Yesterday, when we were setting up the big shade tent, the youngest pipes up and asks “Mama.. What would we do if we didn’t have a Sunflower Maze?” Hmm.. what would we do.. My little cookie loves asking tough questions that make me think..
You see.. she doesn’t remember a time before Sunflowers.. She just turned two years old when we planted the first one. Her summer routine has always been tractor rides while we plant, helping put together the maze, playing in the garden under the shade umbrella while we weed, and of course, her favorite part, greeting all our guests. 
Her sister was a bit older when we started.. her memories before the maze fading.. she had just turned four when she tried to help us move the irrigation system, and it was her idea to bring the kites (still a really great idea!!) Now she takes complete creative ownership of the maze.. not a drop of paint goes on a sign without her approval first. This year she came up with “the magical sunflower book” a guest book with no lines that you can take somewhere on the property to draw, sketch, or write to your hearts content.. the only rules.. no profanity, no tearing out pages, bring the book back before you leave and don’t forget to sign your work 🙂 She’s a creative genius.. who has a goal of filling her book this year.
They love their Sunflower Maze.. so much they were up at 7am asking when we could open.. and I said after the barn chores.. they didn’t hesitate, or whine.. they got their boots on and ran up to let the chickens out, and feed all the critters. Then they came flying back down the hill (with all the chickens running behind them) to see if i was ready to go yet..
Right now, the girls are painting with watercolours, and taking turns putting the big dragon kite back up in the air… because around here kites fly on their own.. with just a little help now and then.
The Best Part of their charmed little life.. on top of having kites to fly whenever they feel like it.. has got to be the field of flowers they get to grow up in. A field of flowers they really.. really..want to share with the world.
The Butterflies are an extra added bonus.
For Mama.. my kids are unplugged from devices and wifi.. yet plugged into nature. Summer is my opportunity to unschool my children… and to teach them math in the garden, science in the field, and art.. everywhere. They also get a great cultural and language learning experience, meeting and making friends with all sorts of different people from around the world… all while making some great memories for my children to keep.
My answer to her tough little question ‘What would we do without a sunflower maze?’ Most likely.. go visit one… and if there wasn’t one around… we would grow one.. just like we did. We would definitly have one or two in our garden.. and we would always have a garden.. Children grow best in a well tended garden.