Side trip: flower garden

This year we planted wildflowers in a flower bed notorious for refusing to cooperate. The results have been fabulous...I guess I was trying to force things too much in past years and should just stick to what will grow naturally on the side of the road around here.

I took pictures of the sunflowers and echinacea over a few days as they opened up at different times of day--early in the morning or late afternoon. I am very drawn to the echinacea early on in the blooming process because I love the harsh, spiky centers. When I'm running, I see thistle growing and promise myself often to return with the camera to different spots to take pictures of the thistle heads for the same reason. I never have, though. I know thistle is an aggressive, hateful weed, but I think it's beautiful. Good for a yard? No. But so pretty...