The day lilies are blooming.

Macro of peach day lily blooming in my garden

Joining in at Pink Saturday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, My Romantic Home, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Macro Monday, Garden Tuesday and Creative Weekends Friday at the Pink Home. Thank you so much for visiting, and hope you have a happy Fourth of July, the happy celebration of Independence here in the U.S.A.

This unseasonably hot weather is hard on peas but for now, they are just soaking up the sun. So sweet and crunchy!

Translucent flat peas climbing to the sky

Visit Skywatch Friday, A Piece of Heaven, Scenic Weekends, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Outdoor Wednesday, My Romantic Home, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Macro Monday, Garden Tuesday and Creative Weekends Friday at the Pink Home. Thanks for stopping by here, and be sure to browse around as long as you’re already here.

Just went out to the garden and saw that the hydrangeas are beginning to show color. Such flower excitement! This one was a gift from friends who needed the space for something else. This year it has recovered from the move and is blooming beautifully for us in a shady spot.

Glowing Embers hydrangea begins to show color in late afternoon light

You might visit Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Monday Mellow Yellows, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, My Romantic Home, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Macro Monday, Garden Tuesday and Creative Weekends Friday at the Pink Home. And for some easy tips on how to take better flower photos without any fancy equipment, see my free “7 Secrets” download at the right. Thanks!

A walk is a wonderful thing, after a rain.

Dark red Japanese maple leaves after a rain

Linking into Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Ruby Tuesday 2, Macro Monday, Water World Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, My Romantic Home, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Garden Tuesday, and Creative Weekends Friday at the Pink Home. “Raindrops” might be a fun search here, upper right.

Got to visit Seattle’s waterfront briefly today, and thank goodness the clouds pulled back enough for a spot of scenic. Those are the Olympic Mountains way in the distance.

A ferryboat on Puget Sound at Seattle’s waterfront

Participating in Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Water World Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Skywatch Friday, A Piece of Heaven, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Thursday Challenge (Outdoors), and Weekend Reflections. Please browse around here if you have a minute or two. Thanks for looking!

This is a banner year for roses, I can tell. One of my top fave roses is Double Delight with its strong, sweet and spicy fragrance. This elegant rose bud in the late-day light poses with some Proud Land red roses blooming their heads off behind.

Double Delight rose bud begins to open

Please visit Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, My Romantic Home, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Macro Monday, Thursday Challenge (Outdoors), Garden Tuesday and a new one, Creative Weekends Friday at the Pink Home. Don’t forget that you can download some great tips for better flower photos with no fancy equipment in the sidebar at the right.

Hubby’s birthday was the other day and I baked him a cake. From scratch, of course. I really prefer wholewheat flour and there’s no way to have a cake like that without baking it myself. I think wholewheat tastes better, feels better, and of course is actually food instead of truly empty calories. But this is really a sentimental cake as my mother used to bake it and taught me how. I even used her old tube pan. It’s super light and fluffy and has a hint of orange. Wish you could have a slice! Happy birthday, hubby!

Orange-y, lemony Perfect Sponge Cake on an old glass cake plate

Please visit Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Monday Mellow Yellows, My Romantic Home, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Macro Monday and Pink Home. Thanks for your visit here and hope to see you again soon.

This scene at the edge of Puget Sound in Seattle is from a couple of years ago at this time of year. I felt like posting something with water. I think this qualifies, and the sailboat is a bonus.

A sailboat at rest at the Seattle waterfront near Ivar’s restaurant

This post is participating in Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Water World Wednesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Skywatch Friday, A Piece of Heaven, and Weekend Reflections. Thank you for leaving a comment, if you feel inspired to do so. They make my day!

My next door neighbor has a Chinese dogwood tree planted on our common property line, and we are lucky to enjoy the blossoms every spring. This tree is getting pretty big already and I’ve read that they can get to 30 feet tall. Whew.

White Chinese dogwood tree blossoms in close up, about 3″ or 10 cm. across

Linking to Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Scenic Weekends, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, My Romantic Home, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Macro Monday and Garden Tuesday. Thanks for your visit here and do come again soon.

A young friend is graduating high school and I am so happy with how my roses are coming along that I went and cut these for her as a gift. There are lots and lots more out there for more bouquets very soon. Cut your roses and enjoy them!

Many colors in a rose bouquet, with a Double Delight in the middle; yellow with magenta edges

Linking to Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Monday Mellow Yellows, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Today’s Flowers, My Romantic Home, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Macro Monday and Garden Tuesday. It’s great you stopped by here and I hope you enjoyed your visit.