Putting the Sun in Sunflowers

This year Atlanta had record-breaking temperatures.  And what did the Bowers do when they announced that the hottest day of our year?  We like giant dummies decided to go outside. 

Outside.

In a heat wave.

While pregnant. 

I’m thankful I survived. 

But the only thing that could have wooed me outdoors was 15 acres of sunflowers.  I get weirdly excited about anything in mass.  A parking lot full of minivans?  You can catch me taking photos.  A tub full of ladybugs?  I’m clapping.  A herd of cows?  My heart beats a little faster.

So when a friend told me about the acres of sunflowers – well, I got more than a little excited. 

It was actually really cute.  The festival had booths – full of crafties and cute girl dresses – no boy clothing of course…

 

Most of the stuff was really whimsical and country – not exactly our style but cute to look at nevertheless.  There were a couple things that struck our fancy however.  One booth had simple wooden boards painted with different patterns and then they attached plexiglass to the front to hold photos.  I loved how personalized these could be (and how you could make them at home!).

And our favorite was Dilley Brand’s booth.  That’s Scott.  He’s our friend from church.  He actually does some fantastic cabinetry work…and his booth was the best of all the others. 

Here’s a little sign he made for his daughter Olive.  She is one of the sweetest and most adventurous and fun little girls I have ever met.  I kinda wanna steal her.  But then that would make church kinda awkward. 

And we all know how much I love me a good deer head   This would have looked awesome in Will’s old nursery, right?!

Scott had a bunch of other stuff too…we ended up purchasing a small wooden boat that his son crafted (you can see it to the left of him in the photo).  It’s rustic and adorable. 

Among the booths there were also food venders and other activities you could pay to enjoy.

Let’s just be honest…on the hottest day of the year, we went straight for the ice cream.

They had live music playing….I have no idea who…

but it was down-homey.

Will wanted to go on the tractor but the entire thing was blazing hot.  So he sat up there for like two seconds before we decided it wasn’t worth him frying his hands on the metal bits.

I was surprised that most of the sunflowers weren’t facing upward…since the sun was directly overhead…I thought sunflowers always faced the sun…or is that just a false rumor?

The most important thing on the list (besides the ice cream and the sunflowers) was to get a hayride. 

We were the only ones on that particular ride.  That’s probably a good thing since Will was REALLY excited.

We got him to calm down for a second just long enough to snap a photo.  Check out all the yellow flowers in the background

 Oh and then there was  a nature trail?  I think.  It was really funny.  It was like the people took a bunch of old trash and then just arranged it to make funny things.  So so creative.

Our favorite bit on the nature trail was to shoot arrows.  I am pretty sure I want a real bow for Christmas this year because of the five minute experience.  And yes…Jeremy is a lefty – but I’m okay with it because then I get to take pictures of this side of him

 

Overall – I loved the trail.  Part of me wants one in our backyard – but would it be weird to spend time arranging trash in the woods?  probably.  

I loved the cottage.  It only proves that Will needs a playhouse so much more..

We forked over the three bucks to have Will ride the pony.  It was the longest pony ride ever.  Will at the end was so over riding horses that he was happy to come off Pudding….have you ever even heard of that happening?

Jer’s favorite find was the mini marshmellow shooters.  I have to admit that if I had had a bag of minis, Jeremy and Will would have looked like the Michelin Men.

Jeremy wanted me to take a quick pic so that we could make one at home…

Of course, we went back for round two…

Will had vanilla and I had chocolate….they were amazing.

Then came time for the sunflower picking…

It was not Will’s favorite finest moment.  The photos don’t show how miserable he was. 

 

We paid our ten bucks and got a bucket and clippers for cutting…and started trekking through the acreage to gather the ones we loved.

Yes…I gave my kid something dangerous in order to get a smile…mom of the year.

Poor thing couldn’t take it much longer.

Jer decided to take him on another hayride so that I could finish cutting. 

 Gorgeous.  Simply stunning.  Worth every drop of sweat…and the bad case of heat rash I got on my under-boob.  Try that one for spot-on-a-pregnant-girl-that-is-ridiculously-hard-to-keep-from-sweating…

 

 It’s hard to tell but our final arrangement of blooms is HUMONGOUS.  Like three foot diameter.

Excuse the diaper boxes in the background.  Just a fact of my life.

I can’t wait to go back next year. 

Have you guys been to any festivals lately?  Any summertime fun that I should be aware of?  Sunflower picking?  Heat surviving?