Helianthus annuus -

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a pleasant fixture of my garden. My daughter Alexandra (Ale and pronounced ah-leh) brings them to me every year from her Lillooet garden. I have fond memories of seeing them in the many times I visited her with my Rosemary. Their bright yellow flowers are cheerful.

This year she brought me only one and in a pot. I decided not to plant it in my back lane garden as I wanted to enjoy on my deck. What you see here is perhaps the last bloom and which has lost its petals.

When I saw it I smiled as to me it looks like a sun shining and telling me, “Alex I will be back next year to cheer your day and give you some of my visual warmth.”

In Spanish its name is girasol which literally means that it turns to face the sun. I am a girasol as I turn to look at it every time I go out to my deck.

It reminds me of my Rosemary’s smile.