The other day at the Normandy Park Cove, near Seattle, I looked outside and there was that pretty effect when the clouds in the distance look almost like cut paper. Then it went back to just plain old dull gray. We take what we can get when it comes to scenic in this part of the world. Did you know that the Seattle area gets only about 36″ or a little over a meter of rain a year, which is about what New York City or Santa Rosa, California gets? BUT it has far, far more cloudy days. Don’t tell me how many; I don’t want to know. So we get to be conoisseurs of gray skies!

Visit Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Skywatch Friday and Watery Wednesday if you have a minute or two. If only one photo below, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos to view the complete blog here.

Happy note: Only 8 days ’til the solstice means just 16 days until days are lengthening and longer than today!

A sunny day and I’m in love with the Pacific Northwest again. A combination of red leaves, sunshine and backlighting, and I’m in photo heaven. Like flowers, leaves in their brief and brilliant fall display just enchant me. That’s why taking a photo is so very satisfying, giving endless life to the most ephemeral things. Such a feeling of power and abundance!

Visit Ruby Tuesday, Shadow Shot Sunday, Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), and Scenic Sunday for lots of fabulous photoblog fun around the planet. But browse around here first, why don’t you, especially if you see only one photo below. Always click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the complete blog here, and thanks for visiting!

Since it’s so gray and cold out now as we approach the winter Solstice, let’s take a look at its opposite, a scene from my garden in June. Isn’t the pink, fluffy meadow rue sweet? Looking at the photo data I see that it was taken at 6pm. It’s a long time dark at that time now, of course. But isn’t it nice to know that the sun will return, in all its garden glory?

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday, Scenic Sunday, Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Pink Saturday, Today’s Flowers, and Weekend Flowers for more photo entertainment. Fun and free! Of course, feel free to browse around here first, perhaps checking out a new tag or category. Click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the complete blog.

It rebloomed! I’ve read all kinds of complicated instructions, but they sound like way too much work to me. All I did was keep it in a sunny (south) windowsill and keep watering it with the weak liquid fertilizer in the water that I always use for houseplants (so I don’t have to remember when to do it). Like all bulbs, amaryllis must have great drainage. After the leaves died back I still kept watering it when it was very dry. And lo and behold, a serious flower stalk emerged two weeks ago and now is in full bloom! The only other thing is that they must be inside a heavy pot because they are so top heavy and can easily fall over.

Visit Scenic Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday, Ruby Tuesday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Today’s Flowers, Weekend Flowers, Macro Friday, Macro Monday, and Macro Flowers Saturday if you have a few minutes for some photo fabulousness. Be sure to click on Sara’s Fave Photos to view the complete blog if you see only one photo below.

Last year I planted several different lilac shrubs in front by the street. I had a few flowers this spring (they are young plants, and lilacs are very long lived and so take their time about flowering) but this season I am surprised to find that some of the leaves are yellow, some purplish, and some have these pretty red and yellow leaves, with pink tones. All right!

Try some new sites: Mellow Yellow Monday, Ruby Tuesday, Pink Saturday, Macro Friday, Macro Monday and Outdoor Wednesday. Quite interesting, you’ll see. But first, be sure you have the complete blog on view here by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos.

There’s nothing like natural light, is there? These cosmos from my garden were catching just a bit of sun in their vase on the windowsill. This image, like most of the ones I show here, is straight out of the camera. When the light is right, most of the photo is just right there for you. Keep your eyes open and be quick!

Visit Pink Saturday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Today’s Flowers, Color Carnival, Macro Flowers Saturday, Macro Monday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Weekend Flowers, Shadow Shot Sunday and Macro Friday. See the complete and up-to-date blog here by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos, here or on the banner above. The light and shadows in this one float my boat so I’m calling this my Best Post of the Week.

A warm evening in the summer is heaven anywhere, but here in the Seattle area we feel particularly blessed when we can eat dinner on the patio and take in the garden view. This was last evening’s lovely view. Hope you can enjoy it with me.

Visit Pink Saturday, Scenic Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday, Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Color Carnival, Today’s Flowers, and Wordless Wednesday. Also, I think it is so cool that my new book and the launch party at Volunteer Park Conservatory on Thursday, August 4 got a mention in the Seattle PI garden blog!

My book launch party is on for Thursday, August 4, 6-8pm at the Conservatory, where else? I am so excited! I hope that everyone in the Seattle area will be able to attend this free event. The Conservatory, one of the last remaining Victorian glass houses in the USA, is having a special evening-hours Open House with tours, explaining the current push to finish the restoration begun a long time ago, and they have invited me to be there and sign copies of my new book, “Flowers of Volunteer Park Conservatory: Blooming Month By Month.” Faithful readers of this blog will know that I’ve been visiting the Conservatory regularly and sharing photos from their fabulous showplace for tropical and rare plants. They are always so very perfect that it is a photographer’s dream.

Soon you will be able to order copies on the home page here, but not quite yet. I hope that you can come to the party, though!

Visit Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Skywatch Friday, Blue Monday, and SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera). And you can always see the complete and up-to-date blog by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos, here or the banner above.

Took a walk this afternoon and was lucky enough to happen past this pretty scene in the brief bit of sunshine, before the cloud cover took over. Isn’t backlighting the greatest? I just love the way it looks in a garden. I like it so much I’m calling this my Best Post of the Week.

Visit Pink Saturday, Today’s Flowers, Shadow Shot Sunday, Scenic Sunday, and Outdoor Wednesday for more photo frolics. Clicking on the Sara’s Fave Photos banner above brings you back to the latest post here always.

From my backyard, the other day. I already pulled up the forget-me-nots since then. They fill in so well, looking great when not much else is blooming, but then a certain point is passed, and out they go. No problem with new plants volunteering for next year, of course, perhaps even too vigorously reseeding, but when you have a big place to fill up, these do a fine job. And the dutch irises seem to be quite easy, as well, returning now for the third time and more than I planted. Gardening is so fun when it works out well.

Visit Today’s Flowers, Shadow Shot Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Mellow Yellow Monday, Blue Monday, Macro Friday, Macro Monday, Macro Flowers Saturday and Outdoor Wednesday. Clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos brings you back to the latest post here always.

Wouldn’t you like to pick up your mail by walking on this driveway every day? I surely do love sunny days and the shadows that result. The pink shrub at the entrance is a real scene-stealer. This sentinel is pieris or andromeda, very popular here in the Pacific Northwest. I read that our soils are acidic and that’s why plants such as rhododendrons and azaleas (and pieris) tend to do so well. Who knew?

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday and Pink Saturday on this long weekend. Also try Scenic Sunday, Outdoor Wednesday and SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera) if you have a minute. Remember, if there is only one photo below, click on the Sara’s Fave Photos banner above to see the rest of the collection.

This photo makes me want to keep looking at it, so I’m calling it my Best Post of the Week.

A recent visit to Seattle’s hidden gem, Volunteer Park Conservatory (which by the way is trying to raise serious money to finish a much-needed renovation—learn more at Critical Moment on their site), in pretty afternoon light, showcasing the magnificent outdoor tulips. I love the color combo. Their gardeners are just world class.

Visit Pink Saturday, Scenic Sunday, Today’s Flowers, and Outdoor Wednesday for further photo enjoyment. Try a new tag or category here first, why don’t you? And you can always see the complete and up-to-date blog by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos, here or the banner above.