I love sunflowers so much I have a series of posts about them – Sunflowers!.
In late summer 2019, I added some sunflowers to my new life for two reasons: 1) in honor of the beauty of my previous life; and 2) in gratitude that I have been able to experience beauty in my life again despite my ongoing grieving of the loss of my husband last December.
In April this year I left my life in Central Oregon behind and moved to the greater Denver metropolitan area (see series of posts Colorado Bound). My house sold in May and for the first time in my life I lived alone in an apartment.
As I shared in my post 08/18/19 post Morning Walk in Black and White, my dog Mike and I moved this summer from my apartment into a house. Living in a house now gave me access to a garden again.
I have been careful not to try and recreate the life I previously had in Central Oregon while my husband was alive, but I did want to bring a little special beauty into it and I planted sunflower seeds early in the summer in the front and back yards.
And they grew.
And they made my smile and brought some joy into my life.
We decided to harvest the seeds (the sunflowers are all done flowering now) and replant them next Spring – they are currently drying in the garage:
I hope next summer to enjoy sunflowers from these seeds. These sunflowers were special because they reminded me that I can still enjoy beauty in my life.
Postscript
Fall is here in the greater Denver metro area and the summer flowers are dying off but there is still so much beauty all around.
I went for a walk this weekend on the hiking trails behind where I live and had a lovely walk through marshlands:
And visited with a butterfly:
Ah yes…….planting seeds and watching the miracle of what takes place is a wonderful way to go forward. What a celebration of our blessings!
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Thanks so much Martha for your lovely sentiments 🙂
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I admire your determination, and yes joy, still in life, it is what TTQH would have wanted for you.
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Thanks so much I really appreciate that 🙂
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I’m glad that you seem to be blossoming as well as your sunflowers despite everything that has been going on around. All my best thoughts with you!
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Thanks so much for your kind words, my best thoughts with you too 🙂
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I love sunflowers too! Yours are gorgeous and I’m glad you find them comforting.
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Thank you Robin 🙂
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How beautiful….🌻🌻🌻🦋🦋…..and these are a few of my favorite things…. many blessings my dear..many blessings..🌻🦋🌄
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Many blessings to you too, thanks 🙂
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You (and sunflowers) are an inspiration to me and so many others.
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Thanks so much Christine, I appreciate that 🙂
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Beautiful….I love sunflowers. I’m happy that they give you comfort and joy!
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Thank you 🙂
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Your sunflowers are really pretty! I too really like sunflowers but haven’t planted any. Maybe I will next spring.
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Thank you – they definitely made me smile. Hope you get some sunflowers next year!
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Sunflowers
Lovely
Strong
As are you
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Thanks 😀
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Woww, those sunflowers bloomed beautifully ❤ I love sunflowers. They are just so bright and cheerful they carry an aura of happiness with them. Wish I could grow them at my place. The climate here does not support sunflowers.
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Thanks so much and I bet you can grow other cool stuff in your climate
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Show off! All the sunflowers in my garden and neighborhood are nothing but messy stalks these days. But thanks for bringing some to my computer!! Oh, and the squirrels in my yard stole over half of my sunflower heads this summer…floral decapitation :))
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You live in the Pacific NW where if you throw things at the ground they grow in your rainforest – ha! Yes we had squirrel theft also but they did not get all of them 🙂
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Hi Tierney,
After my first husband died, I remember the day I saw a robin in the backyard. The bird was tugging and tugging on a worm, and the worm, like a rubber band, would snap back. Their contest was so comical that I laughed out loud, and I realized that the small moments of beauty, particularly natural beauty, would help me recover my joy. When I look at the pictures of your sunflowers, I see smiling, flowery faces, and they’re all turning their heads in your direction and nodding gently. I’m going to get up from my computer in a second and go out and water my strawberries. I still have a week or two left before the end of the season. 🙂
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Marylee – that you for your thoughtful comments and sharing that story, it made me smile. Say hello to your strawberries for me – I look forward to maybe growing those too someday 🙂
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Thanks for brightening my day. Sunflowers are such happy flowers
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Thanks so much for your comments 🙂
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