Saturday, June 19, 2010

Volunteers....

I was out walking near our vegetable garden this morning,
and just had to take a snap of our beautiful
'volunteer' sunflower...
... we didn't plant it,
but
perhaps it was a sweet little gift dropped
from a tiny bird
earlier this spring?

the plant stands almost as tall as I...
which is 3 inches short of 6 feet
...and has many little heads on it.
the biggest head is larger than one of my dinner plates!
I can't wait to dry them and string them onto a wired garland in the fall...
~that is, unless said tiny bird comes back to reclaim it!
~AND~
as I was walking,
(barefooted, mind you)
this visitor came slithering about....
out of my wild-flower patch.

I am not afraid of snakes...not one bit.
in fact, it's my dear husband who
screams like a little girl when he sees one...
I am the one who grabs them and carries them off to the woods
to remove them from the barnyard...

this one is also just shy of about 6ft. long...
...a little female, looking for a fresh chicken-egg.


I called out to Peter to tell him it was here,
...but forgot that Lazy, our Black Lab/Beagle mix
(affectionately know as a Bleagle)
understands English
and knows the word "SNAKE" very well indeed.

so he comes running to the 'rescue' everytime.

Good Boy.

where's Buddy?
(our now monstrous 218lb. Great Pyrenes)
well...he's under the front porch.
observing from afar.
just in case Lazy needs back-up.

Good Boy.

Hoping your day is full of little surprises!
Blessings from the Farm,
Lori

14 comments:

Diva Kreszl said...

I love the sunflowers, such a beautiful and unplanned surprise!

Nan ~ Threadwork Primitives said...

Your sunflower surprise is a beaut.
And I just love the snapshot of Lazy~the snake hunter. What a cutie.
I'd be running as fast as I could in the other direction. I don't come across too many snakes in Philadelphia, Thank goodness.
~Nan

kelley said...

wonderful sunflower...and I'd be right beside Buddy when the word snake was shouted out...gives me goose flesh just thinking about it!

janeu729 said...

What a gorgeous sunflower!! My best ones are always the volunteers. I'm with Kelley..I'd be BEHIND Buddy under that porch!

Cat Nap Inn Primitives said...

OH I am so in love with your sunflowers..the slugs at my plants..I am hoping the other 3 will survive...last year they were over 10 feet tall and huge..this year too much rain and not enough sun..so won't be as huge...and the snakes would have me running too...have a great weekend.:)

aprilmecheelesdulllife said...

Love the Sunflower. Snake was a surprise. I also see what kind they are before to kill or let it go. We just accidently killed a rat snake a week ago. Hubby did the deed. I got mad because I told him kills rats and other small pesty things... We don't have a cat so, what better than a rat snake. LOL

Kim said...

I would be cowering next to your husband screaming like a little girl! Or maybe even behind your husband. lol

Missy said...

Ohhhh Sunflowers are my favorite flowers. That plant is a beauty. I love your dog Lazy's name!! LOL

I would have DIVED under the porch with Buddy!! LOL

hugs
-missy-

tj said...

...Don't you just love volunteers like that? The weeds? Not so much... :o)

...Driving down the interstate years ago I spotted a sunflower about 5 ft. tall growing between the concrete wall and the highway, it was a sight to see! It also reminded me of one of my fav' sayings, "bloom where you are planted"... :o)

...I too don't mind snakes. They are beneficial around the homestead and gardens but I do like them better when we are going opposite directions... ;o) The poisonous ones unfortunately meet their maker.

...Blessings...

Anonymous said...

Oh my, I understand your husband. I am afraid of snakes too ; ) We don't have a lot of snakes here in The Netherlands though. We have the adder, but that doesn't live everywhere, just in certain places and I stay away from those places ; )
I love the sunflower. It is very beautiful !!!

QUAINT AND PLAIN said...

UNEXPECTED GIFTS OF VOLUNTEER FLOWERS IS ALWAYS WELCOMED... SEEMS THE ONES THAT PLANT THEMSELVES ARE ALWAYS THE MOST PRETTY AND HEALTHY...I LOVE SURPRISES,, NOT SNAKES SO MUCH... I WOULD BE ON THE PORCH WITH PETER... ~ B

Anonymous said...

Beautiful flowers. I like the term "volunteers."
I wish I would get such lovely gifts.

Jacqueline said...

How much does that dog under the porch weigh?

Finegan Antiques said...

I love Nature's little surprises like the sunflower. It just goes to show you how awesome Nature is. You are lucky. Everytime I plant sunfloweres either from seeds or in plant form the bunnies and or squirrels have a feast. Oh well they have to eat too!

Donna