THIS MISSISSIPPI GIRL LOVES MAGNOLIAS...ESPECIALLY MY SON'S !

I absolutely love magnolias. They are truly breathtakingly beautiful flowers.
The magnolia is the state flower of Mississippi and the magnolia tree is the state tree...thus the name "The Magnolia State".
When choosing a name for my books of poetry, all about my love for Mississippi and the south, I could not help but use magnolias in the titles and for the covers..
After all, I am a very proud Mississippi Magnolia Girl !

For months, I've been begging my son Henry to draw a magnolia flower for me to use for promotional cards and ads for my books!
He FINALLY did .... in his own sweet teenage time !!! LOL!!! (age 14)
Recently, I woke up with a beautiful magnolia picture on my computer.
I was taken aback and so thrilled !
I love /loved it !!!
Very soon, I plan to use it on some of my business cards and eventually print some note cards.
It is perfect for both!
Henry is a wonderful little budding artist !
Well I guess I shouldn't say little ,..because he's 6 feet tall .
And, I guess, I should say James .....because that is the name he calls himself, now.. LOL!!
Anyway...Here's to the new JHD Designs ...James Henry Dorsey Designs !
I am looking forward to great things from this young man ! 

James Henry Dorsey - Artist

There are many varieties of the magnolia throughout Asia and the Americas. Although it is one of the oldest plants in existence, it wasn't called the magnolia until the 18th century. Long used for medicinal as well as ornamental purposes, the magnolia is now one of the most popular plants in the world
The magnolia is one of the oldest plant species, with fossil remains dating back 36 to 58 million years ago. The magnolia developed long before bees did, so beetles pollinated the flowers. Therefore, the carpels of the magnolia flower are relatively sturdy, to protect against damage from crawling and eating beetles.
Magnolias have been cultivated in Asia since the 7th century and used for medicinal reasons since 1083. To the ancient Chinese, the flowers of the "Yu-lan" variety (Magnolia denudata), also called the Jade Orchid, were considered a symbol of purity, and they were grown in temple gardens since the 7th century (Wikepedia)

 







































 

Mississippi's state flower, the magnolia, was chosen by school children of the state in November 1900.
It is recorded that 23,278 children voted and that the magnolia blossom
received over half of these votes.
The cotton blossom, promoted by the Mississippi Federation of Women's Clubs,
placed second and the cape jasmine placed third.
Magnolia blossom - 12,745 votes. Cotton blossom - 4,171 votes.
Cape jasmine - 2,484 votes  

 


BOOKS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON:
http://tinyurl.com/reflections-pnd
http://tinyurl.com/magnolia-mem-pnd

MY LITTLE SOUTHERN POEMS KEEP MAKING THEIR ROUNDS

I am so proud to say that the audience for the poems from my books Reflections of s Mississippi Magnolia-A Life In Poems and My Magnolia Memories- In Poems keeps growing day by day ..
The poems seem to strike a familiar cord with so many people.

I am very passionate about Celebrating the South and Promoting a Positive Mississippi.
I love that the poems are being used by others to Celebrate the South, in their own way.

THIS SUMMER, I RECEIVED THIS E-MAIL:

Dear Patricia Neely-Dorsey,
A friend of mine found your site and referred me to it so I could read some of your poetry. Your poetry is surely the best I have ever read. As a retired teacher-librarian-media specialist, I have read a few. I moved to Mississippi in the middle of my senior year in high school but went on to college at the "W" and later to MS Southern, East Carolina, Purdue and Samford, for an advanced degrees. I am retired from the Pascagoula School System.
I am president of a Mobile Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The Alabama Division is having a state convention the middle of this September. We would like to reprint two of your lovely poems from the "Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia." We know it isn't a Mississippi organization but our theme for the formal dinner is magnolias and history of the south. We would like to copy the poems on Southern Life and the one on Magnolias on pastel paper, roll the paper with one poem on it, tie it with ribbon, and place it by the place setting as a gift to each participant of the convention. Your name would be placed underneath as author/poet with reference to your book. The poems are lovely and I think everyone would appreciate them. The centerpieces for each table will be silk magnolia blossoms.
Please consider this sincere request for the use of two of your poems.
With highest regards.

I wrote back that I would be glad to have the poems used at the event.
She was thrilled !

After the event in September , I received conformation that the poems had, indeed,been used.
She wrote :
We used your poems. The lady that was helping me, printed them out . Each one was on a separate and different pastel color paper. The tables for the formal dinner sat eight people at each one. A different poem was placed by each place setting. After the meal and the program, we had a number of ladies that waited around and went table by table to collect the different poems that they didn't get. That should give you an idea of well they were received. They liked them so much they wanted all that was available!
I have praised your work to all who will listen. Thank you again for your help.


SHE SENT ME A PICTURE OF ONE OF THE DECORATED TABLES
with the explanation:
My daughter-in-law did the magnolia arrangements for the centerpieces. She is from Biloxi, a career Air Force child. who used to do arrangements for the furniture stores in Biloxi. Her parents are buried right next to the road in the cemetery on Hwy 90 facing beach. Her father immigrated alone to U.S. from Germany when he was 17. He had escaped from a prison work camp. He was with U.S. Air Force in the Berlin Air Lift during WWII.