It’s too soon to find them in bloom. They’re mostly two feet tall at best, thus far, and not nearly ready to flower. And the sky is overcast today. Quite grey and a little bit dark. Any sunflowers would be hard pressed to find the sun and smile at it.
The thing about sunflowers is, they believe in the sun even when it’s not visible. I do, too.
Art-Colored Glasses 
I love sunflowers and have always wanted to grow them… last year I did, despite how many seeds the Hadedas ate (the seeds I planted :)) …and really they have to eat too. *Grin* I love how sunflowers grow and their symbolism of hope and faith as they grow taller and taller than I ever imagined… and I love their bright yellow colour, like they are saying “BE Happy”. *Grin* We picked a few for our Christmas Lunch table… and had a host of guests arrive (more gogoos then I could believe live on an individual sunflower). The bees love them, the ants love them and the birds love them… and I was happy to share. *Smile* I really miss having them in the veggie patch…. maybe I should get in there again and start digging and weeding, so we can plant again. *Smile* I enjoyed them so much, and even wrote and posted photos… they are a joy. Thank-you Kathryn, your gorgeous drawing/picture inspired wonderful memories on this lovely autumn day. I especially love you words… “The thing about sunflowers is, they believe in the sun even when it’s not visible. I do, too.” Ditto with warm huggs, Mands
My dear! Thank *you*–not only for a lovely response, but you taught me a couple of new things. I had never heard of Hadedas before, so enjoyed looking them up and getting a little clarification. But I couldn’t find anything telling me what ‘gogoos’ are and am still guessing 😉 . If, as I experience here, your flowers act as condominiums for a seeming universe-full of insects of all sorts, then I would guess that’s a term for one or more of their ilk!
Many hugs back to you!
Kathryn
Hello dear Kathryn… Hadedas are not my most favourite birds (I love most birds ;)) …they are noisy and naughty at all times of the day and night and they seem to take great pleasure in pooping in the pool. *Sigh* So I am learning there is even dichotomy in my love of birds… however the beautiful Hoopoe and Brown Hooded Kingfisher that are visiting at the moment are stunning… and I had an amazing encounter with a Sunbird on our upstairs balcony just a metre away from where I was standing while it drank nectar from the Bottlebrush tree. *Smile* (Sorry, I get sidetracked). I seem to have misspelt “gogoos” ~ humble apologies! However your interpretation is correct. 🙂
From… Get the lingo: South African slang
[ http://citysearchblog.yellowpages.co.za/citysearchblog/post/2061 ]
gogga, goggo (gho-gha or gho-gho) – Insect, bug. From the Khoikhoi xo-xon.
(The Khoikhoi (“people people” or “real people”) or Khoi, are the native (Indigenous) people of southwestern Africa, (Botswana where we lived) closely related to the Bushmen (or San, as the Khoikhoi called them).
A pet name of my Dad… for me. Not sure why, possibly because I was always outside in amongst the gogga’s especially when we lived in the bush… a long way away from any sort of civilisation. *Grin*
Not to forget the Sunflowers… here are a couple on my blog with gogga’s *Grin*
[ http://www.womanofworth.co.za/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Sunflowers5529.jpg ] and
[ http://www.womanofworth.co.za/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Sunflower5533.jpg ]
The sun is shining today, so I will go and smile at it for awhile! *Huggs* Mands
Oh, THANK YOU for all of this, Mands! Gorgeous, gorgeous photos of your sunflowers and their whole contingent of happy occupants! And I’m so enjoying learning the lingo–what a handy web page for getting better attuned to SA linguistic fun.
You also reminded me of a book I absolutely loved years ago and will have to hunt up again (read for my undergraduate anthropology course) on the Bushmen. It was such a lyrical and tender telling of the way of their life at that time. I hope that’s not all gone after all these years . . .
I can think of any number of insects and bugs that children get nicknamed for, so I suppose it’s an affectionate reference to how small and active and cute kids are. (Although I’ve known a couple of children over the years who just *might* have been so named because they were kind of pests!). 😉 The only nickname I remember having was a play on Kathryn after the cartoon ‘Casper’ (‘the Friendly Ghost’), because I was always unearthly pale!
Understandable that Hadedas might be more Pest than Cute Little Thing, too, from your description. I have a bit of fondness for pesky birds myself, but mostly out of a sense of fellow-recognition among naughty creatures. 😉 Admittedly, my main attraction is definitely to the more beautiful of birds! I can only imagine looking out and seeing some of the glamorous ones you see at home. But I do like that we have some lovelies here as well: the brilliant cardinals, the elegant Cedar Waxwings and snow-white egrets and Great Blue Herons, the various bold hawks and sparkling bluejays . . .
What a lovely life it is! I shall go out and enjoy *our* sun all the more today, thanks to your sweet encouragements. Thank you, my dear!
xoxo
Kathryn
Growing up sunflowers were my favourite! I too believe in the sun, even when not visible.
Have a beautifully week ahead Kathryn.
🙂 Mandy xo
Thank you, dear Mandy, the week has begun very nicely, if exceedingly busily! But since I’m sitting at my kitchen table and looking out at the meter-high sunflower stalks sprouting there, the emphasis at the moment is clearly on the sunny side of the equation! 🙂
xoxo
Kathryn
There’s a home not far from here that I pass on my way to pet store. Last Spring, they pulled up their front lawn. As Summer passed, it became apparent that they had planted sunflowers where their lawn once was. I don’t know how their neighbors felt about it but, I must say, I looked forward to passing by that house and hope they do it again this year.
What a grand gesture! I hope they do it again, too.
You have to keep believing don’t you Kathryn 🙂
Indeed I do. 🙂
xoxo, Claire!
I believe, even when I can’t see! There is a great song by Brad Paisley “Behind the Clouds”:
When you’re feeling lonely, lost and let down
Seems like those dark skies are following you around
And life’s just one big shade of gray
You wonder if you’ll see the light of day
(chorus)
Behind the clouds, the sun is shining
Believe me even though you can’t quite make it out
You may not see the silver lining
But there’s a big blue sky waiting just behind the clouds
I’ve heard it said that this too shall pass
Good times or bad times, neither one lasts
But thinking that your luck won’t ever change
Is like thinking it won’t ever stop once it starts to rain
Yes, very much in the same vein, same sentiment. 🙂
I like to believe that the sun is always there even when I don’t see it but I have my moments when skies that are too dark for too long give me doubt.
Doubt is certainly one of the natural conditions of the human spirit, isn’t it! I’ll send you a virtual sunflower for now, dear lady, in hopes that it will reappear and remind you of how many of your friends out here in the ether admire you and wish you well, even in those darker times!
Kathryn
Hi Kathryn… thank-you for the wonderful interaction on line…. between the wonderfully warm winter days we are enjoying, and my chatting with you… my own blog has been a little neglected. *Grin* However, I have taken lots of photos and made plenty of notes which i am sure I will eventually publish. *Smile* Just wanted to say I now live in the land of the Zulus…. very far away from the Bushmen and the San… although I will always have a special place in my heart for the Kalahari and the local people. I just wanted to share a link to a website to let you know that there are being efforts made to protect these incredible people [ http://www.san.org.za/index.php ] and I hope you find your book. 😉 It has been a pleasure sharing ideas and conversation, thank-you!
*Winking* at the sun setting,
*Huggs* and blessings
Mands
and [ http://www.sasi.org.za/ ]
Thank you for all of this! I’m already enjoying starting to look around the sites . . .
xoxo
Kathryn
Beautiful post. The drawing is exquisite! I love this: ‘The thing about sunflowers is, they believe in the sun even when it’s not visible.’ and just had to share on Facebook and Twitter!
Thank you, my sweet! How very kind of you. 🙂
I meant to add, Kathryn, that your drawing and poem reminded me of the last lines of a beautiful old folksong, ‘Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms’:
‘No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets,
But as truly loves on to the close:
As the sunflower turns on her god when he sets
The same look which she turned when he rose.’
Perfect. I will have to look this one up! Though I wouldn’t be surprised if Richard’s parents know it–maybe I should just call and have them sing it to me, which would be a delightful bonus. 🙂
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