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This Week
Commandments
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Saying It With Flowers
T
here's rosemary, that's for
remembrance ... and there is
pansies, that's for thoughts."
This attention to the meaning of flowers,
as put forth by Shakespeare in Hamlet
(act 4, scene 5), calls to mind that every
spring I have cause to rethink what I've
planted in my garden
Consulting the Society of American
Florists' Flower Library, I found the
"meanings" associated with various blos-
soms. I shall attempt to add my horticul-
tural insights as a frustrated green thumb.
• Amaryllis — dramatic. Oh, yes, there is drama
all right. There is the longing to have it re-bloom,
after being stored several months. There is the
fervent praying over the two inches of pale green
stalk. There are the tears as
the withered bulb is dumped
unceremoniously.
• Apple blossom — prom-
ise. Judging from my neigh-
bor's apple tree, I would have
to say that the only promise
held is for a feast for the deer
in the fall.
• Crocus — foresight. If
this attribute were accurate,
the flower would never come
up with snow still on the ground and then spend
several days trying to put on a colorful show while
freezing in its bed.
• Geranium — comfort. Yes, assuredly there is
comfort in knowing that I can safely plop a couple
of these on my porch in spring and with minimum
care have some color to compete with my neigh-
bors' lush arrangements.
• Gladiolus — strength of character. If they are
so long on strength, why do I have to
buy such large sticks to keep them
from falling over and being shorn by
the lawn maintenance people?
• Hibiscus — delicate beauty. Ah, at
last, I agree. My saucer-shaped lovelies
are the envy of the neighborhood each
summer. Of course, there is nothing
delicate about my desiring praise of
neighbors for my lovely plant.
• Marigold — desire for riches. Well,
they do grow abundantly. However,
the only desire they engender is on my part to have
them deter animals that seek to dine on my other
plants. To this end, I seed them everywhere.
• Sweetpea — shyness. There is nothing shy
about the way these vines, once introduced, take
over and send their shoots and
tendrils everywhere. Pretty, but
invasive; and, boy, can they be
heavy. I've had one clump pull my
trellis into a 45-degree angle!
• Tulip — (depending on
color): caring, royalty, forgiveness,
etc. All I know about these is that
the squirrels and rabbits love the
bulbs. I've yet been able to keep
any in the garden beyond one
season.
•Yarrow — good health. Well, if keeping me on
my knees, thinning, pruning, dead-heading counts,
then I say that the interpreters put a good label on
this one.
Lest you think me a blooming idiot, let me assure
you that I really do like to putter in the garden and
I do appreciate the results. As to what flowers mean
— they mean that I have something to look for-
ward to in spring; and that "ain't" all bad.
❑
Raising The Flag
Ghanian defender John Pantsil made
an endearing gesture to Israelis on
Saturday after his Ghanian national
team upset the Czech Republic, 2-0, at
the World Cup soccer tournament in
Germany.
After the game ended, Pantsil cel-
ebrated by pulling an Israeli flag out
of his sock and waved it at the crowd.
During the Israeli professional season,
he plays defense for Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Ghana's soccer officials were quick to
say that Pantsil was not taking sides in the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict; he simply wanted to thank
Israeli fans in Germany who supported him during
the match.
And Ha'aretz columnist Assaf Gefen was quick
to take celebrating Israelis to task:
"Paintsil's fellow countrymen, and other Africans,
... have been working here for years, and are sub-
jetted to inhuman treatment from
us. Paintsil's partner was no excep-
tion — she was deported before
being allowed back after someone at
Maccabi Tel Aviv made a phone call.
"Paintsil and other African players
receive VIP treatment from Israeli
fans, including monkey calls and
thrown bananas.
"Before we jump on the Ghana
bandwagon, we should perhaps stop
to think and remember that it isn't
our celebration.
If soccer-mad Israelis want to celebrate, rather
than listen to Gefen, they have another opportunity.
Both the coach of the Argentine national team, Jose
Pekerman, and team captain Juan Pablo Sorin are
Jewish.
- Alan Hitsky, associate editor
The state Capitol Committee,
made up of four senators, four
representatives and four mem-
bers of Gov. Jennifer Granholm's
administration, voted 11-1 on
June 7 to authorize an educa-
tional display on law and govern-
ment that would include the Ten
Commandments.
The display would be built on
the ground floor in the Capitol
rotunda in Lansing.
Other documents being con-
sidered for inclusion are the
Magna Carta, Declaration of
Golf Tips
PGA golf pro Jeff Roth of
Knollwood Country Club
gives you the inside track
for improving your game.
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left.
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Punim," the 4-year-old
daughter Laurie Freemar.
and her husband of
Farmington Hills adopted
from China.
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and click on JBlog on the
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Summer Fun
Independence, U.S. Articles of
Confederation, the Northwest
Ordinance and the U.S. and
Michigan constitutions.
The U.S. Supreme Court
last year ruled that the Ten
Commandments could be dis-
played by governments if the
primary nature of the display
was legal traditions. The display
is modeled after a Kentucky
courthouse display that was
ruled constitutional by the U.S.
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in
Cincinnati.
Capitol Committee leaders will
have to review and shorten the
41-page text that was approved
June 7 and the state Attorney
General's Office will review it for
constitutional and legal issues.
The only person to vote
against the resolution was Lisa
Webb Sharpe, director of the
Department of Management and
Budget, and she declined to com-
ment on her vote.
- Alan Hitsky, associate editor
Planning a vacation? You'll
want to check out our
"Summer Fun" special
section. It's chock full of
trip ideas in and around
Michigan.
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and click on the Summer
Fun button on the right.
Gas Pump Blues
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painful to pull in for a fill-up.
How are you coping?
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click on the Gas Pump
Blues button.
This week's
question:
How closely do you follow
events in Iraq?
Very closely
Somewhat
Not at all
Visit the JNonline.us
homepage to cast your vote.
June 22 a 2006 11