More tatty sunflowers

These are some of the multiple flower heads from the very pretty self-sown sunflower in the vegetable garden. Like J's sunflowers in tubs, they had been battered by the wind and rain and a number of flower stalks were lying on the ground, so they too have been gathered and placed, however unartistically, in an eartheware pot (handle-less jug). When I came down in the morning they were beautifully lit, with low sun catching the petals and the rims of green sepals on the dying heads.

Today was noteworthy because we started drinking the first cider P has made purely with apples from our orchard. He has made cider before with apples we have pressed, but they were always a mixture of our own harvest and fruit from other gardens around the village. The cider is appley, fresh and delicious. We'd like it to have a bit more body and depth, but the apples were slightly underripe, reducing their sweetness and juiciness, perhaps as a result of the near absence of sun through much of the summer. It's very satisfying though, and J is enjoying the juice too.