Meet Vixen.
This precious little baby was enjoying the view of all the flea market goings on from the privacy of her own stroller.
I met her yesterday along with her parents who were so kind to let me pet her and try to snap a photo. Two things you can’t tell from this photo are that Vixen has stunning green eyes and her fur was unbelievably soft.
What a fabulous life she must have.
We encountered some characters yesterday but none more memorable than this little Vixen!
Today I’m showing you this picture just because I Ike it. This tractor is the one they use for hay rides at Walker Farms in the fall. I saw it while exploring their sunflower field this week.
Don’t let the great patina fool you. This vintage Ford tractor has been around the field plenty of times and still has a lot of life in it. It’s not like so many modern machines that start to fail in a few short years.
It’ll probably outlast us all!
This is your gentle reminder that age is just a number and also that Labor Day weekend is great time to go adventuring!
Let us celebrate and explore!
Who could walk past a classic Firebird without snapping a photo? Evidently not me. Ain’t she a beaut?
Imagine the road trips you could have in a car like this!
All work and no play makes Jill a dull girl. That’s how I have felt lately. There just haven’t been a lot of opportunities to get out and explore. Even hiking has been a challenge this summer.
So when I learned yesterday morning that it was opening day for the sunflower patch at Walker Farms in the Hocking Hills AND when I realized I would be passing right by after work, there was no doubt I would go.
If you were there, I was the one in dress pants and chunky heels. If there were more than five people present the entire time I was there, I might have felt out of place.
Only about half the flowers were open and I saw just two varieties in bloom, but it was a lovely experience.
It was about 70 degrees, a far cry from the sweltering heat and humidity that have marred this summer. The sky was blue with some interesting cloud formations and it was a relief to be away from humans and among the living,
The living in this case consisted mostly of gorgeous flowers along with countless bees and some butterflies.
They have some fun props including a tricycle and some old doors that are perfect for photo ops. I imagine a lot of kids will do senior pictures there next month. There’s an old tractor and hay wagon that I believe they will use for actual hay rides on weekends during the u-pick pumpkin season.
I’m glad for places like this. For one thing, they give small farmers a different way to monetize their fields. They give kids and families a place to learn about farms and maybe learn where food comes from. They give everyone something beautiful and peaceful to enjoy. They also give pollinators a fabulous and safe playground.
We are all winners!
I stood amidst the flowers and drank in the fresh air. I could still hear traffic from the busy four lane highway nearby but it didn’t ruin the experience too much. I had been to training in Columbus and had seen and heard much worse on the way home in terms of traffic.
Planting my feet in a field was exactly what I needed.
It reminded me of the garden my grandparents grew when I was a kid. I remember “helping” when I was little. I’m sure I wasn’t that helpful but I do remember the smell of dirt and fresh beans, the taste of cold watermelon on the front porch, and the sticky silks of corn that we husked together.
I would love to have a garden like theirs but, in reality, it would be an impressive patch of weeds. They had both grown up knowing exactly how to best use their seeds by planting properly and at the right time. Growing vegetables requires more precision and patience than I will ever have.
So, instead, my vegetables come from the store but my memories come from somewhere far away. I harvest them when I can but nowhere are they richer or more alive than when I stand in a place like this sunflower field.
Farmers across Ohio now plant fields of sunflower and let folks visit for a few bucks. Find one near you and go enjoy!
Who here is ready for a road trip? You know the kind where you hop in the car and head off into the wild blue yonder with freedom in your heart and a full tank of gas?
You open the sun roof and roll down the windows to feel the breeze. Then you turn up the tunes – none of this modern stuff but some Neil Young, Eagles and Springsteen with a few Flying Burrito Brothers tunes for good measure.
I like to find a Sheetz for a restroom break and something caffeinated to keep me focused. Their deep fried mozzarella cheese sticks may also help with your concentration. And maybe not but you won’t know till you try!
Perhaps you’ll have a destination in mind and maybe the journey will be the destination.
There’s no one to impress because this is your road trip and your adventure out into the world to see what it has to offer.
Sometimes I pull into a little town to walk around and see what’s what. Everyone needs to stop for a stretch of the legs after all and the very best way to see a place is by ditching the car in favor of a walk around.
Maybe you’ll just keep driving, happily cruising through downtown streets until they become cornfields.
What’s stopping you? There’s a long weekend ahead. Maybe this is the weekend you throw caution to the wind and hit the road for an unforgettable cruise through America’s towns and countryside.
You don’t need reservations or even a lot of money. Pack a weekend bag or just hit the bricks for the day.
It’s your road trip.
Now go.