Author: Sara Lockie

My children love forts. But a sunflower fort? It exceeded every expectation.

Inspired by Eve Bunting’s Sunflower House, we planted sunflower seeds in a circle last spring. My nine-year-old couldn’t decide on just one variety of sunflowers at the garden store, so we planted two circles of seeds – an inner ring of mammoths and an outer ring of a smaller variety. He left a small gap for the door.

My only experience with sunflowers was when I was as a summer camp counselor in North Dakota during college. One morning we came upon a field of sunflowers. This was no tiny circle, but an expanse of sunflowers, much like cornfields in Iowa. I insisted they stop the car immediately. I marveled at these vibrant sunflowers, all facing the morning sun!

Planting the seeds with my kids, I tried to set realistic expectations. This is our first year!  We’re just trying it out! It can be a science experiment – even if nothing grows we’ll learn from experience. 

That conversation was unnecessary.

My three-year-old daughter diligently watered the sunflowers, and before long they sprouted. At first we thought they were growing at an angle. With closer investigation, it became clear even their leaves were tilting to face the sun.

And were they ever growing!  My son started taking measurements each Wednesday.  When they surpassed the reach of his arms, I helped out. Eventually, we needed a step stool and an extended measuring tape. Our plants grew on average an inch a day. In no time, the kids piled into their fort, surrounded by towering plants, hidden from view.

Watching the flowers open, and bloom a little brighter each day was pretty special. We all cheered the day the first bloom opened.

Soon the wildlife arrived. Bees and hummingbirds inspired conversations about pollination and pollinator habitat. Until the sunflower fort, I had never seen goldfinches in our suburban yard. But the sunflower fort attracted them daily. Watching them perch upside down eating seeds became a favorite pastime for my daughter and me. My son pointed out that we watched through the window like we were watching TV. I agreed.

The talk of the neighborhood, the ultimate hide-and-seek location, our very own wildlife viewing station, the perfect summer view: this is our sunflower fort! What can we expect as we head into fall and winter?I’m not sure. I think we’ll just wait and watch closely, soaking in whatever happens. After all, it’s better than TV!

Monday, August 21, 2017 will be a memorable day.  Not since 1918 has a solar eclipse crossed the United States from the Pacific to Atlantic Oceans, giving us a rare opportunity to observe one of nature’s biggest coincidences.

A few tips as the big day nears…

• Never look directly at the sun. Solar eclipse glasses block out everything except for the actual sun itself. My kids were surprised how small the sun looks when using eclipse glasses.  Beware of price gouging online.  The Science Center of Iowa is currently selling eclipse glasses for $2.50 per pair. Indirect viewing is an option, too.
• Watch something. NASA’s YouTube channel is pretty fantastic. Try downloading the NASA app, too.
• Read something. Wendy Mass’s Every Soul a Star is a favorite young adult novel about three kids whose paths unexpectedly cross in the days leading up to a solar eclipse. As the story opens, Allie’s family is preparing a campground that is the only US viewing area of an eclipse. Bree’s only goal is landing a modeling contract, and Jack tries to remain invisible. A story of self-discovery, transformation, and life change – the themes cross generations and connect us all.
• For other reading: NASA’s website has lots of details. If you are looking for a book about the history and science of eclipses, check out Tyler Nordgren’s Sun Moon Earth.
• Talk to someone. I have been a little disappointed how few people I know are excited about this natural phenomenon.  I’m just so excited to share with others my fascination with science, nature, and space.
• Do something. Participate in NASA’s citizen science project. Collect temperature readings and cloud observations before, during, and after the eclipse.  Upload them on the free app and share your data with researchers.
• Get out there and experience. Simply step outdoors around 1pm Central Daylight Time) to experience a partial eclipse.  The Science Center of Iowa will host an eclipse viewing party on the capitol steps at 11:45 – 2:30pm.  The sun will be 95% covered but we will not have complete darkness unless we travel to Nebraska or Missouri to the zone of totality when the moon’s shadow passes overhead.  This will be my first total solar eclipse, but I have read it is something that must be experienced – words cannot describe it.

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