July 4th Celebration, San Augustine Style

We watched the fireworks from a neighbor's dock as they exploded over and over again above the waters of City Lake. The sound of each firecracker echoed off the nearby quarry and I am sure the entire town could hear the Independence Day celebration going on in our neighborhood. The neighbors across the lake and near us seemed to be battling to see who could produce the best display. What is so fantastic is that they do this every year! San Augustine people are proud and thankful for the soldiers that fought and continue to fight for our freedom! Let freedom continue to burst forth above the water and echo throughout the town of San Augustine and the entire nation!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war's desolation

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

and this be our motto: "In God is our trust."

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

The Star Spangled Banner, last verse

Francis Scott Key, 1814

Growing Sunflowers

I have this sunny spot outside under our bedroom windows. The sun beats down on it all day long and it looks void from the road, like something should go there. While looking at seeds in the store one day, I saw the package of sunflower seeds and knew that was what should be planted there. I had always wanted to grow a sunflower.... something to do with a huge flower coming out of such a small seed and the fact that is is yellow (a happy joyous color) and the decorating theme for my kitchen. It was also the right time of the year for this endeavor.

Jeff cleared out the top layer of grass from the area under the windows. The soil was loose enough and natural rocks lined the bed. After reading the package, I planted one seed, less than 1 inch under the soil, every 10 inches and watered it well, careful not to wash away the seeds. I could only plant about a dozen seeds because of these directions.

Within a few days, some of the plants started coming up. Oh joy! While marveling at the fast and furious growth, I noticed that something had discovered how delicious the leaves were. I touched every leaf and looked on the bottom. There he was a big fat juicy green worm! ...tossed that sucker way over the yard into the ditch (at least that was my first inclination). What would you do with it? The green thing did not live. A few days later, I checked again and more leaves were eaten. This time it was multiple green grasshoppers. I lost that battle, but they did not get all the leaves. The flowers that started blooming were PERFECT! ...perfect in every way. Perfect in their color, perfect in their shape, perfect in their size and feel. They were soft and plush, brilliant and grand! The stalks were rigid and thick and the root system was as big as my hands put together. Every plant that burst forth had a beautiful big flower on it and the stalks grew to over 10 feet tall.

Something else discovered this glorious site -- the deer. They broke the stalks and ate the flowers a little every day. Luckily, I discovered what was happening and took these pictures of the last surviving sunflower. The next day, this flower was partially eaten and the stalk broken.

Did I mention that the sunflowers attracted lots of bumble bees? Ouch, the burn! They did not like me cleaning up the leftovers. I used a salve of ground oatmeal, sour cream, and lemon juice to ward off the burning sting. It really works!

OK, so now I am an experienced sunflower grower! I think if I could keep the deer away, I would love to do it again. Another thought... you know those breathtaking pictures of fields of sunflowers? That would be a dangerous place to hang around.