Sunny Days

Every year we plant sunflowers.

http://www.sunflowerguide.com/facts-about-sunflowers.html

This year we've tried some new varieties.

This is one of my favorites.

The muted colors scream "vintage" to me.

This one seems to be waving!

Sometimes you catch the light just right...

This is the first striped sunflower I've grown.

Just beautiful!

These are a cluster-type.

They get about 5 to 6 feet tall, 

and have multiple blooms on each slender stalk.

Several not-yet-ready buds await

just the right time to reveal their beauty and charm.

This reminds me of a pin cushion!

Bees love these sweet things!

Another variety with an orange hue.

The contrast between the petals

and the seed-filled center is dramatic.

They just dare you not to smile!

The rains over the last few days have really

sent these spiraling toward the sun.

Wouldya look at the size of those leaves?

Amazing!

Well over 6 feet and still growing...

Several more enclaves of stalks

are springing up in the yard.

Sunflowers are one of the easiest flowers to grow.

They are a great introduction for kids who are interested

in learning more about nature.

This is the perfect time to plant seeds if you haven't yet.

These gorgeous care-free wonders

will continue to bloom all summer long.

It makes the heat of the long season a bit easier to take.

http://www.sunflowerguide.com/facts-about-sunflowers.html

God provides so much beauty around us,

it's up to us to make sure we see it!