(Fig. 1) Countryside field scenery. (Fig. 2) Pastoral landscape after harvest. (Fig. 3) Natural beauty of rolled straw stacks.

(Fig. 1) The natural beauty captivates me completely. (Fig. 2) The natural beauty makes me forget everything.

(The image) Sunflower fields are Van Gogh’s real world.

(Fig. 1) Bathing in natural scenery brings physical and mental joy. (Fig. 2) Bright natural scenery is more authentic and moving than Impressionist paintings.

(Fig. 1) Nature resembling a painting world. (Fig. 2 Left) Nature resembling a painting world. (Fig. 2 Right) Nature resembling a painting world. (Fig. 3) Nature resembling a painting world.

(Fig. 1) The visual poetry I found in the countryside lies on the water surface. (Fig. 2) My sky and artistic world. Every August summer vacation, I always visit my quiet French countryside home to see relatives. My brother-in-law lives in Selles-sur-Cher, central France, about 150 kilometers from Paris, in the lush Loir-et-Cher province, in a remote small village of less than twenty households between Blois, Amboise, and Vierzon. It is near the famous Loire Valley châteaux, not far from Château de Blois, Château d’Amboise, the magnificent Château de Chambord, Château de Chenonceau, and Château de Chaumont. During these country vacations, my brother-in-law and his wife (both middle school teachers, one teaching German, the other natural sciences) would always arrange château tours, allowing us to visit many well-known or lesser-known castles like Valencay and Cheverny. This time we strolled through the Beauregard castle, granted by Francis I. Each trip felt like a cultural journey; especially since we were interested in French history and humanities, the walks were even more flavorful. We would often look up cultural information about our visiting or walking spots, study them, and often engage in deeper cultural discussions. Besides broadening our horizons, there were unexpected discoveries. Because my brother-in-law is an expert in biology and plants, with research in geology, my interest in plants and gardens came from his influence and inspiration. I remember he took me to my first visit to the famous International Garden Exhibition at Chaumont, which opened my eyes and made me fascinated by horticulture. Another time during summer vacation, I accompanied him to the Alps for a seminar on cold-climate plants. Witnessing the majesty and grandeur of Europe’s highest peaks further deepened my understanding of natural ecology and its characteristics. I still remember the seminar’s theme was “Do Flowers and Plants Get Nervous?”, which opened my diverse perspectives as an artist. In short, every moment with him was beneficial. Now, whenever I go somewhere, I always explore flowers and art, entering the core of nature to appreciate all these gifts from heaven, becoming my favorite pastime. Whenever I have free time, I love chatting with flowers and plants, making my life closer to nature and art, which is endlessly enjoyable.

Arriving in the countryside, surrounded by lush greenery, I feel as free as a bird soaring, immersed in nature, my mind naturally unbound and liberated. That feeling is very special. We lived in a farmhouse on this large farm, with comfortable bedrooms upstairs and a living room and billiard room downstairs. We often had the chance to play billiards with my nephews, quite independently. Looking out the back window, there was a lush vegetable and fruit garden and a pond with shimmering reflections. During summer vacation, when free, I would fish at the pond with my nephews. Next to it were the garage and tool shed, with a basketball hoop on the wall. Although I am not a basketball expert, we would always compete to see who was the better shooter. Of course, I always finished last and lost badly, showing that Parisians are not sports experts. Among my nephews were cyclists and track athletes; it was no wonder I couldn’t beat them. Anyway, it was fun, perhaps even building bonds? Indeed, relationships and family ties make everything so free and beautiful. My brothers-in-law live in a large house ahead, like a farmhouse.

During leisurely days of summer vacation, our daily routine was quite free and natural. I would wake up from dreams amidst insect chirps and bird songs, having breakfast with my brothers-in-law. Afterward, with few constraints, we mostly lived outdoors. Although this year’s summer weather was not ideal, with partly sunny skies and occasional showers, the temperature was actually more suitable for outdoor activities. Every morning, I would ride a bicycle through the countryside fields, sometimes with the whole family, sometimes accompanied by my brother-in-law and niece (who used inline skates). Crossing lush green landscapes and forests, small bridges over flowing water, and bright fields just harvested, my body and mind received nature’s baptism, immersed in nature’s embrace, leisurely riding to relax and enjoy the scenery. I still remember competing in bicycle races with two young and vigorous nephews (in their early twenties) a few years ago, riding 30 to 50 kilometers each time, sweating profusely and panting heavily, yet still losing significantly. Clearly, I am not cut out for sports. Of course, I liked accepting challenges from the younger generation, and enjoying leisure time with my nephews was also endlessly fun. This year they were not there, so I could ride more freely and casually. Almost every evening, I would stroll with my brother-in-law’s whole family through the fields and dense forests, becoming a ritual of country life. Relaxed and free, following their usual walking routes, crossing fields and dense forests, chatting along the way, picking wild fruits, and gathering wild vegetables. Since my brother-in-law and his wife are experts in this area, they would explain some mysteries and characteristics of flowers, plants, and how people in the Middle Ages maintained health and used natural resources. Therefore, every meal in the countryside was quite special, tasting the most natural food and flower salads (as seen in the pictures, wildflower meals are not just for show but complete in color, aroma, and taste), and picking wild fruits for cakes. Living in the most natural way, returning to nature as a Parisian, embracing the minimalist lifestyle of natural flavors may be the way of future life.