Solar Energy

Winter’s clouds are setting-in. If wishing for the sun, look ahead to vacation ideas for next summer and Provence may catch your eye! This southern region of France boasts of tall, golden sunflowers throughout June and July. The French name of the plant, tournesol or turn-sun, illustrates the fact that a sunflower, when young, orients itself according to the sun, which it symbolizes.
http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/provence/provence-tourism/sunflower-field.htm

Not only are tourists drawn by the Mediterranean climates, lavender valleys and endless waves of yellow fields, cyclists hear the siren’s call too. The Tour de France course winds its way through the rugged terrain, taunting riders by the challenge of the climb up Mont Ventoux, France's highest peak between the Pyrenees and the Alps – the most famous mountain stage of the race. http://www.diversedirections.net/tour13.html

However, in the peaceful quiet of the 1880’s, Van Gogh left Holland with the desire to create an artistic community and found himself in southern France, captivated by clusters of caramel petals stretching toward the sun.
The majority of Van Gogh’s sunflower series include the life cycle of the flower. Its fluidity and organic composition depict buds, flowers in full-bloom and petals turning brown at the tip…entranced by the fragility of life, sunflowers in a vase became metaphoric. http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/sunflowerindex.html


http://images.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=van+gogh+sunflowers&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=WOsbS-6CO5HdlAe05bjxCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQsAQwAA


If tempted by blonde to honey-colored carpeted fields swayed by a warm breeze, discover a Sunflower Festival whose geography intrigues!



Rosenhuben, Switzerland
Music & Flowers for the past 5 years

Sunflower Festival
Prescott, Arizona

Ukrainian Sunflower Festival
Warren, Michigan, Detroit area, since late 80s

Van Gogh Sunflower Festival
Mt Hood OR
http://mountainair-online.net/Sunflower/Festivals_around_the_World.htm

Gorman Farms
Reading, Ohio
http://www.gormanfarm.org/



Capture a memory of your travels or special experiences that lasts forever this holiday season. A custom work of art is an heirloom to pass from one generation to the next. For ideas and inspiration, visit The Painted Memory.
www.thepaintedmemory.com