Happy New Year to all, a holiday shared round the world. Wishing you health, inner growth and contentment in 2019.

Buds are the optimism of the plant world. Paperwhites bloom on New Year’s Day, 2019

Joining Through My Lens Monday, Macro Monday, Good Random Fun Monday, Our World Tuesday, Pictorial Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, My Sunday Photo, and Sunday Snap. Thanks for visiting here and please come back soon!

Our Christmas Eve day tree. I like how it looks in the daytime almost as much as the nighttime.

Santa looks out over our Xmas tree and the plants

Connecting up with Through My Lens Monday, Good Random Fun Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Pictorial Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Weekend Reflections, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, All Seasons Sunday, My Sunday Photo, and Sunday Snap. Thanks for visiting here first.

Today marks the start of longer days in the Northern hemisphere. Here comes the light! Happy Solstice to you, and may you take and enjoy lots of beautiful photos with the increased light.

Peaceful view of sky and Puget Sound in Washington State

Connecting up with Through My Lens Monday, Good Random Fun Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday Cheesy Photo, Our World Tuesday, Pictorial Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Weekend Reflections, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Skywatch Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, All Seasons Sunday, My Sunday Photo, and Sunday Snap.

Not the greatest photo, but isn’t this Gumdrop Tree the cutest thing, from a zillion years ago?

Red and green gumdrops adorn a special holiday tree

Linking to Through My Lens Monday, Good Random Fun Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Pictorial Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, My Sunday Photo, and Sunday Snap. Thanks for visiting!

The Holiday Express at Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory is a big hit with train fans of all ages.

Little girl reflected in the glass around the Holiday Express Train in Seattle

Connecting up with Through My Lens Monday, Good Random Fun Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Pictorial Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Weekend Reflections, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Saturday Cheesy Photo, All Seasons Sunday, My Sunday Photo, and Sunday Snap. Thanks for visiting here first.

Poinsettias aren’t the only kind of Christmas flower. Behold the red hibiscus, as big as your hand.

Orange-red hibiscus blossom with swirly ruffled petals, in Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory

Connecting up with Through My Lens Monday, Macro Monday, Good Random Fun Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Pictorial Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, My Sunday Photo, and Sunday Snap. Thanks for visiting here first.

There was some very cold weather in the mornings last week.

Late fall frostiness by the side of the road, sun low in the sky

Linking with Through My Lens Monday, Good Random Fun Monday, Our World Tuesday, Pictorial Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Skywatch Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, My Sunday Photo, and Sunday Snap. Hope to see you around here again very soon.

Finally the Seattle area got some rain last week. Here’s the sky in back of my house right before it got here.

Dark clouds move into a sunny sky ahead of some good rain

Also linking with Through My Lens Monday, Good Random Fun Monday, Our World Tuesday, Pictorial Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Skywatch Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, My Sunday Photo, and Sunday Snap. Hope to see you around here again soon.

Like the kitchen shadows post below, I love bringing in the patio plants when the Seattle weather turns cold. On a sunny afternoon the feel in the room is glorious.

A south-facing window in Seattle is kind to houseplants in the winter time.

Linking with Through My Lens Monday, Good Random Fun Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Pictorial Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Friday Bliss, Weekend Reflections, Pink Saturday, My Sunday Photo, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Sunday Snap. Thanks for visiting here!

There is so much beauty in the world. I am grateful!

Trees silhouetted against a clear sky at dusk

Also linking with Through My Lens Monday, Good Random Fun Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Pictorial Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World (WATW), Skywatch Friday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, My Sunday Photo, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Sunday Snap. Hope to see you around here again.