well it’s official…my family thinks i’m crazy.
so this past weekend we were in norman for the OU game. my friend carrie and her family were there too and it was a fun way to spend the long weekend.
anyway, across the street from the hotel where we usually stay is big, open field. well i guess i should say was a big, open field because part of it is currently under construction for probably some kind of retail or restaurant development. which is probably a whole ‘nother conversation to be had someday. but the point i’m trying to make is that it’s a field….and it’s full of sunflowers. which i noticed as were driving in saturday morning.
well so we met up with our friends on saturday and spent the rest of day getting ready for the big game saturday night. and in typical oklahoma fashion it was 147 degrees and approximately 99.675% humidity. by the time the game actually started at 6:00 we were pretty well drenched with sweat. but nevertheless we cheered our beloved sooners on to victory. then after the game to we decided to go out afterwards to celebrate. because nothing says boomer sooner like a plate of buffalo wild wings. i’m just saying. anyway, the whole point of this is to tell you that we got home very late and we were all completely wiped out.
the good news though, is that we all decided that we would sleep in the next morning…except that didn’t happen for me.
even with our room being like a tomb with the light-blocking draperies, i still woke up at 7:30 a.m. (#hormonalgirlprobs) and i tried to roll over and go back to sleep but all i could think about was this.
all i could think about was how pretty the light would be shining on those sunflowers. and their sweet little faces turned to the sun as if to say ‘good morning’. and then i started picturing how i would frame my shots. imagining how pretty the backlight would be. and then finally after about thirty minutes of mental photography, i decided to get out of bed to and do the real thing.
after about thirty minutes and a million chigger bites later, i decided that i’d head back over to the hotel. but then i saw this!
it’s about the time of year when monarchs pass through oklahoma on their annual migration. and lord knows i couldn’t resist following this little beauty around.
after i got back to our hotel room, tripp was just getting up and around. and when he asked where i’d been he just kind shook his head and laughed. he knows me. he knows how crazy i am about nature. and pretty light. and flowers.
the late summer trifecta.
Light-enchanted sunflower, thou
Who gazest ever true and tender
On the sun’s revolving splendour.
~ Pedro Calderon de la Barca,
i’m pretty crazy about it all.
love, kelly
pretty, pretty, pretty!!!!
Thanks for stopping by my blog! We might actually be neighbors – and rivals – ORANGE POWER, LOL! I have two current Cowboys! Love your images! I’ll have to get out there and look for the monarchs!!
Ha! Spoken like a true photographer! Its amazing how our families put up with us. But wow, those sunflowers and that monarch were so worth getting up for…chigger bites and all! You are unquestionably, the queen of light!!
thanks so much for stopping by “my place” tonight…much appreciated.
Yep, i get it, i so get it! And you know for a while there i was waking up at around 5:15 ish (same girl probs) but i was also feeling the need to look out the window and check the cloud situation, you know for the sunrise….and then, since i was up i felt compelled to just put on some clothes and grab the camera and head to the sunrise! 🙂 Gorgeous captures, and yeah for the Monarch!
A girl after my own heart! Because of our surprising summer rains we have an abundance this year of wild sunflowers. I’m hoping to go out tomorrow and scout the country. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to see a monarch too.
Oh, what gorgeous shots!! I love sunflowers, too, so I can definitely understand your need to run out and take pictures.
First Kelly, YAY for OU and the Sooners! My daughter went to nursing school there quite a few years ago, and granddaughter #3 was born in OK. The heat and humidity …. ugh! The sunflowers are so beautiful and what a treat to get a monarch on a flower!! That second shot and angle is just gorgeous. I’d have been out there too…guess we photographers are kind of crazy…in a fun way. 🙂
funny story, but you know we all can relate. I have been right there with you many times especially with the mental dreams. Gosh remember those chiggers from my young days in VA, ugh. Your images are of beautiful light and texture. Butterfly is the icing on the sunflower.
I SO get and don’t think you are crazy at all!!! Even the “couldn’t get back to sleep” thing I get…we must be the same age…! And whoa nelly-you are talking to the monarch mama!! If you want your own monarch adventure let me know-I have so much milkweed. Then you could sit and have your own monarchs to shoot! Loved this post.
Hey … I don’t think you’re crazy! Not at all. In fact … I GET IT!!!!
xo
I know exactly what you mean. It’s the same reason I’m out in the heat, sweat rolling down my face, glasses fogging over, and knees creaking…all for the love of nature and photography! Your sunflower images are beautiful and the butterfly is exquisite!