Driving north on Seattle’s viaduct, soon to be replaced with a tunnel, we think, the waterfront with its incomparable views is to your left and the city to your right. I love the big loading cranes, sometimes looking like actual big bird-cranes, and this reflection of them in the afternoon on a typical Seattle gray skies day caught my eye. Note the piece of Seattle’s iconic Smith Tower on the left.

Visit Thursday Challenge (Reflections), Skywatch Friday, Weekend Reflections, Window Views, SOOC and Scenic Sunday for more fascinating photos. As always, if there’s just one photo here, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the whole blog.

We have plenty of rain right now, but not the pretty, tall flowers nodding in it, yet. This macro of a mauve pink cosmos flower, grown from seed and drooping with rain in my backyard last September, will remind all of us gardeners that the season of blossoms and lushness will come again.

Visit Watery Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Macro Friday, Pink Saturday, Today’s Flower and Wordless Wednesday for more photo fun. Before you run off, take a look at the newest photos “next door” at Free Photos, and maybe a tag like Flowers or Rain here (at the right). And one more thing: click on Sara’s Fave Photos if you see only one photo below.

In a sunbreak a couple of days ago, I took advantage of the great spring weather to head out to one of my favorite haunts, the Volunteer Park Conservatory, one of Seattle’s true hidden gems. They have redone the entry and it is so fabulous! Now a curved space greets you and you feel surrounded by the tropical foliage and flowers. And the shadows of the Peacock Window are a bonus.

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday for more intriguing shadows seen everywhere and SOOC for more straight-out-of-the-camera shots. If you see only one photo below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the complete blog. Thanks!

These tiny pink orchids (anyone know the name?) are only an inch or 2.5 cm wide, and you can see they are dwarfed by the phanaenopsis orchids and maidenhair ferns in the background. Aren’t they adorable? I saw them just yesterday in Volunteer Park Conservatory. By the way, I’m getting closer and closer to getting my new book to the printer, and flowers and the Conservatory will definitely be involved! Stay tuned.

Visit Pink Saturday, Macro Friday, Color Carnival, Mellow Yellow Monday Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday, SOOC Sunday, and Today’s Flowers for more fascinating photos and if you have a minute, do click on Free Photos “next door” for an additional selection of pretty flower and scenic photos. The full blog here may be found at Sara’s Fave Photos.

When the sun shines, you are supposed to make hay, or in my case, take photos. The other day was such blessed sunshine (has to last us for weeks, sometimes!) that I’m still sharing the photos I took that day. Isn’t this vast, sunny view of Puget Sound energizing and peaceful at the same time?

Visit Skywatch Friday for more beautiful skies around the world. Share one of your own if you like; it’s even more fun that way. Scenic Sunday and Blue Monday are very good, too. Check out Free Photos next door to see what’s new, and do click on Sara’s Fave Photos if you see only one image below.

The Pacific Northwest has green down pat. If it’s metal, it rusts, and if it’s not, it’s mossy. Roads, roofs, entire tree trunks (NOT just the north side!), rocks, everything. Especially in March. This completely unadjusted photo is of a street near my house last week. Can you say Green? I’m calling this my Best Post of the Week, too.

Green is the theme of the Thursday Challenge this week. I say this qualifies. Also, check out Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday, Watery Wednesday, Weekend Reflections, Scenic Sunday and Wordless Wednesday, just for fun. As always, if only one photo below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the complete assortment.

Oh, and tomorrow is my THREE YEAR blogoversary! Wheee! And I owe so much to Perry Internet Consulting, with the fabulous Marsha Perry at the helm. Couldn’t have done it without you, Marsha.

Saturday at Normandy Park Cove beach (south of Seattle) we enjoyed the sun and mild temperatures, watching this young woman on a longboard and her dog paddle by. Don’t the reflections of the sun look like little stars?

Visit Watery Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Blue Monday, SOOC Sunday, Weekend Reflections, Camera Critters AND Wordless Wednesday, if you have a moment to see some really neat photos out there. Check out Free Photos “next door” to see what’s new, and do click on Sara’s Fave Photos here if there is only one below.

Not sure whether this is best called Japonica, Pieris, or Andromeda, this big shrub with tiny bells is actually fragrant! The white-flowered one is, too. Lean your nose in and inhale. Very sweet. I had no idea until someone told me last year. This pink one is blooming at my driveway and I caught it on our rare burst of sunshine on Saturday.

The red stems count for Ruby Tuesday, I think. Visit Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday and Pink Saturday, and if you have a minute, do click on Free Photos “next door” for an additional selection of pretty flower and scenic photos.

This shrub used to be seen all over, but not so much any more. Plants have fashions, and this one is passe, apparently. I grew up seeing these blooming forsythias everywhere in the earliest spring. My old house had a big one that was hardly flowering because big trees had grown up around it, shading it, but one branch touched the ground and rooted, so I took it with me. And three years later in some sun, look at it!

Visit Macro Monday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Color Carnival, Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday and Today’s Flowers and be sure to click on Sara’s Fave Photos to view the complete blog if you see only one photo below.

This weekend is finally sunny! Yay! The garden is basking. These daffodil buds in my front yard are trying so hard to become flowers. Happy Spring, everyone!

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday, Today’s Flowers, SOOC Sunday, Outdoor Wednesday and Macro Monday for more photos with a theme. Check out Free Photos next door to see what’s new, and do click on Sara’s Fave Photos here if there is only one below.