Soak Up the Sun

I’ve been keeping a closer eye on a certain plant in the garden for several weeks now. It has been a game, really. The plant is a sunflower. As you likely know, it looks at the sun all day long. So, in amusement, I watch it to make sure it is looking at the sun. Occasionally I catch it glancing off to the side at the neighbor kids playing basketball.

It has been hot here lately, 90plus degrees with above average humidity. We have reached the point of the season where we look forward to cooler times. This week, in particular, the thermometers reached a consensus of about 98F on Wednesday. The tomatoes began to blush. I picked handfuls of the little ones. It was in the warm evening of that hot Wednesday when I noticed the sunflower was not watching the sunset. As I crouched down on the dirt, amidst the various fruiting vines, that giant sunflower loomed overhead, 12 feet into the sky. It had turned its back to the hot sun. Enough. It appeared to have its fill of sun. I agreed.

I assume the sunflower was reaching maturity, unfurling its yellow petals, signaling to the birds “I’m almost ready!” It no longer needed the direct light. It’s a short life. A butterfly drew close to that yellow bull’s-eye, encircled it 3 times and settled for a while.
I squinted up into that searing, setting sun and realized we are midway through our summer here. A hovering, backlit haze of translucent flitterbugs whirled through the yard. Dusty heartbeats. Brief.

Eat your warm veggies. Soak up the sun. Now’s your chance.