Monday, August 3, 2009

Happy Birthday...

... To Me :-)

Thank y'all for your kind words, good wishes and prayers. I still have the headache. It is less severe if I forgo the computer. So I still am not able to visit each of your blogs.

My mother tells me it was extremely hot when I was born. The hospital was but a house made into a hospital. There was no air conditioning.... just a metal fan blowing the hot air around. Mama's kidneys failed. At one time my Daddy was told that Mama and I were dead. I often wonder how that mix-up happened. Somehow Mama and me survived. I became number four of 5 Zs :-)

August's flower is the gladiola.

Gladiola

The gladiola is one of those rare plants that is most commonly referred to by a variant of its botanical/Latin name gladiolus.

The common names for the gladiola are glad, corn-flag, corn iris, and sword-lily. The term corn-flag and corn iris refer to the fact that they are unwelcome pests in corn and grain fields. The name sword-lily is a reference to their Latin name.

The Latin term gladiolus is rich in meaning. The Roman sword was a gladius and a diminutive sword was a gladiolus. Linnaeus is attributed with naming the gladiolus and it is suggested that he borrowed from Pliny’s writings which referred to the plant’s sword-shaped leaves. The same word is the root for the word gladiator who was a soldier who “lived or died by the sword.” It seems natural that a plant that shares its name with warriors would be a symbol for ‘strength of character.’

Like many flowers that figure in Greek mythology, the gladiola is said to have sprung up from the blood of a person who died violently. When Hyacinthus was killed by Apollo’s reckless discus toss, Ovid said that the flowers that sprang up from his body were hyacinths. However, some argue that Ovid was wrong and that the blossoms were actually gladiolas.

The gladiola represents strength of character, sincerity, and generosity.

Thanks to Mildred at Nalley Valley I will have more glads next year.

I plan on having a nice quiet birthday at home.... doing laundry. A nice chicken soup is for dinner. I have such a great sweetheart.
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17 comments :

  1. Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!
    So glad you have such a sweetheart to light up your life and day!
    Many Blessings!

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  2. Happy Birthday Zaroga!
    I so hope your head aches go away.

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  3. Happy Birthday!

    May I wish you freedom from headaches!

    And maybe some cooler temperatures!

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  4. "Happy Birthday" Zaroga! I hope you are soon pain free!!!

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  5. A very happy birthday wish from me and Nalley. I pray that you get relief from your headache and that you enjoy the rest of the week. I hope you'll have a vase full of glads next year! Today out near the mailbox I noticed a yellow glad - I have NO IDEA where it came from!!!!!

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  6. That is a beautiful flower - and Happy Birthday to you!

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  7. How did I miss your Birthday yesterday? Happy "belated" Birthday!!!!!!

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  8. OOOOPSSS!! I missed your birthday so please take my belated wishes on this Wednesday..okay? I hope that you had a great day and that your headache is gone. I hate hate hate headaches. HOping that yours is gone now.

    Sandy

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  9. Happy Birthday to YOU and may you be headache free! I love glads and the color of that one is gorgeous.
    You don't have to worry about visiting me since I haven't posted. I just can't seem to get it together.

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  10. Happy Birthday - what a story about when you were born!

    I hope your headache is gone, and you are out enjoying the world.

    :)

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  11. Happy Belated Birthday Zaroga!

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  12. Hope your birthday was a very happy one and I will pray your headache goes for a long time. All the best!

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  13. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Here's wishing you the most wonderful present...a pain free day!

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  14. Oh Zaroga I am so late on your birthday!! So sorry!!! Happy sweet birthday to you friend. I'm terribly sorry about your headaches though. That's horrible! I can't even imagine having headaches as long as you've had. Ugh. I will write you on my prayer (magical) board today.

    Lots of love and hugs..

    Michelle

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  15. Happy Belated Birthday! Mine was Thursday....... :-)

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Thank you for visiting my Nook. Your comments are much appreciated.

Make it a great day!

Zaroga