Things to Do on Thursday...........

The sunflower keeps growing.  I should measure it as I don't remember any of my sunflowers getting to be this tall.

This is a backside and front view comparison of the same plant.  Once the head of the sunflower sets up it will probably start to droop and have a crooked stem.  I had one of the younger ones break off in the wind a couple of days ago.  I am not sure why that happened but my staking it up with a fence post is probably not going to save it.

I purchased this hardy geranium a couple of years ago just because of the pattern and color of the leaves.  It grows well on the patio and the flowers really are a great bonus too. It saves through the winter so well and blooms in my living room window during the coldest months.

 I saw yesterday a small start of the same plant at the garden center for twenty five cents.  I think now that I could have saved that small sprouted plant's life as I assume they will all end up in the dumpster.  At the time I thought that I had enough plant to start dozens of them.

I remember my mom growing these out in the vegetable garden when I was a kid.  I really don't know where she could buy roots for them but it must have been at the grocery store.  We had no nurseries in the area back then and packaged plants were rare to see in any store.  This is not my mom's dahalia as hers were always dark brown or maroon.  This is a small first bloom as it has taken so long for it to mature.  The thing  I must do is to remember to dig it up before a hard freeze. 

I took this yesterday in the morning.  I didn't think I would ever get a shot with this many in the picture at one time. They all were focused on their eating so I didn't have too much of a problem capturing them.  My wife was working in her studio yesterday and I told her that she must go out with the camera and experience the butterflies.  There were at least four swallowtails flying around, many monarchs, and three or four painted ladies and red admirals.  I learned yesterday from a book that the red admirals and painted ladies are all from the same ladies family.  They are exactly the same size but their coloring is different.  Oh yes, my wife captured the perfect photo of two swallowtails on one coneflower at the same time.

I have so many photos that I could share but I am using great restraint.  The brother and sister cardinals returned to the feeder last evening but it was too dark to try to take any photos.  I think it is neat that they have found an easy food source to help them grow bigger.   I have a few things to get done today and it is hard to decide on which thing to do first.  The frame is almost complete for the sweater project and I would like to finish that today.  I have a couple of small mums to plant and a new ivy plant to put into my donkey figurine planter.  It will be hotter today so I will probably get some outside work done first.

I am seeing that I need to water things more.  My patio tomato likes to be my reminder that flower pots need moisture.  It can start to shrivel in an instant once the soil gets to be dry.   Thursday is a good day to finish up things so I will get on to it.  I hear mowers at work among the neighbors but I think I will wait on that project.  I hope all is well with you.  Thanks for checking up on my post.