I am very happy with this first real rose bouquet from my garden. The rosebushes were put in late last spring, so we couldn’t pick very much at all last summer, or at least not with any stem to speak of, to save the energy of the fledgling plants.

But after a year they are going pretty well, most of them—at least those that are not having real trouble with blackspot, mildew, and now I see critter holes near the roots of some of them. Sigh. My mom used to shrug and say, “The vicissitudes of gardening . . .” and what else can you say? That’s why we planted 18 rosebushes, so that I would be sure to be able to have a bouquet or two.

Happy Ruby Tuesday, all. See what the participants there have going on for the weekly celebration of rubiness. And you can always click on the Ruby Tuesday category in the sidebar to see some of my other photos showcasing the color red. Or try Color Carnival for more brilliant colors. Returning to the main blog is easy; just click on Sara’s Fave Photos.

Feverfew is one of those herbs that sometimes appear as a weed, brought by the birds. I am lucky I recognized it and put the small plant where it would thrive. Sometimes volunteer plants are a gift, no? Now it is covered with masses of small white flowers, great in bouquets, that even did fine in our recent heatwave. It’s asking a lot of a garden to go from cool and 60s to a couple of days of sunny and mid 90s. But all is well.

Visit Macro Monday and Mellow Yellow Monday for more of the same. Try browsing here and there first, and you can always get back to the main blog by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos.

An abundant armful of orange lily flowers from my visit to Seattle’s Pike Place Market the other day. I love that I can go there, and with my little camera, have a bouquet for free! I do try to buy some now and then to support the vendors who work so hard for so little money.

Today I am honored to be Guest Friend on Today’s Flowers. Take a look at all the other flower photos people have submitted. You’ll find much beauty and talent. Do browse around here, perhaps searching for tulips or rose or whatever piques your curiosity, and always know you can return to the most current page at Sara’s Fave Photos, here or above.

Today’s visit to the flower vendors in Seattle’s Pike Place Market was fabulous, as usual. They have lilies (and sweetpeas) in magnificent quanties, combined in surprising and unique bouquet combinations as always. This one with a lily and a happy jumble of other garden flowers beats out any supermarket bunch any day.

Visit Macro Flowers Saturday for more flower close ups, and Color Carnival for more brilliant color. This one is straight out of the camera, or SOOC, too. And try a new tag or category here while you’re here, returning to the full blog at Sara’s Fave Photos as always.

It was actually drizzling, but no one seemed to care on Sunday’s Fourth of July, America’s independence celebration. This cloudy, rainy sky got lots and lots of viewers, with the help of enough fireworks to win a small war, it seemed, even though it was not yet really dark. The reflections over little Lake Burien (south of Seattle) were an added bonus. Happy Skywatch Friday! I’m honored to have my photo featured in this week’s edition.

I didn’t use a tripod but learned that a double elbow brace on the arms of a chair can have a very steadying effect. Take a deep breath, let if out, press the shutter slowly. It really helps in those low light situations.

Please feel free to browse around here, trying a new search or two. Returning to the latest post is easy; just click on Sara’s Fave Photos. And visit Scenic Sunday for more scenic views seen everywhere.

In California, it is illegal to pick the orange poppies growing by the side of the road, as they are the beloved state flower. I heard you can’t even pick them in your garden, but that can’t be true. Here in Seattle, they grow very well also, maybe too well sometimes. They actually are great in bouquets. Clipping the long seedpods will extend the bloom quite a bit and help prevent way too many plants from appearing everywhere.

So, which view do you prefer? Leave a comment and let me know.

Visit Color Carnival for more brilliant color and Shadow Shot Sunday for more intriguing shadows. Both shots were straight out of the camera, or SOOC. And I like this post so much I’ve called it my Best Post of the Week.

The other day there was some rain (what a surprise) and then the sun came out. This was taken at my friend’s garden, with orange alstroemeria in the background. Can you see the tiny flowers upside down in the raindrops?

Visit Watery Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday for more wet and fresh air shots. And Weekend Reflections has really cool reflection photos.

If you like, you can click on a tag or category and see some previous photos. Returning to the latest post is easy: click on Sara’s Fave Photos.

Friends with a house on little-but-cute Lake Burien south of Seattle invited us to a 4th of July party last night and there were fireworks set off from a barge. I actually brought my tripod and even read in my camera book about fireworks, but when it came down to it, I really don’t like tripods (they need to invent an easy clip-on and quick-remove thing to attach your camera and also be quick to set up, light and cheap!) so I wound up taking the shots handheld, but I’ve learned to adapt. First, I guessed and set the time to a full second, and then I braced my elbows on the arms of the folding chair. Not too bad, is it?

Visit Mellow Yellow Monday for more photos with gold or yellow in them. And after browsing around here, you can return to the full blog by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos here or above.

Took this yesterday in the brilliant sunshine we had so briefly. It’s the flower border we put in two summers ago. Not too bad for just getting established. I’m trying to use fewer and fewer annuals so it will just do its thing, but of course there must be flowers continuously spring through fall, if at all possible. I’m working on it. The veggie beds are to the right.

Visit Flowers for Today for more flowers around the world. And happy Independence Day to my American readers!

The sun was finally, finally out and bright this afternoon, albeit briefly. But I was there with my camera, grabbing shadows left and right. Isn’t the one from the table neat?

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday for more intriguing shadows seen round the world. You can try a Shadows tag here or other search if you like, and can always wind up back at the full blog by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos on top.