful.

Visit Scenic Sunday, Outdoor Wednesday, Skywatch Friday, Watery Wednesday, Weekend Reflections, Pink Saturday, and Shadow Shot Sunday for adventures in blogland, the entire planet participating. But first, see the complete and up-to-date blog here by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos, here or on the banner above.

Some of you may remember a similar image from last year. Up at Anacortes, WA, our friends took us out on their boat in September, crabbing among the San Juan islands. The weather was changing, but here was a spot of calm weather, and how scenic can you get?

Visit Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Shadow Shot Sunday, Scenic Sunday, Skywatch Friday, Watery Wednesday, Weekend Reflections and Wordless Wednesday and Blue Monday. Fun! Remember, you can always click on Sara’s Fave Photos above to return to the full blog with my latest post on top.

You’ve got to love shades of gray to live in Seattle. This is a little waterfront town, Redondo, right on Puget Sound, the other day when the sky almost looked like snow. It wasn’t all that cold, but it sure felt like winter was around the corner. Coming back to this after a few days, I really like the simplicity of the forms. I’m calling it my Best Post of the Week.

Visit Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Skywatch Friday, Watery Wednesday, Weekend Reflections and Wordless Wednesday for more fun with photos. Please click on the banner above, Sara’s Fave Photos, to see the latest photos here. Thanks!

I’m still not ready to let summer go. In August we went on a brief camping trip on the Olympic Peninsula (Western Washington) and visited this little lake, Wildcat Lake. Boat ramps intrigue me. When I first saw one as a child, I didn’t know what it was and was mystified. A road into the lake? How strange. I still think they are evocative, you might say. Just waltz right in . . .

Visit Blue Monday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Skywatch Friday, Watery Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday, Weekend Reflections and Wordless Wednesday for lots more photo fabulousness. Remember, you can always click on Sara’s Fave Photos above to return to the full blog with my latest post on top.