For weeks I’ve been driving past this field of sunflowers on my way to #dundeeoregon. The first time I passed it, I knew right away I wanted to photograph it. The setting just seemed so perfectly framed against the hills, and the sunflowers…well, how can you dislike the beauty of a flower that just looks so happy?
The next few times I drove by I would look over, longing to be able to pull off the highway and into the stranger’s property, but traffic was bad and I didn’t want to draw attention. I argued with myself; who does that kind of thing anyway…stopping on the side of the road just to take a picture. How 2018! But the thought kept nagging at me. Those dang sunflowers aways looking my way as I drove by, slower and slower each time.
Then this morning, up before dawn to get my daughter off to a volleyball tournament, I found myself driving alone in the direction of the sunflower field. I negotiated with myself as I neared the field. Would I pull over? Would it be worth it? Would the farmer care?
And then suddenly there it was: the field looking beautifully calm in the morning light. It rained for the first time in months last night and the sky looked fresh and clean; the tall flowers heavy with the raindrops not yet evaporated.
And I found myself taking my foot off the accelerator, checking my rear view mirror for traffic. Pressing the brake. And I thought, who cares what people think, I’m stopping.
I pulled off the asphalt onto the dirt track and rolled, barely moving alongside the field. I turned off the truck and got out, realizing the usually busy highway behind me was eerily empty.
So I stood there in the dirt, admiring the sky and the flowers and snapped away. Completely alone and content in the morning, amongst the sunflowers.