Found Treasures: Hawaiian Garden

While it is bittersweet going through my parent's house and all of the things they accumulated throughout almost 50 years there, I have come across many "found treasures".

 I was going through an old file cabinet packed with various papers (including lyrics from long-forgotten Girl Scout songs--but that's another post!), and found this beauty.

"In an Old Hawaiian Garden"

The pages are a little weathered but overall in good shape.  They are heavyweight with a subtle texture.

I thought it looked pretty old so while looking for a copyright date, I found this inscription for my mother for her birthday in 1950.  It was given to her by her Pen Pal from Hawaii.  Sweet!

That was beautiful enough, but then I flipped through the pages...

Each page has a print of a flower and a description of the flower along with a poem about it.  For the Night Blooming Cereus the last sentence says:

"I've thrilled to your tropic loveliness

And have gone away remembering that

You cannot face

A dawn."

I love how the artist included the moon and stars to accentuate the fact that it's a night bloomer.

Wood Rose. 

"...Hand-carved, full-blown Rose

That lives...Forever."

 

  Ape:

"...The other flowers lean against

Your strength and quiet beauty."

Cup of Gold:

"So many walk by you,

Dreaming of treasures

They will never possess..."

Anthurium:

"...You've sacrificed your fragrance

To other flowers..."

Bird of Paradise:

"...You remind me of

A tropic bird

Who boasts so proudly of his plumage..."

I love the shading.

White Ginger:

"...Your fragrance thrilled me then,

But sweeter yet

Was the Lei you made

The day I went away..."

Red Hibiscus:

"...You've charmed your way

To live forever

A lasting part

Of Paradise."

The colors in the book are still so vibrant.

It's in beautiful shape for a book this old!

More importantly, it left yet another story of my mother for me.