Tragic Love Stories of the Sunflower (A Sophia Loren Film That is Underrated)

Did you know that sunflowers turn to follow the sun? In Greek mythology, a young nymph fell in love with the sun god Apollo. What do you think the gods did to her?  It's a tragic love story.



But the sunflower has more than one love story.

Do you enjoy old movies? Are you also a fan of Sophia Loren? If so, you may have already seen this film, but if you haven't, it comes highly recommended. (That means my husband liked it! ☺) It's a very moving love story about a newly wedded couple. The woman's husband went to war and did not return home. Even though others tell her he is probably dead, she believes her husband is alive and sets out to prove it.  "In the Soviet Union, Giovanna visits the sunflower fields, where there is supposedly one flower for each fallen Italian soldier, and where the Germans forced the Italians to dig their own mass graves."  (Quote Source) 

That's it! No spoilers. That's all you'll get out of me, except to say that, this movie would make a great addition to your personal video library. Ms. Loren has starred in many movies that just didn't enough publicity or airtime. This is one of them.  Where to Watch.

Sunflower (English Subtitled) 

"#SophiaLoren, 36, from her #movie #Sunflower" #history #pics #photography pic.twitter.com/XPwzo99Tmw

— Rebecca Rocki (@RebeccaRocki) February 20, 2017

8 Craziest Myths About Cats Throughout History (cheezburger.com)

Myth #2:  They'll Steal Your Baby's breath

SHOCKING!!

I collect myths, legends and folklore as a hobby.  I knew there were all kinds of beliefs about cats.  But these are crazy!  Of course, I don't believe it.  But when I was pregnant many used to warn me to stay away from cats.  Wonder if this myth had something to do with it.  (O.o)

8 Craziest Myths About Cats Throughout History - cheezburger.com

Travel Destinations: Where to Stop While You're Searching for the Holy Grail

As with many of the world religions and faiths, myths arise about them which are not found in the teachings or the doctrine. But because many people have a fascination with ancient relics and think they might supernatural powers, people go hunting for them. 

Are you familiar with the myth of the Holy Grail? The Holy Grail is supposedly the cup which was used by Jesus at His Last Supper before His death by crucifixion. It is said that Jesus drank from this cup and also passed it to the apostles and the drank from it. This began the Christian tradition known as “The Lord's Supper” or some also call it “Holy Communion”. This myth started about 8 centuries ago and it has persisted. People want to find it!

Depiction of King Arthur's knights seeing a vision of the Holy Grailgathered 

at the Round Table. Evrard d'Espinques/Public Domain.

To this day nobody has found it and even if they did, I am not sure how they would prove it's the real thing. But that doesn't stop people from searching. Even if they never find it, there are six (6) interesting places that they can visit along the way.

1. Holy Chalice of Valencia Chapel, Valencia, Spain

2. Monastery of San Juan de la Peña. Atlas Obscura user philoursmars.

3. Chalice Well at Glastonbury. Rbe2057/CC BY-SA 4.0.

4. Château de Montségur, Montségur, France

5. Rosslyn Chapel, Roslin, Scotland

6. Western Wall Tunnel, Jerusalem, Israel

REFERENCE:  6 Stops on the Hunt for the Holy Grail 

Adonis: From Greek Mythology to Modern Day

If you are familiar with Greek mythology then you know that Adonis was a beautiful boy who was loved by the goddess Venus (or Aphrodite). This name has come down to us throughout the centuries and is now used whenever referring to any young man that is strikingly handsome. My quick research indicates this is a very popular name in Hawaii.

Are you aware of the various ways the name or word ‘Adonis’ is used in our present-day?

My connection with this name has nothing to do with mythology. It’s a childhood memory. The last name of one of my classmates in elementary/middle school was Adonis. She was a friend and she was an amazing artist. Sometimes, if I asked her, she would draw pictures for me. One time she drew me a picture of a mermaid sitting on a rock by the ocean. She is in my 8th-grade class graduation photograph. Sadly, after that grade (circa 1968), we started attending different high schools. That put a distance between us, we grew apart and lost touch with each other.

OK. Enough about me. Check out these cool tweets about “Adonis”. These are tweeters who have “Adonis” as part of their name or just folks who tweeted something with the word or name “Adonis” in the context that it being used these days.

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Source: Virily.com

♦  From the book of BREXIT Lamentations.

Churchill would have been appalled - isolation for Britain was his fear not his hope pic.twitter.com/OybjsPwheJ

— Andrew Adonis (@Andrew_Adonis) January 31, 2020

♦  This is probably big news in the video gaming industry.

?￰ﾟﾔﾥ? #Adonis is coming to @Steam November 2020 pic.twitter.com/CMtRHN7qGg

— ADONIS (MMO) (@AdonisMMO) February 2, 2020

♦  For the record, I am not gawking at this hunky guy,  I just happen to like suspenders.  LOL.

We're still not sure of this #blonde #Adonis's name, but in the world of #InternationalMale, he's often referred to as the "Greek Dock Worker". Maybe he is waiting for a ride back from #Catalina? And it's hot out. So hot he thinks #suspenders without a shirt is a good idea? pic.twitter.com/MdeM7dAbAp

— ALL MAN (@intlmalemovie) February 2, 2020

♦  I would have never thought to associate  “Adonis” with a sandwich but … Hey!  It looks yummy!

The amazing ADONIS! - Feta, pesto, sundried tomatoes and our 6 CHEESE BLEND! WOWZA!!?￰ﾟﾧﾀ (£4.50) #Adonis #saycheese #wylecop #Shrewsbury #cheeseislife #staycheesy pic.twitter.com/vnZ1f1JN7O

— SAY CHEESE!? (@SayCheese_77) February 4, 2020

♦  I totally understand associating the name “Adonis” with this magnificent horse!

This beauty made his debut on Sunday in Japan.

He is literally the equine version of Ken from Barbie.

He is called ORO ADONE which means GOLDEN ADONIS.
Adonis the God of Beauty and Desire.

And he WON ON DEBUT with Oisín Murphy on board !!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/v0oYCcv6Dp

— Jess Samy (@FrankelWatch13) February 4, 2020

♦  What do you know?  A tweet about Adonis in Greek mythology.

Those who dive from the top of the Rock of Leukade on the island of Leukos in Western Greece (today Lefkada) are, it is said, freed from their love.
After the death of Adonis it is said Aphrodite wandered around searching for the means to rid herself of her love.#MythologyMonday pic.twitter.com/SdsWJyVoH3

— Erotic 🏳️‍🌈 Mythology (@AimeeMaroux) February 3, 2020

Dear Blog Visitors,
This eMail was received from The Blogger Team RE: Content Policy.

This blog post was "reinstated".
I assure you I had no intention of offending anyone.
I'm glad The Blogger Team understood that.

Do You Collect Legends, Myths, Fables, and Folklore?

Legends, myths, fables, and folklore make for fascinating reading. These whimsical, sometimes scary, tales and creatures date back to ancient civilizations. and some legends were created during the 20th century, referred to as urban myths or urban legends. Collecting these imaginative stories is a hobby.

But surely I am not the only one who is interested in this subject. Do you like to collect legends, myths, fables, and folklore? I do. I have an entire board dedicated to collecting them on Pinterest.  If this is also one of your hobbies, here are a few you might like to add to your collection.

♦  The Centaur and the Unicorn

I only wanted a picture of a unicorn.  I'm a fan of the BBC fantasy series "The Adventures of Merlin" and I really liked the episode about the unicorn.  But then I found this cool free image  (free to use; no attribution required).  The image description said "Horseman and Unicorn".  I'm like "Horseman".  (???)  Ummm ... a horseman by any other name is called a Centaur.  One can't talk about myths and not mention the unicorn, my favorite mythical creature.  However, the horseman is not exactly one of my favorite mythical creatures.  But since he was in the image, he got lucky and is being included in my collection!  LOL.

A long-standing myth about the unicorn:  "Only virgins who were pure of heart were believed able to tame a unicorn."  ("The True History of the Unicorns")

♦

ANGELS: Psychopomps (Guide of Souls or Spirits of the Dead)

“Top 10 Psychopomps of Ancient and Modern Mythology” ~ https://t.co/UyHiOylhJG ~ IMAGE: Number 7 is Azrael, the Angel of Death, takes on the role of a psychopomp in Islamic mythology. #TopTenList pic.twitter.com/MibT0HSp6E

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

“A psychopomp is a god, spirit, or demon who is responsible for guiding the spirits of the dead on their journey to the underworld.” (Quote source.) An angel named Azrael is not mentioned in the Old Testament or New Testament scriptures. The Angel of Death (or Destruction) mention in Revelation is called Abaddon.  Just sayin'.

♦
ANIMALS: Myths About Cats Throughout History

"8 Craziest Myths About Cats Throughout History" ~ Here are some of the more curious #beliefs different cultures have held about felines throughout #history. https://t.co/f9cjmcpf8v via @cheezburger #Caturday #cats #catlovers #societyandculture #myths pic.twitter.com/znwjhQKwFx

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

The ancient Egyptians may have been cat lovers and thought these creatures were sacred (Cats in Ancient Egypt), but other civilizations were not that enthralled with them. Did you know some people believed they worked for the devil?

♦
HEAVENLY BODIES: Is there a Lady on the Moon or a Man?

10 Interesting #Myths and #Legends About the Moon | Exemplore ~ https://t.co/B7pw6vcpbI ~ FROM Chang'e (the lady who lives on the moon) TO Werewolves (creatures who only come when there's a full moon). #Top10List pic.twitter.com/0VgT1zbekr

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

Being a westerner, of course, I knew about werewolves and how they don't come out unless there's a full moon. But I never knew heard about the lady who lives in the moon. It's a very famous Chinese myth.

The Exemplore article referenced in the tweet discusses 10 myths and legends about the moon: Chang'e; Moon Rabbit; Selene / Luna; Tecciztecatl; Anningan; Mawu; Soma; Rona; Mayan Moon Goddesses; and Werewolves.

♦
HERBS: Thyme is Associated with Medicine and Myth

Thyme is a wonderful #cookingingredient and #medicinalherb.
“Thyme, the Herb Of Courage | https://t.co/jXO5BHzasb” https://t.co/wRj9u7L12Z #herbandspices
In #GreekMythology, a “bed of thyme was thought to be a home for fairies, and a patch was often set aside for them." pic.twitter.com/Z5E11XlAlS

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

The ancient Greeks would set aside a bed of thyme or a patch in the herb garden as a home for fairies. The term fairy dates back to the Europeans in the Middle Ages, however, “...the earliest form of faeries can be found loosely in the mythical beings in Greek mythology, such as the nymphs, satyrs and sileni.” (Source: TimelessMyths )

From fairies to dead people? Another interesting myth or tradition that developed over time was using this herb with funerals. “The Egyptians used it in embalming their dead. That association with death persisted through the Middle Ages where thyme was often placed in coffins to assure safe passage to Heaven for the dead.” (Source: Thyme: Advice From the Herb Lady )

♦
A Wizard Casting a Dragon Spell
Wizards, spells, and dragons are the stuff of legends and folklore.  A part of English folklore wizards are wise men with magical powers who can cast spells, for the good, unless the wizard becomes corrupt; and of course, wizards have power over dragons.

Image credit

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♦
Dragons in British Folklore – Tales Handed Down Through the Centuries

"10 Dragons From British Folklore" @listversehttps://t.co/ZmYzgbAhnl

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

Are you already familiar with any of these myths and legends?

Content first appeared at Vrily.com