Sunflower Days at Pope Farm Conservancy. I heard about it for the first time on Tuesday after scrolling through my Wisconsin Trails e-newsletter and then again on Thursday from my good friend, Julie.

I finally clicked online to read an article written by my former internship editor, Chelsey Lewis, and quickly checked for updates on the Facebook page for Friends of Pope Farm Conservancy. That was on Friday morning.

At that point the sunflowers were said to have been past peak, and with rain in the forecast it could be the last day to view them before they drooped. Knowing I was heading up to Green Bay for the weekend, August 7th was my only chance to see them until next year. And I’m so glad I decided to go.

It was a quick, 15-minute drive to Old Sauk Road, which borders Verona and Middleton, but I had a hard time finding a spot to park. Everyone had the same idea! Still, I can’t believe this hidden gem has been so close to my home. Even when the sunflowers aren’t in bloom, there are still plenty of trails to walk and guided tours to take. Plus, you have to see the view of Lake Mendota and Madison from on top of the hill.

Bees, dragonflies, butterflies and birds flitted above the sunflowers, occasionally resting on them when they weren’t getting tossed by the wind. Rain clouds brewed in the distance. Kids stood on picnic tables for a better view of the field, high school students had their senior portraits taken and people of all ages, including me, snapped selfies with these magnificent flowers. It was a spectacular day.