What a lovely, endearing, fascinating, informative article Sharon. I enjoyed every single moment of the reading and I'm sitting with a smile on my face. Thank you!

Thank you, Anni. Very much.

I always find myself blinking back tears at the end of your stories.... "they're watching over you, child..." LOVELY.

Aunt Bett was a little bit mystical, very spiritual, Flit. And even now I feel that way about her and about Ninna. Maybe it was the way they placed so much importance on nature, but whatever it was, I'm not likely ever to forget it.

It's for sure I have a great respect for Sunflowers.

What a great article Sharon -- thank you, thank you!!

Thanks for reading it, Mary Ann!

You always captivate me with your stories, and I always learn something! I grew Russian Mammoth sunflowers for the first time this year, and I will always have them from here on out. Especially now, after reading this. I will think of you as a little girl, ordering them from the newspaper, and they will be even more special!

Natalie, I can just see how beautiful those sunflowers are on your hillside, and the birds, oh the birds, they will love them. Thank you.

As always, you pulled me right into your world, and I am always blessed when I visit it. It is a captivating and informative article. Thanks, Sharon.

Just like I'm pulled into your pictures. Thank you, Susie.

I've saved all the seeds from one, and will save part of the seeds from another. We're planning on putting in a feed plot for the birds. Should be an acre or two when we're done, and I'm planting those seeds everywhere! Should look amazing, and hopefully the birds will enjoy it as well!

That is going to be so beautiful!

I always let a few volunteers of our native roadside weed grow (used to grow amazingly beautiful, HUGE shaggy mopheads back on the farm) because I love sunflowers! And, I always love your stories Sharon

'banded from Grit'--I'm going to work that phrase into a conversation somewhere where it fits in my mind, just to say it, with a huge grin on the inside--irresistible!

Ha. Took me forever to get unused to saying it, DD. I think I might still use it occasionally.
But it will make me so happy if I know that someone else is using it too, especially you.

Thank you, DD. Your words are beautiful to me.

Sharon, you have such a gift for writing and storytelling. It is always a special treat to read one of your Garden Ideas Articles. I got a special kick out of this one!

Thanks, Rita, it's always good to know you like the articles.

Lovely story Sharon, I love the Sunflowers too, especially those volunteers that that grace us with their beauty every year.
Thank you for sharing.

What a lovely story and I can just see everyone of those sunflowers looking at you. I could read your stories all day long, they are such a special treat.

Lovely photo's and stats too - thank you!

Sharon,

Thank you for another lovely article and the great information on the history of sunflowers; your stories always bring a smile to my face! I truly believe those sunflowers are watching over you, as are your Aunt Bett and your Ninna.

Thanks Ladies, so much. Where I grew up, there were no children who lived anywhere near me, so I had no playmates of my age until I started school, and then only during school days. The houses weren't close together so there weren't many neighbors either. So my early memories are of my grandmother and my great aunt, because that's who I spent all my time with. Whatever they did, I did, with either one or the other and sometimes both.

What they did was work the land, plant for food, gather plants for medicine and for healthy living, and climb that mountain. It happened every spring, through the summer, and again in the fall. Everything in my life revolved around plants and nature and the mountain.

So that seems to be mostly what I write about.