I have been visiting my mother in Illinois the past few days. Last fall, I was here when farmers were harvesting corn. This summer, all the corn has grown up and this is what many country roads look like:
Miles of corn…
Here it is close up with its ears and silk and tassels:
The soybean fields don’t block the view so much as the tall corn.
There has been rain and flooding, but a few days have had some sun. Mostly there are wild looking clouds.
The air smells very sweet with grasses and honeysuckle among other things. We also saw a field of sunflowers on the way back from the lake.
These are a bright spot on any day, but particularly the cloudy, rainy ones of late.
So these are a few crops I noticed. Soon I’ll be off to the garden to see what crops have come on there while I’ve been away.
arlingwords 
Now I am singing….”the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye”!!
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Yup. I can see how that would happen!
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If your garden is anything like mine it will have been invaded in your absence! I could do with an extra few hours everyday to keep on top of the weeds.
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Yipes! With all the rain, we’ve had, that’s what I’m afraid of.
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Not a good summer in Illinois then Lisa? I could actually imagine you bursting forth through the corn, arms aloft, singing out ‘The corn is as high ……….. with the sound of music …….’ quite getting my musicals mixed up! I hope those bunnies have left you something back in Arlington!
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Oh, my, just back from the garden and the little spawn of satan are eating my pepper plants. Well, not mine, but the ones in the Plot Against Hunger. They apparently haven’t discovered mine, but I cam back with zucchini, a tomato, a cucumber, and an armload of basil and flowers. Came home to a vase of dead ones. Why I thought they’d last until today, I have no idea, but they looked good when I left. It’s very, very wet in IL. I didn’t photograph the yellow crops that have been stunted by standing water. If you read Celi’s down on the farm blog, she’s been writing about it–and a countrywoman of yours. I think her farm is northeast of my old stomping grounds. How is your winter?
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🙂 So funny! I call ’em ‘bunnies’ and you call them ‘spawn of satan’ – it’s amazing what a different perspective does for an animal…………. It’s stopped freezing and is surprisingly mild today, though overcast. The freeze dried the sodden ground in the dog park out though – which is surprising – but useful. We had temps of -8 and -9 which though you may laugh, is really not what we are used to. Neither our houses nor our clothing is geared to such events 🙂
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Wow, what a mess. Crazy weather, far and wide.
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A-MAIZE-ing! That’s a bit CORNy. SOrrY about that.
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Is your new avatar going backwards in time, like Merlin?
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🙂 I have been cursed with eternal youth – in fact by about 30 years!
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Truly amazing! I continue to go forward in time…
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Lovely countryside photos, Lisa! Your mom must have been so happy to spend time with you! xo Johanna
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We had a great time, Johanna! I like to cook while I am there and we make little day trips and do things like play cards. It was fun.
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I like the corn and soybean fields but by far, I love the acres of sunflowers. I hope all goes well with your visit. I went from 6/26 – 7/5 up to Cleveland area to stay in her senior living apt. She gets confused, forgets things and I try to remember how blessed I am to have her sometimes ornery self, around to hold her hand and kiss good night.
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My mom is doing well, but greatly slowed down. I have to adjust to that, but otherwise we have a great time!
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Oh, so glad your mother gets you to slow your pace but nothing in the way of health concerns. We are certainly blessed to be able to have our dear mom’s around! Sorry to read the bunnies can be demon spawn and hope your garden is not in disarray. I like the way you were optimistic about your beautiful, colorful arrangement of flowers. I peeked at your comments to our mutual friend. Pauline. 🙂
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I’ve never been to the midwest! But I imagine it looking just like your photos–flat and green. The sunflowers are a very pleasant surprise–gorgeous! It sounds like a nice visit with your mother–I bet she was happy to have you there and, now, you have to make up for lost time at home!
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Yes, we had a good visit and in my absence garden growth was a bit extravagant!
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Do people get lost in all that corn? I’ve often wondered about that!
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Lisa, what terrific photos. I love fields of corn. They beg a quick jaunt. Sunflowers are one of my favorites and an amazing plant. You might enjoy this: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/02/23/national/sunflowers-sew-grass-roots-exchanges-with-fukushima/#.VagBOLdfmV4
Sorry to hear the critters have been so busy in your absence.
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Neat article. Too bad they don’t actually cleanse nuclear contamination! But seeing them alone would have to help somewhat.
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I actually blogged about this two years ago when they thought it would work. I wrote that in my comment here, but when I went searching for the link, I saw that it did not work. I still can’t fathom that kind of devastation.
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A lovely trip to the Midwest, Lisa. Thank you. I’ve heard they have been getting a lot of rain in Illinois. Glad to see the corn is still growing tall, and that the sunflowers are still turning their happy faces towards the sun. I hope your bunnies didn’t consume all your garden veggies.
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Thanks, Robin. My garden is okay, but the little SoS ate two pepper plants down to stalks! Such is life in the garden.
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Sounds as if you are having a nice visit with family. That photo of the sunflowers is wonderful. So many layers of color in that image.
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Thanks! I liked that one, too!
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I agree with LB the photo of the sunflowers is fabulous. I am taken by the dirt road through the corn too.
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Those fields create mazes of the roads in the summer. I do like an empty road!
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Picture perfect postcard, that last one of the sunflowers. What a lovely taste of heaven that must have been. And I don’t know about you, Lisa, but I’ve found it a little hard to get used to the adjustment in the height of corn so early in the season. Up in Northern Wisconsin, the phrase was ‘knee-high by the Fourth of July.’ That’s how we knew things were all right with the world. Now it’s more like Memorial Day. whew!
I hope a taste of home was just what was needed. I miss it terribly and am so overdue for a visit.
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Get yourself back there, then! I can certainly attest to the allure of Wisconsin and the comforts of being with loved ones.
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“If you build it, they will come” See any ball diamonds out in them cornfields Lisa? 🙂
The corn there is really tall early. We don’t get corn until late in August. I tried to grow some one summer and it didn’t amount to much. I remember it was really warm that summer, but our summer is quite short. The days are already growing shorter earlier. Sorry to hear the weather hasn’t been the greatest for you there. I guess it’s better than a draught. As I’m typing this, we’re getting a thunder/lightning storm. I can hear it raining pretty good too. Thankfully, we’re back to having more normal summer weather.
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Shelly mentioned the corn height too. Those dudes are planting in April and harvesting in September, not to mention the hybrid seed. Sadly no ball fields, except in the little towns…
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illinois:-) That is where I am-Quad Cities:-) Yep, we have had a wet one this year:-) Hope you enjoyed your visit. I don’t see too many people visiting illinois in blogs-LOL
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My mother lives south of Springfield–I’ve got a blog on Lincoln Memorial Garden there. It’s been wet in Virginia as well, but seems to be drying out now…
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