Part of my journaling ritual is to list out monthly highlights and accomplishments that stood out to me during that month. They can be as simple as “Sitting outside in the sun”, or as big as “Asking for a raise”.
When August wrapped up and I wrote out my favourite highlights of the month, going to Pingle’s Farm to venture into their sunflower fields and handpick my own flowers was definitely one of them.
It was the quintessential “Nahya’s idea of a perfect summer” day. Sunshine, a field of flowers and farm fresh food and snacks to enjoy onsite? Tell me what could be better!
The imprint of that day trip was colourfully aesthetic that I not only enjoyed basking it in the moment and journaling about it later, I really wanted to blog about it and share the visual beauty with you here.
Maybe this is my way of re-living it again.
The greatest bonus of this day was that were no crowds, and our train ride there was easy and accessible. It was a quiet Friday afternoon. The sky was that picturesque blue, which made the field of yellow sunflowers pop against the sky.
Bumble bees buzzed from nectar to nectar in a vast sea of petals around us, the fragrance of the nearby fire-roasted corn on the cob caressed our nostrils, and smiling faces greeted us warmly.
We walked in silence, looking up at the towering yellow giants above us.
You know that feeling of “getting lost” – letting go of any control or plan, and just taking in m whatever comes your way?
I find that getting lost that way is my favourite way of getting closer to myself.
I was myself, amplified.
And in getting lost, I found red velvet sunflowers and a matching red velvet couch. I also found white sunflowers and white lace hanging in the sun. I have never seen red or white sunflowers before.
In fact, I’ve never been in a sunflower field before. One more new thing added to my list this summer.
My favourite part about this experience was the “Pick Your Own Wildflowers” activity. There we were, the only two people in a field of colourful wildflowers. The friendly staff handed me my empty mason jar and cutting shears, and away I went.
Sunshine, and the prompt to pick my own flowers – really, to get on my knees and get my jeans and shoes dirty, getting scraped by thorns in the quest of reaching in the bushes to handpick my selected flora, brought me to my happiest state.
Happy with my arrangement of marigolds, zinnias and sunflowers, and beaming with pride that we picked them from the farm ourselves, we headed to the shaded refreshment stands to cool down and fill our hungry bellies with farm-to-table strawberry drinks, burgers, and ice cream.
The tractor ride back to the main area was a sight to see – a few other visitors were there with their own mason jars of floral bounty. Everyone was quietly sitting in silence, admiring the panoramic blue and yellow this farm offered with their mason jars of flowers bouncing along in their hands to the tractors rhythm.
Back at the farm entrance, we stopped by their market to pick up their signature butter tarts, and taking in the view of their seasonal bounty.
On the train ride back home, the glimpses of passengers who walked by me landed on my bouquet, and a few smiles were captured. The 5pm sun flickered from the train window onto my orange marigolds, and I smiled proudly at my arrangement.
How funny it felt that my day consisted of being plopped in an open field, hand picking a my own floral bounty with my own hands, and bringing it back to the city on a train.
And to me, that’s what getting lost in something means. Getting right back to the basics, and being the most in tune with yourself.
Apparently, that’s what a sunflower field does to me.
Where do you lose yourself? Where do you feel the most amplified version of you?
xo 🌻
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