They Call Him Flipper

When you think of dolphins, you think of the smooth, blue-grey bodies gliding in and out of the ocean or the laughing call of Flipper. I’m blessed to be surrounded by playful porpoises in our nearby river, but that’s another story for another time.

You don’t usually think of flowers when you think of dolphins, but the Greek root “delphis” means exactly that. The closed flower buds on the delphinium is said to look just like the nose of the dolphin.

I just do NOT see this, but there are plenty of things that I see that others can’t, so …

The delphinium is another of our Mother’s Day bouquet flowers to have a Greek story attached to them.

As the story goes, the Greek god Aias (or Ajax) was a war hero from Troy when he died, and his blood droplets gave birth to the flower we know of as the delphinium. According to the legend, the petals were inscribed with the letters “Ai”, which is also Greek for “alas”.

As luck would have it, I went to get a gallon of these lovely long-stemmed blue beauties to add to my garden, but someone else had the same idea, and the last bucket was in her cart.

These flowers are closely related to the larkspur; although, they are not the same flower. The larkspur was used to cross pollinate into some of the delphinium we see in today’s bouquets.


While hiking in the Rockies, I came across this field of larkspur rising tall above the other wildflowers. ©jcleveland 2015

These flowers are poisonous, but that didn’t stop “doctors” from using them to help people sleep and relax. Other than the fact that they slowed the heart rate, induced difficulty in breathing and lowered the blood pressure to the point of death, they were a smashing success as a sleep aid.

The North Americans and Europeans used their colorful petals to make blue dye. They are said to cure scorpion stings and repel parasites like lice. Yay!

The delphinium is included in bouquets to signify the openness to new experiences and a positive outlook. Something a new mother definitely needs.

The tiny blue flowers are joyful, fill you with warmth and inspire fun. They signify the desire to expand your horizon and experience new life adventures.
Blue is a symbol of dignity, and the other colors like pink, white and light blue offer youth and renewal.

Let’s see what other blues we can find to offer youth and renewal to the woman on your Mother’s Day gift list.

Blue Gray Tweed Ribbed Knit Hat

RSS Designs in Fiber 

Tribal Earrings Blue African Sand Glass Black Obsidian Betel Seeds Sterling Handmade

Pretty Gonzo 

Women's Silver Beaded Fan Earrings

Lady Green Eyes Jewelry 

Schnauzer Wauzer Dog Snap Tab Key Fob

Sew Amazin 

Ford Mustang 8 x 10 Wood Wall Art

Kevs Krafts 

Yachting on The Pacific in Blue Gray tones Sailboat

Colleen Cornelius 

Blue Grey and Orange Striped Tube Beads

Blue Morning Expressions 

Turquoise Amber Earrings

Shadow Dog Designs 

Charcoal Grey Bulls Eye Jasper Tourmaline Quartz Riverstone Necklace

Kats All That 

Grey Pearl Earrings w Silk Swarovski Crystals

Magdalene Jewels 

Stained Glass Quilt Square 6" Log Cabin Appalachian Traditional Quilt Pattern in Blues and Purples

2 Glass Thumbs 

Natural Sunset Dumortierite Round Gemstone Beaded Necklace Blue 20 inch

Diane’s Dangles 

Rustic Turquoise Handmade Lampwork Beads Shiny Gunmetal Glass 236g

Covergirl Beads 

Dangle Earrings for Women

Blonde Peach Jewelry 

Hammered Pewter Earrings Long Dangling Blue Crystals Lever Backs

The Singing Beader 

Hope that you enjoyed these gorgeous creations. If you do not see what you are looking for, contact any of the above friendly and creative artists, and I am sure that they will be more than happy to make something just for your “mom”.

If you want to see more of their outstanding works, then here are some more links from which to shop:

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8

And even more!

Tulips
What’s in a Name?
The Flowers of the Gods
Kiss the Sun
Consider the Lilies
Keeping Regular Hours
Beautimous Borderlands Botanicals

Enjoy, and share this blog post and all of these handmade items with your friends and family! We handmade artists always appreciate a good share.
Julie

www.bluemorningexpressions.com

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