The Sunflower

In the mist of another heat wave, sunflowers bloom. Out front this afternoon to water my flowers with the water collected from water dripping from the condensation of the window unit air conditioner. Air conditioners don't look pretty in windows but wouldn't live without it in the heat and it solved the problem of lugging water through the house in a heavy watering can. Or I could pull the hose through the window. That seems such a chore. But I have ordered a coiled hose for the yard and hopefully it can attach to my kitchen sink. My yard would never be the same with regular watering.

She opened. A pretty girl but not my favorite. Next year. I won't complain.

Enough lambs ears on one corner to fill the flower bed. May have to remove some they may cover my grape hyacinths in the spring.

Black eye Susan's are pretty this summer.

Thought they were new blooms on the native honey suckle but they're berries. Can't wait until they're ripe and the birds find them.

Really beautiful this year.

Bee balm being crowed out by the asters. 

Lady Bug. A spotted lantern fly met me this morning on my steps. I'm blessed that for some reason they didn't bother my garden in the yard or flower bed out front. My sister lives 5 minutes away and her yard, roses and flowers were infested with them. Her roses are always beautiful but not this year. She may have to pull them and start again.

Awaiting other sunflowers. They haven't developed heads yet.

What's doing on with my zinnias? No blooms forming yet.

Need to dead head some of the finished blooms on coreopsis so it'll stay in bloom.

Sunflowers are doing well but what happened to the zinnias planted in this container?

Wanted to show you a 10" sunflower in bloom but I think someone relieved me of it. This one will open soon. I actually like the tiny sunflowers. Will plant them again next year.

Ordered a support for the asters from Gardener's Supply although too late for this year. Once they flop they won't stand out as pretty. But I'll have it for next spring. I need to shear it. It's time consuming cutting each spent bloom. But I could save the seeds. Another day.