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!

It’s been raining for three weeks straight, but the archives have lots of sunshine, thank goodness. Sometimes I just don’t want to go outside with the camera when it’s really dripping wet. Enjoy this autumn bliss!

Participating in various photo memes this week: Skywatch Friday, A Piece of Heaven, Scenic Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2 and Ruby Tuesday 2. If you only see one photo below, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the others. 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!

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!

Just a week or so ago, before the rain came, this stretch of Seattle’s Arboretum was glorious in the sunshine. Shall we take a stroll to that tiny bench in the distance?

You might visit Scenic Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Outdoor Wednesday. If you see only one photo is below, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the others. Thanks for visiting!

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.

This might not really be a crocus, but that’s what they are usually called. The scientific name is Colchicum. These bulbs appear in early fall, with buds first and no leaves showing, and the splash of color is so welcome in the garden when not much else is blooming. These are from my garden, just a couple of weeks ago.

Joining in at Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Pink Saturday, Macro Monday, My Romantic Home, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Flower Art Friday, Weekend Flowers, Outdoor Wednesday, and Simple Things. Please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above if only one photo is here.

This pretty Camelot rose in my front garden is such a sweet and fragrant flower. It does have a little habit of dropping its petals almost as soon as it becomes fully open, but you just can’t have everything. I do like to keep the beds picked up (leaves and petals) to try to minimize black spot, but aside from looking neater, I don’t know that it really makes a difference. But such is gardening life.

Linking up at Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Pink Saturday, Scenic Sunday, Macro Monday, My Romantic Home, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Flower Art Friday, Weekend Flowers, Outdoor Wednesday, and Ruby Tuesday 2, plus a brand new meme, Simple Things. Please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog if you see only the one, lonely rose photo. Thanks!

Here’s another image of incredibly scenic Bowman Bay, at dusk. When I see a pink sky, I get such a photo thrill, I can’t tell you. And when that pink sky is over a scenic place, and I have a camera (of course!) and I can take the shot, there is such a deep satisfaction. And the best part is sharing it with you all, dear readers! Even though it’s only Tuesday evening, I love this image and I’m calling it my Best Post of the Week.

Participating this week at Pink Saturday, Mellow Yellow Monday, A Piece of Heaven, Skywatch Friday, Outdoor Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Weekend Reflections, Scenic Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Today I am linking to TWO new memes, Water World Wednesday and Nature’s Footsteps Waters. If this is the only photo below, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the latest posts. Thank you so much for visiting, and please let me know what you think of this post. Candor appreciated.

On our camping vacation to Deception Pass State Park in Washington, we stayed in the Bowman Bay area and hiked to Rosario Beach. What fun! The coast Salish native peoples carved large images, not totem poles, and this image of the legend of Maiden of Deception Pass was made for the Samish people by Fidalgo Island artist Tracy Powell in 1983. It is perhaps 20 feet tall! You can see the waters of the Pacific Ocean in the background.

I am participating in A Piece of Heaven, Skywatch Friday, Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Scenic Sunday and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. If this is the only photo showing below, be sure to click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see them all. Thanks for visiting and come back soon!