A week ago we went to a great event with other Dutch, or former Dutch people, in the Atlanta area. We enjoyed some yummy Indonesian food at the home of the Club's President and his gracious wife. That was 30 of us with perfect sunny weather for enjoying a chat on the deck.
Of course I did not drive the 3 hours back home all the way from Marietta!
So we stayed at Hyatt Place Atlanta Perimeter Center, behind the Costco store for making our rounds in the morning.
Great for living here in the USA as stores are open on Sundays as well!
So when we came to Trader Joe's I grabbed these lovely fresh Stock flowers and added also Baby's Breath as a filler. There were no two nosegays of the white stock...
Matthiola Incana or Stock flower. Violier in Dutch...
Oh, how I LOVE their fragrance and so does Pieter.
Oh, how I LOVE their fragrance and so does Pieter.
As a teen, he used to grow them in his Dad's greenhouse for use for the yearly Catholic Sacraments Procession in Groessen, The Netherlands.
They still keep that annual tradition alive, since the 16th Century!
Back then, all the little girls walking in the Blessed Sacrament Procession, outfitted in their white First Communion dresses, got each an armful of Stock flowers to take home after it was over.
Such a Procession was not for First Communion but it was custom then, for wearing the white dresses. I've done so too!
Thousands of Stock Flowers were brought into the Church.
Creating an almost overwhelming heavenly fragrance...
As much as both of us love this, to some people it was too much.
Potted red Geraniums were lined up alongside the entire Procession Route.
A kind of flag pole, with white/yellow pennant and a small rack holding 3 pots with red geraniums...
Quite a sight!
Wish there were still photos...
They stopped along the route through the fields.
There was a special made rest altar, full with flowers and there the Monstrance that got carried by the Priest under a Canopy, would be placed down for prayers.
During the Procession they also sang.
Fond memories about growing up in The Netherlands and both LOVING these White Stock flowers!
Here they reside in our veranda.
Do you also love those fragrant White (or other color) Stock?
Historical tradition from 1520 - 1600 - the above is translated by an app in a 'funny' English but you get the info. Pieter's home town belonged to Germany till 1816, just like my Province of Limburg...
Photo shows the white communion dresses I mentioned above... They were worn during this Blessed Sacrament Procession.
A tradition, still being observed in Pieter's home town!
Thanks for your visit and comment.
Have a great weekend!
Related links:
Processie Groessen 2007 YouTube video from Pieter's birth place where the Blessed Sacrament Procession still is being done annually!
Processie 1520 - 1600 Groessen en Loo Link to the above screen shot in English
Liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeleteherzlichen Dank und frohe Sonntagsgrüße
Elisabeth
I had to look up stock flowers as I've not heard of them before. Very pretty. Sounds like you had a nice trip.
ReplyDeleteThanks for showing us the beautiful flowers. Nature has a strong power.
ReplyDeleteHi Mariette, I love these flowers and can imagine that their fragrance is very good.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bunch of flowers. I enjoyed learning about the First communion rituals in Holland. In Portugal it's still common that the girls use white dresses, they used to be long, but not anymore, but I don't think they do a procession afterwards.
ReplyDeleteDearest Sami,
DeleteNo, it is not about First Communion but the Blessed Sacrament Procession where they get to wear their First Communion dresses. Mine was long too but for years already that has changed.
Hugs,
Mariette
What beautiful flowers! It was interesting to read about the tradition and how wonderful it’s still being observed. Young girls must feel very special to get dressed in First Communion dresses and hold beautiful flowers.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your wonderful memories, Mariette :-)
O wat een practhige bloemen ...ojee mijn eerste communie (wat een ramp )
ReplyDeleteMijn moeder had een lange creme kleurige jurk voor mij gekocht met bloemen
Nog een duren ook geloof ik ...en ik was helemaal geen jurken meisje hihihi
En het zelfde jaar trouwde mijn leeraar dus moest ik de jurk weer aan ...
Maar mijn tweede communie ging ik in jeans ⛪⛪⛪⛪⛪.hihihi
Heel veel liefs ...
Lovely fresh slower There were about how wonderful of the enjoying a chat on the deck, Beautiful fresh flowers! You love there fragrance and so does Piter he used to grow them in the Dad's greenhouse,The annual tradition alive, First Communion dresses and hold beautiful flowers.Wonderful there the monstrance. Your photos in wonderful memories.
ReplyDeleteDear Mariette san!
Michiko
Love the fragrance of stock and often buy white stock for our home. Trader Joe's is a great resource for cut flowers.
ReplyDeleteHappy Fall, my friend.
Wonderful white flowers, dearest Mariette!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely and happy new week,
sending Love and hugs and blessings, Claudia xo
Lindas flores. Linda tradição.
ReplyDeletebjs
Liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeleteich liebe Schleierkraut sehr und kombiniere es oft mit
Rosen.
Einen schönen Wochenanfang wünscht dir
Irmi
Hello Mariette,
ReplyDeleteI like white flowers ! Very beautiful.
Hugs Mariette
Um belo arranjo floral.
ReplyDeleteUm abraço e boa semana.
Andarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
O prazer dos livros
Prachtige bos bloemen...ik hou daar wel van, mooie witte bloemen. En het gipskruid :) is een van mijn favorieten..daar maak je elke bos mooi mee. En wat leuk dat jij ook een " zijdelint borduurseltje' hebt. Ik vind dit echt een hele mooie handwerktechniek, en ook nog eens eentje sie snel resultaat geeft .... Deze workshop was echt leuk om te doen, en krijgt zeker een vervolg. En het is niet zo raar hoor om mij dit te zien doen, ik wil nu eenmaal " alles kunnen/ gedaan hebben" en dit kon ik nog niet. Bijna alle handwerken en handenarbeid soorten zijn ooit al eens gedaan door mij, alleen schoenen maken, dat heb ik nog niet gedaan. Maar verrder kun je het niet opnoemen, of ik heb er ooit een cursus in gevolgd....
ReplyDeleteNee, hoewel ik van kleur hou -vind ik deze witte bloemen just erg mooi ...
ReplyDeleteMariette, Baby's Breath are very beauiful! Trader Joe's must be all over America. We have one also in Manhattan. But since we walk everywhere it's hard to buy alot and get it home! A car is needed for Trader Joe shopping.
ReplyDeleteI can get 4 quarts of buttermilk, 1 pound of walnuts and a pound of another kind of nuts in a backpack, and that's about all I can carry back to my neighborhood.
Mariette, Baby's Breath are very beauiful! Trader Joe's must be all over America. We have one also in Manhattan. But since we walk everywhere it's hard to buy alot and get it home! A car is needed for Trader Joe shopping.
ReplyDeleteI can get 4 quarts of buttermilk, 1 pound of walnuts and a pound of another kind of nuts in a backpack, and that's about all I can carry back to my neighborhood.
Liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeleteo ja und wie liebe ich diese wunderschöne Blume, Violier/Levkojen hatten wir in pink-rot, auch weiß im Garten, mehr noch im elterlichen Bauerngarten, ist aber schon etwas her, aber den Duft habe ich noch in der Nase... herrlich schön ;-))) Und bei Euch sind sonntags die Geschäfte geöffnet, das finde ich toll!! Das müßte man hier auch einführen, doch die Gewerkschaft sträubt sich vehement dagegen, so dass in diesem Jahr maximal 3 verkaufsoffene Sonntag statt finden. Heute beginnt der 509. Gallimarkt in unserer Stadt Leer und aus diesem Anlass gibt es am kommenden Sonntag einen verkaufsoffenen mit allem Drum und Dran, leider nur von 13-18Uhr...
Schön ist es auch, wenn gute historische Traditionen aufrecht erhalten werden...
Liebe Grüße zu Euch von Traudi.♥ aus dem regnerischen Ostfriesland...
P.S. vielleicht fällt der obligatorische Gallimarkt-Bummel ja heute wegen Regen aus ;-(
Very interesting information about the Blessed Sacrament Procession in the Netherlands! Here in Greece, the stock flowers are called violets and they are the main flowers used for the decoration of the Epitaph on Holy Friday! I also love their scent and I usually plant some white, pink and purple in my garden every year. But they are spring flowers and I am surprised that you can still find them at this time of the year! Those white ones surely look lovely along with the baby's breath!!!
ReplyDeleteSending you a big hug from Athens, dearest Mariette!!!
Dearest Marie-Anne,
DeleteNo in your country the απόθεμα also translate to stock and violets are so completely different! Violets are called pansies here.
As for growing them in the garden, you are very lucky in being able to. Here we had them one year but it is way too hot. Sure you find them at this time of the year, they fly them in from the Southern hemisphere where it IS spring now!
Sending you hugs,
Mariette
It always amazes me how smells can bring back beautiful memories. Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteDearest Janey,
DeleteYes, because it is one of our strongest senses and memories and emotions are tied in there!
Happy weekend to you as well!
Hugs,
Mariette
Dearest Mariette; Happy for your LOVELY time♪ Such sweet flowers and arrangement, Dear friend. How wonderful to know the tradition about Procession along with these beautiful white flowers and girls at the Communion♡♡♡ Thank you so much for sharing your birth-country's tradition and memories.
ReplyDeleteps; I really appreciate your kind comments. I wish we both can enjoy (short) fabulous autumn♧♧♧
Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend, xoxo Miyako*
-
Hello my dear Mariette - such a beautiful tradition you have shared here with the lovely stock flowers carried by the girls in white dresses. I, too, wore the white dress for First Communion and we wore veils on our head, too. So sad that the veil tradition is no longer......You noticed the 'Maris Farm' sign on my post and I have to tell you that we have a large population of beautiful Dutch people in WA state that fled from the Nazi invasion and started many farms, especially bulb farms, here. I used to work for one such family who is very prominent here, with a large nursery and retail establishment. The family matriarch told me stories of Nazi tanks rolling through the streets and how people subsisted on eating flower bulbs during the war. Such resilience and bravery. Who knows, maybe the Maris family really are related! Sending hugs xo Karen
ReplyDeleteHello dear Mariette!
ReplyDeleteLate again as usual in commenting on your posts!!!
I just had my sunshine son from Australia for a few days and did he keep me busy!!
What a lovely bouquet of white flowers, from your description I can nearly feel the fragrance in front of my computer! LOL!
I bet you enjoyed those two biking days, what a pleasure to reunite with nature :)
I've spent a lot of time in the mountains as you shall see soon, we are enjoying an incredible indian summer here with temperatures near 30° C. But not good for animal photography as these tend to hide in shady places!
Warm hugs and enjoy your weekend :)))
Beautiful flowers! We can not have flowers inside, I have allergies. Hope you have been lovely day. Here is autumn, water is raining constantly and is dark. The air is at + 3 ° C at night. Greetings
ReplyDeleteLiebe Mariette,
ReplyDeleteinzwischen mag ich auch weiße Blumen. Ich habe diesen Brauch aber erst durch die Blogs kennengelernt. Früher galten bei uns weiße Blumen als Toten-Blumen. Man verschenkte sie nicht an Lebende und kaufte sie sich schon gar nicht selbst! Auch in den Garten vermied man sie.
Das hat sich ja nun geändert. Aber immer nur weiße Blumen wären mir viel zu langweilig. Ich brauche Farbe im Leben. In meinem Garten blühen aber auch weiße Blumen, z.B. Rosen und ich habe ein fast weißes Beet.
Alles Liebe nochmal
Sara
Mariette piekne kwiaty jestem oczarowana.Pozdrawiam serdecznie.
ReplyDelete