The Language of Flowers - Water Lily

mambo

(Congo)

Today is Water Lily Day!

No, not official....but everything else seems to have a holiday....

so why not have Water Lily Day today?

http://www.wisdompaintings.com/

There are two flowers for the month of July.

The first is delphinium, or larkspur.

Check my older blogs in July for that feature.

The second flower is the water lily.



The water lily's 'discovery' by a white man

in the lagoons of South American jungles

made this beautiful flower known to the European world.

a pink water lily

Remains of tropical water lilies have been found in

European pre-Ice Age (according to Darwin fans) stratas.

Just a side note here:

Did you know that all the carbon testing, dating of ancient bones and objects, etc. is all based on Darwin's theories?

Very little of it can be proven as fact.

Mainstream scientists have started with a presumption,

and then made the data fit.

As anyone who has taken basic science classes,

we know that true scientific research starts

with no pre-conceived idea of an outcome.

A scientist needs to be non-biased to achieve true results.

oops.

That's not what happened with all this 'dating' of our history.

I LOVE God's sense of humor.

How He must chuckle when He reveals an archeologist's site,

and there is proof that Darwin got it all wrong!!

We can be so silly.

And so stubborn.

The South American natives had many names for this

water lily.

One of them is "Yrupe", which literally means

water platter.

A giant water lily, victorian amazonica, at Kew.

When the bushmen collected and opened the fruit of the water lily, it broke open with a cluster of hard, shiny seeds,

and a soft mealy flesh surrounding them within.

They called the seeds (which are considered a great delicacy)

water corn, or water maize.

a blue water lily

In the language of flowers,

Water Lily

means Eloquence

and

Purity of heart.

c.1902

Other plants in the Water Lily Family

Nymphaeaceae

(and no, don't ask be how to pronounce it!)

include Buttercups and Magnolias

and the Lotus Blossom.

"What loved little islands,

          twice seen in their lakes,

Can the wild water-lily restore."

- Thomas Campbell

"When you have only two pennies left in the world,

Buy a loaf of bread with one,

and a lily with the other."

- Chinese proverb

painting by a Chinese artist

Water lily flowers can be up to 15 inches wide,

opened at dusk,remain open all the night

and close after sunrise.

Grumpy: "A fine bunch of water lilies you turned out to be.

I'd like to see anybody make me wash,

if I didn't wanna."

- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, c.1937

"The slender water-lily

    Peeps dreamingly out of the lake;

         The moon, oppress'd with love's sorrow,

              Looks tenderly down for her sake."

by Heinrich Heine, Book of Songs-New Spring

The fragrance of a water lily

is somewhat like that of crushed pineapple.

'waterlilies' by Claude Monet, 1916

I just can't have a blog about water lilies

without mentioning Monet's series of

water lily paintings.

There are many.

Claude Monet, 83 years old, after his cataract surgery

c.1918

As someone who has had cataracts myself,

I find this very interesting in viewing Monet's work.

It is noted that his eyesight had been deteriorating for a long time.

Yes, he was considered the Founder of Impressionist Painting.

Yet,

his paintings look very much

like what 'I saw' when my cataracts were so bad.

'water lilies' by Claude Monet, 1906

'Nympheas' by Claude Monet, c.1914 - 1917

Just having fun speculation- draw your own conclusions.

This is definitely NOT an art history class!!

purple water lilies

"Now folds the lily all her sweetness up,

And slips into the bosom of the lake;

So fold thyself, my dearest thou, and slip

Into my bosom, and be lost in me."

Lord Alfred Tennyson, 'The Princess'

"The knowledge of the world

can only to be acquired

in the world,

and not in a closet."

- Lord Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield

lived 1694 - 1773

I bet he hated his parents when he went to school,

and had to fill out all those papers with his name!

Well, I think that covers water lilies pretty well!

I hope you enjoyed this little piece from the complex picture of

The Language of Flowers,

and

Flowers of the Month.

flower mandala

water lilies

'The Water Lily Pond 4' by Claude Monet

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

Apple Blossom Promises

Good day!

painting by Jean Benner



Today I will be looking at the Apple Blossom Flower.

'Look up'

Look up, look up, at any tree!
There is so much for eyes to see:
Twigs, catkins, blossoms; and the blue
Of sky, most lovely, peeping through
Between the leaves, some large, some small,
Some green, some gold before their fall;
Fruits you can pick; fruits out of reach;
And little birds with twittering speech;
And, if you’re quick enough, maybe
A laughing fairy in the tree!

- Mary Cicely Barker

apple blossom fairies by Mary Cicely Barker

 

For those of you not familiar with Mary Cicely Barker and her incredibly beautiful flower fairies, let me introduce you to a true delight!

Plate series, Flower Fairies based on Mary Cecily Barker

Traditional meanings of Apple Blossom,

in the Language of Flowers:

Promise, or Preference

The Apple Blossom is the official State Flower for Michigan.

It was adopted on April 28,1897.

Part of the resolutions' wording includes

"apple trees add to the beauty of Michigan's landscape",

and that "Michigan apples have gained a worldwide reputation."

 

Up in the tree we see you, blossom-babies,
All pink and white;
We think there must be fairies to protect you,
From frost and blight,
Until, some windy day, in drifts of petals,
You take your flight.

You'll fly away! But if we wait with patience,
Someday we'll find
Here, in your place, full-grown and ripe, the apples
You left behind-
A goodly gift indeed from blossom-babies,
To human-kind!
- Mary Cecily Barker

apple blossom fairy by http://www.mountainhearth.etsy/

by thegoddesstree.com

trivia from thegoddesstree.com:

The apple is known as the fruit of love.

According to thegoddesstree,

Apple and Apple blossom means Love & Trust,

Health and Garden Magick.

Isn't it interesting to hear different interpretations?

made as a likeness of Mary Cecily Barker's flower fairies, found on ebay

fabric series designed by Michael Miller

Arkansas adopted the apple blossom

 as their 'state flower emblem' in 1901.

I'm not sure why they call it a 'State flower emblem' as opposed to State Flower.

Must be an Arkansas thing.

apple blossom gnome by www.forestmother.etsy.com

trivia:

In 19th Century Lower-Saxon Germany,

the first bath water used by a newborn baby

was poured over the roots of an apple tree

to ensure that the child would have red cheeks.

apple blossom Hat by:  http://www.heartsomehalos.etsy.com/

available on amazon, ebay, etc.

This next image is copyrighted, so please just enjoy the art!

found at 3-b-s.eu

apple blossom tutu for sale www.croniker123.etsy.com

I hope you have enjoyed my second blog on the meaning of flowers.

I love the look of the apple blossom.

So, have an apple blossom day

full of beauty, Promise and Preference!

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

 

 

The Meanings of Flowers Intro and May flower of the month

hello!

Today I am starting a series of blogs about the Meanings of Flowers.

The Victorians were probably the very best

at using flowers as symbols.

A little nosegay sent to a lady was actually a letter!

WaltDisneyWorld, Epcot, Great Britain country around the lake.

When researching the Language of Flowers,

I discovered that one flower

may have several different meanings!

Sometimes they are opposite of each other!!

I will be compiling together from different sources,

but if in doubt, I will lean heavily on

Kate Greenaway's Meaning of Flowers book.

She has delightful drawings,

if you are not acquainted with her work.
She was the most popular illustrator
of Victorian time.

I am also a complete crazy fan for

Cicely Mary Barker's work.

She painted adorable fairies,

with clothes to match the flower,

tree or plant she was illustrating.

Here is an official web site

for all things Cicely Mary Barker:

http://www.flowerfairies.com/html_uk/fairygallery_uk.html

from efairies.com

Now, I ask myself, where to begin?

some of the flowers sent to me when I was in the hospital last year

If I start with "A", it could be a loooong time.

Start with Flowers of the Month?

Start with Birthday flowers?

Well, let's just jump in!

The Victorian Language of Flowers

Although the legendary associations and religious meanings of flower symbolism have existed for centuries, the use of the symbolic meaning of flowers to represent emotions was developed to a high degree during Victorian times. Due to the strict protocol of the times, emotions, wishes and thoughts were not openly expressed between men and women. Instead, an elaborate language based on flower symbolism was developed. Gifts of either single flowers or bouquets conveyed clear messages to the recipient.

During the Victorian era, flowers adorned nearly everything--hair, clothing, jewelry, home decor, china plates, stationary, wallpaper, furniture and more. Even the scents of flowers had their own meanings in the language of flowers. For example, a scented handkerchief might be given in place of actual flowers.

With the increasing complexity of flower symbolism, handbooks were written to guide the understanding of the symbolic meaning of flowers. The first book written on flower symbolism in modern times was Le Language des Fleurs by Madame Charlotte de la Tour in 1819. The most popular book on flower symbolism, which remains a prominent resource today, is Kate Greenaway's Language of Flowers (1884).

from the Society of American Florists

Kate Greenaway "Let's go a may-poling"

MAY - Lily - according to TeleFlora :

Lilies were so revered by the ancient Greeks that they believed they sprouted from the milk of Hera, the queen of the gods. Long tied to the Virgin Mary, the white Madonna lily represents virtue, while the lily of the valley conveys sweetness and humility. In the language of flowers, this May birth flower expresses purity of heart, majesty and honor.

vintage song sheet, unknown date

by Pacon, not sure where on the internet.If you know, please update me.

                            

teleflora bouquet of lilies and roses

Let's have some crochet fun:



Can't get blogspot to put the directions in the right place.
They remain, stubbornly, at the end of this blog!

Cicely Mary Barker

Sweetest of the flower Lily of the Valley

"Sweetest of the flowers a-blooming
In the fragrant vernal days
Is the Lily of the Valley
With its soft, retiring ways.Well, you chose this humble blossom
As the nurse’s emblem flower,
Who grows more like her ideal
Every day and every hour.

Like the Lily of the Valley
In her honesty and worth,
Ah, she blooms in truth and virtue
In the quiet nooks of earth."
There is more to this poem, comparing a nurse to the Lily of the Valley.

You can find it here:

http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/dunbar/poetryindex/the_lily_of_the_valley.html

I was unable to find the author.

Can anyone help me?

Here is a dress by Liana:

This one will fit her Paper Boutique doll:

a sweet baby fairy with lilies:

Little baby fairy, what did you find?

painting and calligraphy

by Susan Loy

http://www.literarycalligraphy.com/biblical/lily_valley.html

The lily of the valley symbolizes the return of happiness:
"This is the day which the Lord hath made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.." Psalms 118:
This verse from Psalms expresses each day's promise of a return of happiness and a reason to rejoice. Psalms are songs and are among the most poetic verses in the Bible.
The lily of the valley means return of happiness in the Victorian language of flowers. In North American and British flower of the month traditions, it is the flower of May and has been called May lily. Its botanical name is Convallaria majalis, from convallis, valley, and majalis, May. Native to Europe, Asia, and parts of North America, it is prized for its fragrance as well as its beauty.

found at Activityvillage.co.uk

found at supercoloring.com

by Anna Miller

courtesy of Indygo Junction

I hope you have enjoyed today's flower:

Lily of the valley,

flower for the month of May.

inkspired

dominoes@myinkspired.com

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

39. Lily of the Valley Afghan

Materials: Worsted Weight Yarn; Black (B) 36 oz and Grass Green (G) 3 oz.  Sport Weight Yarn; White (W) 2 oz.  Yarn Needle.   Maggie used Black Crochet Cotton and a Large sewing needle to applique leaves and stems.

Crochet Hook: J-10 (6 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge.  I-9 (5.5 mm) for Border, and Leaves.  F-5 (3.75 mm) for Bells

Gauge: J Hook:  7 rows = 4”; 3dc = 1”

Special Stitches: V-st:  Dc, ch 2, dc.

Picot V-st:  Dc, ch 4, sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 1, dc.

Side Panels:  (Make 2)

With B and J hook, ch 43.

Row 1: Dc in 4^th ch from Hook and in ea ch across.  CH 3, TURN EACH ROW.  (41 dc)

Rows 2-33: Dc in each st across. 

Row 34: Skip 1 st, * V-st in next st, skip 2 sts, rep from * across, skip 1 st, dc in end st.  (13 V-sts)

Rows 35-66: V-st in each V-st across, dc in last st.

Row 67: Dc in each ch-2 sp and dc across.  (41 dc)

Rows 68-99: Dc in each st across.  At end of Row 99, finish off.

Center Panel: ( Make 1)

With B and J hook, ch 43.

Row 1: V-st in 5^th ch from hook, * skip 2 ch, V-st in next ch, rep from * across, skip 1 ch, dc in end ch.  CH 3, TURN EACH ROW.

Rows 2-33: Rep Rows 35-66 of Side Panel.

Rows 34: Rep Row 67.

Rows 35-66: Dc in each st across.

Row 67: Rep Row 34 of Side Panel.

Rows 68-99: Rep Rows 35-66 of Side Panel.  At end of Row 99, finish off.

Finishing:  With right sides together, with yarn needle and black yarn, sew sides of panels together making sure V-sts face up.

Border:

Rnd 1: Using I hook, join B, in any st, ch 3, being careful to keep work flat dc around outside of afghan working (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in each corner; join with sl st in 3^rd ch of beg ch-3.  DO NOT TURN EACH RND.

Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in each st around working (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in each corner; join with sl st in 3^rd ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 3: Ch 5, dc in same st as joining, * skip 2 sts, V-st in next st, rep from * around working (V-st, ch 2, V-st) in each corner; join with sl st in 3^rd ch of beg ch-5.

Rnd 4: Sl st in ch-2 sp (center of V-st), ch 7, sl st in 3^rd ch from hook, ch 1, dc in same sp, * picot V-st in each V-st to corner, work (Picot V-st, ch 2, Picot V-st) in corner ch-2 sp, rep from * around; join with sl st in 3^rd ch of beg ch-7.  Finish off.

Leaves: ( Make 10)

With G, using I hook, ch 30.

Rnd 1: Dc in 4^th ch from hook and in each ch to within last 6 ch, sc in each of next 5 ch, (sc, ch 2, sc) in end ch (this is tip of leaf), around other side; sc in each of next 5 ch, dc in each ch to end, sc across base of leaf to 3^rd ch of beg ch-3.  Ch 3, DO NOT TURN.

Rnd 2: Dc in each st across to within 3 sts before tip, hdc in next st, sc in each of next 2 sts, (2 sc, ch 3, sl st in first ch, 2 sc) in 

ch-2 sp, around other side; sc in each of next 2 sts, hdc in next st, dc in each st to end.  Finish off. Weave in ends.

Stems:  (Make 10)

With G, using J hook, ch 40.  Finish off.  Weave in ends.

Bells:  (Make 30)

With F hook and W, leaving an 8" long end on starting ch, ch 2.

Rnd 1 (right side): 6 Sc in 2^nd ch from hook.  Do not join.  Mark ends of each rnd. 

Rnd 2: Work 2 sc in each st around.

Rnd 3-5: Sc in each st around.

Rnd 6: Sl st in next st, * ch 4, sl st in first ch, skip 1 st, sl st in next st, rep from * around.  (6 points)  Finish off. Weave in end.

Pull long end through to right side, center top of bell.  Tighten starting ch.

Finishing: Center and sew leaves and stems in place using large sewing needle and black thread.

Using long end, sew bells onto stem leaving a 1” length of yarn on the right side for bells to hang.

MaggiesCrochet.com - Order Toll Free 1-888-454-2101

from 40 Free Crochet Patterns

vintage line drawing