Summer Sunflowers

I had the best intentions to record pieces of Summer 2013 during the month of August, assuming life would slow down as we move toward September. That is not at all the case for my life. Though August is nearly half past, it is still very much Summer. I am attempting to enjoy the remaining days of "freedom" and abundant sunshine. So it looks like all my real documenting--more than 15 inspirations for posts--probably will not happen until Fall. Also, each time I sit down to write, I stare at a blank page and waste upwards of an hour of my life. This always happens when I take a break from the blog. I have too many words, too much to say. Or I end up distracted, which is life, though never serves as a valid excuse. Bit by bit the stories will unfold here. This is a tale from the late July, still being written today.

When I returned from vacation, my relationship was in need of watering. So water we did. I dropped everything my first weekend home for quality time with my best friend. I honestly cannot remember much of what happened the first Saturday I was home. I do recall stopping by the Courthouse Farmers' Market to restock my fridge. And while I roamed the market in search of apricots and beets and black berries and kale and zucchini, Boyfriend busied himself. After my purchases were made, we regrouped. He stood holding his purchase--a sunflower, the sole clue as to what our Sunday plans entailed.

Boyfriend and I were up early once Sunday came. We crafted and packed a pasta picnic and took off for an afternoon in Poolesville, MD. After a scenic drive, we arrived at the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area, where there were seven fields, totally more than 48 acres of sunflowers planted. Though the sunflowers were in the end of peak bloom, they were incredible--lively, tall green stalks with big, bright yellow faces.

So we munched and admired the afternoon away. And it was (mostly) perfect. 

One cannot look at a sunflower and be anything but happy. 

And just think when you think I have lost my ways and become a total sap, let me reassure you that is only about half true. From this wonderful day, later came misery... in the form of poison ivy. And it serves me right. As I trekked through loads of poison ivy--more than I have ever seen in one place--I boasted about never having had poison ivy and from that, concluded I am definitely not allergic. Well, now I have poison ivy. And I definitely am allergic. Horribly so, I might now conclude.

The above nastiness is oozing all over my legs. This is one location I opted to feature. The whole ordeal is rather alarming. This trip was over two weeks ago--July 28, and I am still fighting--for my life--today, August 12 as the rash continues to spread up my leg. So this discovery--the McKee-Beshers--happens to be one of the best local areas for birding... and while I would love to watch an abundance of song birds and wood ducks flutter and frolic around these wetlands, I am reconsidering revisiting.