This is my favorite holiday of the year. The light returns! A happy Winter Solstice to you. We can all agree that celebrating light is a wonderful thing.

May your own world continue to brighten.

Holiday lights against a pink sky

Linking to Through My Lens Monday, Blue Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Little Things Thursday, and Skywatch Friday. Thanks so much for visiting here, and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

This little darling always blooms at Halloween rather than wait for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving cactus plants have the pointy upper points on their leaves or clades. Here it is on a beautiful sunny day we had recently. In Seattle we cherish sunny days so much.

The magenta-pink-and-white flowers on this Thanksgiving cactus are so showy!

Connecting to Through My Lens Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Little Things Thursday, Weekend Reflections, 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 Thanksgiving cactus likes to bloom for Halloween. I’m OK with that.

Red Thanksgiving cactus blooming in late October

Linking to Through My Lens Monday, Blue Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Little Things Thursday, Weekend Reflections, 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.

This is a late bloom of Crimson Glory, a deep cherry-red rose my friend rooted for me many years ago. It smells so intensely sweet!

Autumn rose blooming in a tiny cut glass vase

Linking to Through My Lens Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Little Things Thursday, 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.

My bedroom overlooks our rose bed, which has about fifteen rosebushes and is in front of the house. Lots of people walk by with their dogs, or just stroll by for a walk. So I am reluctant to cut any roses for bouquets, thus reducing the view for myself and passersby. But a big rain was forecast (finally!), so I cut most of them. Once it rains hard on roses, they don’t look so good for anyone, so best to bring them in.

If only you could smell them, so incredibly sweet! Homegrown roses smell the best.

Linking to Through My Lens Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Little Things Thursday, 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.

The tomato yield has been super this year. I got them in our new raised beds in late May, which is early for tomatoes in Seattle. I thought it might be too early, but the soil warms up a bit faster in raised beds and I think that made a big difference. Also we had evenly beautiful weather this summer, the most beautiful summer I ever remember in the 20 years plus I’ve been here. I almost feel guilty since so many other places in the world had difficult weather, to say the least. But I have enjoyed the balmy, sunny days so much.

Early Girls (the bigger red ones) and lots of yellow pears. The darker burgundy-colored ones are very sweet. Plenty more coming up.

Also linking to Through My Lens Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Little Things Thursday, 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.

The roses are looking beautiful at my favorite time of day, summertime early evening.

Darling and delicate pink petals on this rose in my garden

Also linking to Through My Lens Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, 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.

A rare double rainbow above my garden last night.

Beautiful end to a beautiful and welcome rain

Connecting to Through My Lens Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Skywatch Friday, 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.

What is it about roses? I love them so much. In the dusky late light, still so very beautiful.

Blush pink and pale yellow rose, the magnificent Peace rose

Also linking to Through My Lens Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Your Moment Sunday. 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 adore these long days when I get to be in the garden in the dreamy twilight. Today I cut some of the lavender. There is a lot!

After 9:00pm in my Seattle garden

Connecting to Through My Lens Monday, Blue Monday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Skywatch Friday, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Your Moment Sunday. Thanks so much for visiting here, and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.