A Walk Through the Garden

Sunrise in the Sunflowers

There is a quiet little pocket of time that most people sleep through.

The country roads are quiet. The air still carries the coolness of night, and even the birds seem to be easing into the morning. The sunflowers haven't quite turned their faces toward the sun. They're simply waiting.

That's when we make our way to the sunflower fields at Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm.

Not because sunrise makes for beautiful photographs, although it certainly does. We come because the world feels different before the day begins. Slower. Softer. More willing to share its secrets.

Dogs understand this better than we do.

They aren't thinking about the camera or whether the flowers are blooming perfectly. They weave through the rows with noses to the ground, stopping whenever something interesting catches their attention.

Every leaf seems to hold a story. Every breeze carries another message.

The photographs come naturally. First comes the exploring.

One of my favorite parts of these mornings is discovering how differently every dog experiences the same place.

Some march confidently into the field as though they've been here a hundred times before.

Others pause, taking everything in before deciding where to go next.

There isn't a right way to wander through a sunflower field. My job is simply to follow along and notice.

Sometimes that's easier said than done.

The flowers grow taller than many of the dogs who visit them, and every now and then all I can see are two curious eyes or a pair of floppy ears peeking out from between the blooms.

Those are usually the moments that make me laugh.

The best photographs are often the ones we never planned.

Perhaps that's why these mornings feel so special.

No one is rushing.

The flowers bloom at their own pace.

The light arrives one gentle step at a time.

The dogs stop whenever something deserves another sniff.

For an hour or two, the world seems perfectly content to let the morning unfold exactly as it should.

Sunflower season never stays very long.

For just a few weeks each summer, we get to borrow these peaceful mornings before the rest of the world wakes up. Then the blooms begin to bow their heads, the fields change once again, and another season quietly takes their place.

Every dog has their favorite time of day.

Some greet the morning with bright eyes and wagging tails, ready to wander through the sunflower fields as the sun climbs over the horizon.

Others prefer to ease into the day and come alive as evening settles beneath the cedar totems back home in the garden.

Whether your story begins at sunrise or unfolds at sunset, I'd love to help you create artwork that celebrates this season of your dog's life.

Learn more about Sunrise in the Sunflowers

Or explore Evening Garden Sessions

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