Sunflowers & Hummingbirds

Two years ago, I read about a large sunflower field in Lawrence, KS. It was too late in the season to see them, so I hoped to go last year. However, the weather wasn't kind to the fields last year and the flowers didn't bloom well. The owners have a Facebook page to keep the fans alerted to the flowers' progress (click here https://www.facebook.com/GrinterFarms).

This year looked promising but we only had a one day opportunity to see them ourselves. So last Monday, I grabbed the Canon, hubby picked up the coffees, and Khaleesi the Afghan Hound hopped in the back of the SUV. Off we went on a little road trip.

The field was not quite what I expected. I was imagining acres & miles of big, beautiful sunflowers. (The farm is 40 acres, which is nothing to sneeze at.) Sometimes my expectations are a little unrealistic.

One of the fields was blooming but "not mature" as the lady at the little store said. The other field was just beginning to pop.

But we always make the best of things and have a good time no matter what. I did manage to snap "a few" pix, as you can see. 

The flowers had their backs to the parking area this day and I didn't want to trudge all the way to the other side in the semi-muddy field to get a facing shot. (But thinking back on it, after driving 4.5 hours, that was kinda stupid!)

It's funny, but in my search for the perfect, flawless, flower, it seemed to me that each one has a personality!

Just like us, each flower was in a different place on its life journey. 

Some rose above the others. 

And some were broken.

Some, even though they were growing up among flowers who were further along, didn't let that discourage them. They kept growing, trusting the Creator's plan for them.

They steadfastly keep their faces towards the sun, trusting it to strengthen and nourish them each day.

There's a little story going around social media that on cloudy days, sunflowers face each other, to share their energy. It's very sweet, but experts say it's not true. They face east for the early morning sun and track it all day, facing west as the sun sets. In the morning, they repeat the process. However, when they mature, they remain facing east all day.

 

Here's a little bit of fun information from the internet......

"Sunflowers are more than just beautiful food -- they're also a mathematical marvel. The pattern of seeds within a sunflower follows the Fibonacci sequence, or 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144... If you remember back to math class, each number in the sequence is the sum of the previous two numbers."

I never found the "perfect" sunflower for my picture frame.

But, I did find an entire field of happy faces!

Speaking of big smiles...

The hummingbirds have been really active this summer!

We have so enjoyed watching their aerial antics.

I still haven't gotten the great hummer shot, but the last one in this series might make you smile.

"You lookin' at me?"