Kale can be quite delicious if you cook it right, but this kind is just for pretty, as my mom used to say. A local nursery had such a nice collection. It’s practically a flower, don’t you think?

Visit Macro Friday for more macros of all kinds. This one is SOOC, or straight out of the camera. And as usual, if there’s just one photo here, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the full blog.

I like the lighting on this post a lot so I’ve put it in the Best Post of the Week category. I hope you agree.

I know everyone likes the sunshiny skies, but since this IS Seattle, once in awhile I have to show what it truly looks like. These clouds over Volunteer Park do have a little tone variation, and you can tell I’ve lived here for a bit, because I do appreciate that the clouds aren’t just one tone of gray! Seattle doesn’t actually get any more rain than New York City, say, only about 36 inches a year on average, but it sure is cloudy, a lot. Did I mention dark and cloudy?

Anyway, be sure to visit Skywatch Friday for more skies all around the world. Outdoor Wednesday has more outdoor photos of all kind, and Scenic Sunday has more great scenery. If there’s just one photo here, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the full blog.

Here’s a video with a few seconds of water gently splashing into the fountain surrounded by ferns at the Volunteer Park Conservatory.

Visit Watery Wednesday for more kinds of water photos. Weekend Reflections has more intriguing visual reflections for you, too. And if there’s just this one video here, no photos, do click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the full blog. Don’t forget to scroll down for the hungry fish at the bottom of the page.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a leaf with colors like this. Some kind of maple, for sure. I took this in the open shade, on a sunny day right after a lot of rain, so the wet road is actually reflecting the blue sky above it. Believe it or not, the color is totally accurate, or SOOC (straight out of the camera).

Do visit Ruby Tuesday for more photos with red as a key component, Mellow Yellow Monday for yellows, and Macro Monday for more close ups. Color Carnival has more bright colors.

As always, if there’s just one photo here, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the whole blog.

Here’s a shot from the archives of pretty pink azaleas, taken at the Volunteer Park Conservatory in January (!) Thought you’d like a cheerful flower photo on this gray day here in Seattle.

I’m trying out something new, for me: Twitter. Hey, better late than never. You can follow me @SaraLChapman, and I’ll be letting the world and my followers know about new posts as they arise from my magic computer.

Visit Macro Monday for more neat close ups, if you have a chance. And if there’s only this one photo here, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the whole blog enchilada.

The weather is gray and rainy, no surprise for Seattle, so here’s some sunflowers taken last month at the Pike Place Market to cheer us up.

Today’s Flowers has more pretty flowers all around the world, Mellow Yellow Monday has more photos with a splash of yellow, and Color Carnival has more bright colors for you. Visit and enjoy!

As usual, if you see only one photo on this page, do click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the rest of ’em!

I’m not sure what to call this hallway I saw in the airport the other day. It certainly looks like waves to me. Since it was practically monotone anyway, I thought I’d go all the way to black and white. Can you see the height of the high heels the woman is wearing? I hesitate to tweak the lighting too much to show them well, as I’m afraid of ruining the mood. What do you think?

Visit Hey Harriet for neat shadows and Weekend Reflections for more reflection photos. A new meme, Sunday Creative, asks for posts with the theme of “Lonely.” I think this qualifies.

If you see only one photo below, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos for a page with a surprise at the bottom.

Chrysanthemums are some of my favorite flowers. My mother grew lots of perennial mums where I grew up in Queens, New York City, and I loved the spicy smell of them. This one is from a florist, but it still smells like the backyard ones she grew.

Visit Macro Flowers Saturday for more floral close ups. And if there’s only one photo here, do click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the full blog.

Palm trees silhouetted against a sunset sky . . . what could be better? I feel relaxed just looking at it. Our conference in Las Vegas at the Flamingo Hotel did keep me busy morning to night, but I did sneak some pictures, thank goodness.

Visit Skywatch Friday for more fascinating skies seen round the world. This one is definitely SOOC, or straight out of the camera, and Scenic Sunday has some more scenery for you, too. Pink Saturday has more pretty pinks!

I like this photo a lot and am calling it my Best Post of the Week.

Last week that visit to Furney’s Nursery, south of Seattle, was such a fun browse. They had so many kinds of gourds and pumpkins, including little ones with swoopy stems, and this big pumpkin with a big stem to match.

Visit Thursday Challenge for more photos with a theme of Autumn, and Macro Friday for more macros. Color Carnival has more bright colors for you, too! And these are straight out of the camera, or SOOC.