Zinnias My Favorite Flower

Each year I plant zinnias at the farm and agonize over whether they will survive in the country without nurturing.  I planted zinnias in record numbers this year from all of the seed I collected at Summer's end last year.  I had one half of a five gallon bucket full of seeds to plant!  And I did.

After weeks of worry and wishes... here are my zinnias now almost three feet tall providing me with all the cut flowers I could ever wish for.  As always I gather a bouquet for my Mom, carrying them to her as I did when I was a little girl.  She loved them.  

This year I have loads of bright red zinnias and they are amazing.  Huge blossoms on sturdy long stems, perfect for floral arrangements fresh and dried.  They just scream look at me!

Angus follows me along as I try to capture how incredibly beautiful the zinnias are this year for you, but he is camera shy.  He always looks away at just the moment the shutter snaps open.  

Zinnias are beautiful even before they open with brilliant green foliage and tiny blossoms beginning to form everywhere - it's soon to be a zinnia explosion at the farm.

There are singles, doubles, variegated varieties in lemon yellow, pink, peach, white, cream, orange and russet.
Hah!  Gotcha, it takes quick timing and trickery to get Angus to look into the camera for a shot of his sweet face.  Isn't he cute with his large ears and soulful eyes?  We call him our   "buddy boy" around our house.  He is such a sweet spirited little guy.  He loves everyone, dogs, cats - but draws the line with chipmunks and squirrels his sworn enemies.  He gets so excited when he sees them and makes such a racket that they are usually long gone before he gets there.  Silly buddy boy.