These are some sunflowers I grew about 4 yrs ago.

My favorite flower shots can be found here: Di’s Yahoo Photos
Sadly, many of these plants are gone like the beautiful iris. It was just too wild where they were planted. I should have dug them up last year and never did, so I lost all of them. I did dig up some pretty daffodils and hyacinths that were in the old pond area. Hopefully, I can save them and enjoy them again.

Got this in an email from Burpee which is right out of Warminster, PA (I’ve driven by the place. I have to make a point of taking a daytrip to see it sometime).
– Sunflowers can grow up to 12 inches a day during peak growing season.
– During growth stages, the sunflower heads face and follow the path of the sun.
– Once the flowers are fully open, most sunflowers face East.
– The sunflower is the state flower of Kansas.
– Kansas state motto is “The Sunflower State”.
– Sunflowers are one of the easiest seeds to grow.
– The highest point in the Sunflower state of Kansas is called Mount Sunflower.
– The national flower of Russia is, you guessed it, the Sunflower.
– The Aztecs worshipped the Sunflower.
The SECRET to summer long sunflower blooms and fantastic cut sunflower displays is to follow the advice of the pros. Professional growers and cut flower specialists have practiced these simple but effective sunflower techniques for years. Try them in your gardens and we guarantee you’ll be amazed at the results!
1) Plant as many different varieties as possible. Different forms, colors and heights add visual interest in the garden and vase.
2) Stagger plantings over the early summer weeks, succession plantings will ensure that you have blooms all through the summer season and into the fall, and also that your sunflower gardens remain vibrant looking all season long. This is the single most important tip to follow!
3) For medium and large beds plant taller sunflowers at the rear of the bed and the shortest sunflowers near the front, medium height sunflowers go in the center of the bed.
4) As the name implies, sunflowers need lots of sun. Sunflowers grown in full sun have vibrant color, great foliage and strong stems.
5) When designing sunflower gardens, keep in mind that when mature, sunflower heads will almost always face East.
6) Cut spent blooms and plants. Spent blooms can weight down the plants, shading the still growing, remaining flowers. Also if the entire plant is spent, it’s best to remove it- if you have followed our “staggered plantings” tip, there will be plenty of new plants to fill the spot. Hint: when removing old plants, do not pull them out, this could disturb the roots of neighboring sunflowers. Instead use a knife or shears to cut the stalk at the base.
7) Create a barrier or focal point with a hedgerow of tall sunflowers. Giant varieties reach heights of up to 15 feet! With their large leaves and bright yellow flowers, you will have an instant living fence in no time at all!
BURPEE’S TOP SUNFLOWERS FOR 2005
THE BIGGEST
American Giants– up to 14′ tall with huge yellow flowers. During peak season, it can grow up to 10″ a day! http://www.burpee.com/features/american_giants_tues.html
THE SHORTEST
Elf Sunflower- just over a foot tall with perfectly formed 4″ yellow flowers on long blooming plants. Great for the front of the border and ideal for containers and windowsills.http://www.burpee.com/features/elf_tues.html
THE DEEPEST RED
Chianti Sunflower- as the name implies, the flowers are stunning deep wine red flecked with gold atop purplish branching stems. Just 4′ tall.http://www.burpee.com/features/chianti_tues.html
VIEW ALL OUR SUNFLOWERS HEREhttp://www.burpee.com/features/sunflowers_tues.html
Fun & Happy Gardening,
Your friends at Burpee: http://www.burpee.com/

Found this on Mindy’s Blog…

My first rose of the season! Isn’t it lovely? I took the photo before a storm, so I bet the poor thing looks terrible now. : (

The decorated mantel for the almost graduate. 

My nature sampler A Walk in the Woods. See- I am making progress on this one!

Feeling frazzled most of the time? Seems like most Americans live with daily stress. Over at Abby’s blog, she had a stress test from 1967. This is me dealing with stress in the last ten years- (the test is for the last year). I have dealt with two deaths of matriarchs in the family (Brian’s mom and my grandmother) ; Lyme Disease; funky liver enzymes probably because of the LD; 9/11; my mom being ill and in pain for over a year (and she still isn’t quite right); some financial difficulties; not getting a new kitchen, a leaky roof (fixed almost 2 years ago- it leaked in about 8 spots), my brothers not bothering much with each other and my mom, brother and us losing beloved pets. I will say that I do try to do things to relieve stress. Blogging and tribe help me a lot. Cross stitching and gardening are a must. Music is way up there. It seems as soon as I turn on the radio I even feel a calm come over me.
So here’s an article I just found in my endless pile of magazines to clip:
Cut stress by 63%
~Eat almonds because of the magnesium which helps your nerves. They are a powerful natural tranquilizer.
~Speak softly-sound calm, cool and collected. My father-in-law seems to live by these rules and he is approaching 82! His son doesn’t and I feel stressed when I am around him a lot.
~Take Ginkgo biloba-180 mg a day will protect your brain cells and may lower stress as much as 79%.
~My favorite-dig out your diary. Writing about what is stressing you out helps your relieve your stressful feelings up to 30% Of course I blog.
~Sing in the shower!!! Sing anywhere. I do. : )
~My downfall-I don’t go to bed early which would help if you are overwhelmed. If I was truly tired at 10 pm, believe me, I would hit the hay.
~And last but not least, keep a lavender sachet on hand which helps your alpha brain wave activity.
~Most people do this to bust their stress:
Sitting on the sofa watching a movie-but an upbeat, fun one will definitely help.
(from Woman’s World-12-18-01)

And by the way-it’s hot as heck here today!

Sean and his friend Toni at the Senior Dinner Dance. They have known each other since 7th grade.

…’Yes dear’
Two English centenarians celebrating their world-record
80th wedding anniversary Wednesday attribute their success
to two words — “Yes, dear.” Percy Arrowsmith, 105, and
his 100-year-old bride Florence of Hereford told reporters
they plan a family party to celebrate their marriage on
June 1, 1925, with their three elderly children, six
grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. The Mirror
said Florence did most of the talking to reporters as she
summed up “yes, dear” and other tips for a healthy
relationship. “You must never be afraid to say sorry,”
she said as her husband nodded. He nodded again when she
advised against going to bed with an unresolved quarrel.
“We still love one another — that’s the most important
part,” she said, to which her husband responded: “Yes,
dear.”
~Of course the wife is still doing all the talking ; )

I am getting so tired of losing thing, especially this year. For cripes sake, I misplaced an 18″ bird bath. So now Sean can’t find the detailed directions for his graduation day-like where to park, etc. I mean, most of the info he should know is pretty straightforward and all. He’s going to have to ask a pal if he can look at their paper to refresh his memory.
Usually I will pray to St. Anthony, you know the saint who helps you find things. I took about two hours or so to look through every pile of papers I had here. I did get some tidying up done in the process, so that was not a waste a time. Sean is going to his Senior Dinner Dance tonight, so I’ll look around the papers in his room while he is gone.
It’s a rainy day. Good! It’s been getting dry out there and I am not fond of using the watering can. I planted some sunflowers, gourds and pumpkins last night in this big circle. I have two circles out near the veggie garden. They look like miniature crop circles from the movie ‘Signs’ but minus the crops! : ) Let’s see if the critters will leave the seedlings alone this year. The smaller circle is really sprouting now! So cool. I really love to watch them grow.