Love your sunflower photo. Wonderful words..

Very, VERY well written. :o) Ultimately, I really like sunflowers, and I try to see them as a metaphor for our best behaviours in this life. The roots of a sunflower can go deep into the soil - over 1.5 meters - and they anchor a powerful plant. The stem is thick and strong, supporting a big, glorious flower, even if the plant does not reach its two to three metre maximum length by the time our growing season ends. The strength of the stem of a sunflower is obvious to anyone who has tried to break or "pick" one once it is mature. It holds up a full flower laden with seeds of life, holding it up straight and true. That strength is obviously enhanced by the root structure, which anchors the plant apart from mining the soil for water and the like. It can withstand wind and rain while many plants require the old stick and twine trick to provide an extra buffer against these things that would knock it down and ruin it as the summer progresses. The sunflower simply needs to be planted. It takes it from there, growing straight and true, and developing a flower and seeds that are crucial to its survival in this and ensuing generations.

Do you see why I respect sunflowers? Granted, we all need to be propped up from time to time, and it is part of a caring society to do that propping up for our fellow human beings who need help on either a temporary or a permanent basis. However, I have an immense respect for the people who "keep on keeping on" and literally and figuratively stand on their own two feet in this life.

wow Stephen great pics
Love them all
Great to hear you are on the mend
Peace be with you
I have just flown back from Adelaide spending time with my Mum.
I feel so good.
Have a wonderful weekend
hugs Noellex

I love the Painting behind you in the photo...you look Marvelous!! Eyes reflect you well. The sunflower is huge and gorgeous, of course. And last not least is the poem.....so dear and generous is a sunflower against "where the sidewalk ends".
Love well and long

all in all a pleasure, Stephen :-)

I love that Stephen..it really spoke to me. I don't like using trite phrases like that but why they become trite is that we all of us find those phrases so useful. :-) And the picture is perfection.

Peace and tranquility. Great job, Stephen!

I would have to agree with Nanci on this one, Stephen.

Best photo of you yet. Love the sunflower pic and the poem, too.

You have a great talent Stephen with words and with your paintings.