Peppers in the Zinnia Patch!

   Back when I planted the large bed of zinnias, a few pepper seeds must have been mixed in with the seeds.  Four plants grew right along side of the flowers and flourished.  I figured that the seeds knew what they were doing in sprouting among the zinnias so I left them.  I did plant peppers in the veggie plot but nary a one grew.  Since the plants were not where I normally go to gather crops, I overlooked a healthy bunch of goodness!

  This afternoon, the basil was quite withered so a good watering was in need.  Well, one thing led to another and I was soon watering all of the gardens.  As I dragged the hose around to the back of the zinnia bed, a few peppers caught my eye!  Oh, wow!  The hose was plopped down to soak the ground while I picked the beauties!  They may not be the largest nor the most perfectly shaped peppers but I was a happy camper!  There are still dozens of tiny ones on the plants!  Sometimes, you just have to let things do what they please...where they please.  Tasty peppers will be somehow worked into tomorrow's meal!

Zinnias and Butterflies!

 While the rains have made a complete mess of most of the vegetable gardens, the flowers are doing superb!  In fact, they are getting a little too large and the place is beginning to resemble some sort of florist shop gone berserk!  One bed, in particular, is growing with wild abandon.  The "miniature" zinnias are all of 3ft tall and covered with blooms.  This is all good since I have no problem with hodgepodge gardens and they are serving a purpose.

  Zinnias seem to attract more butterflies than the other flowers around the yard.  Ruby lilies, marigolds, day lilies, four o'clocks, roses, gloriosa lilies and parrot lilies have all set forth blooms for the past two months but the butterflies all seem to gravitate toward the zinnias.  Oftentimes, the insects seem to be almost intoxicated as they lose all fear of humans once they find that zinnia bed!  While out snipping the spent blooms, the critters were literally crawling too close to my snips!  Extreme care had to be taken not to harm the butterflies!  What fun it is to be that "up close and personal" with these beautiful creatures!  I think I shall plant zinnias in the vegetable plot and attract more "flying flowers".