Tuesday, June 06, 2023

A Nosegay


 I have a tendency to read reference books, dictionaries, cookbooks, targeted encyclopedias. I don’t expect to remember a lot of it, but I always pick up the weird but useful tidbit. Knowing what information to find where is nice too. Flowers have always engaged my attention. I named my four daughters after flowers. The hidden floral language that people have used for centuries fascinated me, but I couldn’t find a completely satisfying book on the subject. Everything was incomplete, and just for fun. 

This book is a serious monster on the subject. It offers every meaning—even contradictory ones. Possible powers of the flowers and other folklore fill the beautiful pages. I’m tempted to buy another copy to cut up and frame the lavish spreads. There are other floral dictionaries, but this is the best I’ve seen. If such things interest you pick it up.

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