Tonight I began a leadership retreat with teachers of writing. It was only fitting that we began with a writing prompt. Our leader had us write five of our favorite words. We then passed papers, got another person's list, chose one word, then did a freewriting prompt. The word I chose to write about was sunflowers.
The picket fence out back was lined with sunflower plants that towered over the pickets and the shrubs that grew behind them. The mix of yellow, orange, red, and chocolate brown created an unforgettable image of late summer glory. Each day the large blossoms turned their faces toward the sun in the early morning warmth. As summer moved into fall the petals fell and the heads held the sunflower seeds that provided food for birds and squirrels. After the first hard frost the stems and leaves dried and stood in dark contrast to the picket fence. The first snow provided a protective blanket over the remaining parts of the plants. Watching the birds feed on what was left in late winter gave me hope that spring was around the corner.
