Almost two years ago, I snapped a picture of a dying sunflower on I-70 in Denver. That was in the middle of our moving trip to Kansas. Ever since then, I’ve been hunting for a field of sunflowers in the Sunflower State. I also found more fields in Upstate NY.
Sure, it may be the touristy thing to do…but I felt like that was essential to my Kansas experience.
Oh sunflower! The queen of all flowers,
No other with you can compare,
The roadside and fields are made golden
Because of your bright presence there.
Above all the weeds that surround you
You raise to the sun your bright head,
Embroidering beautiful landscapes
Your absence would leave brown and dead.
…by Ed Blair
Finally! I hit the jackpot last weekend!
On our way to the State Fair in Hutchison, I saw one at K-State Salina, just off of I-135. Hooray! Mark took the next exit. We drove by the campus and stumbled on my first field of these namesake blossoms.
We found this field near the K-State airport hanger. When I was moving to Kansas, I imagined fields and fields of these golden flowers…as far as the eye can see.
The sunflowers were as tall as me…some even taller. And no — it’s not because I’m short. These were people-size flowers.
I’m happy the hubby shares my excitement. Just goes to show that I never know what I’ll run into on our weekend road trips.