A trip down memory lane, to the other side of the year, the other side of the country…these huge flower balls are marvels of fantasy as well as engineering and horticulture.

Magical flower balls at Longwood Gardens, outside Philadelphia PA

Connecting with Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Garden Affair Saturday, Pink Saturday and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

We had a sunbreak, a very Seattle term for a brief appearance of the sun. The plants adore the light, pouring all the way into the living room at this time of year. May you have the bliss of a winter sunbreak often, and may all your leaves be green.

Houseplants soak up the brief appearance of the winter sun

Connecting with Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Weekend Reflections, Pink Saturday and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

NOTE: Just updated this post, the tag had said it was tillandsia paleacea but an expert said no, it’s a caerulea. I checked on google images and they are correct! I’ve had this air plant for several years on this north window sill in Seattle. Sometimes some other tillandsia plant stems just seem to appear in the bowl, but I never see them attached. I basically ignore it, soak when I can remember. Over two months ago (!!) a long flower stem emerged. This week a tiny, delicate flower finally showed, and it’s very fragrant! Wow and wow.

Fragrant purple flower about half an inch wide of tillandsia paleacea, with one or two more blooms to come

Bowl of tillandsias, one tall spike finally flowering

Pretty gray-green color of tillandsia air plants

Linking to Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Garden Affair Saturday, and Pink Saturday. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

When the petals of your hydrangea flowers get a little like crepe paper, they dry very well. Put in a vase with a half inch of water. By the time the water evaporates, the flowers will be dried enough to last and last.

Colors of mauve, purple and soft blue appear as the blue flowers mature and get ready to dry.

Also on Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Skywatch Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Garden Affair Saturday, and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

My backyard a couple of weeks ago in late July. Don’t the pointy iris leaves look good?

Cosmos and speedwell (veronica), with blue hydrangeas in the background

Also at Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, and Garden Affair Saturday. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

My friend Cindy has the most incredible flowers. These were in flower boxes on her deck last month.

Purple petunias and other annual flowers on a summertime deck

Also on Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Garden Affair Saturday, and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

I just got a new camera, a Canon G9X Mark II. It’s been several years and I was overdue. Here is the first video I’ve shot with it.

Here’s a still shot. Pretty nice, don’t you think?

Playing with focus with my new Canon G9X

Also linking on Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Floral Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, and Garden Affair Saturday. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Glorious spring weather this weekend in Seattle. The red roses (‘Crimson Glory’?) are on a bush I rooted myself! Beyond the little plum tree, the rest of the yard is my lovely neighbor’s.

Backlit purple-and-white irises and roses in my back yard

See Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Pictorial Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Skywatch Friday, Floral Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Garden Affair Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2 and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Irises not only come in every color of the rainbow, they are even fragrant.

Tall purple and white iris flower, close up

See Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Pictorial Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Thankful Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Floral Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Garden Affair Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2 and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

My morning view of the front yard. Planting the bluebells only three years ago was a success! Soon they will fade but the roses and lavender will take over. If only the lilacs lasted longer.

Lilacs and bluebells blooming in springtime

See Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Pictorial Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Thankful Thursday, Timeless Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Floral Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Garden Affair Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2 and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Most lilac blossoms have only one row of petals. But this one has an abundance of everything lilac.

Almost fully open panicle of double lilac blossoms

Also linking to Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Pictorial Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Thankful Thursday, Timeless Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Floral Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Garden Affair Saturday, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

I’ve always called these checkered tulips, which they are not; they are fritillaria. A very cute early spring bulb flower, just showing in my garden now. I was charmed to hear them called snake’s head flower, something new to me. The buds DO look like that, don’t they?

Almost looking fake, these fritillaria are also called snake’s heads.

See Through My Lens Monday, Our World Tuesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Pictorial Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Thankful Thursday, Timeless Thursday, Little Things Thursday, Floral Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Garden Affair Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2 and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.