Sunflower Summer

One of the most charming parts of summer in the south is happening upon sunflower fields on the side of the road! If you spend any amount of time driving around the Shenandoah Valley in mid-July, odds are you'll happen upon a sunflower or field if you keep a lookout. Most years they're in different places, never the same field two years in a row, so it's the thrill of the hunt! I'm not sure if they're used as a rotation crop, just for fun, or both, but it always makes my day to see them! Of course every time I see a field full of gorgeous sunflowers, I HAVE to stop for photos.

My dad sent me a photo of this field along the side of the road, so of course I had to go. I grabbed Kenny and Madeline and we headed about 20 minutes south in search of it! Luckily it was pretty easy to find.

It was clearly part of one of many local farms, and was directly between two corn fields. I parked along the side of the road and we headed in (camera in hand, obvi).

After we had been taking photos for about 15 minutes, a truck drove up beside the field and just sat there. We were totally busted! (Luckily we already had enough photos, ha!)

We walked out of the field toward the truck, because I was planning on apologizing for trespassing, but the guy driving the truck was on his phone and didn't even look over at us. So it was fine! No legal action taken! But if it had been, it's all good because Madeline's basically a lawyer (law school accept-ee, same thing...)

After the sunflower field, we headed to Valley Pike Farm Market because I love going there and Madeline had never been! I was so glad to be able to take her for the first time. It's always hoppin in there, no matter what time it is or what day of the week.

We walked around and ogled over all of the homemade candy they have for sale, and then grabbed a glass of wine at the bar and went out onto their balcony deck that looks over the back of the property. It was such a gorgeous summer night, we got to watch the sunset over the mountains and just enjoy the view.

What are you doing this weekend? Kenny's begging me to go see Midsommar with him tonight but I'm apprehensive... I normally LOVE any horror movies, but after watching Hereditary (from the same writer and director) I don't know if I can! Hereditary was SO disturbing because of one particular scene, and I hated the feeling it gave me! I've heard that Midsommar is supposed to be the same (the official movie description literally contains the phrase "viscerally disturbing"), and I really don't want to subject myself to that. I don't know, have you seen it?? Did you die?? I'd much rather hunker down and watch the new season of Stranger Things, which we STILL haven't seen!!

I hope you have an amazing weekend, it's shaping up to be a hot one here!

xoxx, Laura