Sara’s Fave Photos

Here’s a summer vision for you. The Truckee River wanders through Reno, Nevada, right downtown. They did a great job of making it accessible to all. People play and swim in it, and it is so delightful, especially with all that arid desert landscape close by. A veritable oasis; a perfect place for a stroll with a friend.

For more water envisionings, click HERE.

Belltown is a sort of hip and trendy area in downtown Seattle. I thought I’d post something a little different for Ruby Tuesday, the view down from sidewalk level to the parking lot near the cafe where I met someone for coffee. Note the very green weeds! A bit gritty, but the scene’s still vibrant and creative, doing that urban juxtaposition thing.

For more visions of red around the planet, click HERE.

I am giddy from the sunshine today: I am posting FOUR photos! Here on top are the flat peas coming up. I put them in way too early for this year’s cold weather, over a month ago in February, and they are finally doing their thing. I’ll have too many but what can you do?

And here are some crocuses, finally blooming. Spring is here, for sure. Let me know which of the three you like best, OK? Thanks.

For more lovely flowers from around the world, click HERE.

I think this plant may be a descendant of my original spider plant from the ’60s or ’70s. Yes, I had a macrame plant hanger then. Spider plants just keep having babies, and I feel like a murderer if I don’t make other plants from them eventually. Who knows how many have been given away, but I always keep one or two. Some bright light but not too much sun, a little plant food, and they are happy, living their little plant lives.

For more shadows seen by people all around the world, click HERE.

March has been very cold and windy, but the upside of that is the occasional rainbow. My sweet hubby pulled over for me so I could snap a photo or two for us to ooh over after it was long gone. A few more days, and perhaps we will see some lamb-like weather after all.

For more skies all over the world, click HERE.

A river scene for your pleasure, taken on an April day on the way back from a birthday trip to Astoria, Oregon. We stopped at some little river and bought oysters, and the sun came out for a moment. For other watery interpretations, click HERE. You can also see some scenic posts HERE.

It’s been a full year since I began this blog adventure. Those of you who blog yourselves know what a huge part of my life this has become. I enjoy it so much! The opportunity to show people photos I have taken that I like very much, my faves, is such a blessing. Thank you to all who have come and looked, and a special thank you to those who have taken the time to leave feedback. Remember, comments on improving my skills are always welcome, so comment away.

This photo was taken at Burning Man festival in Black Rock, NV. I only wish the photo could really show how stupendously enormous it was. The person in the lower left was fairly close to me, not that close to the fireworks. A good thing, too!

For more things ruby, check out the home site of Ruby Tuesday.

I believe this is a phalenopsis orchid, but I could be spelling it wrong, and altogether wrong about its name. It was at a local garden club flower show a few weeks ago. I’ve never had success growing them, but they sure are lovely and tempting to try again. Maybe someday.

For more flowers from around the world, click HERE.

This is from the Normandy Park Cove beach, not far from my house, back last summer. I still keep thinking of summer, with the light and the shadows it creates. For more shadows seen and photographed ever so creatively, click HERE.

Shall we take a walk?

A sliver of a moon over Puget Sound is always lovely to contemplate. Happy Skywatch to all! For those kind people who left comments for me on my guest posting on the main site and also here last week, I’ll be by to visit soon. Thank you so much to all who took the time to say a few words to me.

To post your own unique view of our common but ever-different sky, and view what others see, click HERE.

This Watery Wednesday post is another summer view. I just need to see the sun shine, and photos will have to do for now. A view of Puget Sound from the “beach” a few minutes from my house.

For more photos with a water theme, click HERE.

Here’s a look at something red—taken in August, but what the heck. It was at a truly specacular private garden in Camano Island, WA. Doesn’t it feel warm and balmy?

For more red visions, click HERE.

Tulips aren’t actually blooming yet, but they will be. Today’s weather had snow, hail, sun, and lots of rain and wind, but this look into a tulip from last spring is what is on my mind. Oh, the dreaming.

For more flowers everywhere, click into this amazing site HERE.

I took this in Sonoma County, California on a February day. Actually, February is a great time of year there as the grass is very green, as you can see, and the old apple trees reveal their shapes so beautifully.

For more creative photos of shadows, or to post one of your own, click HERE. You’ll be glad you did.

You can also post your scenic photos for Scenic Sunday HERE. Try it!

You can’t beat sunsets for enjoying looking at skies. I don’t know why we love them so, but we do. Add in a few boats and a still evening, and we are so happy to be there. The magic of photography is that we can keep those moments, and remember. Happy Skywatch Friday to you all!

For more beautiful skies around the planet, click HERE.

It’s actually not that easy to take a photo of just green things and have it look good, no matter how wonderful the real place was. I’ve tried many times, believe me. Here’s one I like for you to contemplate, also taken at the Portland Japanese Garden.

It might even look good in black and white or sepia. All right, which do you like better? I think I like the green one best.

These koi were at the Portland Japanese Garden. An truly spectacular place, and soon it will really be coming into its spring wonder. I totally recommend it. Just wait until the azaleas bloom.

But for water photos of all kinds, click HERE.

Here’s a shot of late July glads from my last garden in the Des Moines WA house. They are so easy to grow and increase by themselves. And do you see the red cherry in the background? I did bring some corms to the new place, but it will take a bit before they reach this density.

For more photos of ruby delight, click HERE.

This is the spirit of June, as far as I am concerned. I was blessed that day with being able to see, smell and photograph what seemed like a million roses at the Woodland Park Rose Garden in Seattle, right next to the zoo. I prefer roses to animals, myself.

Every now and then, I feel like posting a photo from that glorious day. Wish we could smell it, too.

For more flowers around the world, click HERE. Why not post one of your own and join in?

This photo just interests me.  I don’t even mind that the group of picnickers is sort of cut off. It just gave me a funny feeling, that  huge lawn, the brief shadow as the sun peeked out. I hope you like it also.

For more intriguing shadows, click HERE.

Here are some clouds somewhere between Seattle and Arizona, from that otherworldly perspective, above. I don’t know why it’s exciting to see clouds from above, but it is. I think it activates my childhood fantasy of bouncing or resting on them. Anyway, I thought it’s pretty.

For more skies watched all over the world, please click HERE.

Here’s a shot from November of leaves on the amazing red-bark maple below. I thought you’d like to see that the stems and twigs are really red, no fooling.

This was taken from the Larkspur ferry in Northern California just north of San Francisco, in the San Francisco Bay. I love the living shape of the water. For more watery fun, click HERE.

This is actually a Japanese maple tree of some sort. Doesn’t it look amazing? The red is RED, full on. It’s taken from my neighbor’s, looking at my front yard. It will almost be a shame when the leaves come out.

For more fascinating photographs using the color red, click HERE. And try posting your own, too. It’s tons of fun.

It was not as cold as it had been, before this latest rain cycle, so the other day I got out for a walk. There were some rhododendrons actually blooming. Spring is always so amazing. The thrill of the first one! Of course, as my sister says, “Somebody has to go first,” so I guess I shouldn’t always feel so surprised. Everyone else still sleeping, and this brave soul just blooming its little heart out.

For more flowers around the world, click HERE. You can post your own, too. Do it!