August 30, 2016
Sapphire Skies, Fantastic Fall Flowers and Gratitude for Grandparents
By Eloise Graham
There just seems to be something about September skies. They always seem bluer; a deeper blue, a truer blue. Have you ever noticed that? A crisper blue, to go along with the crisper air as the days get shorter.
The birthstone for September is the sapphire, and 
it is said that sapphires symbolize heaven. Although the chemical make up of the sapphire gem, the mineral corundum or aluminum oxide, will come in a variety of colors, the deep color of blue is what comes to mind when one hears “sapphire.”
The quaking aspen, as it turns its golden color in September, makes for a beautiful contrast against the September sky. Many sights like this will be seen in Colorado and other places in the Rocky Mountains this month. The hardwoods, as their leaves turn to the hues of red, orange and maroon, will also make a magnificent view against the azure blue backdrop.
Gone are the pastels of spring. The fall 
flowers are deep hues of jewel tones. The flower of September is the aster symbolizing love. It also stands for daintiness and patience. The aster is a well-known autumn flower along with its close relatives, the chrysanthemum and the zinnia.
National Grandparents Day is the first Sunday after Labor Day. This year it will be celebrated on September 11. The history: National Grandparents Day has more than one origin. Some consider it to have been first proposed by Michael Goldgar in the 1970s after visiting an aunt a nursing home. He spent $11,000 of his own money in lobbying efforts to have the day officially recognized, made 17 trips to Washington, D.C. over a seven-year span to meet with legislators. At the same time, Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, a housewife in West Virginia, was pushing for the day of observance. Throughout the 1970s, McQuade worked hard to educate the people about the important contributions senior citizens made and the contributions that they would be
willing to make if asked. She also urged people to adopt a grandparent, not for one day, but for a lifetime of experience.
The perseverance of these two people paid off. On September 6, 1979 a Presidential proclamation made the observance official. Have a great Grandparents Day!
