Mammoth Sunflowers, Drying Yet Beautiful

Beautiful mammoth sunflowers drying on the stalk for the birds, roasting, and reseeding. I am glad we planted these in succession as they framed the garden from midsummer to the wane. Wouldn't one of these mammoth heads make a great showerhead?? We envision one cut from copper raining down on a pebble-filled, stand-alone shower in our future home on the property...

Living So Close to Nature

Living so close to nature provides an interesting outlook on life. As summer fades to fall, you can sense the sadness in the air. While views open up, plants turn down, withering as the nights grow ever more chilly. Fearing what is to come, many animals and even humans seem to give in to the inevitable with the passing warmth and vigor. Although fall provides a brilliant range of color, what follows is colorless and often bleak. This is the great balance of the seasons, reflected in a multitude of other aspects of life on earth. Living so close to nature illuminates both the vibrancy and the frailty of all life.