Hurry, hurry!

Fall is hard upon New England, and time is a'wasting! I had much to do indoors today, but the weather was fine and the yard needed work. So I mowed the front, put 3 flower gardens to bed for the winter, as well as the vegetable and herb gardens. I put a new (used, gift from my friend Cheryl) bird feeder up outside the kitchen window. I started a new compost pile, filled the wood crib up with fire wood, hauled mulch until my wheelbarrow tire sprung a leak. I picked up yard clutter and fed the sheep lots of plants pulled from the garden. I harvested all the sunflowers and fed them to the chickens, (they had a party!) and ran a few errands, too. It was a long and busy day but I feel good about my accomplishments. There is so much more to do, but tomorrow is another day....

As high as an elephants eye...

Every year I plant two rows of sunflowers in my garden. Mostly I do it because I love to see them. Partly I do it because one of my neighbors adores them, too. This neighbor has two wonderful kids, and takes a photo of them every year under my towering plants. This year the "giant" sunflowers are probably 10 feet high-magnificent! The bees love them. When they mature the wild birds will find them and feast upon their broad faces. I'll feed some to the chickens... they go insane over them. I love to see the huge flower heads against the sky, high above me.

Sunflowers are a lot of bang for the buck... one small package of seeds creates plants of impressive proportions. They feed the birds and my soul, too.