Mustang, Oklahoma, United States
60-ish 'child of the prairie' who loves sewing, baking, knitting and most of all -- family & friends.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Slowing down . . . . .




It's such a beautiful spring day here on the Southern Plains - low humidity, light wind, mid 70's and very few clouds in a bright blue sky.


Spring days such as today, can bring many things: rain, thunder and an occasional tornado. But, spring also brings the wildflowers that cover the fields and meadows with color.

These photographs were taken on my trip to Healdton a couple of weeks ago. The field belongs to my brother and it is breath-taking seen in person -- an explosion of yellow and green.


After some research, I believe these wildflowers are the Maximilian Sunflower - beautiful yellow flowers that grow in zones 3 thru 8 and bloom from Canada, south all the way into the Texas plains.

My research on the name also found the following: 'This sunflower was discovered by the wealthy German nobleman-scientist Prinz Maximilian von Wied-Neuwied who, accompanied by the talented Swiss artist Karl Bodmer, in 1832-1834 collected invaluable biological and anthropological material along the Upper Missouri River'


I grew up seeing these wildflowers every spring and really never thought much about them. They were just something that happened, like rain, clouds or the sun coming up every day -- I took them for granted.


But, as I get older, I am appreciating simple pleasures, such as a field of wildflowers, more and more.


Perhaps it's because as we get older -- we slow down enough to actually see the wonders our world holds.