A neighborhood fishing pier in Des Moines, Washington, out over the waters of Puget Sound. Since it’s been raining and wintry for it feels like months and months unendingly, I thought I’d go to the archives for a sunny day to cheer us up here in the Pacific Northwest. I like it here but sometimes the weather really gets to me. I want to go outside and garden! This photo is my Best Post of the Week.

Visit Watery Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday for photos with a theme, as well as Blue Monday, Wordless Wednesday, Weekend Reflections, Shadow Shot Sunday, Skywatch Friday and Scenic Sunday. I love photo memes; can you tell? If there is only one photo below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for others.

Another show stopper from the NW Flower & Garden Show in February. Shows like that help those of us hopelessly addicted to flower photography to make it through this endless winter. I’m sorry I’m so bad with specific names of plants; I only recently learned that this type of orchid with the cup is called “lady slipper.” At least it’s something. Any orchid experts out there with the real name?

Visit Macro Monday and Mellow Yellow Monday. Today’s Flowers loves flowers and Shadow Shot Sunday loves cool shadows! If you see only one photo below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the complete blog. Thanks!

This is a very special cactus to me. A couple of little tiny pieces, the size of the tip of my pinky finger, were taken from a 6-inch plant of my mother’s in Florida after she passed away in 2003, and each eventually rooted and became a plant itself. The great thing about this particular cactus is that the spines are curved so that you can touch it, lightly, and not get stuck. Each plant now has “fingers” the size of my thumb, and this morning I was shocked to see it blooming! And do you see all the little buds on it?

I love this cactus and its surprising flowers and am calling this my Best Post of the Week.

Visit Today’s Flowers, Macro Flowers Saturday, SOOC Sunday and Cactus Monday for more fun blog sites. Check out Free Photos next door to see what’s new, and do click on Sara’s Fave Photos here if there is only one below.

This was taken at the Volunteer Park Conservatory. In my garden, there are only leaves, but there are a few buds coming. And today I sneaked out in the half hour of sun and planted some pea seeds!

Do check out Macro Friday and Macro Flowers Saturday. It’s also an entry for Today’s Flowers. If there’s only this one photo below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the rest.

Next to my backyard is a horse pasture with two boarded horses. This one, Ranger, is owned by a teenage girl who loves him very much. See the blanket she put on him! This is from a week ago, just before even more snow fell. I love how it looks when the sky is darker than the snowy ground.

Visit Watery Wednesday for other water shots, and Outdoor Wednesday for more scenes outside. Scenic Sunday and Skywatch Friday are very worth visiting as well. How about joining Wordless Wednesday with one of your own photos?

Check out Free Photos to see what’s new, and do click on Sara’s Fave Photos here if there is only one below.

The Northwest Flower & Garden Show is coming up and I can’t wait. This year I am volunteering to do a stint at the Volunteer Park Conservatory booth so I get in free. Yay! Checking back over last year’s photos, I found this hellebore you might enjoy. Lighting is very challenging there for photography, especially the hand-held, available light kind that I prefer. This year I think I’ll take my monopod to help. But don’t you love that image stabilization thing all the new cameras have now? It really helps a lot.

Visit Macro Friday, Pink Saturday , Today’s Flowers and Macro Flowers Saturday for more neat images. But be sure to browse around here, first!

When I was a kid I didn’t like radishes—too sharp and spicy for me. But now they seem to taste quite a bit milder than they used to. I think they grow different varieties, or maybe my taste buds changed. In any case, aren’t they beautiful to look at, if not to cut into the salad?

Visit Ruby Tuesday and SOOC (straight out of the camera shots), plus Thursday Challenge (textures) and Color Carnival, for more interesting photos with a theme. And they are certainly wet, so hop on over to Watery Wednesday also. Before you go, be sure to check out a new tag or category here, or Free Photos right next door, for a fun browse. And if only one photo appears below, click on Sara’s Fave Photos for the whole enchilada.

These magenta-and-white African violets with their thick, fuzzy leaves were photographed at our local garden club’s quarterly meeting and horticulture show. Do you see how the pink splotches are heart shaped? I’ve never had any luck with growing African violets myself, but do appreciate their cheerful flowers, especially at this dark time of year. Maybe I’ll try some again.

Visit Pink Saturday, Color Carnival, Today’s Flower and Macro Flowers Saturday for more neat photos. After browsing around here, of course.

Thought I’d give you a vision of July flowers on this gray January day. Going through the archives to upload more photos into Free Photos “next door” (do check it out, or subscribe in that section, to see what’s new), I came across this shot of part of my front garden in my last house. I love flowers; can you tell? One of the things that happened in the four years or so we lived there is that our neighbors began to plant more flowers, and they said that we had inspired them. That felt good, and looked good, too!

Visit Today’s Flowers for more beautiful flowers from around the planet.

Yesterday there was a bit of sun (yay!) and I ran out to the Volunteer Park Conservatory to get some photos of orchids. I might as well tell you that I am working on a book about the flowers there, coming out later this year. My first book, and a very exciting and big project! I think I may use this image in it.

Visit Today’s Flowers, Macro Friday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Macro Monday, Macro Flowers Saturday, and Shadow Shot Sunday for more neat photos with a theme (that’s what a photo meme is). Before you go, be sure to browse around here and next door at Free Photos, checking out the multitude of photos on so many topics.