Sunflower Smiles

Sunflowers make me happy! I think they're probably the most cheerful flowers in the world.

I love their tall, crazy Jack-in-the Beanstalk stems and their cartoon heart-shaped leaves and perfect smiley faces.

And of course I loooove their taxicab yellow color and the bees and butterflies who come to visit. I dry the heads for my winter songbirds...

And these on my deck are "volunteers"---an old-fashioned way to say they grew like weeds or wildflowers from last year's planting...or the birdseed?

These are smaller sunflowers in a stoneware crock, also on my deck...

And in the garden, Black-eyed Susans...with more volunteers: Queen Ann's Lace.

Actually I guess these are rudbekias, but they're baby sunflowers to me....

This batch is so tall...well over 6 feet...very special.

They were free! And a smile is priceless, right?

love

             lizzy

      ...gone to the beach