Fading

As we move through October, I am struck by the changing landscape. I love this time of year. If I could live in a world of Octobers, I would. As many of you know, we planted a sunflower field and hosted a sunflower maze in September. Looking out over the field and seeing how much has changed from what was once vibrant is stark. The flower heads are now heavy with seed; they no longer turn toward the sun, but sulk and face the earth. They are faded to a melancholy blend of sour yellow, dark brown, and black. Wildlife is abundant and brash in its devouring of the seeds. My knees won't let me walk into the flowers, which is just as well, since the sunflower field exacerbated this knee situation. However, the fields are alight with flocks of doves cooing and collecting on the tall, slender stalks. Sparrows, finches, and songbirds are abundant, and it's lovely to have the windows open and hear their songs.  

What was once a dream landscape now looks like something out of a dark, moody dream. Not quite a nightmare, but not the scene of pleasantries either. It's moody and sad, but oh, so alive. Besides the songbirds, we see little mice scurrying about with their cheeks filled with sunflower seeds. Chipmunks too are making the perilous journey into the field from the treeline to gather seeds for the winter. I even see fluffy-tailed grey and red squirrels chittering about, gathering the seeds and running desperately back to their dens before a hawk or a fox spots them and makes them dinner. There are all kinds of tiny little trails running from the field to the treeline. It looks like a map of my thought process, kind of crazy, rather random, but somewhat focused. 

We have decided as a family that we won't do a sunflower field and maze again. Since next year will be busy with moving The Bean, Shaker Woods, and preparing for the haunted corn maze, we don't know how we can make it work logistically. I am glad we tried it, and I have really enjoyed watching it transition from mere stubs to massively tall flowers, to heavily laden, seed-filled mops, to food for the wildlife. It's been an enjoyable learning process. However, it is a dream that is not meant to be repeated. I may grow a small patch for my own pleasure to feed the wildlife, but the acres we planted this year are a one-and-done. 

It's been a year of trial and error. It feels like there has been more error than anything else. However, a lot of good came from this hair-brained idea. The wildlife, especially, thinks it is a good idea. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how the flowers continue to fade, change, and support the wildlife community. On this lovely October Thursday, stay safe, be smart, enjoy the changes of the season, and keep washing your hands.