Spring has very dramatic weather changes and I love how the sky looks when it’s sunny here and threatening there. Hope you enjoy this pink dogwood tree in my backyard taken earlier this week.

Visit Skywatch Friday for more skies seen round the world.

Remember, anytime you want to go to today’s post, just click on Sara’s Fave Photos above.

I know it’s bad to take photos while driving, but sometimes when the light is good I just do it anyway. Naturally I delete the overwhelming majority of the photos that result, but sometimes I actually like one or two. This is from a couple of weeks ago.

Visit Watery Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday after browsing around here. You can always return to the latest post by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos above.

This shot of Lilies of the Valley (Convallaria) is actually from last year, taken in the Bronx Botanical Garden in New York, but the ones outside my house are just about blooming now, so I thought you’d like to see these sweet and fragrant little springtime bells. Don’t they cast such cute shadows?

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday for more interesting shadows and Today’s Flower for blooms of all kinds. Visit SOOC for more straight-out-of-the-camera photos.

To return to the most recent post, click on Sara’s Fave Photos. Or try some of the categories or tags for other interesting browsing.

Here’s another view of the tulip fields taken at the Skagit Valley Tulip festival recently. See the teensy people in the distance?

For more blissful pinkness, visit Pink Saturday. Scenic Sunday has more vistas and other inspired scenery. And you can always get back to the full blog here by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos at the top of the page.

Here’s the thing about apples: they must have cross pollination to set fruit. And even if there is another apple tree nearby, if the bees aren’t out doing their thing, you may have to help nature along. Here in Seattle where sunshine is an occasional thing (“sun breaks,” anyone?) it will definitely increase your harvest to get out there and help.

How? Take a clean, dry, soft artist’s paintbrush, or even a Q-tip, and brush the pollen carefully on a bunch of flowers on Tree A. Then go to Tree B (a different apple variety) and brush some more. Back and forth a few times should do it. Of course for a big tree, you can only do so much, but for dwarf backyard trees, you will make a huge difference.

We have two trees of the “columnar” type. They’re a super skinny, super dwarf size, good in containers, and both can be hand pollinated in just a few minutes. Go back in a few days when more blossoms have opened and do it again. You’ll be glad you did.

Visit Today’s Flowers for more sweet flower photos.

Yet another view from the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. For more skies seen round the world, visit Skywatch Friday. And try Scenic Sunday for more scenery, what else?

To return to the full blog with my latest post on top, click on Sara’s Fave Photos above.

I promised you scenic, and this is about as scenic as it gets, as far as I am concerned. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is a photo opportunity from heaven. Seeing all the people snapping pictures shows photography is alive and well in America today.

I know it’s a stretch, but I’m counting the snowy fields in the distance as an entry for Watery Wednesday. Certainly visit Outdoor Wednesday, and Color Carnival, too. And remember, you can always click on Sara’s Fave Photos above to return to the full blog with my latest post on top.

I love this photo, and I’m calling it my Best Post of the Week.

Before the main event at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, even the roadside produce stand got into the act with these potted tulips, harbingers of tulip ecstasy to come.

Visit Macro Monday and Mellow Yellow Monday for more close ups and yellow splashes of cheerfulness. And Blue Monday covers the other third of the color wheel for us! Color Carnival has more brilliant color, of course. Ruby Tuesday has lots of red, red, red for you.

To return to the full blog with my latest post on top, click on Sara’s Fave Photos above.

I was in the back yard a couple of weeks ago, admiring the magnolia tree in the late afternoon light, when I saw the moon in the sky. Thank goodness I try to keep my camera in my pocket at all times!

Visit Skywatch Friday for more skies seen round the world, and Pink Saturday for more sweet pinkitude of all sorts. And remember, you can always click on Sara’s Fave Photos above to return to the full blog with my latest post on top.

I really like the way the clouds and the magnolia blossoms both seem to dance. I’m calling this one my Best Post of the Week. Hope you agree.

There’s a wonderful column, a tower, really, in Astoria, Oregon at the mouth of the Columbia River. You can climb it and the view is just as you expect, magnificent. This was taken at this time of year but a couple of years ago.

Go to Watery Wednesday for more fascinating photos of water, and Outdoor Wednesday for, well, you figure it out. Remember, you can always click on Sara’s Fave Photos above to return to the full blog with my latest post on top.