As this year comes to a close, this photo of two kayakers on Bowman Bay, right off of Deception Pass in western Washington State, really “floats my boat.” It symbolizes the feeling I have of moving out into life, alone but with a companion, on water which is dangerous but gives so much pleasure. The blue sky and water, the calm day, the companionable silence, and the feeling of freedom, make this a picture of my wishes for you in 2013. May you have these blessings and more.

In the ancient system of I Ching, water is the symbol in two of the eight basic parts of the hexagram. One is the symbol for Danger, and one is the symbol for Lake, or Pleasure. I love that.

Two kayaks on scenic Bowman Bay, WA

Participating this week at Skywatch Friday, A Piece of Heaven, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, Water World Wednesday, Nature’s Footsteps Waters, Ruby Tuesday 2, and Mellow Yellow Monday. Thanks for visiting, and come back soon! If there’s only the one photo here, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above for the rest of the pretty pictures. Thanks!

Here’s a view at Seattle’s Woodland Park Rose Garden, from a June solstice a few years ago. It’s been raining here, or completely overcast, since the second week in October and I, for one, want to look at sunshine and flowers. Hope you do, too.

Joining up this week in Pink Saturday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, Scenic Sunday, Outdoor Wednesday, Skywatch Friday, A Piece of Heaven, and Ruby Tuesday 2. To see all the latest images, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above. Thanks for stopping by, and hope to see you again soon!

I feel like we need to see a burst of color. This rainbow orchid cactus or Epiphyllum was blooming its heart out at the Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle last May. In the background on the left is a red anthurium, and see the pretty coleus leaves edged with yellow scallops. What a color blast!

You might pay a visit to Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Wordless Wednesday, Mellow Yellow Monday, and Ruby Tuesday 2. Enjoy!

It’s a long way to May, but I’m missing the pretty weather already. This photo is similar to one I posted before, but thought you wouldn’t mind another look into a Sonoma County, California vineyard, with both orange California poppies and the more European-looking red ones, in among the grapevines. This was taken by Lila Greenfield in May, and thank you, Lila!

Linking up with Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, Outdoor Wednesday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2 and Ruby Tuesday 2. Please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see all the recent posts. Thanks for stopping by, and come back soon!

I don’t know why I haven’t posted much about it, but I’ve been a busy bee with my new business, Love That Image glass tile jewelry. It’s made from the actual pages of my book, Flowers of Volunteer Park Conservatory. How it came about is that last year when I was at a craft fair with my daughter Lila, selling the Flowers book as a holiday gift, she saw all the crowds at neighboring booths selling jewelry and said, “Mom, why don’t we make jewelry from your book? I saw on Pinterest how to do that.” I was amazed at the whole idea and had no clue what she might be talking about.

Next thing I knew, we were in the jewelry business. Pinterest changed my life!

It’s a year later and we’ve learned a lot, experimented, and come up with so many pretty designs that the only problem is choosing. For now, we are selling to stores and in craft fairs only. We just had a spectacular success at the Kent WA Holiday Craft Market and we certainly will do that again next year. Check out the new Jewelry page on the navigation bar above to see other locations where the jewelry is available. Do let us know if there’s a store near you that you think would be a good fit to carry them.

The next time you can see all the pieces in person will be at the Normandy Park, WA Cove Holiday Bazaar on Dec. 1. If you are in the area, we hope you will drop by and say hi. Of course I’ll be signing books there, too!

I’m linking up at My Romantic Home, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Macro Monday, Weekend Flowers, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Thursday Challenge (Orange), Wordless Wednesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Pink Saturday, and Mellow Yellow Monday. I really like this photo, set up by Lila, and I’m calling it my Best Post of the Week. Thanks for stopping by!

Less than three weeks gone by and it seems like another era. The sun is done and the rains have come. Here’s what Seattle’s iconic Volunteer Park Conservatory looked like in our amazing summer which lasted until the middle of October. I think this image is great photo journalism and I’m calling it my Best Post of the Week.

Linking in at Skywatch Friday,  A Piece of Heaven, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, Pink Saturday, Scenic Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2 and Ruby Tuesday 2. If you only see the Conservatory photo below, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the rest. Thanks!

Flowers and a bit of rain are a great photo combo. Don’t get your camera wet, but do get out there if there’s a break in the wet. Isn’t this a pretty one? Love those late season dahlias.

This week I’m joining up at My Romantic Home, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Macro Monday, Weekend Flowers, Pink Saturday, Scenic Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Wordless Wednesday, Weekend Reflections, Outdoor Wednesday, Water World Wednesday and Nature’s Footsteps Waters. If you see only one photo below, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see all the recent posts. Thank you so much for visiting!

Late summer flowers are much appreciated. I went to Swanson’s Nursery in Seattle (love that place) and had some photo fun with the flowers on stunning display. I wanted to show these pretty coneflowers (echinacea) before the fall gets too far along, even though they are from all of two weeks ago. In your garden, when the petals fall off, you might leave the seed head centers for the birds.

Joining up this week at Mellow Yellow Monday, Scenic Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Ruby Tuesday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, Pink Saturday, Macro Monday, and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. If there is only the coneflowers photo below, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to show the rest of the blog. Thanks for visiting, and come back soon!

In a break after the rain began the other day, I went out front and cut all the roses that were opened. They just get yucky if they stay wet for any length of time, so they might as well come inside and dry off. I usually don’t do such a big cutting of  roses, preferring to keep them in the garden for everyone’s enjoyment, but since much rain was predicted, what else could I do?

Participating in My Romantic Home, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, Pink Saturday, and Ruby Tuesday 2. As always, if there is only the one, lonely photo below, clicking on the curly letters of Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above will bring up the other recent photos for your enjoyment.

At Seattle’s Arboretum not too long ago, I spotted this large, unusually shaped, terra cotta hanging “basket” with fuchsia blooms. They do hanging plants so well—see my post with red petunias from the same visit.

You might also visit Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Flower Art Friday, Weekend Flowers, SOOC Sunday, Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Scenic Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2 and Outdoor Wednesday. As always, if there is only the one, lonely photo below, clicking on the curly letters of Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above will bring up the other recent photos for your enjoyment.