Haiku: The Sunflower That Tried

Every year, we find volunteer sunflowers growing somewhere on our property. The cause is easy to identify: the black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) that we feed to the poultry and waterfowl get scattered around – sometimes even by wild birds – and those plucky seeds germinate. Seemingly in the blink of an eye, a radiant sunflower appears. And what’s cheerier than a sunflower?

When the volunteer grows late in the season, though, its chances for its seeds to reach maturity become slim. One late summer sunflower, with multiple funky little heads, did manage to produce seeds.

A second one that grew just weeks behind the first (above) succumbed to a killing frost. I found it frozen one morning when the temperatures had plunged overnight. I wish that one had made it to the finish line, too…but know it didn’t worry about the future – it just lived and grew, each day.

In happier (warmer) days

In Spring, I’ll plant some low-maintenance, smile-inducing sunflowers intentionally…but I bet a few volunteers will still pop up, too!

Deep Freeze: It’s Single Digits Here

You know it’s cold when it’s 4 degrees out – and feels like 3. After a beautiful full moon (a Super Blood Wolf Moon) last night, we’re also being treated to a vibrant sunrise.

There’s an interesting formation of ice crystals on a window…see it from slightly different angles and phases of sunrise:

Cold, dark early sunrise
Just a few minutes later, lovely soft pastels and the promise of the sun

I just don’t tire of the beauty of ice crystals. It may be bitterly cold out, but Nature always has a show ready!

Around The Farm: Frosty Fractals For Christmas Eve

 

It seems like it was long ago that these geraniums sported their bright pink blooms, but they’ll return again with warm weather. 

After a stretch of warmish weather here, the cold has returned. Last night, the sky had that look: thick, heavy, yet cottony clouds hung overhead – a “snow sky”. Though there was no snow in the forecast, we’ve learned to rely on the signs, rather than the weather app…and flakes fell as we began the nightly animal lockup. Only a few, but maybe it was a harbinger – or maybe that’s just wishful thinking!

Continue reading “Around The Farm: Frosty Fractals For Christmas Eve”