Bring me the sunflower crazed with the love of light

  -- Eugenio Montale

And life itself exhaling that central breath!

Top: The seed packet said Maximillian Sunflower (Helianthus maximilianii) but none of the pictures I found on the internet look like this. Plant is about 6 feet tall and flowers are about 5 inches wide.

Bottom: A "volunteer" sunflower, planted by birds, with Western Tiger Swallowtail. Probably a Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus).  Flowers 4 to 4 1/2 inches wide. This plant is about 7 feet tall and has 40-50 blossoms on it, with more on the way.

little mocker

Young mockingbird almost ready to fly. Look at those short little tail feathers! My dog will be a happier puppy when she has her special corner in the back yard to herself again. Her favorite spot is apparently too close to the mockingbird nest (even though it's on the other side of the fence), and lately the adult mockingbirds keep swooping down to peck her on the back.