186 - The Gum Wall

Welcome to the Seattle Gum Wall:

A little bit gross and a lot a bit intriguing. It's kind of a must-see if you're visiting Seattle. Just saying.

187 - Jamba

In a couple weeks, I will have one of these: 

Though, it probably won't be as warm or sunny as the last time I had one. But hey, I'll take Jamba Juice just about anytime. Plus, I think we have a gift card waiting. Mmm.

185 - BFFs

Tomorrow I'll be leaving on a short getaway with this guy. We're BFFs. It's a guaranteed great time.

184 - B&B's Pinks & Reds

And, for the last installment of my parents' lovely summer garden, here are the pinks and reds...

 

183 - B&B's Yellow

A little glimpse of yellow from my parents' garden...

This last photo is just an example of the crazy things you can do with editing today. While the two previous photos are straight out of the camera (no editing at all), the one below is actually the photo above, just with sepia-tones and some vignetting:

I love the look of sepia/black-and-white/aged photos... though I'm such a sucker for color that I always keep the originals as well. =)

182 - B&B's Orange

My parents have had beautiful gardens and yards for... well, probably for as long as I've been alive (and then some). I don't think I really realized the time, effort, and love that goes into maintaining such beauty until just a few years ago when I tried planting one for the first time. Even now, Josh and I have had vegetable gardens, but not beautiful gardens (and they really only survive because of Josh, at that).

Over the next couple posts I want to share just a few of the incredible plants and flowers my parents tend to... starting with my favorite color -- orange!

Also, all of these shots are straight out of the camera -- no color adjustment whatsoever. They really are just that amazing.

181 - Fremont Bridge

180 - On the Bridge

These just make me happy. Sigh. I miss Seattle. And summer. =)

179 - Drawbridge

I'm a little kid when it comes to "cool moments". Around water, that can be in regards to ships, and boats, and fish, and birds, and drawbridges. I stand there, open-mouthed, smiling, and insisting we wait until it's all finished, and everything of any interest whatsoever has passed... so naturally, we had to watch the entire proceeding of the bridge opening and closing. It was grand. =)

178 - Down by the Water

There's something about water that simply calms my soul. Even though it fills me with great nostalgia and longing, it also brings me great peace and hope. Someday I'll find my way back to it, I'm pretty sure.

177 - Don't Follow

Just in case you were wondering... don't follow in my footsteps...

Compliments of a sign in downtown Seattle. It seems somehow fitting... though, I trip more often than walk into walls (though both have been known to happen). 

However, it could also be taken in regards to updating blogs..... I think I walked into a few walls over the past few months. And I might've fallen into a couple of pits along the way, too. But, I WILL post 365 photos on here, even though I'm already technically past my year deadline. =)

176 - Theo Chocolate

If you're ever in Seattle, you must visit the Fremont neighborhood. It's a great place to wander around, filled with the unique stores, yummy restaurants, great coffee shops, and everything in between. For starters, there's a Belgian tavern and Theo Chocolate. Then, there's a drawbridge and a troll under the bridge. Need I say more? 

Well, I won't say more about Fremont, but I will say more about Theo Chocolate. My sister clued me in a number of years ago about Theo, and my oh my, is their chocolate delicious! Besides having pretty much the best chocolate around, Theo was the first organic chocolate factory in the US -- prior to their opening, all chocolate was imported from Europe. Now, Theo is the only organic, fair trade, bean-to-bar chocolate factory in the country. Pretty sweet, huh? 

When you go into the store, they have EVERY kind of chocolate available for sample on the floor. It's ridiculous. And amazing. And irresistible. You can pretty much make a meal of it! And don't forget to take the factory tour before you go! :)

175 - Zeus

I'd like to introduce you to someone very special. Someone very important to my little sister. Someone who will become a permanent part of her family come March. Meet Zeus:

Hmm, not quite what you were expecting? :) Well, my little sister, Gretchen, is engaged, and her fiance, Brett, is the owner of this cute, but not so little, guy named Zeus. And he's not really a cake. He's a living, breathing English bulldog who can easily knock you over as he's about 80 lbs of pure muscle. However, this was the cake for their engagement party -- pretty awesome, huh? It was very lifelike, for sure, and I especially love the details of the cupcake...

For some photos of the REAL Zeus -- when he actually WAS a cute, little, puppy -- check out the awesome shoot The Popes did when he was just a few weeks old!

174 - Vintage Fuchsia

Even though my middle name is Rose, I have yet to show signs of having a green thumb (remember, Josh is our main gardener). However, many members of my family, including my parents, have beautiful gardens and flowers, and I definitely make up for my own lack of growing with appreciation for their beauty.

When I was in Seattle in August, I found this fuchsia plant happily growing in a hanging basket on my parents' back porch. Now, I had to actually ask my parents what its name was... because I don't know anyone else who's ever had them! As it turns out, the fuchsia is a "vintage" flower breed, and my Gramma's favorite flower. When she was younger, she and her grandfather (my great-great-grandfather) would go to the nursery around Memorial Day to pick one out. I'm thinking it might be a good tradition to continue.

It was all I could do to not take photos of them everyday. I just couldn't take my eyes off of them. There is NO color enhancement whatsoever in these photos -- they are just that brilliant, that beautiful, and that intricately amazing all on their own. Pretty incredible, huh? 

173 - Drivers Beware!

I have many Seattle adventures in store for you. In addition to the Maltby Cafe and a playground date with Amelie, I also got to take my little brother Jacob on a looooong drive down to Renton, WA so he could take his driver's license test. And yes, he passed -- he's calling my mom to inform her of the "great" news. ;)