Italian White Sunflower

One day while shopping at Crate & Barrel I came across an artificial

version of the white sunflower. I was so intrigued by it's beauty that I promptly purchased a bouquet to take home. The saleswomen told me that are found in abundance in Italy. Anyone that knows me, knows that my dream is to travel to Italy and enjoy the beautiful countryside, the fabulous food and the beauty of the language. The Italian name for sunflower is girasolo, meaning "turning toward the sun". Although the appearance of the sunflower signals the end of summer, the beauty is worth the wait.

White sunflowers found here are thought to be a heirloom variety brought to the United States by European immigrants.

It will be a good day when I can bask in the sunny fields of Italy surrounded by these tall spikes of beauty.