10 October 25

In 1792, in post-revolutionary France, the new government wanted a calendar that avoided all connections to religion. The result, called the French Republican Calendar, had twelve months of thirty days. (Five other special days were scattered among the months.) My interest in this calendar stems from its designation of each day of the year to honor a plant or crop, a farm tool, or a farm animal. Our date of 10 October was renamed Tournesol, for the sunflower, assigned to the nineteenth day in the month of Vendémiaire (grape harvest). My tie for Sunflower Day celebrates the art of VincentVan Gogh!

17 January 25

Today's tie was chosen by Peggy Brewer. Her husband Virgil (a business professor at EKU) died last Friday (10 January), and his funeral is today. Today is also Peggy's birthday, and when I asked her what tie would bring her comfort and happiness, she suggested something with sunshine. We agreed that Van Gogh's sunflowers are wonderfully bright and colorful. Virgil was my friend in the choir at Richmond First United Methodist Church, and we also worked together on a few issues with his Blackboard classes at EKU.

8 October 23

The French Republican Calendar set 19 Vendémiaire (our 10 October, this coming Tuesday) to honor the sunflower (Tournesol)! EKU is on Fall Break for Monday and Tuesday, so I get to show Vincent Van Gogh's glorious gold and brown depiction on Sunday.

9-10 October 22

 I'm wearing my wonderful Van Gogh sunflowers tie because 10 October on our calendars corresponds with Sunflower Day, "Tournesol" (19 Vendémiaire) on the French Republican Calendar. It's my Sunday tie because EKU is closed for Fall Break on Monday and Tuesday.

10 October 21

 For the second time in s few days I get to celebrate a day from the French Republican Calendar! Today, 10 October, corresponds with 19 Vendémiaire, "Tournesol," for sunflowers. So I get to show Vincent Van Gogh's glorious gold and brown depiction.

21 February 21

 Happy Birthday, Liz Lavigne! Liz is married to Beth's brother Mark Wollenweber, so I count her as one of my three sisters! She and Mark live in Rhode Island, and she is on the faculty of Alpert Medical School, Brown University. She asked me to wear "something related to Hieronymus Bock, German botanist and physician (1498- Feb 21, 1554). He began the transition from medieval botany to the modern scientific worldview by arranging plants by their relation or resemblance. 🌱🌾" And so we arranged for me to wear my Van Gogh Sunflowers tie! It's especially appropriate for today because it was on this date in 1888 that Vincent Van Gogh moved from Paris to Arles, where he began a period of great artistic productivity, including his famous series of paintings of sunflowers.

10 October 19

It's Sunflower Day, on the French Republican Calendar! Vincent Van Gogh painted them beautifully. Today is also National Handbag Day, so I'm carrying this tie-handbag that was secondhanded to me by my daughter Courtney.

10 October 18

I'll take any excuse to wear one of my Van Gogh ties! Today is Sunflower Day on the old French Republican Calendar.

10 October 17

Today is Sunflower Day (19 Vendémiaire, "Tournesol") on the French Republican Calendar. I like Van Gogh's sunflowers.

9 October 16

Tomorrow (10 October) is Sunflower Day on the old French Republican Calendar. I'm celebrating it today!

30 March 16

Today marks the birthday of Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890). Sunflowers are not usually blooming in March in Kentucky, but this bright rendition from Van Gogh's work gives us all hope about new life!

28-29 March 15

Today's sunny tie was selected by our daughter Amanda Wheeler, to help celebrate her happy birthday yesterday (28 March). I also had a chance to read a book together with Mallie!

10 October 13

Today is Sunflower Day! The creators of the French Republican Calendar selected 19 Vendémiaire (corresponding to our October 10) to honor sunflowers. Vincent Van Gogh painted them beautifully, and somebody put Van Gogh's designs on a necktie.

10 October 12

Today is Sunflower Day, on the French Republican Calendar. I'm working today from Ben and Amanda's house, being "Mozzie's" grandpa.

30 July 12

Just back from a trip to Costa Rica with Amanda Wheeler, our traveling bears Mocha and Tiny Bear have joined me at my office today. I'm celebrating the work of Vincent van Gogh, who died on July 29, 1890.

31 July 11

Two occasions tie into today's tie: (1) Sum-flowers (for Summer) and (2) Son-flowers (for Jonathan's birthday tomorrow, with celebrations continuing from Friday through next week!).

28 March 11

Yay! Today is birthday #25 for my daughter (-in-law) Amanda Wheeler. She chose my "Sunflowers" tie for her special day. We celebrated with her last evening with great Mexican food at Casa Fiesta, in Richmond, KY (after watching the Kentucky Wildcats win a great NCAA Mens' Basketball Tournament game over North Carolina, to join the "Final Four"!).

19 July 10

Sunflowers!

02 June 10

I could find no great occasion for this day, having used up my father's birthday last year. Beth suggested making it a day for wearing a tie of my own choice, so I chose Sunflowers.

01 February 10

Today is Working Naked Day, but we're not celebrating that. (Too bad it's not quite what you'd hope for: it's a celebration for people who are "stripped of the support of the corporate workplace.") This is my newest addition to the collection, a wonderful tie celebrating Van Gogh's love of sunflowers. The detail photo does not capture the full brightness of yellow!