Today I was at Lincoln Park in West Seattle and saw these huge, mossy branches. What a Pacific Northwest winter sight!

Moss covered branches on a very big tree

You might pay a visit to Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Skywatch Friday, Scenic Weekends, Outdoor Wednesday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for dropping by and please come back soon. Sign up for updates in the upper right hand corner so you don’t miss a pretty picture.

A flower vendor near the Pike Place Market in Seattle was still selling flowers at night on this January day. These Alstroemeria or Peruvian Lilies hold up so well as cut flowers, that for all I know they might have been actually grown in Peru.

Alstroemeria, or Peruvian Lily, blooming in a bouquet on a Seattle sidewalk

Joining Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Ruby Tuesday 2, Monday Mellow Yellows, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Saturday Show Off.  Click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see more of the latest pretty pictures. And be sure to download the free “Secrets to Better Flower Photos” at right for easy tips.

Clerodendrum quadriloculare Verbenceae or “Fireworks Flower” is blooming at Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory, and it’s a great way to start the year off!

Fireworks flower blooms in January at the Volunteer Park Conservatory

Participating in Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Pink Saturday, and Saturday Show Off.  Thanks for visiting here, and don’t forget to click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above for more pretty pictures.

On my visit to Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory last week, there was this in the entryway:

Red berries and variegated leaves in an airy winter floral arrangement

Participating in Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Ruby Tuesday 2, and Saturday Show Off.  Thanks for visiting here, and don’t forget to click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the latest several pretty pictures.

Here is a macro of a ruffled orange flower I do not know at all. It was blooming in Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory this week. You can see the faint reflections of the glass roof supports in the water droplets.

Orange flower with yellow pointed center blooms in the Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle

Check out Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Monday Mellow Yellows, Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Water World Wednesday, Weekend Reflections and Saturday Show Off. You might try a new tag or category here, or just click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see a few more images.

These are a kind of cotoneaster, pronounced “co-tone-ee-AST-er,” believe it or not. I mispronounced it awfully when I first saw the word. There are many kinds, from ground covers to big shrubs, and trees for all I know. Birds and squirrels love the winter berries, and they are so photogenic! The berries are about a quarter of an inch, or less than 1 cm.

Red cotoneaster berries on a winter hedge

Joining up at Scenic Weekends, Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, My Romantic Home, Thursday Challenge (Bright Colors) and Saturday Show Off. Thank you for your visit and please come back soon! Remember to click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the latest photos here.

We now have five goldfish. I can’t believe how entertaining they are. They have their little personalities! Hope you like to watch the little guys swim around.

Joining up at Water World Wednesday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Camera Critters and My Romantic Home, Thanks so much for your visit here.

I love Swiss chard and enjoy its beauty as well as its taste and healthfulness. One way to prepare it is to cut the stems out and steam them first, cut up, so they are a bit more tender, and then take the leaves, pile them up, and slice them into half-inch (1 cm) ribbons and put them in the steamer basket with the stem pieces. Cook ’til tender. Then either a cream sauce or an Italian one with garlic and olive oil, and you have a yummy treat for a cold night.

Fresh-washed green, yellow and red chard being sliced into ribbons

Joining Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Macro Monday,  Water World Wednesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, My Romantic Home, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, NF Abstract Wednesday and Saturday Show Off.  Glad you stopped by, and be sure to try a new tag or category while you are here. Fruits/Vegetables, perhaps?

Some people are so good at decorating. I am envious. Wish this stairway was at my house.

Holiday decor all festive for the season adorns a stair railing

Linking to Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Pink Saturday and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for visiting, and please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog if there is only one photo here.

Here’s a peek into the other side of the year. These purple lupines were blooming in my backyard in May.

Brilliant spring sunshine lights up purple lupines and some red rhododendrons in the background

Linking up with Outdoor Wednesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, My Romantic Home, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Blooming Friday, Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for your visit here, and you might click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see all the latest photos.