Yes. So, there are sunflowers this summer. These aren’t the giant ones prized by backyard gardeners but a shoulder-high variety produced for “oilseed, birdseed, and occasional confectionary purposes.” And there are acres of them; the fields glow in late afternoon light. (And in early morning light too, I presume, but I’ve never been out there early enough in the day to verify.)

I was still wearing that delightful orthopedic boot, walking through dry and sandy soil while trying not to fall over, and (because why not!), trying to successfully focus a photo with a new manual-focus lens. Here’s what happened:

• I didn’t fall down.
• Although I did get about 13 cubic yards of dirt inside my boot.
• I was shockingly bad at the manual focus situation.
• But somehow managed to get a bee in focus in this image.

Go figure.

(Also, if my foot surgeon asks you if I walked in a field lately, the answer is, “No. Don’t be ridiculous.”)

title from lyrics by Matt Berninger – “Bonnet of Pins”
Posey, Texas
photographed 7.20.2025