This summer was extremely hot. The flowers and vegetable gardens had a very difficult time surviving the back-to-back 90 + degree days. The weather took a change a couple of days before the county fair when tornado like storms swept through the area knocking down trees, power lines... and the sunflowers. I found a stalk that was laying on the ground and gently cut the blossoms to use in my hand decorated jar. They perked up immediately once in water and proudly put on their best smiles for the judges that earned them a Blue Ribbon.