
The sunflower’s bud stares proudly back at me, a face of pure green, lovely to look at, it’s forest green tone causing my heart to pound with happiness. It is the first bud of the season, a new life beginning enfolded within the broad and hairy green leaves.
I am thrilled, and can’t wait for the vivid and golden yellowness to eventually radiate through the leaves, bringing a vision of pure beauty and joy to my eyes. My grandies are excited to see the sweet miss showing off her bud between the stems and leaves. We planted sunflower seeds together, and this first bit of bud life binds us together with nature in ways unimaginable. The warm glow radiated from the sunflowers, radiates within our hearts holding fond memories for each of us.
The grandies are learning, step by step about nature’s beauty by actually tilling the earth with their hands, weeding, planting, watering, and watching.
The photographs below were taken in years past.



The sunflower is also significant in Judaism. It has been seen flourishing over fields in Eastern Europe, fields that hold victims massacred in the Holocaust.
The book The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness, by Simon Wiesenthal, is an extremely affecting, powerful and thought-provoking book.
Sunflowers are also a wonderful source of food, from the leaves to the seeds and oil, they provide excellent nutrition.
Let’s not forget Vincent Van Gogh’s beautiful tribute to sunflowers. Sheramy Bundrick’s novel of Vincent Van Gogh is one I have read and enjoyed.
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do. Helen Keller
small sunflowers
freckled with soot
clamber out of the fill….Denise Levertov
As the sunflower blossoms, so it eventually leaves us until another season. As Shabbat approaches, try to think of the brightness and beauty of the moment, and think about those who came before us.
Shabbat Shalom!
June 8, 2012 – 18 Sivan, 5772