A lot of effort went into getting this one sunflower to grow, so we're pretty proud of it. There is a little girl named Carista (she's Chloe's age) who lives in the house behind us who likes to reach through our fence and pluck our plants right out of the ground. In June we planted four seeds and three sprouted! But, while playing in the backyard in July, she pulled them all out..... we were mad.
We tried again, planting more right away, and got three more sprouts from our four seeds. Even after telling Carista not to touch them and explaining why, she still stuck her little paws through and pulled again. She yanked one out and ripped the leaves off the other two! Todd started feeling like it was a war. He put some wire mesh on our chain link so she couldn't fit more than a finger through (which she still tried several times), and the strongest of the two sprouts began to thrive.
And then one day it burst open to reveal a bright yellow center -- we all went running out to admire it. We love this little flower, finally growing.
3 comments:
What a triumph! I guess the "good manners" talk went in one ear and out the other.
I think you talked to her when she was just sticking one finger through the tiny hole mesh. She had ripped the leaves off way before that day.
Ummm, where are her parents in all of this? Oh well, chalk it up to a learning opportunity for the kids...and an exercise in patience for you guys! I'm glad your little sunflower triumphed over little fingers ;) It is such a beautiful, cheerful, happy flower!
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