I love seeing sunflowers blooming in the garden, and Jeff and B love eating sunflower seeds! The birds like eating them too. We really enjoy watching the birds eat the sunflower seeds, and always leave lots for them. If you love sharing with the birds, but want to have some to enjoy yourself as well, an easy way to protect them is to make use of those mesh produce bags. (I took those last two pictures in the fall to remember to share that with you.)

Winter is the time when seeds get processed and organized around here, since fall (when the seeds are collected) is too busy for that. I just came across this blog post from seven years ago, about Jeff and B saving seeds. It warmed my heart. I have an image in my mind of B as a toddler, gathering seeds of all kinds around the garden in his tiny hands. He’s eleven now and he still enjoys gathering seeds, especially with his dad, two peas in a pod.

P.S. Speaking of sunflower love, I’ve been feeling really grateful for the batches of sunflower seed pesto that I made throughout the summer and fall and froze in small jars. When I’m craving fresh garden foods, I can take a jar out to thaw and it adds so much goodness to meals, like tasting a bit of summer in the middle of winter. I’m curious, are there any foods you put up that you’ve been really appreciating now?