Seattle does have a lot of gray skies, but we can handle it when they look like this.

Plenty of rain in these clouds over the Seattle skyline

Linking to Our World Tuesday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Skywatch Friday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, and Saturday Show Off. Please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog letters above to see a few more photos here. Thank you for visiting and please come back soon.

At my favorite flower haunt, Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory, the Cactus House display is full of flowers. These tiny ones make me happy.

Teensy pink cactus flowers nestle among the spikes

Joining up with Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Pink Saturday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, and Saturday Show Off. Please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog letters above to see a few more photos here before you go.

On May 1, I was walking on Capital Hill in Seattle and happened across this Native American ceremony. Not sure exactly what was going on, but there was chanting and much fragrant smudge smoke. Not your everyday kind of thing!

Chanting and smudging in this Native American event in Seattle on May Day

Visit Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Ruby Tuesday 2, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you very much for your visit here today. Please come back soon!

Went into a neat bookstore and bakery, Ada’s, on 15th Ave. in Capitol Hill in Seattle. A very different kind of place, just right for science nerds of all kinds. I loved the Calder-esque mobile hanging up there, and the pages of text make it a “bookmobile” of a different sort.

Hanging sculpture in a bookstore in Seattle

Linking to Our World Tuesday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Straight out of the Camera Sunday, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you for visiting and please come back soon.

Some people say cle-MA-tis, and some people say CLEM-uh-tis. They are all beautiful. My gardener friend Sherry (see hostas below) has a simple pink clematis draping over her fence that is pretty darn wonderful.

Pink clematis with yellow centers along a fence

Macro view of clematis vine with pink flowers and yellow centers

Linking to Our World Tuesday, NF Catching the Light Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Outdoor Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Pink Saturday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, and Saturday Show Off. Please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog letters above to see a few more photos here before you go. Thank you so much for visiting and please come back soon.

I have a friend who is an amazing gardener and this is what her shaded back deck looks like this week.

Many different hosta plants in containers on a Seattle deck

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Seattle skies do clouds. Airplanes and rainbows improve them!

Low rainbow in the sky in Seattle in the springtime

Linking to Our World Tuesday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Outdoor Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Skywatch Friday,  Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, and Saturday Show Off. Please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog letters above to see a few more photos here. Thank you for visiting and please come back soon.

Here’s another new notecard, a display of purple hyacinths at the Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle. All ten notecard images are from my book, “Flowers of Volunteer Park Conservatory.”

Deep purple hyacinths bloom at the Volunteer Park Conservatory

Visit Our World Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, and Saturday Show Off. Please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog letters above if you’d like to see a few more photos here. Thanks for visiting and please come back soon!

This is in my backyard.

Pink dogwood tree in full bloom, with red rhododendrons in the foreground

Linking to Our World Tuesday, NF Catching the Light Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Skywatch Friday, Pink Saturday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog letters above to see a few more photos here. Thank you for visiting and please come back soon.

Yesterday was the warmest day of the year so far, over 70 degrees F and sunny. And it was my birthday! I celebrated by going outside and smelling the lilacs all blooming.

Close up of lilac panicle with double flowers

See more photos on Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Thursday Challenge (Young, New Things, Buds), Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, NF Catching the Light Monday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Pink Saturday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you very much for your visit here today. Please come back soon!