Sunflower Bouquet

In our rural community there is a grower of sunflowers, she has a shade canopy over a table on which sits buckets of flowers for sale on the honor system.  My husband stopped and bought two full bunches... for $5 for both!  To me, a bouquet of these happy beauties on the table bring me much Autumnal joy.

Kristi brought out the big antique pickle jar and I cut them, filled the jar with water and dropped them in the water.  Perfect!  She also found my sunflower tablecloth which I laid out to put the flowers upon.  

When the flowers finally wilt, I will give them to the chickens to enjoy.

The petals are a rich golden yellow.

These are my view from my easy chair in our den.. :-)

Here is a better view of the antique pickle jar, I think it's a 2 gallon jar.  This one is special as the embossed barrel "staves" are like a twisted rope design.  I love this jar, I've had it for almost 30 years or so.

The dining room looks so sunny and happy with these flowers.

I also put my collection of little handmade pumpkins on the table.  On the left are my own crocheted ones in off-white, grey and orange.  On the right are three I ordered off of Etsy made of velvet with real pumpkin stems in silver, orange and a grey-green.  My daughter Amy sent me these vintage barley twist oak candlesticks as a gift and they been a staple on my table ever since they arrived.

Soft squishy and lovely velvet pumpkins.

My crocheted pumpkins - I posted the pattern before.

I wanted to share some of the flowers still blooming in the farm garden.  This is a Day Lily that Kristi planted.

Brachyscome - "Surdaisy Strawberry Pink"

Dahlia beauty!

Moss rose bloom.. so small and pretty.

Do you remember these from our trip to the beach last year?  This is "Briza Maxima", or called "Quaking Grass" or "Rattlesnake Grass" for obvious reasons.  I ordered seeds on Amazon after seeing them last year and planted some in a pot and look at these wonderful seed heads!

A year ago we all went out for dinner in Troutdale and Kristi took the boys across the street to run off some steam in a little park.  There were these wonderful plants that she liked so she picked a little snippet off to show me.  When we got home I suggested that she put it in an empty pot on the deck.  She was thrilled when it took root and started filling the pot and then was amazed to see it bloom.  I just googled it and it's a "Stonecrop Sedum Coccineum".  :-)

My little bunch of "volunteer" moss roses.  

I hope those of you in the USA enjoyed your Labor Day weekend.  For those in other countries the history of this holiday is this:  Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.  Interestingly, Oregon was the first state to adopt the law.  

I'll be off to swim today - do you have something fun planned?  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)