Flying to New York City last week I got to see the late rays of the sun from such an unusual angle. I always get a window seat, as you never know what you might see. Flying east meant the light dimmed very quickly, but this view of the deep blue sky and the delicate textures of the top of the clouds really impressed me.

Visit Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), A Piece of Heaven, Skywatch Friday and Scenic Sunday for more fun with photos. If you have arrived via a link, click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above for the complete blog contents. And follow this blog on the new widget to the right if you enjoy the photos here. Thanks for visiting!

I was lucky enough to go the New York Botanical Garden‘s Orchid Show which continues until April 22. If you get a chance, you must go. Ravishing, wonderful, gorgeous! Not just a bunch of flowers, but so exquisitely displayed. And New York City has been having an amazing springtime, so my favorite pink trees in full bloom graced the grounds around the Enid Haupt Conservatory that houses the orchid show.

Here is one lovely orchid for your viewing pleasure. Visit Macro Monday, Macro Flowers Saturday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Today’s Flowers, Weekend Flowers, Floral Friday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2 and Pink Saturday for more fun photos with a theme. If you’ve arrived via a link, clicking on the curly letters of Sara’s Fave Photos above will get you the complete blog here.

If you’re ever in the Portland, Oregon area in the springtime, this place is a must-see. Enormous, magnificent, and brilliantly conceived and tended, it just knocked my socks off. Rain or shine, a scenic wonderland. Please see Free Photos “next door” (link below the header above) for more from that locale. You can search there for Japanese garden if that series is no longer at the top.

I love this photo and have called it my Best Post of the Week.

Visit Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday, Scenic Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Ruby Tuesday, Weekend Reflections, and Watery Wednesday for more intriguing photos. Browse around here first, perhaps by visiting the category for “Weekend Reflections”? Remember, always see the latest photos here by clicking on the Sara’s Fave Photos banner.

Three years ago I went to The Event in the Desert, AKA Burning Man, in Black Rock, Nevada. It was hot, believe me, and dry heat or no it was way too hot for me. But I was there, so I was determined to have as much fun as I could. The peak of it was one big fire fest, late at night, many thousands of people watching. This column of flame was well over a hundred feet tall, maybe two hundred. It was far away for safety and it was HOT.

The theme this week for Thursday Challenge is Hot. Visit SOOC Sunday for other straight-out-of-the-camera shots. And you can always browse around here and find your way back to the latest post by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos.

Looking through the archives, I pulled up this shot of the pool right inside the main entrance of the Conservatory at the Bronx Botanical Garden, taken a year ago. I love the white orchids. New York sure does things up big.

Visit Watery Wednesday and Weekend Reflections, SOOC (straight out of the camera) and Window Views, for more interesting photos that their names suggest. And you can always navigate back to the latest post here, at Sara’s Fave Photos, clicking on the header above.

This shot of Lilies of the Valley (Convallaria) is actually from last year, taken in the Bronx Botanical Garden in New York, but the ones outside my house are just about blooming now, so I thought you’d like to see these sweet and fragrant little springtime bells. Don’t they cast such cute shadows?

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday for more interesting shadows and Today’s Flower for blooms of all kinds. Visit SOOC for more straight-out-of-the-camera photos.

To return to the most recent post, click on Sara’s Fave Photos. Or try some of the categories or tags for other interesting browsing.

This was taken in the Portland Japanese Garden in May, not now in January, but I thought we could use some spring and sunshine today. Here is Seattle in the real world, all is gray. For more fascinating flowers, visit Today’s Flowers, and be sure to visit Scenic Sunday as well.

I saw this fine old car in Portland awhile ago. I do not know what kind it is. Do you? Happy Ruby Tuesday!

When I was a kid in New York City, we called them fireplugs. I think that now they are fire hydrants? In any case, I loved the bright colors seen while driving by on a wet, fall day in Portland.

Today is Thursday Challenge, and the theme this week is “Red.” This photo is also a good entry for Color Carnival.

This is from my trip to New York City in May, although actually, this photo was taken in Greenwich, Connecticut. Even though the weather was very Seattle-ish, with lots of clouds and sprinkles, the beauty of the Pink Trees never ends for me. I never know if they are cherry trees or what, but I love them.

For more blissful pinkness, visit Pink Saturday.