Nature's Finishing Touches

Looking up, up, up... into the face of Noah's sunflower, we see a brown center, dying outer petals and waning leaves.

Five months ago in his kindergarten class, Noah sprouted this plant from seed. Each week, we watched as the sunflower stretched to its towering ten-foot zenith with flowing, elephant-ear leaves. We witnessed its survival through a summer storms: high winds and shredding hail. In spite of toil and snares, this plant finally bloomed – days before Noah started first grade.

Its huge head constantly changed: green to yellow to brown, followed by another pattern of those colors. The plant withstood the first hard frost – although its large leaves and petals began to fade. Still, death deceives.

Looking closely into its composite head,
we now see tiny flowers – some yellow, others brown,
all with green, bowled bottoms – attached to small, white-and-brown striped bumps.

With yet a closer look, we recognize those fuzzy, striped bumps as

sunflower seeds –

packed pointy-side down.

Maybe a tasty treat...
Or perhaps new life...

But either way,

Nature's Finishing Touches.