Tonight is the year’s longest night in the Northern Hemisphere. In Seattle, today was only eight hours long. But now the light returns! Today is Winter, but we move onwards every day towards the Equinox, and Spring.

The shortest day of the year means the darkest times are behind us.

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This cedar tree in my back yard looks like a regular-sized tree, until you realize the fence is six feet tall and the bench is a regular garden bench. Our guess is that the tree is maybe 300 years old. It is getting ready to drop some needles like it does every fall. It is waiting for rain, like we all are in Western Washington.

Very old cedar tree dwarfs the bench below it.

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Finally spent a little time cleaning up the rose bed. I get to be out there among them, admiring them, and they get all tidied up. My favorite time of day, too.

A spray of Peace roses, backlit in the late afternoon sun

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Out in the countryside, in Lewis County, WA, this lovely bovine posed for a photo. Mooooooo.

Beautiful soft brown cow, outstanding in her field

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The recent warm weather in Seattle has been beautiful and sunny, true summertime for me.

Cherry tree in late afternoon light

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At the incredible Bayview Nursery in Whidbey Island, WA, the combination of horticultural skill AND beautiful, artful display came together brilliantly in this tall raised basket of starry petunias.

Many colorful petunias displayed in an overhead basket on a standnursery

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Hubby was golfing on our little Whidbey Island vacation and saw these wave clouds! And it was so scenic, as well!

Looking north from the 7th hole at Galaxy Golf Course on Whidbey Island, WA, in early morning, on the first day of summer

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Sunbreak is a very Seattle word. Right now it’s pouring out, but an hour ago we saw the sun. For a minute.

Spring beauty in the sun, for a minute or two—wet streets and yellow forsythia.

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I have a plum tree with several grafted branches of different plums. I think this branch has golden shiro plums, and it blooms the earliest. Not too many pollinators are outside yet, and in previous years I haven’t gotten much fruit set. Today I went out there and used a soft art brush, maybe 4″ wide, to help out and make like a bee. I’ve done this before and it seems to make a difference.

White plum blossoms in early spring

The soft, wide brush I used to help with pollination

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The happiest and healthiest of New Years to you. May the sun shine upon you!

My Seattle back yard at the end of 2021.

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Wonderful sunny weather yesterday, with fast-changing patterns and layers of clouds in the sky.

Different cloud forms adorn the sunny sky, with some faint rainbow lights in the mist

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Before the rain there were some winds. These pretty, late-summer perennial sunflowers were loving it.

Bright yellow petals of perennial sunflowers light up the fall garden

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