Our typical Seattle endless gray wintertime weather is kind of getting to me. I need brightness and color. Here are some painted boxes from my trip to Mexico in March.

Brilliantly colorful painted boxes for sale in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Including this link at Our World Tuesday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Photo Friday, and Pink Saturday. Thanks for your visit here first, and hope to see you again very soon.

Another view of the fabulous indoor pool at Longwood Gardens outside of Philadelphia, PA.

Flower balls hang over a ferny reflecting pool in a glass conservatory

Joining Our World Tuesday, Water World Wednesday, Wednesday Waters, Floral Passions Wednesday, Floral Friday, Photo Friday,  Weekend Reflections, Today’s Flowers, and Pink Saturday. Thanks for your visit here first, and hope to see you again soon.

Hello, dear blog readers. Various technical difficulties including changing web hosts are creating a break in my usual happy blogging. But never fear, not forever. Another week or so and we’ll be back. Here’s a pretty picture of my favorite place, Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory, with this year’s version of its lovely fall display on a dark day.

Mums and coleus and maidenhair ferns at the magnificent Volunteer Park Conservatory

Please check back in a week. Thanks for visiting!

Saw this remarkable house in Edmonds, WA. Guess an artist lives there!

Entire outer wall of home in Edmonds, WA is covered in multi-colored fabric art.

Linking this photo in Our World Tuesday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Photo Friday, Skywatch Friday, Scenic Weekends, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Pink Saturday, and Saturday Show Off. If you see only one photo here, you might try the tag cloud at the lower right for some other themes and subjects.

The weather in Seattle is supposed to get seriously rainy, after some very fine fall weather. The only thing to do is go out and cut all the open roses for bouquets, because they’ll only get destroyed. Bonus image below of the bouquets!

Cut the open roses in my garden ahead of the rain coming

And here are the bouquets they made, on my kitchen counter.

Garden roses smell so heavenly. These bouquets will go throughout the house.

Posting this link in Our World Tuesday, Macro Monday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Floral Passions Wednesday, Water World Wednesday, Wednesday Waters, Floral Friday, Photo Friday, Today’s Flowers, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Pink Saturday, and Saturday Show Off. If you see only one photo here, you might try the tag cloud at the lower right for some other themes and subjects.

There’s a neat garden area in downtown Edmonds, WA that is planted so beautifully. At this time of year, I was amazed to see so many blooming and unusual plants, all beautifully tended. Many were identified, as well! Kudos to Edmonds.

Such a pretty and strange looking flower, about 2 inches (5 cm) across.

Joining up with Our World Tuesday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Floral Passions Wednesday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Photo Friday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Pink Saturday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for your visit here, and please come back again soon. If you like, there’s a sign up box on the right for new-post notifications.

At a spectacular private garden in Shorewood, south of Seattle. The garden’s owner thought it needed so much work. Gardeners!

Purple sage and tall pink sedums in this brilliant flower border in late August

Joining Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Photo Friday, Floral Friday, Skywatch Friday, Today’s Flowers, Scenic Weekends, Pink Saturday, and Saturday Show Off. If you see only one photo here, click on the curly letters of Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above for a few more. Thanks!

I live south of Seattle, just a few minutes from a cove on Puget Sound. There is smoke from nearby wildfires, and the weather people promised us a colorful sunset. Delivered!

Smoke from Washington State fires help create a beautiful sunset

Posting at Our World Tuesday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Water World Wednesday, Wednesday Waters, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Photo Friday, Skywatch Friday, Scenic Weekends, Weekend Reflections, Pink Saturday, and Saturday Show Off. If there’s only one photo here, please click on the curly letters of Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above. Thanks!

Staying in Sequim for the Lavender Festival, this was in the yard where we stayed. Can’t you just smell the fragrance?

Lavender flowers in Sequim, WA backyard

Also our host baked us a cherry pie with cherries from her tree!

Home baked cherry pie, best I ever tasted.

Joining this post with Our World Tuesday, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Photo Friday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Scenic Weekends, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, and Saturday Show Off. If only one photo here, please click on the curly letters of Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above for a few more.

As you might know, I am a jewelry crafter and have been having a good time in various craft fairs for a few years now. I usually make glass tile jewelry from the pages of my book, “Flowers of Volunteer Park Conservatory,” (see the Jewelry and Shows tabs at the top) but for the Sequim (WA) Lavender Festival I’ve made some special pieces. If you are in the area, please do come see me in Booth 135. Here’s a photo I took out there last year.

Close up of lavender, ready for harvesting and drying.

Connecting up with Our World Tuesday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Photo Friday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Scenic Weekends, Pink Saturday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for your visit, and please come back soon!