Week 12 Sunflower abundance

Sunflowers come in different colors and petal lengths and sizes.

Alex just finished picking "Purple of Sicily" cauliflower. It looks like it matches her shirt.

The tall sunflowers are blooming their heads off (ha ha). The second planting of sunflowers are shorter and setting their first buds. This "succession planting" helps us spread out the harvest season. We do this with many other things we grow as well.

Lisa and a handful of Teddy Bear sunflowers.

Whenever she picks flowers they go immediately into buckets of cool water.

Lisa with a handful of sunflowers, Alex cutting cauliflower in the background. 

I finally took a photo of the zinnias before Lisa picked them. They are a thing of beauty.

These Moulin Rouge sunflowers are tall. They have a single row of ray petals that are fairly wide. Their chocolate colored center is unusual.

I am hoping this critter crawling toward the top of this sunflower is a "good guy".

These bright beauties are showing off in the sunshine. Narrow outer ray petals with a ring of short petals surround a greenish yellow center. These have a large center circle.

This bee seems to be sunbathing while it snacks. This sunflower has long outer petals that are inverted as well as short, ruffly petals around the center.

Broader petals facing upward are characteristic of this sunflower. It also has many branches instead of one tall stalk like old fashioned sunflowers. In the cluster of buds on these, the center bud will generally open first. The spiky buds are pretty cool.

This is a different type of sunflower with several bees on it. It also has many other surrounding buds. They will open and share their beauty over a period of time.

This sunflower has a green center.

This one's ray flower petals flare back from its shorter petals near the center.

Honey bees enjoy sunflowers, too.

Alex walking between the leeks and looking for broccoli below the yellow blooming broccoli flowers. Broccoli flowers are tasty, too.

Lisa is picking blue statice. She has sunflowers and white statice in her cart.

Angie and Rosa's daughter are picking peppers on the other side of the blue statice. Tomatoes grow through the red plastic mulch in the background.

Rosa picking peppers. The sound of the sprinklers in the background is soothing.

Anna made milkshakes with home canned plums. They are so yummy. Levi is getting his last drop!

I think he missed a couple drops! Sweetie pie.

Angie brought in a praying mantis. These are the good guys.

Up close and personal with a praying mantis. Such delicate feet!

A collection of today's cherry tomatoes.

Thyme already bundled for the boxes.

A few of our different kinds of eggplant.

Pepperoncini and Fooled You jalapenos, which aren't hot.

Rosa, Bryan and Grams, aka Mary, are counting out and bundling carrots.

Sometimes taste testing just has to happen.

Today's bounty.

Today's list of goodies.

A collection of yellow crookneck. Three different varieties. Different shades of yellow and different bumpiness.

Green and burgundy okra.

Red zinnias, eucalyptus, white statice flowers.

Purple asters, blue statice, white hosta blossoms and green Bells of Ireland.

Light blue delphinium, pale yellow statice and brown centered sunflowers.

Red zinnias and blue ageratum.

Blue asters are so fluffy with this gorgeous rose.

An old fashioned rose. Doesn't it look delicate?

A showy "Fireworks" aster.

Pale yellow zinnias with blue and salmon asters

Up close with a light pink zinnia. Each little petal unfurls slowly.

We planted a few old fashioned pink carnations from seed this year. They are fragrant and remind me of gardens from the past.

See you next time on the blog.
Lorrie