March 30, 2017
Daisy, Daisy… Oh, Sweet Pea…
By Eloise Graham
Familiar songs have been written naming the flowers that denote the month of April. There is the Daisy. This lovely bloom conveys innocence, loyal love and purity. It is also a flower given between friends to keep a secret; the daisy means “I’ll never tell.” The other April flower is the Sweet Pea. While sweet peas signify blissful pleasure, they are also used to say good-bye. Did you know, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, that flies find the sweet pea’s fragrance offensive and will not go near an area of sweet peas? So, good-bye to flies!
The diamond is the traditional birthstone for April. It is also listed as the modern birthstone. However, the ancient Arabic, Hebrew, Italian, Roman and Russian April birthstone is the sapphire. Opal is considered the mystical April birthstone. According to Bernardine Fine Gemstone Jewelry, there are nine other April birthstones based on the zodiac calendar. Topaz, bloodstone and jasper are for the sign of Aries and coral, turquoise, aventurine, amber, emerald and garnet are suggested for Taurus.
If this information is all new to you, it is to me as well. I would say to consider the source, a jewelry retailer. The more gemstones, the more sales. I will stay with the traditional/ modern birthstone of the diamond.
An interesting fact about birthstones: The birthstone tradition can be traced back to the first century. The stones were used in the breastplates of Jewish High Priests. The breastplate, full of stones, symbolized the 12 tribes of Israel. Later, each stone was dedicated to one of the twelve months.
Some traditional April dates:
* April 1 – April Fool’s Day – Read QC Jones article about the fools that are still celebrating New Year’s Day on April First.
* April 1 – International Tatting Day – Tatting, the very intricate way of making lace using a shuttle, is making a comeback
* The first Friday of April is designated as – National Walk to Work Day
* The third Monday of April is – Patriot’s Day: The day commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolution. Just a side note: the Boston Marathon is run on this day as a celebration of the anniversary.
* The last Friday in April – Arbor Day – Go plant a tree.
