Monday, September 8, 2014

Remembering Tina Downey


Today has been set aside for the blogosphere to remember Tina. I already did a post to about her last week, so I don't want to repeat what I've already said. However, today's about honoring her with the sunflowers she loved. There's not much to show for the one I planted in her memory, so instead of photographing dirt, I took a couple pictures at a farm we were at the other day.

Remembering you, my friend.





Tina's motto was "Life is Good." She made every moment count. So today I ask you to think about what is good in your life. For just one day, try to set aside the negative and embrace the positive.

We've got sunflowers growing all over here in town, along roadways, in the parks. If you happen to see one in your neck of the woods, send up a happy thought.

Do you have wild sunflowers growing near you?

May you find your Muse.


24 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

She still would've appreciated the dirt! Cool you were able to find some live ones. I had to go buy some plastic ones.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Taking time every day to remember what is good in our lives is a wonderful practice to get into. :)

Madeline @ The Shellshank Redemption

Jeremy [Retro] said...

We do need to think of all the good things everyday... thank you for everything you do and all that you share.

Sherry Ellis said...

Tina certainly brightened everyone's life. She'd love all the flowers being posted in her memory!

Elise Fallson said...

It's common to see fields and fields of sunflowers when I drive in the south of France. They will forever remind me of Tina. Beautiful pictures, Shannon.

E. M. Prokop said...

I love sunflowers! They're so bold and beautiful. I actually hadn't heard of Tina Downey until I started seeing all the posts about her death. It's sad to lose someone who seems to have had such a positive impact on people around her.
Seeing the positive things in life is such a good way to live.

Chrys Fey said...

I love your pictures! Wild flowers used to grow everywhere where I grew up, but sadly I don't like there anymore. Thank you for a beautiful tribute.

Write Life said...

I'm doing a residency at the moment and there's sunflowers everywhere here! Thanks for reminding me what's important! I needed that today! : )

A Beer for the Shower said...

All week as I've been driving around I've been noticing all of the wild sunflowers growing in the oddest of places, and each time I do I think of Tina and smile.

Rachel said...

I don't think sunflowers can really grow in this climate. We've got a bunch of cacti though. Those are pretty cool to see.

My life is good right now because I can quit the job that's making me miserable and move on to the job that I don't dread every day.

Nicole said...

Wild sunflowers appear to be a rarity here in Philadelphia. Luckily, I managed to find some for sale at a store.

Your pictures are wonderful in their variety and having the clear skies as a background. These are some of the best sunflower photos for Tina that I've seen so far. Thanks Shannon for taking the trip out to that farm and I will embrace the positive today as you suggest.

~Nicole

Catherine Stine said...

Wonderful post and photos! Sunflowers are rtuly amazing flowers--ones you can't possibly ignore because they are so tall, bright, well... sunny.

Michelle Wallace said...

Reminder - an attitude of gratitude is what it's all about...
Life is good!

Heather M. Gardner said...

I think sunflowers are becoming my favorite flower, too! There are so many varieties and sizes and colors!
Great post.
Thank you,
Heather

Arlee Bird said...

I've not seen any wild sunflowers growing around where I live. I have grown them in the past in my backyard. Today I photographed dirt, but eventually I hope some sunflowers will eventually peek through and then tower in honor of our friend Tina.

Thanks for joining in the tribute.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I've noticed them growing all over Colorado Springs as my husband and I walk the trails. Your pictures are a lovely tribute to Tina.

J Lenni Dorner said...

Very nice.

No, I don't think we have wild ones here. But a few people plant them in gardens and such.

Elizabeth Mueller said...

For Tina! Love your flowers. :)
We have lots of sunflowers growing wild around here. I love to see them facing the sun as it travels across the sky.

♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥

cleemckenzie said...

How sweet those flowers are. They add to the beautiful tribute for Tina.

Tammy Theriault said...

I don't have wild sunflowers around here, but thanks for the lovely pics :)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Shannon .. she'd have loved to have seen the photos of the sunflower farm .. and I hope the seeds from my flowers will flourish when I spread them around the hedgerows ...

Tina made our lives bubblier .. cheers Hilary

Shannon Lawrence said...

Alex, you're right! But I wanted to find some wild ones since they grow all over in Colorado right now. I wanted her to see some Colorado sunflowers.

Madeline, agreed. Not to say I'm great at it, but I'm trying.

Jeremy, ah, thank you.

Sherry, I think she would! And she most certainly did brighten people's lives.

Elise, a field of sunflowers would be lovely! We mostly have them growing along roads. Not sure why that is.

Eva, great description: bold and beautiful. It's true!

Chrys, where was that?

Linda, cool about the residency and the flowers! How is your residency going?

Bryan, that's one thing to love in Colorado. Sunflowers all over this time of year. I hope seeing them everywhere does the same for her family.

Rachel, you must be more lower desert than us. We have small cacti, but no big ones. I'm glad you get to move to a better job!

Nicole, thank you! I'm glad you were able to find some at the store.

Catherine, I agree. And each time someone describes sunflowers in these comments, it makes me realize just how like her favorite flowers Tina was.

Michelle, definitely!

Heather, I'm looking forward to getting around to everyone's sunflower posts (I know, I'm terribly late).

Lee, I hope you'll share the photos when they grow!

Susan, I hope you had a good trip out here! One of the times you come out we need to have coffee or something.

J. Lenni, I want to plant some on purpose next year in my yard. We had a huge one growing a couple years ago and hubby chopped it down. Whoops.

Elizabeth, I hadn't noticed that! Will have to check it out.

Lee, thank you!

Tammy, I bet you have others that are lovely. Can't say we have much other than sunflowers.

Hilary, I hope to see your photos when they bloom!

H. R. Sinclair said...

Those are great photos. It looks like there were lot of flowers blooming.

No bunches around here, but one place did have one growing in her front yard that was bigger than my head.

Melissa said...

Those are some lovely pictures.