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After so many failed attempts, I got sunflowers to grow.
At a height of 7 or more feet they began to bloom.
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But then this happened:(
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This morning I propped them back up, but they look decidedly downcast and two or three of them have broken stalks.
The remnants of Debby chucked so much rain, in such a torrent, the stakes I’d inserted were useless.
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Some sturdy trees in town lost branches.
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There was another tornado watch yesterday afternoon, but this time it came as just a ping on my phone rather than the alarm we got last time.
People in town seemed indifferent.
Last time we received a warning, it told us to take immediate shelter in a basement. I kept an eye out as we carried on feeding cats. After all, the basement is right there.
Yesterday, it would have been impossible to see an approaching funnel, so hard was the rain.
Presumably tornadoes have strengths like hurricanes and this one was considered less dangerous.
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These days, I don’t presume or assume much of anything.
Debby thrashed about for an hour or so, then I went squelching out to have a look around.
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Apart from the sunflowers, there was no damage and the evening sky was brightening rapidly.
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If anything, the butterfly bush looked invigorated. We have not been short of rain, but I think the evening light makes the colour pop.
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Sadly though, we’ve seen very few butterflies.
This last one was on July 30th.
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Debby huffed off, leaving us to enjoy the apres storm.
As the Sun descended to the horizon, it found gaps in the retreating clouds through which its rays streamed out to catch random tree tops.
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Small pockets of brightness dotting the darkening scene.
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Then it found the hill opposite.
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To me, these moments are magic.
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It’s as if the land itself is alight.
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It’s not a rare happening.
I’ve posted similar images before
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But if I stop being thrilled by such a spectacle, I will have become brain-dead.
Such a shame that the sunflowers were flattened. They are so beautiful when fully grown and smiling away. I adore they way they follow the sun during the course of the day.
Best wishes, Pete.
Don’t ever stop, Carolyn, sharing the beautiful world you are lucky to see around you! Shame about the sunflowers but maybe some will recover. The air after the storm should make everyone feel good!
Joanna
Love the mountains in the pictures.
Well thank goodness you do, and thank goodness you’re not 😊
Nature has such a superb range in her colour pallet, especially at dawn and dusk.
Oh, the poor sunflowers! I hope they regain their strength – I’ve seen a sunflower before that was so wilted that it looked like one could pull it out, but a few days later it got stronger and stronger, and bloomed for weeks on end … so, do not loose hope! Love your last three photos of the lighted hill!