Beckoned from winter dormancy by the warm spring sun, a frog eyes its habitat in a marsh along the Seattle Arboretum. The frog's eyes are also useful when it eats: As it swallows, its eyes sink back through openings in its skull to help force food down its throat.

It was a year of ecstasy and occasional agony for Seattle Mariners fans like Nick Jakubik, 15, of Mercer Island. Jakubik can't help but grimace as David Bell makes the final out in a tough-to-take 3-2 loss to the Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. New York eventually won the league series to face - and ultimately lose to - the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series.

Seattle City Attorney Mark Sidran was definitely the odd man out when the race for mayor began in earnest. With a reputation as a law-and-order hard-nose in ever-so-polite, liberal Seattle, Sidran said his biggest challenge in the campaign against incumbent Paul Schell and rival Democrat Greg Nickels was "to get outside of the caricature." Certainly he gave it a shot with appearances such as this one during a 50th birthday/fundraising party for him. Braving a record rainfall, Sidran dons flippers, goggles, snorkel and transparent raincoat to dance with his wife, Anaïs Winant, to the tune of their favorite song, "What a Wonderful World." Sidran gained momentum with his quirky sense of humor and candor, but in the end it wasn't quite enough to surpass Nickels, who campaigned on a promise of restoring "the Seattle way," and won by a nose.

Seen from West Seattle, a bright, full moon makes the perfect backdrop for an airplane on the way to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.