Tuesday, August 25, 2015

FLOWER TALK: THE MEANING OF FLOWERS

JC Leahy

Whether at Valentines Day, or Easter, or at any time of the year, the giving and receiving of flowers has traditionally carried hidden meanings.  Many of the meanings of flowers which are recognized today seem to date from the Victorian Era.  I have compiled the following list of flower meanings from a number of different sources.  Enjoy it, and bookmark it for future reference!
 
Acacia - Concealed love, beauty in retirement, chaste love
Amaryllis - Pride, pastoral poetry
Ambrosia - Your love is reciipocated
Anemone - Forsaken
Apple blossom - Hope, good fortune, better things to  come
Arbitus - Thee only do I love.
Aster - Symbol of love, daintiness
Azalia - Take care of yourself for me, temperance, fragile passion. Chinese symbol of womanhood.
Bachelor button - Single blessedness
Begonia - Beware, a fanciful nature
Bellflower - Gratitude
Bells of Ireland - Good luck
Bittersweet - Truth
Bluebell - Humility
Blue periwinkle - Friendship
Blue Violet - Modesty, faithfulness
Bluebells - Constancy
Cactus - Endurance
Cala lily - Splendid Beauty
Camellia (in general) - Loveliness, gratitude
Camellia (pink) - Longing for you
Camellia (red) - You're a flame in my heart
Camellia (white) - You're adorable
Carnation (in general) - Distinction, fascination, woman love
Carnation (pink) - I'll never forget you
Carnation (red) - My heart aches for you, admiration
Carnation (purple) - Capriciousness
Carnation (solid color) - Yes
Carnation (striped) - No, refusal, sorry I can't be with you, wish I could be with you
Carnation (white) - Sweet & lovely, innocence, pure and ardent love, woman's good luck gift
Carnation (yellow) - You have disappointed me, rejection
Cattail - Peace, prosperity
Chrysanthemum (general) - You're a wonderful friend, cheerfulness & rest
Chrysanthemum (red) - I love you
Chrysanthemum (white) - Truth
Chrysanthemum (yellow) - Slighted love
Crocus - Cheerfulness
Cyclamen - Modesty, shyness, or resignation & goodbye
Daffodil - Regard, unrequited love, you're the only one, The sun is always shining when I'm with you
Daisy - Beauty & innocence, loyal love, purity, I'll never tell
Dandelion - Faithfulness, happiness
Fern - Fascination & sincerity, magic, confidence & shelter
Fir - Time
Flax - Domestic symbol
Flowering almond - Hope
Forget-me-not - True love and memories
Forsythia - Anticipation
Gardenia - Secret untold love, you are lovely
Geranium - Stupidity, folly
Gladiola - Give me a break, I'm really sincere, Flower of the Gladiators
Globe amaranth - Unfading love
Gloxinia - Love at first sight
Heather (lavender) - Admiration, solitude
Heather (white) - Protection, whishes will come true
Hibiscus - Delicate beauty
Honeysuckle - Devoted affection, generosity
Holly - Defense, domestic happiness
Hyacinth (in general) - Loveliness, rashness, games & sports, flower dedicated to Apollo
Hyacinth (blue) - Constancy
Hyacinth (pink or red) - Play
Hyacinth (purple) - I am sorry, please forgive me
Hyacinth (white) - Loveliness, I'll pray for you
Hyacinth (yellow) - Jealosy
Hydrangea - Boastfulness, thank you for your understanding, frigidity, heartlessness
Iris - Warmth & affection, my compliments, Fleur-de-lis, Emblem of France; Your friendship means so much to me; faith, hope wisdom, and valor
Ivy - Eternal Fidelity, wedded love, fidelity, friendship, affection
Jasmine (white)  - Amiability
Jasmine (yellow) - Modesty
Jonquil - Love me, affection returned, desire, sympathy, desire for affection returned
Larkspur (in general) - Laughter, an open heart
Larkspur (pink) - Fickleness
Lemon blossom - Fidelity in love
Lilac - First love
Lilac (white) Youthful innocence
Lily (in general) - Majesty
Lily (white) - Virginity, purity, majesty: It's heavenly to be with you.
Lily (yellow) - I'm walking on air; False and gay
Lily (Calla) - Beauty
Lily (Day) - Coquetry, Chinese emblem of mother
Lily (Eucharis) - Maiden charms
Lily (Tiger) - Wealth, pride
Lily-of-the-valley - Return of happiness, sweetness, tears of the Virgin Mary; You're made my life complete.
Magnolia - Perseverance; nobility
Marigold - Affection; cruelty, grief, jealousy
Mimosa - Secret love
Mistletoe - Kiss me, affection, to surmount difficulties; Sacred plant of India
Monkshood - Beware, A deadly foe is near
Moss - Maternal love, charity.
Myrtle - Love and remembrance; Hebrew emblem of marriage
Narcissus - Egotism; Formality; Stay as sweet as you are
Nasturtium - Conquest, victory in battle
Oleander - Caution
Orange blossoms - Purity, innocence, eternal love, marriage and fertility
Orange mock - Deceit
Orchid - Rare beauty, love, refinement, beautiful lady; Chinese symbol for many children
Orchid (Cattleya) - Mature charm
Palm leaves - Victory and success
Pansy - Thoughtful recollection
Peach blossom - Captive
Peony - Bashfulness, shame; happy life; happy marriage
Petunia - Resentment, anger; Your presence sooths me
Pine - Hope, pity
Poppy (in general) - Eternal sleep, obivion, imagination
Poppy (red) - Pleasure
Poppy (white) - Consolation
Poppy (yellow) Wealth, success
Primrose - I can't live without you, young love
Primrose (Evening) - Inconstancy
Rose (bridal) - Happy Love
Rose (Bouquest of mature blooms) - Gratitude
Rose (Single rose in full bloom) - I love you, I still love you
Rosebud - Beauty and youth, a heart innocent of love
Rosebud (Moss) - Confession of love
Rose (tea) - I'll always remember
Rose (thornless) - Love at first sight
Rose (hibiscus) - Delicate beauty
Rose (leaf) - You may hope
Rose -- All colors say, "I love you," but each color has a specail meaning.
Rose (burgundy) - Unconscious beauty
Rose (dark crimson) - Mourning
Rose (orange or coral) - Desire
Rose (pink) grace and gentility, perfect happiness, please believe me
Rose (red) - Passion, I love you
Rose (red rosebud) - Pure and lovely
Rose (red & white together) - Unity; Flower emblem of England
Rose (sweetheart roses) - Darling, Dear, or Honey
Rose (white) - I am worthy of you; innocence and purity, charm and innocence
Rose (white,dried) - Death is preferable to loss of virtue
Rose (white rosebud) - Girlhood
Rose (white rosebuds) - You're too young for love
Rose (yellow) - Joy; Decrease of love, jealosy, try to care
Rosemary - Remembrance
Smilax - Loveliness
Snapdragon - Deception; gracious lady
Spider flower - Elope with me
Stephanotis - Happiness in marriage; desire to travel
Stock - Bonds of affection; promptness; You'll always be beautiful to me.
Sweet Pea - Delicate pleasures, blissful pleasure, departure, good-bye, thank you for a lovely time
Tuberose - Dangerous pleasure
Tulip (in general) - Love, you are the perfect lover; Flower emblem of Holland
Tulip (red) - Believe me, declaration of love
Tulip (yellow) - Hopeless love; there's sunshine in your smile
Tulip (variegated) - Beautiful eyes
Verbena - You may get your wish
Violet (in general) - Modesty, affection, faithfulness
Violet (blue) - Watchfulness, faithfulness, I'll always be true
Violet (white) - Let's take a chance
Zinnia (magenta) - Lasting affection
Zinnia (mixed) - Thinking of an absent friend
Zinnia (scarlet) - Constancy
Zinnia (white) - Goodness
Zinnia (yellow) - Daily remembrance

The following sources are recognized: gifts.com, perfumia.com, and Phillip's Floral

Friday, August 14, 2015

Changing Your Thinking - E-Mail Forwarded to Me By My Wife - Food for Thought


Makes you appreciate the good things in
> life:
 Change Your Thinking

> It will take just 37  seconds to read this and change your thinking..
> Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
>  One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each
> afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
>
> The men talked for hours on end.  They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs,
> their involvement in  the military service, where they had been on vacation..
>
> Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could
> sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the
> things he could see outside the window.
>
> The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour
> periods  where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the
> activity and colour of the world outside.
>
>
> The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.  Ducks
> and swans played on the water while children sailed their  model boats. Young
> lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colour and
> a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
>
> As the man by the window described all this in exquisite
> details, the  man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and
> imagine this picturesque scene.
>
> One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade
> passing  by.  Although the other man could not hear the band - he could
> see it in  his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed
> it with descriptive  words.
>
 Days, weeks and months passed.   One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their
> baths  only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who
> had died peacefully in his sleep.
>
> She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take
> the body away.
>
> As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he
> could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the
> switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
>
> Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to
> take his first look at the real world outside.
> He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.

> It faced a blank wall.
>
> The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his
> deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside
> this window.
>
> The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not
> even see the wall.

 She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'

> Epilogue:
>  
> There is tremendous happiness in making others happy,
> despite our own situations.
>
>
> Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared,
> is doubled.
>
> If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have
> that  money can't buy.
>
> 'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present


> The origin of this letter is unknown, but it brings good
> luck to everyone who passes it on. .