Corn Harvest

Corn harvest has been ongoing for a couple of weeks now. The corn dried down early this year (despite the late planting) because of the excessive, prolonged heat we had in July. Regardless of the corn being ready, we couldn't begin harvest because it started raining just as soon as the corn was ready. That's the way it goes sometimes.

I snapped a few shots the other day as I was performing one of my daily duties...lunch delivery. This is the grain cart unloading into the International grain truck. (Farmers call it a straight truck. One of these days I'll learn all of the terminology...)

Here comes Ted in the combine. (He must smell food!)

He normally wouldn't drive back across the field, but I wasn't driving a farm truck. (I had errands to run, kids to take to town, tractor parts to pick up, yadda, yadda... And there is no way I'm driving across a corn field in MY car!)

" Hello, Honey! I brought you some leftover pizza and a gooey homemade cinnamon roll.)
This is the thanks I get!

Going downhill...

Overall, the sunflower field is starting to look a little scraggly. The first flowers to open are now plump with seed, and looking at the ground.

The flowers that were part of the "re-plant" are just starting to open up.
It's unusual to see sunflowers side by side in two completely different stages of development, but that's what we have this year.

These former beauties are now huge with seed.

This baby has yet to open up. So much life ahead of it...well, a couple more weeks, anyway.

This is my favorite stage, if you haven't guessed from all of the snapshots. I just love how hopeful they look when they are just opening up.

Sunflower Saturday

The sunflowers are still looking good!

Many have not opened yet, due to the varied planting times,

but many more are ready for the shooting...or picking...

The field is more green than usual this year, but they are still wonderful.
This picture really doesn't do them justice.

This picture, however, does.

This one, too! (click on the photo)

We are scheduled to take our family picture in the sunflowers tomorrow morning. If you happen to be at the field, and happen to be really good with a camera, come on over and offer to press a button for us. (It would save me setting the camera on "auto" and then making a mad dash across the field to get in the picture before the camera captures my backside!)

Enjoy!

Just a quick link for you

The link is to a story that the Lawrence Journal World did on Ted and the sunflowers that appeared in today's paper:

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/aug/20/sunflower-season-full-bloom/

For your viewing pleasure...

I've had these pictures in my camera for a couple of days now, but I've not had access to my desktop computer. You see, let me explain...

We've been having our floors refinished, and everything I own is packed into boxes, including my desktop cmputer. I have my laptop, but it has limited photo software and I couldn't for the life of me get my photos converted to a smaller size. It took me a while to figure it out. Given my limited time to spend "blogging," it took me a couple of days. FINALLY!!! I've got it worked out now. So, without further ado, I present to you: (drumroll, please!)

The sunflowers as they were two days ago!

This butterfly was adamant that I take his picture...so I obliged.

This is a good depiction of how the sunflowers are not all opening up at the same time this year. I blame mother nature.

Many are at this stage.

Just beginning to pop open.

But there are still lots open for good photo ops.

You never know what you might get a chance to capture...either on film or in your own mind.

Getting There!

The sunflowers are starting to make a show.

Mostly, the field looks like this. Just a few sunflowers here and there starting to pop open.

I love the sunflowers when they are at this stage. The bugs haven't started to eat the petals yet, and they look lovely.


The beetles seem to be starting in on this one already.

You can see how tall they are in this picture. (That's my hubby...the farmer.)

Sunflowers still make a pretty neat model, even when they aren't open yet.

Next weekend should be the best to take pictures. This week more of the flowers will slowly pop open. Just a note to any budding photographers (pun intended), the lighting is best early in the morning and late in the evening. Mid-day sun will wash them out and lots of photoshopping will ensue. Just take my word for it!

Reach for the Sky!

The sunflowers are still plugging away.

They didn't come up very well this year because of hard rains that hit them

just after they were planted.

You can see lots of bare spots in the field, and they aren't all at the same stage of development.

But they are still plugging away.

What a difference a few days can make!

The sunflowers have doubled their size in a week's time.

I didn't have a yardstick with me and my youngest, who rode her bike to the field with me, absolutely refused to be in the photo...so this is your's truly demonstrating how tall the sunflowers are. Bear in mind that I'm pretty small in stature (5'2") and that I really didn't dress to be photographed. Please forgive me! I'm estimating that the largest are 40 inches tall.

The larger sunflowers are developing flower buds!
My best guess for a good weekend to photograph is the 21st/22nd. I'm betting the field will look it's best on Tuesday, the 24th. I'll keep you informed.