We had nice weather break through for a bit a couple of days ago, and this is what the sunset looked like in my backyard:

Winter sunset above the trees in the Pacific Northwest

Joining up at Skywatch Friday, Scenic Weekends, Pink Saturday, Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Blue Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Why not check out a new tag or category, as long as you are here. “Sunsets” perhaps?

I got some little crocus bulbs in a pot and they have begun to bloom. The sun peeked out today, finally, and I grabbed my camera.

Little purple crocus flower with an orange center blooms on my kitchen table

Visit Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, My Romantic Home, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Thursday Challenge (Shadows), NF Catching the Light Monday and Saturday Show Off. I appreciate very much your stopping by here and hope to see you again soon.

Looking through some old photos, I found this one of me and a bouquet from my garden in California, from 1984, almost 30 years ago! I guess my interest in gardening, flowers and photography isn’t going away any time soon.

Roses and white flowers in a bouquet, with the photographer reflected in the background

Please visit My Romantic Home, Monday Mellow Yellows, Pink Saturday, Blue Monday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Ruby Tuesday 2, Thursday Challenge (Bright Colors), Straight out of the Camera Sunday,  Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Weekend Reflections and Saturday Show Off. Click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the latest photos here. Thanks!

Lynn Sykes, one of the many talented readers of this blog, emailed me recently and asked if she had my permission to paint one of my rose images, Peace rose in the rain. Of course I said yes, and with pleasure. Imagine how thrilled I was to receive an image of her painting! Lynn lives in Langley, BC, Canada, just outside of Vancouver, and has only been painting for about a year. Lynn, you have a wonderful talent, and please keep this blog informed about your art career. Thank you for sharing this with us!

© Lynn Sykes 2013, oil on canvas, 10″ x 8″

I’ve entered Lynn’s beautiful painting in Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, My Romantic Home, Monday Mellow Yellows, Pink Saturday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Water World Wednesday, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you for your visit here and please come back soon.

Raindrops on a coral bark Japanese maple in my yard

Drops of rain cling to the red twigs of a coral bark Japanese maple in December

Participating in Skywatch Friday, Scenic Weekends, Outdoor Wednesday, Water World Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Your visit here is very much appreciated. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

It was foggy all day yesterday. Here is what the view from my backyard looked like:

Tall fir tree and a green laurel hedge in the fog, with apple tree branches showing

Linking to Skywatch Friday, Scenic Weekends, Outdoor Wednesday, Water World Wednesday (fog!), Straight out of the Camera Sunday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you enjoyed your visit.

Let’s hope that the nasty hard freeze we had last week has not killed the dahlias tubers, still in the ground. Here’s one blossom from my favorite plant, from August.

Bouquet of dahlias and petunias

Connecting up with Floral Friday, Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, My Romantic Home, Blooming Friday and Saturday Show Off. Thank you so much for visiting, and please come back soon! To see all the photos, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above.

These pretty (and edible!) nasturtium flowers were growing on my patio in July, now just a sweet memory.

Close look at peach nasturtium flowers in my garden in July

Linking to Outdoor Wednesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, My Romantic Home, Blooming Friday and Saturday Show Off. Please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog if there is only one photo here. Thank you so much for visiting, and come back soon!

I brought these roses from my garden to my sister’s house on a Thanksgiving past. Nothing like November roses to tug at the heart of the gardener. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

November roses for a Thanksgiving bouquet

Linking to Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2,  Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, My Romantic Home, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday and Saturday Show Off. Try a new tag from the tag cloud at right, why don’t you? “Bouquets,” perhaps?

Here’s a peek into the other side of the year. These purple lupines were blooming in my backyard in May.

Brilliant spring sunshine lights up purple lupines and some red rhododendrons in the background

Linking up with Outdoor Wednesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, My Romantic Home, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for your visit here, and you might click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see all the latest photos.