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August 26, 2020

Follow the Sun

10 Comments/ 68/ 1

There is nothing quite as cheerful as a sunflower. The cheery yellow heads filled with seeds make me smile every time I see them. They have become so popular that there are often dwarf varieties that grace floral bouquets. I absolutely love them.

Which is why I convinced (it didn’t take too much talking) Chris to go to Biltmore Estate to see the field of sunflowers that I had seen in pictures that others had shared.

We found one field but I suspect there might be other fields on the grounds. We just stopped so I could pop out and take a few shots of these beauties. It was muddy and soggy and I did not have appropriate foot wear so I didn’t walk in too far but I did manage to get a few shots.

Did you know that young sunflowers track the sun, also referred to as heliotropism? A young sunflower’s face follows the sun from sunrise to sunset every day and repeats the cycle until maturity. Once the sunflower matures it faces east. Once they face east they attract more pollinators and warm up faster which attracts those pollinators.

The head of the sunflower is actually thousands of tiny flowers. The petals around the outside are called ray florets, and they cannot reproduce. But the disc florets in the middle, where the seeds develop, have both male and female sex organs, and each produce a seed. The sunflower can self pollinate. They can pollinate by pollen blown through the wind or by insects as well.

I love how the sunflowers follow the sun until they are “mature”. You know I always see great God lessons in things and I could not not see some connection in sunflowers. As a Christian I strive to follow the “Son” and bend towards the light rather than the darkness. The sunflowers are a perfect example of how that occurs in nature. In my own life I know that I am still maturing in my faith – it is a life long journey of learning and yielding to God’s leading in my life. Recognizing that He is the true Sun and that I need to seek my direction from Him is something I work on every single day of my life.

Isn’t life amazing? Nature never ceases to amaze me and a simple walk through a sunflower field made me realize that each day is a gift to cherish. Whether it is taking a drive through a beautiful estate or just sitting on the deck quietly reading a book I am so blessed to be alive. Yes, these are indeed challenging times, but strength comes from above and from taking care of ourselves in every way. So please take care of yourselves and take a hint from the sunflowers and follow the Light.

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10 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. jena c. henry
    August 26, 2020 at 07:39 am

    Thank you God for the gift of sunflowers. And thank you Beth for your positive thoughts and lovely photos; glad you waded in and took them

    Reply
  2. susi_snaps
    August 26, 2020 at 07:49 am

    I always love seeing pictures of sunflower fields. We have a local farm that planted a field but they don’t last long here and we haven’t made it there since it’s a bit of a Schlepp.
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Mama's Empty Nest
    August 26, 2020 at 08:13 am

    Great analogy. Our oldest daughter has always loved sunflowers and as a teenager, her bedroom was decorated with them. So I always think of her when I see them. We usually have some in our vegetable garden but didn’t plant any this year and I miss their sunny faces.

    Reply
  4. Jill
    August 26, 2020 at 09:09 am

    We put out a bird feeder this spring (COVID hobby – birdwatching). The birds actually “planted” sunflowers under their feeder, which I watered! Beautiful bonus!

    Reply
  5. Missy’s Crafty Mess
    August 26, 2020 at 09:19 am

    I’ve always thought that sun flowers were bright an cheerful but I had never thought about them following the sun in this way. 🥰

    Reply
  6. Darlene
    August 26, 2020 at 09:22 am

    Sunflowers are my favourite flowers too. I saw some great sunflower fields in Provence and some in Spain as well. They just make me happy when I see them. It’s good to know I’m not the only one who often wears inappropriate footwear! I once went to an archaeological dig in the middle of a field of cactus wearing flip flops!!

    Reply
  7. dfolstad58
    August 26, 2020 at 10:57 am

    Sunflowers grace the front and back yard of my home. Planted by my son, we enjoy the bees and then birds the flowers attract. As I sit here now I can see the front yard flowers and new ones are still blooming. I am blessed watching the bees and tiny birds as they visit. Some varieties are even red or a mix of red and yellow. – David

    Reply
  8. Shirley Matthews Dunn
    August 26, 2020 at 11:52 am

    What great information on my favorite flower, Beth Ann. Thank you. I so agree with you the way the flower grows it just how we should grow in our relationship with our Lord. I love comparing us with this beautiful amazing flower.

    Reply
  9. Minnesota Prairie Roots
    August 27, 2020 at 08:22 am

    Amber and the kids recently visited a sunflower farm, planted by a guy who planted multiple fields simply for people to enjoy. It was free unless you wanted a flower, which then cost $1. Pure joy.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      August 27, 2020 at 08:27 am

      Oh my goodness— sounds wonderful!!

      Reply

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