On a stretch of road, just North and West of Glyndon, Minnesota on a corner someone has planted a bunch of Zinnias. The planting stretches North and West and makes a perfect backwards "L" on the corner. I have passed by these Zinnias for many Augusts now, always wishing I had a camera when they were in full bloom. Last week I had the camera, the photographs aren't perfect..there was some kind of road construction happening. I would have loved to have wandered closer to this magnificent planting to capture the Zinnias up close and personal but I could not safely get too close..so I settled for photos from a far away approach.
Now I wish I knew the why? Why does this farmer plant Zinnias? Is there some tragic romantic story or does he/she just like Zinnias? Maybe they read my blog, or maybe someone that reads knows the story. Maybe next time I will just have to stop by the farmhouse and say "Thanks, I have been enjoying your Zinnias for many years. Could you share their story with me? "
How many of you are curious? I have always been a curious person, never afraid to ask a question. Never afraid to learn something new. I just have to take the time to stop and ask the question. :)
How many of you are curious? I have always been a curious person, never afraid to ask a question. Never afraid to learn something new. I just have to take the time to stop and ask the question. :)
What a huge stretch of zinnias! (Don't you just love the name - zinnia?) Perhaps he is just beautifying this patch of road and his land?
ReplyDeleteWhy not knock on his door and ask...
Oh yes, knock on his door and ask. After all, you are country folk, and can get away with that. And tell him that we bloggers are very curious and want to know. Tell hime that we encouraged you to do this. Blame it on us.
ReplyDeleteI am waiting to find out the reason for those beauties.
Jen
Yes Connie, I am definitely curious! I'd like to hope there is some romantic reason. They sure are pretty and I am so glad you had the camera this year. In our area, there was a really huge field of sunflowers for years. We finally found out that the field was rented by a large farmer's market and the sunflowers were sold by the stem in the floral dept.
ReplyDeleteVery curious....
ReplyDeleteCould they be growing the zinnas for a seed company? Have you ever noticed whether they are allowed to go to seed and then harvested?
ReplyDeleteYes, it would be nice to know the answer. I imagine those zinnias are very pretty in person. They are one of my favorites and so easy to grow. All of your readers are going to be curious, so now I guess you have an excuse to stop and ask questions. I wonder if he sows them with a spreader and how many seeds it takes to cover all that area. Just two more questions for you to ask.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely ask them. It may make for a great story, and you could submit it to your local newspaper too!
ReplyDeleteI am also curious! I've never heard of a use of zinnias for soil improvement; in fact, I read once that they were once considered weeds. Also, he might let them all go to see and then just turn them under in the spring and re-seed themselves. I've had patches of zinnia keep proliferating just by dead-heading them and crumbling the seed heads onto the soil.
ReplyDeleteLet us know what you find out!
Connie, are zinnias one of the edible flowers? If so maybe he is growing them for a huge resturant. Really not possible but good idea. Stop and ask why he plants so many and in such a sequence. Blame it on me. I live to far away for him or her to ever find me. lilly
ReplyDeleteIt is a very curious thing. I wonder if they plant them with a seed planter, they must as there are many thick rows there. He must use the seeds from the year before, but you wonder if there is a commercial thing going on there too. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteadd me to the curious list
ReplyDeleteSo when are you going up to the house and ask?
ReplyDeleteHi I love zinnias they are my favorite. I have always wanted to do that. But the hubster said I would not keep them weeded.
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty neat that someone does that even. I am very curious also on why they plant them!
ReplyDeleteSo have enough of your readers requested that you knock on the door and ask? If not, add yet another.
ReplyDeleteAnother vote for banging on his door....
ReplyDeleteWell Okay, I will put it on my 'To do' list..that Zinnia corner is about 85 miles away. Don't know when we will bee going that far west again.. but I will blog about it if I ever find out..cause I am curious too! :)
ReplyDeleteI grew up being told "curiosity's what killed the cat".........at 63 I am still curious, still learning. So, stop at the farm and ask....I'm curious. Harriet
ReplyDeleteTerry's grandmother always planted rows of zinnas down the drivway. Because they made her happy. Terry moved the road, but when I saw this it reminded me all over again.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
my neighbor does too. plants zinnias. He finds the "perfect" ones and saves the seeds. always planting and looking forward to the colors and shapes next year.
ReplyDelete