Y'all Know How I Love Sunflowers

Sometimes when I get the urge to shoot some pictures, and I don't have time to go anywhere, I just pop outside and shoot whatever is in the backyard.  This year, we planted a few sunflowers at the edge of the garden.  They weren't very big, but they certainly had bold color when they bloomed.  I caught them one night when the light was just right and was thrilled with the colors I found in the images I took.  We're definitely planting more next year.  Did you hear that, Hubby?  We're planting more.  Yes, indeed.

Sunflowers: Part Deaux

I see some symmetry and starkness in this batch, which is a little unusual for me.  I normally don't like things to be very orderly or plain.  Much to my neat freak husband's dismay.

Back to the Sunflowers

The blooms in my favorite sunflower fields aren't nearly as large or tall as they usually are, probably because we've had so little rain this summer.  Like much of the midwest, we are in somewhat of a drought.  And I don't know if it's because the blooms aren't so grand or if I was just looking for a different perspective this time, but when I was snapping photos Sunday, I seemed to be fixated on the ladybugs that were climbing all over those sunflower plants.  What can I say?  I love a good bug picture.

They're Back

The sunflower fields near my house are in bloom again.  Their annual display of summer glory is in bloom.  They are not as plentiful nor as big and bold as they usually are. Likely because of the drought conditions we've had for most of the summer.  The flowers are shorter, smaller and more sparse than they've been in years past, but they still delight me to no end.  I'm not sure I can explain why.  And I'm not sure my friends and family truly understand why, but they humor me and go on about their business.  They treat it the same way I treated geometry in high school.  They don't try to understand the reasoning behind the facts.  They just accept them and roll with it. 

I started getting texts and Facebook messages from people recently, telling me that the flowers were blooming.  And a good thing, too.  They're a little early this year, just like everything else.  And I've been so distracted by bible school and paying photo gigs that I might not have realized it until they had begun to wilt, were it not for those people who care enough about me to make sure I knew.  Although, it's a bit like buying crack for a drug addict.  Enablers, that's what they are.  Sunflower enablers!  Ha!  God bless them, there are worse things to be.

I drove by those fields a week or so ago when I heard they were blooming, just to see for myself.  And since then I've thought about them almost every day.  And as exhausted as I was Sunday afternoon, and as behind as I was in household chores, I dropped everything for a half hour or so (okay, maybe an hour) to take a few pictures.  I was afraid they would start wilting before I had another chance to go there, and that would be unacceptable.  Simply.  Unacceptable.  This window of opportunity comes just once a year.

It's hard to explain how much joy I get from sitting on the ground in the middle of those blooms, snapping away and listening to the hum of all the bees buzzing around the pollen filled blooms.  Just me and the bees, and the occasional bird.  If I'm lucky, no one else shows up, and I can get lost in my solitude.  A good friend drove by Sunday and saw me out there.  She teased me via text about it, and I got a good chuckle out of it.  I supposed I could be a little embarrassed at my addiction, but I'm not.  Unless you travel to remote corners of the world, there aren't many places in your own backyard these days where you can hide in plain sight and enjoy God's handiwork without being bothered.  I don't think deep thoughts when I'm there.  I just absorb and create.  And renew my soul. 

When we were in Paris last year, we got to see some of Van Gogh's paintings, including one Sunflower painting.  As I stood there, looking at his work, I felt like I understood his fascination with them.  After all these years of seeing them in print and not giving them a second thought, I finally pondered what he was thinking when he painted those flowers.  Was he as fascinated by their form and brightness as I am?  Did they give him, a man torn by depression, the same kind of joy they give me?   Standing in the Orsay Museum, I wished I could see him in person and shout to him, "Dude, I get it!  I totally get it!" 

Pictures to come soon.   

I Just Thought This Was Cool

I loves me some macro photography because that lens allows you to see so many neat things that are invisible to the naked eye.  Like the bees in the sunflower fields.  Those fields were FULL of bees.  Everywhere you went among the blossoms, you could hear the hum of big bees and little bees zipping around.  But they didn't bother you as long as you didn't run amuck and flap your arms like an idiot. Why?  Because those fellas were knee deep in pollen.  See his little legs?  Coated. 



Happy, happy bees, drunk on yellow dust.  Cool.  I just thought you'd like to see it, too.    

Just the Petals

Falling Into Fall

One of these days, I’ll get those sunflower pictures posted, but it won’t be today. And it probably won’t be tomorrow. No siree. Nor was it yesterday nor the day before nor the day before that because I’m in the midst of a computer change out that involves moving some massive files from one unit to another and changing my PhotoShop and Lightroom registrations from one computer to another. There’s the slight issue of being unable to find an important software registration number and the need to get some external hard drive set up and oy vey, there I am with my picture files scattered between a desk top and a laptop until I get it all sorted out. Of course, this likely wouldn’t be an issue if I didn’t have 9,598 pictures. And I did not make up that number. So for today, you’ll have to settle for a post with no pictures, only words, because it’s been five days since I’ve posted and if I don’t get something up soon, my aunt M. in northern Illinois will be calling to find out if I’m sick.


The Hula-gen’s are bumping along at what could be deemed an acceptable pace. We are all healthy and walking upright today, so that’s considered great success around our house on an average day. Papa T. is doing okay. He is able to stay by himself with lots of help. We have settled into a routine of Hubby waking him up around 7am, getting his breakfast and making sure he’s up and about. Then Hubby checks in with him by phone throughout the day with visits to the house around noon and three o’clock. One of us takes Papa T. dinner around 6pm and Hubby goes back to tuck him in at 10pm. People keep commenting on how much work that is and asking us how we do it. (Or why we do it, which I don’t even bother to answer.) All I can say is that if you’ve ever been involved in elder care, you understand. You just do what you gotta do until you can’t do anymore. For now, that’s working, and we’ll go with that plan until we need to do something else. We’ve learned not to plan too far in advance.

On my side of the family, we buried my uncle last week, which really hurt, mostly because I loved him so dearly but also because I realized how much more of that there is to come in the next few years. I have another elderly aunt who is not doing well and an uncle whose time is very limited. I like this time in my life because I’m comfortable with who I am and where I’m headed, but I don’t like saying goodbye to the people who nurtured me in my childhood. It’s funny how naïve and rosy your outlook on life is when you’re young. You just don’t fully realize that one day you will look up and will have become the older generation.

Speaking of older, mama has a big birthday coming up in a couple of weeks. Big. Really big. I can’t tell you which one ‘cause she’d thump me up the side the head if I put it on the internet, but let’s just say she’s only two years older than Keith Richards but looks a heck of a lot better. I’m sure we’ll have a good time celebrating, but I’m curious if she remembers which birthday this is. Ever since I was eight years old I’ve been asking her how old she is only to have to wait on her to figure it up. She doesn’t keep track of that kind of thing, and as I get closer to fifty I’m starting to understand why. First of all, you don’t like to admit your age, and second, you can’t always remember it. Hand to God, someone asked me the other day how old I was and I automatically spit out a number three years lower than the real thing. I really wasn’t trying to lie. I immediately corrected myself but felt like an idiot ‘cause I looked like I was trying to shave some years off my age. Nope. My age was just temporarily lost in my head somewhere between sixteen computer passwords and last week’s grocery list.

I felt really old when I ran today. My running schedule has been in a shambles for about a month and a half thanks to the trip, jet lag, Mama J.’s death and an especially busy work schedule. I’ve really had to focus on family matters since Mama J. died, so exercise has taken less priority, and boy, did I pay for it. I got back on the wagon today with a three mile run that I felt in every muscle fiber I have. It just confirms that this running business is never going to be easy for me. However, I shall continue slugging away at it as I’m not ready to give up dessert, and my metabolism gave up on me about three years ago. About the only good thing I can say about today’s run is that the weather was nice. It really was beautiful and just slightly cool.

The weather has started to change around here. While we’re still having some warm days, cooler temperatures are slipping into our nights, the mornings are a bit foggy and wearing flip flops can be a tricky choice, depending on the time of day. I have so many friends who love autumn, and they encourage me to embrace it, but I do so grudgingly. All I can see is winter around the corner. I hate wearing layers of clothing. I hate wearing socks, and I especially hate the gloomy skies. I’m not making any promises, but I’m going to do my best to enjoy the colorful foliage and the bright blue skies. They do make for pretty pictures. In fact, I did a bridal shoot at the sunflower fields last week, and it was wonderful. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. We had planned to do the shoot early next month at a different location, but when I was standing among all of those bright yellow flowers last week, I couldn’t resist calling her and pitching the sunflower idea. So there we were three days later in the middle of thousands of blooms with a big old wedding dress, a veil and an upholstered chair from my bedroom. Oh, and my red cowboy boots and her granny’s red tennis shoes. And a very nervous mother who worked really hard to keep that beautiful dress from getting dirty. God bless her. Never mind the small crowd milling around taking their own pictures. The golden sunlight was lovely, the bride was a fantastic model, and we came away with some great shots. I’d show you some pictures, but we’re keeping them hidden from the groom. And I have to figure out how to get them out of my computer.

Those Little Moments That Make You Gasp

About the time I get all frustrated with the good Lord and start arguing with him about the way life is going, He puts something like this right in front of me:

And shuts me up. 

Color me Yellow

About a mile from my house are three sunflower fields, and when I say fields, I mean FIELDS. Not small patches, but big spreads. There are acres and acres of sunflowers planted in a wildlife refuge in three separate plots. They stretch as far as the eye can see in one direction and farther than you want to walk in another direction. They are just stunning. I first found those fields two years ago. I stumbled upon them when the flowers were in bloom and thought I’d died and gone to heaven. They were so gorgeous I literally lay on the ground beneath them and giggled at their shiny yellow faces. Last year, I anxiously waited all summer for those flowers, and drove out there in August to find....corn. Corn. Tall stalks of plain old corn. I’ve never been so disappointed in all my life.


Last Saturday I saw a post on Facebook that they were in bloom again, and I nearly broke my neck trying to get there. As I rounded the curve right at the first field and saw those thousands of golden blooms, I hollered, “Woo hoo!” out loud. Honestly, nothing makes a photographer happier than a big old field of sunflowers. I spent an hour shooting pictures and went back Sunday for more. And I called a bride that I’m shooting pictures for in October and November and told her to grab her dress and head my way this week so we can take bridal pictures in those fields. Won’t that be fun? I ran into several photographer friends at the fields this weekend, and several other people stopped their cars long enough to snap a picture or two while I was out there. It’s quite a popular place right now.

I’ll be sharing pictures of the flowers with you this week, but in the meantime I’m showing you the self portraits I took there Sunday. They were simply to express the joy I get from that place. Good thing I was by myself. They might have hauled me off to the nuthouse if I’d been caught jumping up and down in the field all by myself.

iheartfacesphotography Challenge-"Collages"

Teaching myself to do collages? Oy vey!