We went to the Seattle Folklife Festival for the first time, and rode the monorail, also for the first time, to get there. It was a perfect, perfect day, with warm and sunny skies; just heaven. Lots of music that made you dance. There’s nothing like live! This group was the Clumsy Lovers, a celtic bluegrass band, and a stomping good time it was. The Space Needle behind the stage was visual perfection to add to the sensory overload below it.

First we went to the Cherry Blossom Festival in the Seattle Center. This detail is of the Experience Music Project.

These tree roots are at the Seattle Center. Amazing! I wonder why they do that.

Then a chilly walk on Alki Beach, for the first time for me. Even though the weather was windy and cold, especially the rain cloud that was not raining on us, yet, the scene was so beautiful. Can you see the group of ducks on the water?

I am blessed with this magnolia tree in my backyard, and a hillside location that catches the very late, pink light of the sun setting over the Olympics. I’ve been trying to catch the magnificence of the tree in all its glory, and yesterday the light was just like I like it. Digital cameras are so wonderful! I would never have kept shooting like I did, hoping for the perfection of bloom and light, with a film camera. I just love that it’s all free!

Here are some scallions getting ready to bloom. I planted some seeds three years ago, and was surprised to find they come back every year, even spreading little new ones by seed. So firm and vigorous looking! In the back you can see some grape hyacinths, also an easy to grow and welcome sight in the spring.

Thought I’d take a break from flowers. This is Puget Sound in all its cloud and sky glory. You’ve got to like clouds to live around here. We were visiting a friend in Richmond Beach and it was brand new to us. Can’t beat a water view.

This taken yesterday across from the P-patch gardens on Thomas St. in the very late afternoon sun. It could be a cherry  but I think it’s a crabapple. Just gorgeous.

The weather was  more Christmassy than springlike, but the snow didn’t last long. Good thing I was able to rush outside and take this photo. A few hours later, all trace of snow was gone.

These plants overwintered in this mild-frost winter. They were very easy to start from seed. So cheerful and colorful in the early spring sunshine!

If only the web came with smell. The scent of the daphne flowers is stupendous and is the best part of February and March in the Seattle area. In Northern California, daphne blooms in January and February.