Wednesday, March 4, 2015

A Smile of Sunflowers



I have a confession. I don't really like yellow flowers. However, show me a field of glorious yellow Sunflowers and I will profess my love for them in a thousand different languages. I love them so much I walk down to them everyday and just stare at them for ages. It may be a case of 'housework aversion" but I'd rather call it "choosing to put myself in the way of beauty" as said by Laura Dern in the movie "Wild".  I think there's something in that.

It was my only non negotiable request with the farm project. "Can we please just set aside a patch for some Sunflowers?". Although we are trying to use every square meter of land for productive uses who can argue against the value of a beautiful field of Sunflowers? No one. As it turned out, there were two wedges of land between the 3 sections of Orchard and it had "Mel's Sunflowers" written all over them. Flynn calls them "pretties" and everyday he says "more pretties t'day" as the number of yellow happy faces increases in the paddock.

Sunflower fields are in the photo albums of my childhood, stemming from visits to my Great Grandparent's home in Idaho where there were fields of Sunflowers and Black-eyed Susans dotted around the countryside. And then there was Anne of Green Gables, my favourite childhood book which was then turned into one of my favourite childhood TV series. When I lived in Canada I took a trip to Prince Edward Island specifically to visit Green Gables and walk the fields that Megan Follows had done in the series. There were Sunflowers all through the garden of "Anne's" cottage which left a lasting impression on me. One day, I thought, I will have a garden with Sunflowers.

I was trying to find the collective noun for Sunflowers but had no such luck. A "chorus of Sunflowers" or a "happiness of Sunflowers" perhaps? Watching their sunny heads bob from side to side in the breeze made me think a "jive of Sunflowers" would be a pretty apt noun for them until I spotted "A thousand splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini sitting on the bookshelf and thought "a splendour of sunflowers" would describe them even better.  I then went back to how they make you feel when you see them and decided it would have to be a "smile of Sunflowers" for the title of this Post. It was either that or "Are you sick of my Sunflowers yet?". If anyone is following me on Instagram, I truly apologise for the Sunflower spam. I'm ready to move on now.

Whatever the collective noun may be, I love Sunflowers. A lot.







25 comments :

  1. Wow, just beautiful Mel. Fields of Gold. Your photos are stunning xo

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  2. Hey Mel,
    How amazing to have a field of sunflowers on your doorstep. I grew them in my back garden last year for the first time, and I loved them so . I rather like a splendour of sunflowers. Sounds about right, son;t you think?
    Leanne xx

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  3. What a fabulous sight. I'm not a fan of yellow flowers but grouped together en masse they just made me smile. Does the whole field turn their heads towards the sun all day?

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  4. I'm not crazy about yellow either, but I too love a field of sunflowers and have a few snapshots of fields from when I was younger. They just make such a great impact! And look at how happy all of you have been made just walking out to the field. Like any flower, they are so much better en masse. Now I have to ask where you lived in Canada =)
    Wendy (from Ontario, Canada)

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  5. Aren't they gorgeous? How could anyone not love them? Actually I know someone, I have a friend who can't bear flowers with middles. If I were to present her with a bunch of sunflowers, daisies, anything like that, she'd freak out. Strange but I suppose we all have our little ways. xx

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  6. Definitely a splendour of sunflowers, they're breathtaking. I grew some deep red ones last year, they were wonderful, but I only had the six! Beautiful photos, especially the last one. Sunshine and smiles, nothing better. CJ xx

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  7. Simply gorgeous, no matter what we call them.

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  8. Oh how I would love to have a field of sunflowers just for myself! Beautiful, just beautiful. xx

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  9. Beautiful!! So love your sunflower plot, and I'm loving your photos.

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  10. Amazing!! The look so beautiful!

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  11. You I know I choked on my tea when that first picture came up. Holy moley lady...they look awesome!
    So, so beautiful.

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  12. They are so bright and happy. Lovely photos. It must be lovely to go out and see them shining in the sun.

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  13. Don't tell anyone, but I knicked a few seeds from a big ol sunflower in the neighbourhood a few weeks back. The kids planted them and THEY ARE GROWING! It's probably the wrong time, place etc. But fingers crossed I get me some of those big ol happy yellow faces in my garden...and a few more next year, and the next...

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  14. Wow, amazing photos! That blue sky, white clouds, and sea of yellow - breathtaking. And when the only yellow outside that I see right now is dog pee on white snow, this was a welcome smile of color! Thanks for sharing!

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  15. I think that all of your ideas for collective nouns for sunflowers are brilliant!! They are absolutely gorgeous!!!! You must be so very pleased to have so many beautiful flowers and to get to see them every day. They will be a great attraction for people I am sure! So wonderful to see them as the weather has not been very special here lately - of course! - so these provide some real cheer!! xx

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  16. That is amazing Mel! How utterly beautiful xx

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  17. Ohh just love them!! Inspiring me to go and plant a patch myself, never thought of doing just 'cause!:)

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  18. I have always said that in another life I'd have been a flower farmer, and one who specialised in sunflowers ... you cannot begin to imagine how envious I am of your field of smiles.

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  19. They are sensational! Keep the sunflower spam coming, I say! :)

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  20. My daughter just walked in with some sunflowers given to her at school, and then I see your post! Mel, your field of sunflowers is AMAZING! I hope you continue to enjoy them and I don't mind how many times I see them ;)

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  21. Love sunflowers! My son would be in heaven as he has always asked to have a field of sunflowers on our property! Next summer, for sure!

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  22. I do am not keen on yellow flowers but wow fields of sunflowers are something else! I have recently been rereading " Anne of Green Gables", it must have been wonderful to visit the location where it was based! Sarah x

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  23. Love sunflowers. And Anne of Green Gables. Your photos are ridiculously, offensively, sickeningly beautiful Mel, I can't bear it! xx

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  24. Stunning! I too love sunflowers and have just bought a bunch on the weekend at a local farmers market...they just make me smile.

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  25. Oh my how lovely, I want to visit and just traipse through your gorgeous sunflowers!

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