The Language of Flowers
While we were in California, I read a delicious novel. I saw a pin on Pinterest and clicked on over to Amazon right away to download this beautifully titled book. I was not disappointed. In fact, Vanessa Diffenbaugh's writing is just my cup of tea. Have you read it? There are a few spoiler reviews on Amazon and quite frankly these reviews made me roll my eyes and say, "Whatever." I ordered my book just after reading it on the Kindle app. I couldn't wait to start my wacky way of annotating.
The book begins when Victoria (the main character who is extremely intriguing) turns 18 and is emancipated. She's been in foster care all her life. She communicates through the language of flowers. I watched an interview of Vanessa Diffenbaugh and she shares that she learned the language of flowers as a teenager. She cherished knowing that she knew a language that others did not know. I like that, too.
V.D.'s style is beautiful. I rewrote some of her lines in my copy.
Sorry, I forgot to crop this shadow. Smile.
"infusing my contentment with an edge of despair." Thoughtful and powerful word choice, right?
Here is the companion book. Now I shall be on the look out for flower dictionaries at used book stores, antique shops, and thrift stores.
If you read this book, will you let me know? I'd love to talk to you about it.
We have snow on the ground, but when the weather was fair this last weekend, I bought a few seed packets. Aren't they pretty?
My herb garden is on the dining room table.
I can't WAIT for flowers this spring and summer. I feel sure that the fairies are wearing their woolies right now, but soon they'll trade their sweaters for gossamer gowns and begin their moonlight balls. Yahoo!
It's library day at school (again!) and I like going to the library under the spell of a beautifully written novel. As I reread each page of The Language of Flowers, I feel a deep sense of happiness. I haven't come upon such a delightful contemporary novel in quite some time. I'm thankful for it. Thank you, Vanessa Diffenbaugh.
I pray that the rooms of your heart are full of light and the fragrance of His spirit today.
Thank you for stopping in, dear.
31 comments:
I read this lovely novel back in the fall...it was one of those that "stayed with me" ~ I was sorry when it ended! (That is definitely the sign of a good book!) I think it is fantastic how you have rewritten lines that spoke to you...you know, I never do that (thinking I have to keep books pristine), but ~ I am asking myself right now ~ why not? I would love to have more books that my mother and grandmothers had written in ~ in fact, when our home burned 2 years ago (a desperately sad time for us ~ we lost all our animals), one of the little fragments of a book page I kept, though it was partially burned, was one that my great, great grandfather had written a little poem in...So bravo for you! ~ (and I think I need to take a "page from your book", so to speak!)
So nice to meet you...lovely blog ~ I'm now following!
Best,
Anne
You've sold me--I'm going to read this book and we'll talk about it! I bought plants for my garden yesterday, mostly lavender, and am in a flowery sort of mood. Happy spring!
xofrances
Well I know what I will be tracking down. It sounds fantastic. The weather report says "mostly sunny" today. I will have to bundle up and carry an umbrella to go for a walk. The wind is blowing too.
A lovely day to stay inside and sew. I am not at all sad.
I wish I had that book and I would sit and read. Have a lovely day at the library today. I always loved library days.
Have a wonderful rest of the week.
what a beautiful breath of fresh spring air you've brought to my morning. thank you.
the books look both intrigueing and delightful and i will have to go the library soon and make a request~!
i love. love. LOVE~!!!~ the idea of putting strawberries in the bottom of a simple flower arrangement~! how very clever and gorgeous. i'll be visiting a friend today and i think i know what i'll take her.
i hope your flower/garden fairy's get to remove their woolies soon . . .
:-)
libbyQ
p.s. you have made your copy of the book absolutely wonderful. what a treasure it is now~!
:-)
libbyQ
It sounds really unusual! You are very artistic and I love your outlined writing thing you do too! :) xxx
Sounds like a great book.
I know that rosemary stands for remembrance- so when I am arranging flowers for memorial services I always include a sprig from the lovely bush in my garden.
I do love your annotated books!
Easter blessings x
I love a good book recommendation. This will go on my summer book list.
I've not bought flowers or plants, but the rumor is that our restrictions on watering might be lifted to stage 2 which is a very good sign.
How can I not read this book after such a glowing review? Of course I want the Pom Pom embellished volume!!
Blessings, Debbie
I downloaded the sample & liked very much. I've got in my cart & look forward to reading it as soon as I finish the 200 books I'm reading now ;)! If you love it, I know I will too.
Hugs,
G
And snow?!
I love what you've written in the book! How special that will be some day for your children and grandchildren. I'll keep a watch for flower books for you. Our library is having a big sale in a few weeks, so I might be able to find one then.
You were altering books before it even became fashionable! Your books will be a great treasure for your children to come across later and to remember their whimsical mom!
Have a blessed Easter!
Hello PomPom, I'm just popping in to say how much I love reading your posts: they are always so cheery, optimistic and inspiring. I think you must be a fab teacher - I always want to listen to what you say, so if your class don't appreciate you, tell them from me that they need to Pull Their Socks Up!
Flowers are incredibly important!
This authoress sounds so gifted,
she is a 'see - er'... I would always want to read a book by some -one like that!
Light and fragrance coming thro' your post, PP, thankyou!
Do you think flowers, like dreams, mean what we, as individuals, think they mean? If so, how come there are agreed meanings? I think maybe they actually do 'say' certain things according to their species....sorry, I've gone away withe the (woolly clad) fairies!!
xxx H
I expect you have noticed I often buy the books you read and this is now on my 'wanted list'. It's 'right up my street' as my dad would have said. I will try the library first. It's rainy and cold here but still pretty because the bluebells came out this week. I love the rain so don't mind - I like to get my hair wet! Love your herb garden - I have the beginnings of one too. Have a blessed Easter Pompom and lots of chocolate bunnies. Bettyx
Lovely! Sounds like a good book idea :) Here's a possible interesting website for you: http://www.languageofflowers.com/
oh love it pom.. hugs from fuzzy chickie(:)
So what did you mean 'to ask for Pom pictures'? You are welcome to any I have on the blog, or did you want me to try to send some via email??
~~Debbie
You goof! I'll work on that... ;)
Blessings, Debbie
I'm with Debbie, I want the Pom Pom illustrated version of the book. Now I must look for it.
Jody
Hope you have a wonderful Easter(:)
Sounds like a great read! I will have to keep my eyes open for it.
Blessings!
Deborah
The book looks wonderful, I love all the notes and drawings you have added to it. Ever since I was a little girl, and I saw the book 'the language of flowers' in my auntie and uncles house, I have been meaning to get this book for myself, as I do love flowers, I think now I will invest in it :)
I love the seeds your going to plant, and your herb garden.
I am hoping the weather turns nice again next week, so I can get some gardening done :)
Happy Easter Pom Pom :) xxx
Thank you so much for visiting me, Dear! Have a glorious and blessed Easter!
Hugs,
Anne
Also, I am adding you to my sidebar...♥
I shall have to go back & investigate now...I wonder if it was Vanessa who commented a few times after I had written about the language of particular flowers...she was an author & had just published a book...intriguing. Good, now you'll be well motivated to get yourself off to those thrift & antique shops...you just never know what delightful treasures you might find! Aren't flowers just so wonder-FULL! The name Burpee associated with flowers always makes me laugh. I think that company might have been around for a very long time now. Well I'm not surprised that ivy speaks of fidelity...once you've got it you'll ALWAYS have it!!! Bless you dear fragrant friend. Have a lovely week. x0x0x
Thank you for popping by my blog - lovely to see you there. I love your table top herb garden -they all look so healthy. Maggie xx
That sounds wonderful...I am not familiar with that book at all...but I would love to read one of your books after you, your notes would be wonderful to enjoy!!
I am enjoying putting out flowers this year...they are blooming just wonderful and I hope we don't have heat too fast.
Happy Easter...He Has Risen!
Oh this books sounds so wonderful! I read a few lines from your first picture and I like her writing style. A good book is such a wonderful thing isn't it? I started rereading one of the Anne books tonight. A dear familiar book is such a good friend x
Pom Pom...no I never come back and read if there is a comment back to me..I can't seem to stay caught up! LOL
If the person who comments on my post has the "no-reply" then I don't reply back to them through email...like I do those who have a email address attached.
That is the only way I know to do it, but please know I am always blessed by visiting here and always, always blessed by your comments on my blog...thank you
Lovely post, as always. Though that particular author may not care to be referred to by her initials. Just saying.
Love you mama,
brad
This is a skillfully told, compelling story of love and survival that totally drew me into the struggling young protagonist's world. I couldn't stop reading once I began and was fascinated by the way 18-year-old Victoria goes from a life of abuse in foster care to make her way in the world using her love of flowers to support herself and reach out to others. There's a mystery in her past about what went wrong with the almost perfect seeming foster mother who taught her the language of flowers and a romance in the present that unfolds with a handsome young grower who seems to understand that language. It makes for fascinating and deeply involving storytelling as the chapters alternate from past to present and tell both tales.
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