I pledge allegiance

 

As long as I can reminder, kids in the United States have been saying the pledge of allegiance at school in the morning. That was true in the schools that I went to more than 50 years ago – and it is still true today, even though not all the classrooms that I am in have a flag on the wall.

Have you even wondered when the custom started?

I’ve never felt that those words would make me a good American. I still don’t, and I don’t think that other kids should have to recite the pledge. Truth is, they don’t have to. State laws prevent it from being required, based on a 1943 Supreme Court ruling. But state laws still mandate that, whether it’s by a person or recording over the loudspeaker, it has to be shared publicly in some form.

The pledge’s convoluted history doesn’t help. Francis Bellamy created it in 1892 for The Youth’s Companion, a children’s magazine published out of Boston, with a few goals. In no particular order, the pledge was meant to sell magazines and flags for display; reunify the country after the Civil War; commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s voyage; promote patriotism among Americans; and make Americans out of the large wave of immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe.

The original version went: I pledge allegiance to my flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. In 1923, “the flag of the United States of America” was inserted so there was no question for immigrants as to which banner they were promising their loyalty.

In 1954 came “under God.” The Korean War had just ended the year before. The Soviet Union was testing atomic bombs, leading school kids to practice hiding under their desks. The Supreme Court had ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that “separate but equal” was unconstitutional, and the NAACP, which fought for the case, was believed by some to be infiltrated by Communists, a feeling shared about the civil rights movement. All of this helped fuel the Red Scare, which Senator Joseph McCarthy took advantage of. And so, those two words were added and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, to ensure everyone knew we weren’t godless Communists, says Charles Dorn, professor of education at Bowdoin College and co-author of Patriotic Education in a Global Age.

I don’t think the pledge has that kind of power; it seems more like a box-to-check ritual. Peter Levine, professor of citizenship and public affairs at Tufts University’s Jonathan Tisch College of Civic Life, says two things add to the disconnect. For one, the pledge isn’t written for young kids. (Hello, indivisible.) The second is that we don’t know if it works, which is a shock since school officials love nothing more than test scores. But for this 130-year tradition — nothing. Levine says we could find out. His idea: Ask second-graders if they think they’re supposed to say “invisible.” Ask 11th-graders their feelings and measure the eye rolls.

It’s questionable whether the pledge increases patriotism, but there IS something that can. It’s called civic lessons, and it is not taught as much as it should be.

 https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/09/27/magazine/schools-should-teach-forgotten-history-pledge-allegiance/?e

The American Civics Act requires that all Arizona students pass a basic civics test before graduating from high school. It was the first bill Governor Ducey signed, making Arizona the first state in the country to enact such a law.

"There may be a lot of things that Democrats and Republicans disagree on but educating our students about American civics is something almost everyone can agree is vital."

-Governor Ducey, February 2017

The American Civics Act requires high school students to correctly answer at least 60 out of 100 questions on a test identical to the civics component of the naturalization test used by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  You can find a copy of the USCIS Naturalization test here.

  https://education.azgovernor.gov/edu/civics-education

 If you think that the idea of a civics test is a nutty idea, consider this fact.

Jimmy Kimmel (Lie Witness News), or one of the late-night hosts, conducted a “man on the street interview in Los Angeles, and discovered that a lot of people are surprisingly ignorant about civic affairs. One respondent thought that there were 6 states, rather than 50. Another person could not name the three branches of the government. Somebody else was not sure who the president is. (That last question, of course, is tougher for MAGA Republicans).

If it is not mandatory to recite the pledge of allegiance, is it mandatory to stand for the playing of the national anthem?

Nope.

By now, you are familiar with Colin Kaepernick, who first started “taking a knee” during the National Anthem during the 2016 NFL season, His story is posted below:

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2018/01/a-man-of-integrity.html

In August of 2016, prior to a National Football League preseason game, San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick opted not to stand during the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner."

Kaepernick explained following the game, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

As controversy over Kaepernick's decision spread, the NFL issued a statement  saying, "Players are encouraged, but not required, to stand during the playing of the national anthem."

 

While the NFL doesn’t require you stand when the anthem is played, the federal government has a different take on whether you should.

Here’s a quick look at what the United States Code says about how we should be conducting ourselves in the presence of the country’s flag and at the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner.

According to Title 36 (section 171) of the United States Code, “During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in (military) uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.”

The question, of course, is whether “should” in the first sentence means “must” or “shall.”

So does it, and what’s the penalty if I don’t stand?

 

No, it doesn't. Section 171 does not specify nor impose penalties for violating the section of the code. According to a Congressional Research Service report to Congress in 2008, “The Flag Code is a codification of customs and rules established for the use of certain civilians and civilian groups. No penalty or punishment is specified in the Flag Code for display of the flag of the United States in a manner other than as suggested. Cases ... have concluded that the Flag Code does not proscribe conduct but is merely declaratory and advisory."

In other words, the Flag Code serves as a guide, and it is followed on a voluntary basis. You won't be forced to stand for the National Anthem, nor hauled off to jail if you don't. Cases brought because of something in the code -- mainly ones that involve defacing the flag  -- have made their way to the U.S. Supreme Court where the justices have upheld that such conduct is protected  by the First Amendment.

 

https://www.ajc.com/news/national/colin-kaepernick-breaking-the-law-not-standing-for-the-national-anthem/cRjlkGqATbYZT3S3AkzJGK/

If I am in a classroom that has a flag, I’ll probably put my right hand over my heart while it is being read – but most students don’t do that – and that does not bother me at all.

Sadly, the word “patriot” has now become a dirty word, since it is now most often applied to the right-wing nut cases who still support The Former Guy. The clowns that stormed the capitol on January 6 were not patriots.

They were terrorists – and many of them are now serving long prison terms.

With a little luck, the guy most responsible for the riot (and we all know who that is) will be doing that too.

 

some sticky facts about ice cream

I monitored a biology class today at a local high school. Since it was a science class with no freshman, the classes were reasonably quiet and well behaved.

On the teacher’s desk was a bottle of Elmer’s Glue All.

By now, you should know that old underwriters have inquisitive minds, so it should not surprise you to know that I got curious about how Elmer’s glue got started, and it has a connection to another very familiar, but totally unrelated product.

 Elmer’s Products was started in 1947, the same year that I was born.

Elmer's Products, or simply Elmer's is an American-based company that has a line of adhesive, craft, home repair, and office supply products. It is best known as the manufacturer of Elmer's Glue-All, a popular PVA-based synthetic glue, in addition to other brands including Krazy Glue, ProBond and CraftBond adhesives, and X-Acto cutting tools.

Introduced by Borden, it was spun off independently in 1999. The company was acquired in 2003 by Berwind Corporation, a privately held investment firm. On October 5, 2015, Newell Rubbermaid announced a $600 million deal to acquire Elmer's Products.

The logo for the brand was based upon "Elmer the Bull", mate of Borden's advertising mascot Elsie the Cow, during the 20th century. Elmer's image continues to be featured in the company logo.

The man who started the company is Gail Borden Jr.

On May 11, 1857, with three employees and one product, Gail Borden founded the company that became Borden, Inc. In 1929, Borden purchased the Casein Company of America, the leading manufacturer of glues made from casein, a byproduct of milk. Borden introduced its first glue product, known as Casecorez Glue, in 1947. Five years later, the company began producing resin adhesives for use in woodworking, such as Cascamite

Immediately after World War II, the company expanded into synthetic resin glues and, in 1947, the first multipurpose consumer white glue, known as Elmer's Glue-All, was introduced. The glue was packaged in a glass bottle with a Popsicle stick type wooden applicator attached with a rubber band. Consumer feedback confirmed a need for an easier to use delivery method, which prompted the company to develop easy to squeeze bottles featuring a twistable orange cap, introduced in 1962. This innovation remains in use and is a trademark of Elmer's Products.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer%27s_Products

You may have noticed that glues are made from casein, a by product of milk.

What else is made with milk?

If you answered, “ice cream”, give your self a gold star.

 The character on the glue bottles is named Elmer the bull.

Although Elmer the Bull did not become the marketing symbol for Borden's adhesive line until 1951, he had been a familiar household name since the 1940s. Elmer was designed in 1940 by David William Reid. Reid was part of the advertising team that developed Elsie the Cow, the well-known bovine marketing symbol for the dairy division. Elmer was a huge hit with the public and was frequently seen alongside Elsie and their children (Beulah and Beauregard created in 1948, and twins Larabee and Lobelia in 1957^]) in most promotional and advertising campaigns.

In 1951, Elmer the Bull was officially chosen to be the marketing symbol for all adhesives in the Borden line, and his portrait has appeared on Elmer's packaging ever since.

Borden, Inc., was an American producer of food and beverage products, consumer products, and industrial products. At one time, the company was the largest U.S. producer of dairy and pasta products. Its food division, Borden Foods, was based in Columbus, Ohio, and focused primarily on pasta and pasta sauces, bakery products, snacks, processed cheese, jams and jellies, and ice cream. It was best known for its Borden Ice Cream, Meadow Gold milk, Creamette pasta, and Borden Condensed Milk brands. Its consumer products and industrial segment marketed wallpaper, adhesives, plastics and resins. By 1993, sales of food products accounted for 67 percent of its revenue. It was also known for its Elmer's and Krazy Glue brands.

After significant financial losses in the early 1990s and a leveraged buyout by private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) in 1995, Borden divested itself of its various divisions, brands and businesses. KKR shut Borden's food products operations in 2001 and divested all its other Borden operations in 2005. Borden dairy brands are currently used by Borden Dairy for milk and by Dairy Farmers of America for cheese.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borden_(company)

More than 20 years ago, I learned a life lesson from a friend in Wisconsin named Don Cole, and the lesson is related to Borden’s blueberry ice cream.

https://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-blueberry-ice-cream-can-help-you.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

9/11

 

On the morning of September 11,2001, I was on my way to Midway airport with one of my fellow employees at MetLife and his daughter, who were planning to fly to the East Coast to see his parents.

As we headed north on the Stephenson, traffic started to slow, so I turned on the radio for a traffic report, and that is when I heard about the attacks in New York City.

After I dropped off Tom and his daughter, I drove back to the office, which now had a TV on for us to watch. I immediately called home, and told the kids to turn on the TV, and they did. From the time they turned it on, they stayed glued to the set for the next 14 hours.

Later that night, I had an appointment to meet with a client about a life insurance proposal, and everywhere that I went, people were waving American flags.

George W. Bush was not a very popular president prior to 9/11. Shortly after his re-election, it was 57%, but had dipped to 51% by the summer of 2011. After the attack, it soared to 90%, the highest approval rating of virtually any president since WWII. During the financial crisis of 2008, it sank to 25%, but rebounded to 34% by the time he left office.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/116500/presidential-approval-ratings-george-bush.aspx

 Like other events in our history, we all know where we were and who we were with learned about the Kennedy assassinations, the MLK assassination, and the moon landing. For a period of time, those events (and the 9/11 attacks) erased our differences, and we truly again became the UNITED States of America.

 Bin Laden finally got his justice when Obama was president, Al Qaeda is no longer the threat that it once was, and the twin towers have not been replaced by what initially was knows as Freedom Tower, but has now changed to a new, but familiar name.

 One World Trade Center (also known as One World Trade, One WTC, and formerly Freedom Tower)^[is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City.

Designed by David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the United States, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, and the seventh-tallest in the world. The supertall structure has the same name as the North Tower of the original World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The new skyscraper stands on the northwest corner of the 16-acre (6.5 ha) World Trade Center site, on the site of the original 6 World Trade Center. It is bounded by West Street to the west, Vesey Street to the north, Fulton Street to the south, and Washington Street to the east.

The construction of below-ground utility relocations, footings, and foundations for the new building began on April 27, 2006. One World Trade Center became the tallest structure in New York City on April 30, 2012, when it surpassed the height of the Empire State Building. The tower's steel structure was topped out on August 30, 2012.

On May 10, 2013, the final component of the skyscraper's spire was installed, making the building, including its spire, reach a total height of 1,776 feet (541 m). Its height in feet is a deliberate reference to the year when the United States Declaration of Independence was signed. The building opened on November 3, 2014; the One World Observatory opened on May 29, 2015.

On March 26, 2009, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) confirmed that the building would be officially known by its legal name of "One World Trade Center", rather than its colloquial name of "Freedom Tower" The building has 94 stories, with the top floor numbered 104.

The new World Trade Center complex will eventually include five high-rise office buildings built along Greenwich Street, as well as the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, located just south of One World Trade Center where the original Twin Towers stood. The construction of the new building is part of an effort to memorialize and rebuild following the destruction of the original World Trade Center complex.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_World_Trade_Center

 

The steel from the original towers was eventually melted down, and started new life as a ship called the USS New York.

 

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/uss-new-york-september-11th-world-trade-center/

With more than a little prodding from Jon Stewart, Congress passed a revised 9/11 Responders Health Bill in December of 2015.

Congress on Wednesday passed a bill to pay for the health care of first responders to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks after the Senate reached a bipartisan agreement to slash the price tag.

The deal lowered the cost of the bill to $4.2 billion -- about $2 billion less than an earlier version. It will authorize a health benefits program for five years, while placing several restrictions on how the money is doled out.

According to a GOP aide close to the negotiations, the new proposal would permanently close the "Victims Compensation Fund" after five years. The original bill kept it open through 2031.

The deal would also cap attorneys' fees at 10 percent of any award and provide safeguards to ensure beneficiaries cannot "double dip."

 https://www.foxnews.com/politics/congress-passes-revised-9-11-responders-health-bill

 

Remember “America’s mayor?”.

To put it mildly, Rudy Giuliani’s fortunes have slipped since the days immediately after 9/11.

He’s gone through yet another messy divorce, he gave a speech in front of the wrong Four Seasons, he became the butt of practical jokes in the latest Borat movie, and he is no longer allowed to practice law in the state of New York due to the fact that he signed on to represent a shady character who lives in south Florida.

For the moment, though, let’s set aside politics and take a moment of silence to remember the 2977 people who died that day, one of whom was named Tom Brennan.

save the libraries !

 

 

Andrew Carnegie was such a believer in public libraries that he spent a large portion of his fortune to build public libraries. By the time he was finished, he had built 2500 libraries.

http://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2022/01/fun-fun-fun.html

 

http://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2018/07/amazon-bookstores-should-replace-public.html

 

Today, public libraries (as well as public schools) are under attack by today’s Republican Party. The fact that the attacks are occurring in many states around the country are driven, in part, by the American Legislative Council, the same organization that sends “model laws: to legislatures around the country.

ALEC is pushing the American Transparency Act, which is an attempt to limit what can be taught in schools. The full details are in the link below, but the real targets are Critical Race Theory and books related to black authors or “queer” books.

Critical Race Theory is NOT TAUGHT in public schools but is a college level course that examines the role that systematic racism has had in our society.

Since FOX ‘news’ mentioned the term more than 2000 times during 2021, it gained a lot of traction. As a result, it eventually allowed Greg Youngkin to get elected as the governor of Virginia. It also led to Florida banning MATH books because they apparently included “social feelings”

https://alec.org/model-policy/academic-transparency-act/

The funding for at least some public libraries is in jeopardy. The  Huff Post released a story about the situation on August 6, and I have posted the entire article below:

 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gop-llibraries-culture-war_n_62ed58cfe4b09fecea4defc3

In Jamestown, Michigan, the local public library has about six months until funding runs out and it may be forced to shut down.

 

Last week, residents voted against passing a millage, which raises property taxes, to fund the Patmos Public Library. What could make a town turn against its own library? Homophobic and hateful rhetoric — specifically, the false idea that kid’s books with LGBTQ characters are secretly about pornography or being used to abuse children, which has exploded in the conservative worldview over the last year.

 

“50% millage increase to groom our kids? Vote no on library,” read one sign seen around town before voters went to the polls.

 

Debbie Mikula, the executive director of the Michigan Library Association, said she believes the millage didn’t pass because the library has books with LGBTQ themes. “This is a full-out campaign against the library,” she said.

 

Two library directors at Patmos left this spring. One said it was because of online harassment and accusations of abusing children.

 

The library board has less than two weeks to get the millage back on the ballot for a vote in November. If they don’t, it’s likely the library will have to shut down permanently.

 

Conservatives’ scorn for most government institutions — like schools or public health agencies — is not a new phenomenon. Consider the way right-wingers treated government officials who attempted to blunt the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. But now, perhaps emboldened by openly right-wing extremist politicians, they’ve set their sights on our public libraries.

“I have seen Republicans try to take over school boards my entire lifetime, but this is totally different,” Alison Macrina, the director of Library Freedom Project, a nonprofit organization, said about the shift to public libraries.

In the same way that parents in the ’80s and ’90s fretted about their children being swept up in a satanic cult, suburban moms are now tossing and turning at night over the horrors of books that might depict anything but conservative Christian morals.

“In the last few years, public libraries have taken a stronger stance of racial justice and queer rights and representation,” Macrina said. “This is reactive to that, certainly.”

And it’s a reaction being seen around the U.S.

A public library in Vinton, Iowa — a small town with about 5,000 residents — temporarily shut down in July after most of the staff quit because of threats against its LGBTQ members. People in the town complained that there were not enough books about former President Donald Trump, that LGBTQ books were on display, and that members of the LGBTQ community worked there, according to the Iowa Starting Line. The library reopened with an all-volunteer staff.

In Llano County, Texas, the county commission made the public library system shut down for a few days in December in order to review the books available to children and remove any deemed questionable. They specifically targeted the 850 books that GOP state Rep. Matt Kruse had personally deemed inappropriate for kids earlier that year. He said his list of books included those that “might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex.”

Suzette Baker, a librarian in the county, reportedly refused to go along. She told local reporters in March that she had been fired from her job for not removing books, including a memoir by Jazz Jennings, a transgender teen. “It is her biography of her life growing up as a transgender teenager, and obviously this group thought that was too much for their children to read,” Baker said. “No one is forcing their kids to read anything.”

 

Now, residents are suing the county, saying book bans are censorship and violate their First and 14th Amendment rights.

 

Free speech advocates have noticed that the targeting of public libraries isn’t just confined to one or two states.

“It cannot be a coincidence that multiple people around the country are getting the same message,” Jonathan Friedman, the director of free expression and education programs at PEN America, told HuffPost. “They’re taking some of that ‘stolen election’ energy and directing it towards public schools and public libraries.”

 

But there isn’t really a singular group leading the charge — instead different groups, including Moms for Liberty or Catholic Vote, are pushing the same narratives.

 

“The nature of their organizing is that the ideas are bouncing from group to group on Facebook,” Macrina said.

 

Moms For Liberty is a right-wing group with an unassuming name that two former school board members launched in Florida in 2021 to fight for “parental rights,” including battles against mask mandates and “critical race theory.” The group now claims to have 160 chapters in 33 states.

As Media Matters reported, Moms For Liberty is partnering with conservative groups to flood public libraries with children’s books they approve of, like an anti-trans children book or a book that paints Rush Limbaugh as hero — with no regard for how parents of LGBTQ or Black children may feel.

For Pride Month, the conservative political advocacy group Catholic Vote launched a campaign dubbed “Hide the Pride.” In June, the group encouraged parents to go to their public libraries and check out any LGBTQ or other books conservatives don’t like — to prevent other people from reading them. “Do you see rainbow-trans-BLM flags everywhere? Including in your public, taxpayer-funded spaces? We do. And we are meeting the challenge head on,” read one online flier with instructions on how to “reclaim” the library.

The group encouraged people to go to their libraries in groups and record themselves checking out the books, then posted photos online of people doing just that. The group argued its campaign was fair because parents hadn’t been consulted before these books were put in their libraries.

 

The obvious solution for these parents is to just not allow their own children to read about LGBTQ issues or racial justice. But that’s not really why they’re targeting libraries.

“They’re not interested in compromising,” Friedman said. “Their aim is to shut them down and stop them entirely.”

There’s a long tradition of book-banning in the U.S.

 

In the 1980s, the Moral Majority, the group founded by Jerry Falwell, was leading the charge in book banning. Thanks to the election of Ronald Reagan, Christian evangelicals’ influence was growing in public life — and they objected to any books that didn’t reflect their beliefs back at them.

 

But while the movements have echoes of each other, the new effort to ban books has definitely changed.

 

The right-wing culture warriors also have the support of elected officials. As they began their crusade, laws about book banning began showing up in state legislatures.

 

“I’ve never seen that kind of effort to change laws,” Macrina said. “You’re seeing that down to the really micro level now.”

 

 

Even Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) have spoken about book bans in speeches, making book censorship red meat for Republican voters.

“Reactionaries are now advertising themselves as Christian Nationalists. They used to vehemently deny that they were,” Macrina said. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a popular figure in the right-wing movement, is now selling T-shirts identifying herself as such.

These groups want to not only rid public libraries of books they don’t like, but also to reshape public life as we know it. That’s why they claim they’re being censored and are promoting liberty but are only concerned with conservative views.

“It comes from a kind of Trumpian playbook,” Friedman said. “All public institutions are enemies of the state.”

And it’s only a matter of time before they set their sights on another institution.

 

I recently wrote about Christian Nationalism because it is a very dangerous philosophy.

 

http://tohell-andback.blogspot.com/2022/08/christian-nationalism.html

We aren’t going to be able to save all the libraries that are under attack, but there are two things that we can do to save most of them.

1)    Use them. Since moving to Tucson, I have checked out over 600 books.

2)   Vote, but vote Blue

Andrew Carnegie would appreciate your efforts.

 

 

 

you don't bring me flowers anymore

In 1978, Neil Diamond and Barbara Streisand recorded a duet titled, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers”. Both artists had previously recorded solo versions of the song, but recording studios brought them together for the duet, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

It’s a nice song. Have a listen:

Neil Diamond & Barbra Streisand - You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore - YouTube

Have you ever wondered when the custom of giving flowers started?

I had no idea, so I looked it up, and discovered that it’s a practice that has been going on for a LONG time.

Evidence of floral gifts dates back to prehistoric times. Flowers were known to hold great significance to ancient civilizations from Greece to China. Flowers were common in storytelling and mythology. Soon after this emergence, these floral gifts were used to convey messages. During the Middle Ages, Turkey created a system that assigned specific meanings to each type of flower. This quickly gained traction in Western Europe. By the Victorian era, people were using bouquets to express their feelings in a time where showing emotion was considered gauche. Giving flowers became such a complex and meaningful gesture that even the way you presented your arrangement had a purpose.

 Giving flowers that hold meaning is still a common practice. The message behind each flower has evolved over time, with many different cultures developing their own floral languages. White flowers in Chinese culture typically symbolize death, while Western cultures associate them with purity and innocence. It is also popularly understood that red roses bear a romantic message. That’s why it is essential to look into the various meanings behind flowers before you give them. It is much easier to send flowers today, as online shopping makes it possible to add a beautiful bouquet to your cart and have it delivered right to the recipient’s door.

 https://connect2local.com/l/274688/c/698686/the-fascinating-history-of-giving-flowers-as-gifts#:~:text=Evidence%20of%20floral%20gifts%20dates%20back%20to%20prehistoric,these%20floral%20gifts%20were%20used%20to%20convey%20messages.

 In Russia, the Ukraine and former members of the Soviet Union, if you plan to give a woman flowers for a joyful occasion, make sure you give her an odd number of flowers (unlike the even dozen typically given in North America). Even numbers of flowers are reserved for grieving and funerals. This tradition also holds true with some Europeans, but also steer clear of the number 13, as it's considered an unlucky number. Also, avoid giving a woman yellow flowers. Yellow is said to signify the end of a relationship. Unless that's your intent, of course!

https://people.howstuffworks.com/why-is-it-bad-luck-to-give-woman-even-number-flowers.htm#:~:text=Even%20numbers%20of%20flowers%20are%20reserved%20for%20grieving,number.%20Also%2C%20avoid%20giving%20a%20woman%20yellow%20flowers.

Fortunately, the significance of yellow flowers in North America is not the same as it is in Russia, and my bride has always loved them.

I’m a firm believer in the fact that you don’t need a special occasion to give flowers to your favorite female. By  all means, buy some on Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and her birthday, but feel free to bring some home “just because”.

A few years ago, I ordered a bouquet of roses from flowers.com for Mother’s Day. They arrived on time, and came in a nice glass vase. All told, it cost me about $60, definitely money well spent, except for one thing.

Baby’s breath.

Baby’s breath flowers are a common addition to rose bouquets, but they are highly attractive to cats. If eaten in large quantity, though, they can be toxic.

After our cat started chewing on them, I did some research and discovered that they needed to be tossed as soon as possible. Obviously, though, we still kept the roses.

 I go to the grocery store often enough that I should quality for frequent flyer miles. On occasion, I’ll take a quick look at the flower arrangements to see if any are sale. The dozen roses shown below cost me a grand total of $7 – and worth every penny, since that ALWAYS bring a smile to my wife’s face. 

That’s not the only reason we have been married for 50 years, but is likely a contributing factor.