As a life-long resident of the Sunflower State, and curator of the World's Largest Sunflower Collection, an eclectic mix of over 3400 items that use the sunflower as a design element, I love our Kansas State motto, "Ad Astra Per Aspera". That motto translates from the Latin to: "To The Stars Through Difficulties." When the Kansas State motto is joined with the Kansas State Flower, the two speak volumes about the type of people who settled Kansas.
"To The Stars Through Difficulties" seems to describe the Sunflower's, and Kansans', lot in life. The Sunflower keeps her eye on the Sun (A Star), all the while her roots are dealing with difficulties. And Kansas has her share of difficulties, such as: drought, strong winds, floods, poor soils, tornadoes, snow drifts and temperature extremes. With difficulties like these, is it any wonder that it took hardy people to populate the state? And those hardy people could not have chosen a better state flower than the hardy Sunflower to inspire future Kansans. Nor could they have linked it to a better State Motto to remind those same future Kansans to keep their eye on the goal, and to deal with difficulties as they come.
As owner and curator of the World's Largest Sunflower Collection (oh you saw it on TV last week? On Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations? My mother is so proud! And my children so embarassed!) I guess I should invite you to view the collection. It resides in Lenexa. Come visit.
"To The Stars Through Difficulties" seems to describe the Sunflower's, and Kansans', lot in life. The Sunflower keeps her eye on the Sun (A Star), all the while her roots are dealing with difficulties. And Kansas has her share of difficulties, such as: drought, strong winds, floods, poor soils, tornadoes, snow drifts and temperature extremes. With difficulties like these, is it any wonder that it took hardy people to populate the state? And those hardy people could not have chosen a better state flower than the hardy Sunflower to inspire future Kansans. Nor could they have linked it to a better State Motto to remind those same future Kansans to keep their eye on the goal, and to deal with difficulties as they come.
As owner and curator of the World's Largest Sunflower Collection (oh you saw it on TV last week? On Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations? My mother is so proud! And my children so embarassed!) I guess I should invite you to view the collection. It resides in Lenexa. Come visit.
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