Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The language of flowers

A co-worker lent me a book the other day and I can’t seem to put it down. The Language of Flowers, the debut novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, is about a young orphan whose troubled past had her in and out of private and group homes in the foster care system. Now emancipated from the system at age 18 and at her lowest, living in a park and tending a small garden she created from pilfered neighborhood plantings, she takes a job with a local florist and slowly begins to discover happiness as people begin to discover that she has a special gift.

I decided to look up the meaning of the irises I photographed the other day and found several different ones. These are white iris blooms with pale purple edges and they grow at the southwest corner of the house.

 

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IRIS: Wisdom, Fleur-de-lis, emblem of France, valued friendship, faith, hope, valor, my compliments, passion. Associated with the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Represents the sending of a message.

IRIS, WHITE: Purity.

IRIS, PURPLE: Wisdom, compliments.

 

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In Victorian times, flowers were used to convey coded messages to convey sentiments which otherwise could not be spoken.

I love learning about it all within the pages of this book.

 

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Thanks for your kind knee-get-well wishes. It’s feeling a little bit better. Had an x-ray today and some blood work done, but my doctor’s leaning toward a meniscus tear, one that happened out of the blue. I’m thinking it’s a small one because the last one I had left me barely able to walk.

So we’ll see.

 

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We’ve had several days of badly needed rain, and the the hill where I live is a verdant oasis. This afternoon while reading on the back patio, I saw a bird that I can’t identify even after pouring through the bird books. My husband’s having a go at it as I write this, and George is lying on his back on the living room rug, gently squeezing one of his stuffed animals.

I wouldn’t trade this moment for anything.

Well, maybe the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but you know what I mean ~

: : :

Enjoy your Thursday, all.  Thanks for stopping by today. Until next time, then . . .

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39 comments:

thecatalanway said...

enjoy your resting time. let your knee take its own time. sending you love and good energy for this Friday - one of your favourite days I think?
lovely lovely lovely those iris.
kate x

Donna S. said...

Had to get caught up-my son & his family have been here since Friday. They left this morning & I miss my 3 yr old grandson terribly already. So sorry to hear about your knee. Hope it is something that gets better very quickly. And very exciting about the photos! Yeah.

Hilary said...

Your pictures of the irises are gorgeous. I am not surprised.
I know what you mean, every now and then , a moment occurs, where you wish time could just stop.

Mental P Mama said...

The Iris is also the Tennessee state flower;) I hope you feel better soon, my dear...

Country Gal said...

Sounds likes an awesome book ! Lovely photos . I hope all goes well for you with your knee . Yup as I am here Miggy is snoring again upside down belly to the ceiling , no dignity for her and Papa is playing tanks on his computer and like you I wouldn't have it any other way . Have a good day !

Anonymous said...

Sounds a wee bit like our evening. Can't get enough of them. :-)
Sorry to hear about your knee! Hope you are staying off of it as much as is possible.

Chrissykat said...

I'm excited to find out what your mystery bird is!
Hope you're right about the tear being small. I should have walked today, instead...I ate three cupcakes.

beth said...

that flower, well those flower photos, are out of this world incredible. oh my god, they took my breath away....gasp gasp gasp :)

and i know what you mean about not trading certain moments....oh do i know !!....xo

ps...did you see larry crowne?

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

I don't know about the language of flowers, but the language of your photographic interpretations of them is nothing short of exquisite.

Nellie said...

It sounds like a very peaceful evening. I'm glad your knee is feeling some improvement. Take care of yourself.

JaneK said...

maybe I'll check it out.... so does it end happy? i'll let you fiinish and you can let me know (don't laugh, Beth).

A friend of mine asked me what flower I was. Not which one would I be if I could but which one I embodied. A question I've not been able to answer so i put it away..... until now; so interesting that you talk how flowers convey certain meanings... I'll have to investigate more. is there a flower that you are?

yes, there are those moments that make this life so grand: who was it that said life is not measured by the breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away...

Driftwood and Pumpkin said...

That sounds like a good book for me :) I will add it to my list. <3

Sweetpea said...

These iris photos are so scrumptious I just want to devour them like sugar candy....WOWZER. Yer macro work is kinda heading into the *scarey* realm (as in crazy-scarey-GOOD).

And that book was just added to my "must read" list. gosh thanx.

Reena said...

Big fan of the Iris ... always reminds me of my grandmother who had a garden full of them. Glad to hear the knee is slightly better. I've had two tears and know how painful they can be. Hope you get relief soon.
Your photos are so incredibly beautiful ....sigh
xo

Bluebird49 said...

So in love with irises! Glad you feel content tonight--that is a truly wonderful feeling....especially when you compare it to the other kinds of nights

The Weaver of Grass said...

Maybe this day is your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Sometimes we don't recognise such a day until afterwards - hope the knee soon recovers.

Kerri Farley said...

Oh Kate ..... you have that pot of gold already :)
Beautiful post!!

Hilary said...

Absolutely gorgeous. Your flower photos are art.

No photo of the bird? Or are you waiting to ID it before publishing?

I sure hope your knee heals quickly.

Nurse Nancy said...

Irises are my favorite flower! Great shots. I hope your knee gets better each day....I am having a L knee issue right now myself. Celebrex is the best!

Daryl said...

Lovely lovely macros .. and please knee get better fast we got places to go!

Candis said...

Those colours are exquisite, aren't they! Beautifully captured ... love this post. :)

The JR said...

STUNNING photos!

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

I love irises too... so short lived! .. but beautiful blooms. I'm going to google that book!

GailO said...

First of all, these photos! Breath taking! The iris up here haven't even thought of budding yet and this is a reminder that mine will probably not bloom this year because they are so terribly overgrown and need to be divided so badly. I am determined to do that this year!

Secondly, we all need to be mindful of such moments in our lives for they are the most important ones in the long run IMO

Thirldy, Hope your knee gets better fast!

Andi said...

Kate - as usual, your photography takes my breathe away. :)

sharon said...

I love Iris's. You do have some beauties! Hope you are feeling better. have a good day.

mrs mediocrity said...

sigh... it's so nice to see flowers. we have daffodils here, that's it so far, but things are popping up fast now.

i have added that book to my list!

and the knee, ugh, hope it is so minor that you won't need surgery. feel better. xo

Windsmurf said...

Your photography is amazing, whatever the subject, you always manage to capture a unique view.

I love Iris, they are so elegant and complicated. Here in Maryland they don't usually last long because it seems as soon as they bloom, we get a spell of hot weather and they go by.

Robyn said...

Gorgeous iris pictures! Awesome! I like the background information about them too.

Yeah for the simple joys in life. Have a wonderful weekend.

Mary Lou said...

Love your photos as always....

grammyscraps said...

I have never been a big fan of Irises but your photos of them are extraordinary!

abb said...

I read but don't often take the time to comment. Just know I'm among your faithful... :)

The hill where you live is simply magical in all its seasons. Wonderful you chronicle it so beautifully.

Anonymous said...

Country girl, how glorious your iris close-ups are!! The Victorian flower codes were fascinating; intriguing for me has been learning a bit about another flower language: a visual language that directs insects, like bees and butterflies, to the flower centers-- with the bees' pot of "gold".
There are colors and patterns that human eyesight cannot detect,attracting and directing the insects (like landing strips and directional signs) on the petals. Your iris already has overwhelming colors and patterns that we DO see!
LLC

busana muslim murah said...

Your photos are just amazing! I am so in love with them!

MaggieGem said...

These photos are absolutely breathtaking, you're love of the subject is definitely shining through!

Best wishes for a quick recovery with your knee :-)

Unknown said...

I am so sorry to hear that you have not been feeling 100% lately. I know of pain. I live with cronic pain every day. Some days I am not sure I will make it through the day, but I do. I don't have a choice. So I do. I am happy to stop by and share in your experiences and also the beauty around you. One thing I have found is that the way to deal with the everyday stuff is to get out of myself in the everyday beauty around me. The iris photos are beautiful!

Anonymous said...

your images are striking!.....smiles

Daryl said...

near where Lauren is moving there is this amazing farm that grows irises .. http://www.iriscitygardens.com/

Lili said...

That was neat to learn about the irises...especially the fleur-de-lis part...I can totally see why that is so. I love the way you photographed them. And the way you described an everyday moment that is indeed like gold and priceless. xo ~Lili