The last Ukrainian sunflower stands solo. Single-stemmed multi-headed with still brilliant yellow blooms. Its siblings are in the compost now, many of the seedheads saved. Others were mildewed after weeks of heavy rain.
The Painted Mountain and Mexican corn stalks have been lifted, too. Beautiful fuzzy purple stems, once twice the height of us are chopped now, on top of the compost heap. We’ll leave them to dry and die and shred them in the spring. The cobs though – whisper it – were disappointing. It’s likely we planted them late. We will try again next year.
