The Woman Who Sings to the Bees
We Went Home With More Than Sunflowers
Kelly greeted us with the sort of happiness that makes an ordinary outing feel like it’s been waiting all day for you to arrive.
She handed us a large canning jar with a hand tied bow made of twine and explained that, for $15, we could fill it as tightly as we chose.
Well, that sounded very much like an invitation and a challenge.
Out we went into the sunflower field, jars in hand, surrounded by more yellow faces than we could count. At this writing, I’m thinking how funny it would have been to have a couple of googlie eyes in my pocket to add to those faces. I do love googlie eyes. Anyway, we tucked in one stem after another and I’m telling you, the jars must have weighed 10 lbs. It was such a peaceful blue sky morning full of beauty that we truly didn’t want to leave.
But . . . the flowers were only part of what came home with us.
Sunflower field and fresh cut sunflowers paired with Kelly’s personalized sunflower and bee card and the Name Here version were inspired by the day Brittany and I met Kelly at a sunflower picking farm.
A Song for the Bees
Before we wandered into the field, Kelly told us how much she loves working in this field of happiness.
Sometimes she arrives early and sings to the bees.
Of course she does.
Somehow that small detail told us nearly everything we needed to know about her.
Kelly thought one of the bees’ favorite songs might be from The Brady Bunch, although not the familiar theme song. Later, I went looking and found what seems to be the perfect possibility: “Sunshine Day.”
Go have a listen. No doubt it’ll make you smile.
We still need Kelly to confirm whether we found the exact song she meant. My guess is yes.
Turning a Sunny Encounter Into a Card
We knew as we drove off that we wanted to thank Kelly. From there the artwork practically introduced itself: a bright sunflower, an irresistibly happy bee, a heart hidden in plain sight among the sunflower seeds, and the words, “Have a sunny day, Kelly.”
The card became a way for us to reflect some of Kelly’s own delight back to her.
The first one was created especially for Kelly, for the person and the moment that inspired it.
And then something else happened.
Notice, I said “first one”
The design felt as though it had more joy to scatter.
So the personal Kelly card inspired a new personalized version with Name Here in the artwork, allowing someone else to choose the name of the person they would like to surprise.
That feels right to me.
The original story stays Kelly’s.
The sunny greeting gets to travel a little farther.
Sometimes Joy Arrives in a Sunflower Field
Not every memorable connection begins with a forever friendship. It can, and did, begin with a stranger offering us a glass canning jar and sending us into a field of sunflowers.
When someone brings unexpected brightness into your day, tell them. Remember the unusual details, Write down what made you smile. Let them know their happiness traveled home with you. And if they sing to the bees before the rest of the world arrives, that detail absolutely belongs in the card.
Britt and I may have gone sunflower picking as mother and daughter, but having Kelly become part of that day made us momentary sunflower sisters.
Thank you, Kelly. It seems you bee-friended us at hello and truly bee-longed in our day.
Wander a Little Further
You can see the Personalized Sunflower & Bee Greeting Card in the Shop Cards collection.
And if you enjoy seeing how ordinary encounters become artwork, you may also enjoy The Beginning of Scatter Joyfulness.
Where will you scatter joyfulness today?
