Seattle had a big ice storm, as you may have heard. I really wanted to get outside and take photos yesterday, but the weather was just too bad. Today it all began to melt, but I got out there before it was all gone and captured some great images. This pieris shrub is also called andromeda. I didn’t even realize it had already set buds until I was outside looking closely. It doesn’t seem to be the worse for wear.

Take a look at Macro Friday, Macro Monday, Macro Flowers Saturday, Today’s Flowers, Weekend Flowers, Floral Friday, Watery Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, and Ruby Tuesday 2, for more fascinating photos. Do browse around here first by clicking on Sara’s Fave Photos.

We had our first snow this winter two days ago. I love that brief time when the snow has fallen but no wind has come along to disturb the frosting on trees and shrubs. I went outside to our patio, standing under the eaves so my camera wouldn’t get the silll-falling snow on it, when I heard that familiar Anna hummingbird whirrr. There she was, and what a scenic, snowy backdrop she had as she rested on her red feeder! I like this for the snow frosting everything like icing as much as the beautiful little bird, so I am calling this my Best Post of the Week.

Since several of you asked, they do stay in this lattitude nowadays because people like us provide feeders. It is not usually freezing here, and if it does freeze, we take the feeder in overnight so it’s liquid in the day.

Snow counts as water for Watery Wednesday, doesn’t it? Also, visit Outdoor Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Scenic Sunday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Camera Critters and Ruby Tuesday 2. Click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the complete blog collection here. Or try a tag like “Scenic” in the right sidebar down a bit, or a search for “Snow” in the upper right field, perhaps, to see something new.

It’s great when all the eggs peel well, isn’t it? Don’t you hate those infuriating ones that refuse to peel properly, even though they were cooked and handled the exact same way as their carton-mates? Hope you enjoy this study in white. And yes, the devilled eggs that came later were extremely good.

Check out Shadow Shot Sunday 2, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Macro Friday, Weekend Exposures (Still Life) and Macro Monday for fascinating photos. If there is only one photo below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the complete collection here.

A beam of sunshine, a couple of blooming houseplants, and a close up lens. Ah!

Visit Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Today’s Flowers, Weekend Flowers, Macro Friday, Macro Monday, Macro Flowers Saturday, Floral Friday, Color Carnival, Ruby Tuesday, Weekend Reflections, and Cactus Monday for great memes. Check them out! And the banner above with Sara’s Fave Photos will get you the complete blog here.

Here’s one of Seattle’s hidden gems, the Volunteer Park Conservatory, all decked out in its bright new LED lights. They were installed not only for the winter holidays but also to kick off its 2012 Centennial celebration. I read that there are only three remaining Victorian glass conservatories in the U.S.A.— this one, the smaller one in Tacoma, WA, and the one in San Francisco. What an architectural and historical treasure we have here!

Visit Thursday Challenge (Light), Skywatch Friday, Outdoor Wednesday, and Scenic Sunday, for fascinating photo frolics. Click around the blog here first, if you have a minute. The banner Sara’s Fave Photos will get you the complete collection.

This photo is about the green, green leaves as least as much as the simple but pretty yellow-and-white blossoms. How DO they get that foliage to be so perfect? And it’s straight out of the camera (see SOOC Sunday), too.

Check out Mellow Yellow Monday, Today’s Flowers, Weekend Flowers, Macro Friday, Macro Monday, Macro Flowers Saturday and Floral Friday for lots of fun in the photoblog world. Try something new here before you go, and click on Sara’s Fave Photos to get the entire blog at your fingertips.

I was at the lighting ceremony at Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory last night, and it was exciting to see that amazing structure outlined in lights. I had never been there at night and it was strange to see “my” beloved flowers and plants in the almost spooky shadows. Of course I had to take a photo anyway. Here’s a pretty poinsettia for you, and the lights!

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Scenic Sunday, Ruby Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Today’s Flowers, Weekend Flowers, Macro Friday, Macro Monday and Macro Flowers Saturday for other neat photos around the world. Click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the complete blog here, and thanks for visiting!

We had some big wind, and that means the pretty leaves are leaving. Sigh. They were so very lovely this year. Let’s give thanks for their show for us, shall we? An attitude of gratitude is the way to live life, all year round.

Take a peek at Ruby Tuesday, Scenic Sunday, Wordless Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, SOOC Sunday (straight out of the camera), Skywatch Friday and Blue Monday, if you can. Do browse here first, and hope you enjoy what you find. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

This image is from a visit last year to Ft. Worden in Port Townsend, WA. There’s a tour of what used to be an officer’s quarters turned into a museum, and a closet had these lovely old white clothes hanging in it. I loved the peaceful quality of the light shining on them. No color needed!

Visit Shadow Shot Sunday and Unique Exposures Weekend Challenge (White) for more photo fun, and be sure to browse around Sara’s Fave Photos for something new to you first.

We were at the Normandy Park, WA cove and saw a huge bunch of birds (common murres?) on the water. This photo shows only a small portion of them. They were sitting out there and then, whoosh, they all went into the air at once and settled a ways away. Quite beautiful to see them fly like that.

Visit Outdoor Wednesday, Skywatch Friday, Watery Wednesday, Weekend Reflections, Scenic Sunday, Wordless Wednesday and Blue Monday. Before you go, try a new tag or category (Waterscapes, perhaps?) or just click Sara’s Fave Photos for the full blog here.