Sunrise with Sunflowers

I can't remember the last time I was up before dawn.

Probably back in my days of being on call 

and having to go into the hospital to notarize an affidavit.

Yet, when a friend and I decided to go see nearby sunflower fields, 

it made total sense that we would try to beat the crowds and the summer heat

by being there as the sun was coming up -

which meant being there by 5:40AM -

which meant getting up at 4
and leaving the house by 4:30AM.

Oddly enough,

it wasn't hard to do.

 I was unprepared for a marsh filled with egrets;

their slim white bodies making a fabulous contrast
to the coarse heavy headed golden sunflowers right next door.

 

There's always got to be one show-off in the group; 

standing heads above the others.

Although we got to see the sun when it first rose,
the forecast called for rain and,
by the time we left,
it was overcast.

Raindrops fell as we were driving home at 7am
which made the morning even more magical.