Summer Glads?

My Sad-iolas

July is for gladiolas. We actually participated in a weekend Gladiola Festival in a previous community south of Chicago where we lived for a few years. All I really remember about it is from a few photographs--my husband is comparatively slim, carrying a cooler of cold drinks served by the youth group from our church during the parade and festivities. He was actually jogging down country roads lined with corn at that time, back when our oldest daughter, Rebecca, was just 4 years old. We have a happy photo of her on her hot wheel cycle holding up her blue ribbon, having triumphed over all the boys in the race, coached by her Dad with a winning strategy. The caption reads "She'll always be a winner."

For years Rebecca bought two or three bunches of "glads" for my birthday on July 18. They are readily available in the middle of July and always look rather dramatic for a few days.

I purchased the glads above, displaying them in a large teak vase from Indonesia. My husband was in Jakarta to teach a class in January of 2009 and I asked him to try to bring home something teak for me and I was glad he found this nice piece. I lined the solid wood vase with a large plastic cup from Mickey D's.

Sunday he looked at the gladiolas and suggested they looked like sadiolas and I agreed. I had neglected to compost them (more of an effort than throwing them in the trash).

Sunday evening Rebecca was visiting for just a day following a reunion and I filled the vase with white hydrangeas which I think she appreciated more than the traditional summer glads. I meant to remind her of the glads she used to buy for me but time was short and the subject never came up.