Lily of the Valley: Tiny Flowers in Retrospect

Posted on January 10, 2026 by Brian H. Gill
Rosendahl's photo: lily of the valley.
Lily of the valley. Rosendahl’s photo.

Depending on who’s talking and what they’re talking about, lily of the valley is a woodland flower that likes shade, a 19th century hymn, a French novel, or something else.1

I’m not going to be talking about hymns or novels. Not today, anyway.

There’s a whole mess of symbolism hanging around these little white flowers, too. Mostly involving humility, happiness and good stuff like that. Which strikes me as odd, since the wildflowers are distinctly poisonous.2 On the other hand, they do — I gather — smell nice.

I’m not going to talk about that, either. Mostly because the lily of the valley’s sprays of tiny white flowers are, for me, symbolic of a house I grew up in. Along with a rhubarb patch. And clothes lines. Among other things.

Wildflower, Weed: Take Your Pick

Anonymous photo from The Old Car Manual Project: Brochures. 1957 Pontiac Chieftain four-door sedan. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Chieftain
My folks had a car not unlike this one.

The first house I remember living in, 818, had room on its north side for a driveway, with about a foot left over next to the house.

Although my parents weren’t particularly enthusiastic gardeners, that foot-wide patch of dirt sported a lush green cover and lovely little white flowers every year. I liked the green, and I really liked those tiny white bells. I remember asking my folks about them, and learning that they’re ‘weeds’. Or not particularly desirable, at any rate.

Why they were undesirable, that’s something I wasn’t told.

A Weed by Any Other Name Would Still Look Nice

Violmsyan's photo: Lily of the valley in Yerevan, Armenia. (May 10, 2020) from https://gardens.si.edu/gardens/pioneering-plants-at-the-national-museum-of-natural-history/ and see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lily_of_the_valley_in_Yerevan_01.jpg
Lily of the valley in Yerevan, Armenia. Violmsyan’s photo. (May 10, 2020)

That remained one of many puzzles from my formative years: until I looked up lily of the valley, week before last.

Some tightly-wound resources identified lily of the valley as an invasive species. Which, technically, I suppose it is. Although it’s not even close to being in the kudzu class.3

Convallaria majalis, that’s lily of the valley’s binomial/Linnaean/Latin moniker, is supposed to be in Europe and parts of Asia.

Illustration of Convallaria majalis, from 'Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen', Franz Eugen Köhler (1897).
Convallaria majalis, illustration from “Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen”, Franz Eugen Köhler (1897).

Time was when we had, officially, varieties of Convallaria majalis:

  • Convallaria majalis var. majalis
    • European/Asian lily of the valley
  • Convallaria majalis var. keiskei
    • Japanese lily of the valley
  • Convallaria majalis var. montana
    • Appalachian lily of the valley

Now they’re seen as three entirely different species:

  • Convallaria majalis
    • European/Asian lily of the valley
  • Convallaria keiskei
    • Japanese lily of the valley
  • Convallaria pseudomajalis
    • Appalachian lily of the valley

Either way, those tiny white flowers look like lily of the valley to me, so that’s what I’ll call them. And I’ll keep remembering them as a delightful sight on the north side of 818, even though they don’t, officially, belong in central North America.

More Memories, and Making Sense of “Humility”

Fred Barnard's Uriah Heep, from 'David Copperfield. (1870s) see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uriah_Heep_(David_Copperfield)
“… ‘I am well aware that I am the umblest person going,’ said Uriah Heep, modestly….”
(“David Copperfield”, Ch. 16, C. Dickens)

When I started writing this, I couldn’t quite remember what those little white flowers were called.

I asked my wife — always a good idea, whatever the circumstances — she thought a moment, then said “lily of the valley?”

That sounded right, so I did a little looking around online, and eventually I found Rosendahl’s photo. Who Rosendahl is, that I don’t know.

I could go on — and on, and on — about 818, life without a sense of smell, and why humility isn’t all about smart folks trying to believe they’re not.

But I won’t. I’m taking it easy this week.

Besides, I’ve talked about that before:

1 Lots and lots of lilies of the valley:

2 Lovely, fragrant, lethal:

3 It seemed like a good idea at the time:

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Satan, Sin, Politics, and Making Sense Anyway

Posted on January 3, 2026 by Brian H. Gill
“The Devil”, Fulton Sheen, Family Retreat (5 of 12), Catholic Clips on YouTube.

I may offend pretty much everyone this week. Then again, maybe not.

Either way, instead of what I’d planned on writing, I’ll be sharing a video which, despite some rather dated terminology, makes good points about the devil: and why living as if ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ exist makes sense. I’ve got a bit to say about that, too.

This isn’t my favorite topic, but — touching on it seemed like a good idea.

Watching an Old Video

Fred Palumbo, World Telegram staff photographer's photo: Fulton J. Sheen, Roman Catholic Bishop and early television preacher, on a set for one of his regular television programs. (1952) New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection, Library of Congress, http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c23461 via Wikipedia
Fulton J. Sheen. (1952)

It’s been ‘one of those weeks’, although there’s nothing obviously wrong with me, and life is going well.

Even so, I kept getting writer’s block whenever I sat down and tried writing about what I had in mind for this week.

Then a 37-minute video of the Venerable Fulton Sheen, possibly from the early 1970s, showed up in my YouTube feed.

I’ve known about Fulton Sheen since before I became a Catholic, and figured I had 37 minutes available for the video.

That’s more time than I’ll set aside for an old “The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends” show. But I started watching anyway. Partly because Fulton Sheen is among the folks I think make sense when they talk or write.

By the time I was through listening, I’d started writing this.

Theology, Slogans, and Human Nature

John Martin's painting: 'Pandemonium' (1841) see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Martin_(painter) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pand%C3%A6monium_(Paradise_Lost)
John Martin’s “Pandemonium”. (1841)

I wouldn’t take all theological details of a joke Fulton Sheen told in the first few minutes too seriously.

It involves tourist jaunts between Heaven and Hell. The point isn’t the jaunts, but what the devil ‘looks like’ as we go along through life.

Another thing: Fulton Sheen was talking to Christians in this video. That may be why he didn’t spend time talking about why following Jesus is the right choice. I won’t, either, beyond saying that seeking truth and accepting mercy makes sense. To me, at any rate.

As for why I see a point in sharing a video recorded a half-century back — some things change, some don’t change.

Fashions, like maxicoats — or was it maxiskirts? — change. So do slogans, like “theology is politics” and “I gotta be me”.

Other things don’t change, like whether or not hating my neighbor is okay. It’s not okay, by the way. I should love God, love my neighbors, and see everyone as my neighbor. Always. (Matthew 5:43–44, 22:36–40; Mark 12:28–31; Luke 6:31, 10:25–27, 29–37; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2196)

Human nature hasn’t changed, either. It’s as good, and as wounded, now as it was in my youth, on that first Christmas, and since long before we started keeping written records.

That’s why I think that what Fulton Sheen said about the devil/Satan, attitudes, assumptions, and living as if what we do matters, is worth hearing.

Finally, before I wrap this up, about theology:

“Theology and religion are not the same thing. When the churches are controlled by theologians religious people stay away.”
[Holbrook Jackson]
“Theology is simply that part of religion that requires brains”
[G. K. Chesterton’s comment, written in green pencil]
(“Platitudes Undone”, Ignatius Press (1997 page 25 (The Inner Temple)); facsimile edition of “Platitudes in the Making: Precepts and Advices for Gentlefolk”, Holbrook Jackson (1911)

Considering attitudes and opinions that have been seen as ‘intelligent’ or ‘reverent’, I’d better say it: I think Chesterton is right about theology.

Making Sense

Promotional poster: 'Thurston the Great Magician'. (1910) Strobridge Lithograph Co., Cincinnati, New York see https://loc.gov/pictures/collection/var/
A stage magician’s poster. (1910)
Colorful, but not theologically sound.

At the moment, I’m simply not up to explaining why I think Satan is real and doesn’t wear red tights.

The same goes for why I —

  • Take Jesus seriously
  • Try acting as if my beliefs matter
  • Take civic responsibility seriously
  • Believe some acts are always right
    • And some are always wrong

— and why seeing ethics/morality as more than personal preference doesn’t make me ‘political’.

Besides, I’ve talked about Satan, Jesus, being human, and all that, before:

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Blizzard Coming: December 2025

Posted on December 28, 2025 by Brian H. Gill
Weather map 00:30 UTC December 28, 2025: blizzard warning where I live.

It’s going to be one of those weekends.

From the local forecast page Saturday evening:

Dense Fog Advisory until December 28, 06:00 AM CST
Blizzard Warning in effect from December 28, 09:00 AM CST until December 29, 06:00 AM CST
(Current conditions and forecast for Sauk Centre Municipal Airport (KD39))

Normally, I can see Our Lady of the Angels’ bell tower from the north window.

A little after noon on Saturday, it was visible: but only as a gray shape in the grayness cloaking my part of the world. It’s two blocks away — something like six or seven hundred feet. Call it 200 meters, give or take a bit.

Later that afternoon, All that showed above the leafless trees was grayness. The trees themselves weren’t so much trees as general outlines of trees, rendered in pale monochrome watercolor.

It’s been a very foggy day.

There’s a slight chance of freezing rain before the snow starts, and the odds are that the fog will freeze on roads and sidewalks in at least a few places.

The good news is that these days we have pretty good weather data and forecasting.

It hasn’t always been that way.

My mother talked about a particularly bad storm in the Red River Valley. It wasn’t just severe: it had started on a mild, beautiful day with Courier-and-Ives flakes of snow drifting down. Folks hitched up their sleighs/sleds/whatever and went out to enjoy a winter ride.

Then the wind picked up, the temperature went down, and snow started coming in wholesale lots. Some folks didn’t make it home.

I can’t say which storm that was. It might be this one:

  • “Blizzard of 1896”
    Grand Forks Photographic Collection, University of North Dakota Scholarly Commons

But much more probably was another one, a bit more recently.

I’m not going to try sorting that out now.

Meanwhile, I see that some of the New England states are experiencing a winter weather advisory. I hope folks there either have the equipment needed, or know someone who does; and have an insulated, heated place to stay.

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Christmas: 12 Days, Songs, Lists, and Singing Mice

Posted on December 27, 2025 by Brian H. Gill
Brian H. Gill's photo: mouse chorus made by CMG. (December 20, 2025)
Chorus of mice, part of this household’s Advent scene. (December 20, 2025)

This is a very ‘Catholic’ household. But everything we do isn’t uniquely ‘Catholic’, or something Catholics must always do.

Take those mice, for example. My wife made them from bits of felt and cloth some years back, and they’ve been part of our Advent/Christmas displays ever since.

But having a chorus of felt mice isn’t an essential part of being Catholic.

There’s 11 of them, one short of the 12 days of Christmas, but there’s no profound symbolism involved. Aside from maybe representing the festive songs of this season.

“The Twelve Days of Christmas”, Numbers, and Lists

Walt Kelly's Pogo: Miz Beaver at Miggle's gift exchange and return counter, on the 10th day of Christmas. (December 31, 1971?) see https://panologist.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/no-partridges-today/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogo_(comic_strip)
Miz Beaver on the 10th day of Christmas. Pogo comic strip.

“The Twelve Days of Christmas” is among this season’s better-known songs.

The version we sing has been around since 1909. The song existed in one form or another since at least the late 18th century.

A little clerical work shows there’s nothing odd about the lyrics. Literally. From the 12 partridges to the 12 drummers, there isn’t an odd number in the list:

  • Gifts in the “Twelve Days of Christmas”
    • 12 Partridges (1 x 12 = 12)
    • 22 Doves (2 x 11 = 22)
    • 30 Hens (3 x 10 = 30)
    • 36 Calling birds (4 x 9 = 36)
    • 40 Golden rings (5 x 8 = 40)
    • 42 Geese (6 x 7 = 42)
    • 42 Swans (7 x 6 = 42)
    • 40 Maids (8 x 5 = 40)
    • 36 Ladies (9 x 4 = 36)
    • 30 Lords (10 x 3 = 30)
    • 22 Pipers (11 x 2 = 22)
    • 12 Drummers (12 x 1 = 12)
  • 364 gifts total

Adding them all up, that’s 364 gifts.

That’s just one less than the number of days in a year! Well, just one and just-shy-of-a-quarter days.

All those numbers, along with a few coincidences, suggest that the song means something.

Maybe so.

But most folks have a knack for seeing patterns in pretty much anything. There’s a five-dollar word for that sort of thing — “the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things” — apophenia.

My guess is that “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, along with “Jingle Bells” and “White Christmas”, are songs we hear and sing during the Christmas season: but don’t have any particularly deep spiritual significance.1

That hasn’t kept folks from assigning meaning to the song’s birds and other gifts.

Drummers, Pipers, and Variable Birds

CMG Lee's visualisation of the number of gifts received each day in 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. Block textures are from a poster by Xavier Romero-Frias. see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrahedral_number#Popular_culture

A few years ago, I ran into this rundown of what the gifts listed “The Twelve Days of Christmas” ‘really’ are:

  1. A partridge in a pear tree
    • Jesus
  2. Two turtle doves
    • The Old and New Testaments
  3. Three French hens
    • Faith, hope, and love
  4. Four calling birds
    • The four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
  5. Five golden rings
    • The first five books of the Old Testament, which describe man’s fall into sin and the great love of God in sending a Savior
  6. Six geese a-laying
    • The six days of creation
  7. Seven swans a-swimming
    • The sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy
  8. Eight maids a-milking
    • The eight beatitudes
  9. Nine ladies dancing
    • The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience (Forbearance), Goodness (Kindness), Mildness, Fidelity, Modesty, Continency (Chastity)
  10. Ten lords a-leaping
    • The Ten Commandments
  11. Eleven pipers piping
    • The eleven faithful Apostles
  12. The twelve drummers drumming
    • The twelve points of belief in The Apostles’ Creed

The numbers line up.

But the song’s assorted versions have replaced the eight maids a milking with hares a running, ladies dancing, hounds a running, and boys a singing, so I’m not convinced.

As for the partridge: okay, maybe. But again, I’m not convinced. The bird, and how it relates to the tree, has varied:

  • Partridge in a pear-tree
  • Parteridge in a pear tree
  • Partridge upon a pear tree
  • Partridge and a pear tree
  • Partridge on a pear tree
  • Merry partridge on a pear tree
  • Very pretty peacock upon a pear tree

Then there’s the tree in the first gift. It’s variable, too:2

  • Part of a juniper tree
  • Some part of a juniper tree/and some part of a juniper tree
  • The sprig of a juniper tree
  • Goldie ring, and the part of a June apple tree

The Apostles’ Creed as a 12-Point List

'Deck Us All With Boston Charlie', a partial rendition of Walt Kelly's Christmas song, in his 'Pogo' comic strip. (1948 or thereabouts)

Don’t get me wrong. I think the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Beatitudes, and the Gospels matter. I certainly think Jesus matters: a lot.

Good grief, I’m a Christian. Of course I think Jesus matters.

But that doesn’t mean I think “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is a secret message.

I do, however, think it’s a nice song: one that I sing occasionally. And it’s a part of this season that I enjoy.

I also think making lists can make sense when it comes to remembering stuff, so I broke the Apostle’s Creed out into a 12-point list:

  • Apostles Creed (from Catechism of the Catholic Church, Credo)
    1. I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth
    2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord
    3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary
    4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried
    5. He descended to the dead
    6. On the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty
    7. From there he will come again to judge the living and the dead
    8. I believe in the Holy Spirit
    9. The holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints
    10. The forgiveness of sins
    11. The resurrection of the body
    12. And the life everlasting
  • Amen

But I’m guessing that making the list won’t change how I repeat it in prayers and the like.

Christmases, Change, and Constants

Brian H. Gill's photo: the household's back yard. (December 20, 2025)
Saturday, December 20: looking hopeful for a white Christmas this year.

“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow….”
(“White Christmas” , Bing Crosby Lyrics, AZLyrics.com)

I live in central Minnesota, so I don’t have to dream of white Christmases most years.

Since I was born during the Truman administration, recent Christmases aren’t “just like the ones I used to know”. Change happens. I’ve seen a great deal of it. Some changes were long-overdue. Some haven’t gone the way I hoped.

But some things don’t change. Like human nature, which is still basically good. I’ve talked about that, and related ideas, before:

1 Seasonal songs, impalpable patterns, and a unit of time:

2 More than you need, or may want, to know about:

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Something Pleasant: Christmas Decorations From Minnesota

Posted on December 26, 2025 by Brian H. Gill

I ran across “So Minnesota: Department 56 is a Christmas tradition” on YouTube yesterday afternoon. I’ve seen these ceramic ‘Christmas village’ buildings and their many look-alikes, but hadn’t known their origin story.

“Department 56, a Christmas tradition found in homes around the world, started right here in Minnesota. Story: kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/so-minnesota-department-56-is-a-christmas-tradition“
(“So Minnesota: Department 56 is a Christmas tradition” , KSTP 5 Eyewitness News on YouTube (December 24, 2025))

The video runs just under five minutes. Enjoy.

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