These grew on roadsides where I lived in Northern California, although there they seemed to be a bit paler pink. They are also called Naked Ladies, not just from their blushing tones, but because they grow a rosette of strappy leaves in the winter which die back, and then in late summer the blade-topped stalks push up through the dry dirt all by themselves; naked, as it were. They are wonderfully fragrant and related to the amaryllis. If you grow them, plant in a sunny, very well drained area, and then leave them alone.

For more pink wonderfulness, visit Pink Saturday.

I’ve chosen this post as Best Post of the Week. For more truly interesting self-selected BPOTW, check them out.

And for more brilliant colors of all hues, visit Color Carnival.

Driving up the Viaduct I couldn’t resist clicking the camera out my open window. Happy Skywatch Friday!

On a walk with a friend, I visited the Highline Seatac Botanical Garden this past week. So beautiful. If you are in the area, it’s a must. Not too huge, a perfect strolling size, flat, and wonderful. I really like it, can you tell? I’ve got to go back and really take some photos before the fall weather gets serious here.

The weather is quite changed, much colder, and summer is truly over, I’m afraid. We had rain and wind and brief sun, and luckily I was at the overlook near my house today and saw Puget Sound in its glory. Happy Watery Wednesday!

The weather has begun a rainy cycle and the roses may not recover. Here is a shot from a few weeks ago. I love roses.

For more visions of ruby redness, visit Ruby Tuesday. And this one is bright enough to qualify for Color Carnival, too. Go see how colorful the world really is.

Since I planted my rose garden only this summer, I am reluctant to cut too much off the new plants, as it can weaken them. So I take a few short stems and put them in a bowl instead of a vase. This photo is one of my top faves.

For more flowers, a regular flower shop of photos from around the world, visit Today’s Flowers.

And for more close ups, visit Macro Monday.

I just can’t get over the weather we’re having lately. Since May it has been unusually sunny and warm. I am enjoying it so very much, but you can see the season is changing. This overlook is quite near my house, looking at Vashon Island, across Puget Sound. For more scenic photos, visit Scenic Sunday.

This is one of the simple, old fashioned roses, still so perfect in its way. Visit Pink Saturday for more visions of pinkness.

And Shadow Shot Sunday has great shadows, too!

Here’s a recent sky, one of those ones full of great shapes that force you to free-associate. I see a dragon. You?

For more skies of all kinds, all over the world, visit Skywatch Friday. Post your own!

I am sorry I had the wrong link to Thursday Challenge last week. That post has been updated with the correct link.

For this week’s theme of containers, I went to the archives and found these photos from St. Xavier Mission south of Tuscon, Arizona. The interior of the mission was truly gorgeous, in a sweet and handpainted style, and in back and around there were gardens and a museum. I was charmed and intrigued by this holy water dispenser.