Maria’s Field of Hope

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I have heard about Maria’s Field of Hope for a few years and I have always wanted to see what it was all about, well this year we did. It was the most emotional and beautiful walk I have ever taken.

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This is how they raise some money for brain cancer.

This sign is at the beginning of the trail and the beautiful little girl, Maria, was the inspiration behind this organization.

Children that have passed away from cancer have their pictures placed all through the sunflower field in the walkway. This is only a few of them.

There are message like these tied to the sunflowers all through the sunflower field in the walkway.

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Did you know that once the sunflowers are mature they always face East?

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There were so many sunflowers.

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I hope you enjoyed Maria’s Field of Hope as much as I did. If you want to learn more about the organization check out their website @ http://www.PrayersFromMaria.org.

http://www.InDianesKitchen.com

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122 Comments »

  2. What a wonderful concept. The pictures with the dates and all the notes were very touching but also stand as a fitting and lovely way to remember those who were taken too early. Thank you for sharing.

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  22. Where was this? I would love to go. The one in North Ridgeville, Ohio did not get planted this year. I was hoping that this charity was still in existence. Thank you for sharing!

    Your captures are gorgeous!

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  24. Gorgeous photos Diane and a lovely message of hope. We have something similar here in memory of a 2year old who died of a brain tumor, but I have not been yet. I did not know that about them facing east.

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  26. This is beautiful Diane – both the field of sunflowers and the concept behind it. It would be both sad and inspirational to go through. I got lost and didn’t make it to the sunflower festival last year, but have another one in mind to try – it is just an empty field where Ford Motor Company planted sunflower seeds. You can visit, but not pick them. There’s no admittance fee, etc., it is just a place to gaze at the field of sunflowers. I Googled around as it is not an event, I can’t find any info. I was hoping to go Sunday if it doesn’t rain. I did not know they all faced the East when mature. That is amazing. Thanks for sharing these pictures.

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      • Yes, it is a good cause. Ford Motor Company had a field of sunflowers years ago when I went to school in Dearborn near Ford Motor Company World Headquarters. It was along the service drive of the expressway and I had to pass it every night. I took the service drive home as less traffic. I took my mom to see it and I don’t know why we didn’t take photos of the sunflowers – they took up the equivalent of a city block. But they cleared the field and paved it over and made a AAA Insurance Company building there instead. I Googled around last year and discovered they have another one – it’s been there for about 7 years – not sure if it is still there or not. I wrote to the City of Dearborn Facebook site as I did last year when I discovered it – they said they were done for the year. Asked this year as it is nearby – got no answer. Going to assume so and going to go tomorrow. The article is old but if it’s still there, I’ll get some photos. I’m backed up on photos … I was out for 3 1/2 hours today at Lake Erie Metropark. Ford plants these sunflowers just for the birds:
        https://www.pressandguide.com/news/sunflower-fields-brighten-up-ford-world-headquarters-in-dearborn/article_7df7560f-7294-5430-b8e4-33a1eca09291.html

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      • Wow I didn’t know they attracted things like fox etc. That is a wonderful thing Ford does for nature. Thank you for sharing the link! What a beautiful day to spend at the park. We took my MIL and grandson to visit my son’s family for a cookout. It was wonderful but hot.

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      • I didn’t know that either Diane. I have my directions so off once it is light, while it is cooler. I wish it had stayed cooler. I hope they planted seeds this year – I will try both fields they mention.

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  36. This is so very moving, Diane. Thank you for sharing this with us! A wonderful initiative. Death is always sad but I always find it especially more so when it’s young children who have their potential cut short.

    I didn’t know that sunflowers always face East upon maturity. How interesting.

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    • It was a walk I will never forget. It made me remember how lucky I am. Children should not die before the parents, so sad!
      Yes they follow the sun all day while young then face East at maturity. Such a fun fact.

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  39. Well Diane, I drove to the sunflower farm – guess what? I had to drive through three construction areas (not fun) and it was 78 and humid when I got there and the sunflowers were only up to my hip, and the green leaves were not even unfurled to show the bud, let along being in bloom! What a disappointment. And I wore long pants and took along a lightweight shirt to put over my top in case there were bees (or other bugs) in the sunflowers. Not happy about that at all – I took 8 photos of the field and will use it in a post down the road (probably). On top of it, this was the 20-acre field and a good portion of it was sparse. There were no signs at all, just a “private property – do not trespass” sign. I am assuming they were the sunflowers since it was at Mercury Drive/Michigan Avenue but they looked no more like sunfflowers than I do. 🙂 When I was driving in the country two weeks ago, I stopped at a farmer’s field – he had a small garden with sunflowers planted there – maybe 8 or 10 of them. Not a lot in a corner of his property. Too some pics and will spin that into a Wordless Wednesday post. I wanted to see a field of them. Next year, I will try to find the place I was supposed to go to last year – with COVID issues, I won’t go this year.

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      • I agree Diane – luckily I took a few shots in the farmer’s field when I was out in the country at Crosswinds Marsh, so I got a “mini-sunflower fix” … I will use those pictures in a post down the road. Then, on top of it there was a sign that said “private property – no trespassing” … I took a picture of that too, so it makes me wonder if people had somehow caused damage. There was a Ford building nearby and lots of cars in the parking lot- this is not a factory, administrative offices of some type and it surprised me the parking lot was that full on an early Sunday morning. You’re right – Metroparks bring joy … I spent 3 1/2 hours at Lake Erie Metropark Saturday morning.

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  41. I’ve never heard of the place… and what makes this post even more heartwarming is that the other day I saw a little bald girl (I’m assuming the baldness is cancer) and my heart just broke!
    Have a nice week Diane ❤

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  49. Oh, I can only imagine how emotional this would be. My wonderful neighbour passed from Brain Cancer this summer, and although she is not a child, it was so sad to watch her suffer and go down hill. I am going to add this to my list of places to go that are not far from home. I really need to take a trip and just travel around Ohio, you have shown me so many places that I want to visit over the last few years Diane.

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