Little bright suns in the form of this Helianthus hover at eye level, bringing some of the celestial down into our land-bound existence. These beauties are backed right up against a cup plant which towers above them, so they lean forward, straining for their own space in the sun, their own spot in the world. They are carrying the garden this week, as the sedum and anemone put on a quieter show in muted shades of pink and salmon. Soon, all this color will drain as well, as much from the sky as from the garden. I’ve been avoiding that, pretending it’s not happening in a vain effort to keep this summer going, but nature needs her rest. When these go to seed, the finches will have one last chance to fatten up and sustain themselves through the winter. We will get through it together.
