and zinnias, sweet peas, and upside down tomatoes

Tragically, most of this zinnia's sister seeds died off in the Aphid Outbreak of 2008. But everytime I glance over at these babies, I'm SO excited that there were 6 out of thirty that survived! Those hearty little suckers...

A little less than half of my sweet peas have already bloomed and gone to seed - but just tonight, I was over at Leigh's house, and hers were ABSOLUTELY still beautifully in bloom.  I think there's a balance somewhere between drowning in sunshine and starving for light where sweet peas must flourish the longest.  Didn't find it this year, but it's definitely a goal for next.  The colors on these things are great... Even though it's a picture of a white one.  Hey, isn't white a color, too?  (Seriously though, if it weren't dark, I'd march right back outside and try to get another picture - the brilliantly colorful ones were sadly out of focus.)

This next picture is intended to be an "Aha!" for a certain someone who mocked me while taking the photograph.  You see, these tomatoes are really upside down.  Or rather, right side up on upside down plants.  Anyway, to take the shot, I stood up underneath the green leggy tomatoes and looked as though I had an upside down plant hat.  Which probably had nothing to do with the mocking.  I'm not even quite sure I remember what I was being mocked for.  But I got the shot.  So I get the "Aha!" 

Those maters came off the bucket second to the left.   Just in case you were curious.