I have no sunflowers but I do have V8

Do you remember my sunflower excitement earlier this summer?  I had dreams of beautiful, large, vibrant yellow sunflowers growing against the back drop of this white barn.  In between the sunflowers I planted onion sets that were questionably ok to plant.

 

What with all the rain flowing down the terrace, the onions quickly rotted in the ground.  But I still had high hopes for my sunflowers.

It wasn’t meant to be.  All around me, in other people’s yards, I see beautiful sunflowers standing tall, waiting to feed the beautiful birds.  This is it for me… one lonely, rather puny, flower.  One puny flower without enough seed to even attract birds.

  

Just one… The ground was rich with manure and the sun was abundant, and so was the rain.  It has rained so much!  Yes, I blame the rain.  Who knows the real reason my ladies didn’t make – but I blame the rain.  Never fear, though, I’m going to try again next year in a different spot.  I WILL have sunflowers!

Our tomatoes, on the other hand have done quite well.  Fifteen quarts of salsa is already hidden in the dark bowels of the garage.  Fourteen jars of V8 juice have now joined them (I kept one out for drinking – yum!)

Here is the recipe if you are interested:

Jericho Juice

15# tomatoes

1 large onion

1 large green pepper

6-8 stalks celery

6-8 carrots

1 large beet

Cut in pieces, cook until tender, put through strainer.

Add:

4 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons canning salt (optional - I don't)

2 teaspoons celery salt

Boil.  Put in jars and seal.

(FYI – I forgot to add the brown sugar and celery salt and it is still wonderful – so if sugar is a no, no, just leave it out)