My friend has a houseplant…and a sense of humor.

Octopus tentacle emerges from ordinary houseplant!

Linking up with Through My Lens Monday, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Camera Critters, All Seasons Sunday1, and Sunday Snap. Thanks for visiting here and hope to see you again soon.

The roses in my front yard rosebed are looking phenomenal. I think they like the hazy (smoky!) sunshine we have had for the past few days. The lack of rain is making them that much more fragrant.

‘Sundowner” floribunda rose in August bloom

Posting on Our World Tuesday, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Floral Bliss Wednesday, Floral Friday, Friday Just Be, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Pink Saturday. If only one photo is showing, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see a few more. Thanks!

Looking ahead to summer roses…

Camelot roses in tones of coral, orange, pink, and peach, in my summer garden

Joining up at Our World Tuesday, Macro Monday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Floral Bliss Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Floral Friday, Photo Friday, Friday Just Be, Scenic Weekends, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Pink Saturday. Thanks for your visit here and hope to see you again soon.

Solstice sunshine on the roses

Garden roses in sunshine in my garden

Connecting up with Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Photo Friday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Pink Saturday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for your visit, and please come back soon!

If you ever get to South Florida, visiting the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a must. Here a young woman gets ready to celebrate her Quinceañera.

Girl in pink dress poses on steps at Vizcaya in Florida

Participating in Pink Saturday, Outdoor Wednesday, Our World Tuesday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Our Beautiful World (Circle) (new!) and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for visiting here and please come back soon.

In Point Defiance Rose Garden in Tacoma, WA, I was lucky enough to see a beautiful and excited fifteen-year old girl having her Quinceañera photos taken.

A 15-year-old girl poses for pictures in the park for her upcoming Quinceañera

Participating in Pink Saturday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Our World Tuesday, Scenic Weekends, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for visiting here and please come back soon.

This poppy is from some seedlings my friend gave me last year. I was surprised to see this kind of poppy. Are they Iceland poppies? There are some exquisite red ones as well as this amazing coral pink color. They are quite tall, about 3 feet or a meter. Anyone know what kind they are?

Visit Macro Flowers Saturday, Macro Monday, Macro Friday, Color Carnival, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera) and Today’s Flowers. While you’re here, do click around here and there to see what you might find. I promise many pretty pictures for you!

Time for a trip to the archives for some summer flowers. These roses bloomed in my front yard last July. It may be gray and dark outside now, but it’s less than three weeks until the solstice and lengthening days!

Visit Macro Friday for more things seen up close, Macro Flowers Saturday for just beautiful flowers, Color Carnival which specializes in bright colors, and SOOC for more straight out of the camera shots. Do click on Sara’s Fave Photos to see this complete blog.

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.

So now I have this new rose garden, with 18 new rose bushes. It was so much work to create it, but the rewards are immense. I love to go out and clip the fading flowers so the petals don’t strew around in the wind. Sometimes I get a little over-enthusiastic in my deadheading and then I have fullblown roses looking at me soulfully in the clippings bucket. I rescued five of these and put them in a bowl of water.

For more ruby redness in photos, visit Ruby Tuesday.