This variegated hosta leaf is just so voluptuous in its curves and folds, don’t you think? Love the seersucker effect. Taken recently at Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory.

Wrinkled, variegated large hosta leaf collects a bit of water

Visit Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, Thursday Floral Love, Water World Wednesday, and Straight out of the Camera Sunday.

From last year at this time, some begonias in front of my house:

Rieger begonia flower basket on a foggy August Seattle day

Visit Ruby Tuesday 2, Pink Saturday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Thursday Floral Love, My Romantic Home, Garden Tuesday, Fishtail Cottage Thursday and Outdoor Wednesday. Let’s try a new one, Saturday Show Off. Don’t forget that you can download free tips for taking better photos without fancy equipment or confusing settings, in the sidebar at right.

At dinner out last night, the very late afternoon light was truly golden. A still life with shadows.

Ready for dinner in the summer evening in Seattle

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I’m on a lily kick. These are in a close neighbor’s garden. I heard that all lilies used to point down and be droopy, so when a grower managed to get it facing up, he or she called it Stargazer. Great name.

Stargazer lily in dappled sunlight against a wooden fence

Check out Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Pink Saturday, Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, Weekend Challenge (Pink), NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, Garden Tuesday, Thursday Floral Love and Fishtail Cottage Thursday. If only one photo appears here, click on Sara’s Fave Photos above for the latest photoblog posts. Scenic and flower photos are almost guaranteed.

This photo of my friends’ deck has so much more than geraniums. I want this deck at my home.

White wicker chair invites on a deck with geraniums, fuchsia and hydrangea

Linking to Ruby Tuesday 2, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, My Romantic Home, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Thursday Challenge (Abundance), and Garden Tuesday. Hope you come back soon for more pretty pictures.

Here’s the rose garden out front. That late afternoon light is so beautiful, and I don’t mind a little lens flare, do you?

Rose garden with curly willow and dark red smoke tree in the background

Participating in Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Outdoor Wednesday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Scenic Weekends, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, My Romantic Home, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday and Garden Tuesday. Click around here to see what you can find that’s fun. How about the tag My Garden?

Last night we were lucky enough to be at a friend’s place with a spectacular view of Lake Union in Seattle, and the fireworks were as good as we hoped. And loud! Hope you you had a great Fourth, too. I love this image and I’m calling it my Best Post of the Week.

Fireworks explode over Lake Union in Seattle, Washington

Joining in at Skywatch Friday, A Piece of Heaven, Pink Saturday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Outdoor Wednesday and Scenic Weekends. Don’t forget that if you arrive here and see only one photo above, if you click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above you will see more pretties.

The big rains we had recently had an upside besides the garden and lawn’s deep soaking. Roses do not like to be rained on, but if you get out there during a break, you might find some beauty.

Snowfire rose with raindrops in the garden

Linking in to Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Water World Wednesday, 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. Thank you for visiting here.

Flowers that return each year, or politely reseed or spread, are big faves of mine. Old fashioned sweet williams have the added bonus of brilliant colors and longish stems so they can go in bouquets. These are on my patio right now. The peach flowers behind them are nasturtiums with variegated leaves, a new plant for me.

Magenta and white sweet williams in front of peach nasturtiums on my patio

Participating in 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 (Flowers), Garden Tuesday and Creative Weekends Friday at the Pink Home. Let’s try Orange You Glad It’s Friday, too. If there’s only this one photo here, do click on Sara’s Fave Photos on top to see the rest of ’em.

It’s raining hard right now (the garden is grateful) but this afternoon before it began I got some photos of the flowers on my patio. I have never had such a display. Finally, luck, a little experience, and decent weather have come together in a symphony of color. Wish you could come over and enjoy this with me.

Colorful flowers bloom in pots and around a Seattle patio in late June

Linking up at Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Monday Mellow Yellows, Floral Friday, Weekend Flowers, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday, My Romantic Home, Fishtail Cottage Wednesday, Garden Tuesday, Creative Weekends Friday at the Pink Home and Today’s Flowers. Have a great day and come back soon, hear?