October 30, 2026 by Born To Organize

October’s End

My usual exuberance for all things Halloween, and for October in general, has been tempered by the approaching mid-term elections in the US.

I signed up to write 200 get-out-the-vote postcards, but I severely underestimated how long it would take to hand-address each card, print a specific message, and add postage to so many. They had to be mailed on October 21, and I didn’t return from my Ohio trip until the wee hours of October 20.

I tried writing the cards on my flight to Ohio, but only managed to write ten! Yikes. The plane’s bumps, the low tray table, and other annoyances had me set them aside for something more mundane. Once home and easing into local time, I got started in earnest. My friend Mary offered to help, stopping by for an hour and a half to complete 25 cards. In the end, I mailed over 100 postcards by the stated deadline, and I know the next time to invite a group of friends to help.

Nearly 80% of California voters vote by mail, but you can return your ballot in person to a drop box, which we opted to do this time. Tuesday is election day, so for now we wait.

Temperatures throughout October remained unseasonably warm, sometimes as much as 15 degrees above norms. We had one glorious day of rain, and then the warm weather returned. It’s an odd juxtaposition of falling leaves and shirtsleeve weather.

My garden surprised me with a volunteer pumpkin in early August. I watched over it like a mama cat with her kittens. I harvested the pumpkin when it was fully orange, but over the month it turned green. I’ve never had that happen before.

Mike loves carving pumpkins, so he bought three at a local market today, and as of this evening, he’s finished carving two. One is a new pattern he printed from the web: a pumpkin-headed scarecrow. He also carved a Minion from the popular children’s movie—just one more to go.

Halloween is big in our neighborhood, and it falls on a Saturday this year, so we’re expecting about 500 doorbell ringers tomorrow. I enjoy the creativity of many of the costumes, and I adore the little ones holding out a bag for a sweet, not fully understanding what’s going on. I’ve taken snapshots of a couple of neighborhood displays, below.

In between work, travel, and other responsibilities, I’ve been doing the usual fall chores. The Magnolia drops leaves and heavy seed pods this time of year, so I clear them out of the shrubs below using a rake or my gloved hands. A few weeds remain, but prolonged dry temps keep them in check, at least for now. The work is therapeutic, and the earth’s closeness soothes my rattled soul.

Happy Halloween!

October 14, 2026 by Born To Organize

Scrap Happy Mixed Media Halloween Cards

I’m joining the Scrap Happy crafters this month with a series of Halloween greeting cards.

My scrappy creations include paper, embossing powder, embossing enamel, Distress Oxide Ink, and Gesso.

I had one 6 x 6 sheet of paper with a small brick pattern, part of a free-with-purchase order last year. I was able to used that little paper over four cards

This year I created Halloween greetings using leftover oversized playing cards. I’ve wanted to try this altered card technique for some time, but I’ve never been successful. Halloween lends itself well to more random design, so I parked my trepidation at the door and had fun.

Applying Gesso to the face of the playing cards gives the otherwise glossy surface tooth. I wanted the number and suit of the playing card partially visible in each design, and I mostly managed that. As I created cards with the royalty suits, I realized how serious they looked, all the more so once inky spider webs entered the mix. In all the years I’ve played cards, I don’t think I noticed.

This set uses numbered playing cards.

I created one card using vintage stamps enhanced with oxide inks to make the blue stamps look like nightime sky, and a gold to soften the browns for the field. If I did this again, I would have created a softer edge between the top and bottom. I scribbled with a gold pen but I’m not sure it reads well. Again, the process and the learning is what makes this fun.

I photographed the altered playing cards, but I forgot to take pictures once they became Halloween cards. I’m writing this from Ohio, where I’m visiting a friend, so I’ll ask you to visualize a playing card mounted on black paper, then applied to a folding card. I used craft paper cards for the small brick series, and white cards for the rest. Below are two examples as finished cards.

Fellow makers, please consider joining us for this monthly, no-commitment challenge to create from scraps.

Thank you, Kjerstin, for hosting ScrapHappy. The following bloggers also take part in this challenge.

Kjerstin, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Sue L, Vera, Kate,
Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Viv, Karrin, Alissa, Tierney,
Hannah, Maggie and Wizzy

October 13, 2026 by Born To Organize

A Ceramic Basket of Flowers in a Vase on Monday

A decorative basket filled with colorful flowers, including pink and orange lilies and purple flowering plants, surrounded by green foliage.

I received a gorgeous flower arrangement for my birthday earlier this month in a charming ceramic basket-weave vase. Once the flowers were spent, I was happy to fill the vase again with cuttings from my garden. Choices are limited this time of year, so I’m pleased that I could put and arrangement together.

A colorful floral arrangement featuring pink and orange alstroemeria flowers, purple sage flowers, and variegated green leaves, placed on a round blue plate.

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting this weekly meme, In a Vase on Monday or IAVOM. It’s fun joining in as well as seeing other beautiful garden arrangements from around the world. Our host lives in England. Others join from Germany, Canada, and the US.

A vibrant bouquet featuring colorful flowers, including pink and white Alstroemeria with red markings, surrounded by green leaves and purple accents.

Alstroemeria, commonly called Peruvian lily, and Salvia, this variety is Mexican Sage, provide color, while clippings from our Pittosporum provide texture and support for the minimal blooms.

A small, woven-style orange basket filled with colorful flowers, including purple and pink blooms, sitting on a decorative black plate outdoors.

I took photos of the vase outdoors as the sun set, then brought it inside and placed it on a coppery charger from a craft store. Nestled nearby is a crocheted pumpkin, a gift from Cathy at Words and Herbs several years ago. Isn’t it sweet?

A woven basket filled with colorful flowers, including purple and orange blooms, placed on a wooden table next to a crocheted red tomato with green leaves.

If flower arranging, gardening, or a combination thereof is your thing, please pop over to Cathy’s Rambling in the Garden to see the creative beauty from gardens around the world.

September 21, 2026 by Born To Organize

Art, Culture, and an Anniversary in Chicago

We arrived in Chicago last Wednesday on a warm, overcast afternoon, ready to explore this iconic city and excited to visit the Obama Presidential Center. I booked our museum tickets in April; the center opened in mid-June, and here we are in late September, celebrating the autumnal equinox and our 31st wedding anniversary, and reminiscing about a time of compassionate and intelligent leadership. Yes We Can – Barack Obama Music Video

One of our favorite NPR radio shows, Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me, records on Thursdays at the renovated Studebaker Theater. They tour the country throughout the year, so we lucked out getting tickets while they were here in town. We laughed and cheered at the two-hour show, which will be edited down to an hour. It will be fun listening to the podcast when we’re back home, knowing we were in the audience.

The following night we attended an improv show at The Second City, known for launching several show business careers, including Alan Alda, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, Gilda Radner, and Jason Sudeikis. I’ve taken improv classes before, so I appreciate the talent on stage and wish them all future success. It was another night of laughter.

Exterior view of The Second City building featuring a prominent yellow sign and decorative architecture, surrounded by trees and urban elements.

We’ve been walking three to five miles a day, stopping in at unexpected places like a Harry Potter store

A person enjoying Butterbeer in a cafe with a window view, smiling while holding a cup with foam on top, under a colorful 'Butterbeer' sign.

and a Starbucks Reserve, a multi-story destination with fabulous displays, tastings, tours, and all things coffee.

It goes without saying that I’ve loved all the sidewalk gardens lining Michigan Ave,

along with a current art installation by sculptor Carole A. Feuerman along the Magnificent Mile. Her sculptures are extraordinary. I found her website and Facebook page so I can learn a bit more about her.

Mike and I both love architecture, and I’m a huge fan of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work, so we took the train to nearby Oak Park for a docent-led tour of Wright’s first home and studio. The volunteer docent shared fascinating details about the man and his work.

Today we took a different kind of architectural tour along the Chicago River. I have a renewed appreciation for the design elements and the challenges of building along the waterfront. Every building told a story.

Needless to say, we’ve had several enjoyable meals and coffee breaks (coffee for Mike, tea or diet soft drinks for me) along with visits to a couple of art museums.

The only disappointment so far was having to cancel the Botanic Gardens. It poured rain that day, all day, so we went to a museum instead.

I had hoped to see the temporary art installation at the Botanic Gardens called Evanescent, which ended Sunday. Sue, who blogs at The Nature of Things, wrote about it earlier this summer. You can view her fabulous photos of the bubbles here.

We’re having a restful evening back at our hotel, then we’ll be off to what will surely be the highlight of our trip. I’ve been asking everyone to manifest a meet-and-greet with Michelle Obama. Wouldn’t that be something?

“While we breathe, we will hope.” – Barack Obama

A rainy afternoon at the Art Institute of Chicago

September 3, 2026 by Born To Organize

Reclaiming Space and Serenity

As my youngest son moved to his own home in July, closets, cabinets, and corners of our house emptied, clearing the way for possibilities. We left both our sons’ childhood bedrooms intact through their college years, but now that they’ve launched, we’re empty nesters living in a four-bedroom home with room to spread out.

At the start of the pandemic in March of 2020, and after mulling over several possibilities, Mike bought a used sit-stand desk, cut a foot off the back, and set up his home office in a corner of our bedroom. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect it would still be there six years later, but so it goes. It’s great having him work from home, but a bedroom office has its challenges.

My youngest son’s empty bedroom is now Mike’s office. He has room for paid work and hobbies, a small seating area for me and Tessa, and the ability to spread out.

I’m an organizer by nature and by trade, but not everyone enjoys the process of decluttering, so I’ve learned to tread carefully over the years. Excited at the possibility of his own dedicated space, we worked together to reduce the excess from the garage, den, and assorted closets. It feels transformative.

After donating, recycling, and a trip to a toxic waste collection facility with a small box of solvents and old products, I’ve been able to move all of Mike’s hobbies and treasures into the converted room.

A neatly organized closet workspace featuring shelves with storage bins, tools, and decorative items. The setup includes a standing desk, smaller containers for supplies, a framed photo, and a few mechanical devices.

It’s a small room, only 10 x 10, so years ago I converted the six-foot closet using a closet component system. I used different shelf widths, creating a desk, a small hanging space for jackets, and three drawers. The altered closet now houses all of Mike’s model airplane kits, too many electronic components to count, his pilot gear, and assorted treasures.

We moved the sit-stand desk to one side of the room, bought a rug and a small, flat-pack foyer table, and I scored the small settee at a second-run store for a song. We framed a print rescued from my brother-in-law’s apartment after his death that originally came from their parents’ home.

Mike is already enjoying his space and his passion for electronics. He’s dusted off his oscilloscope and converted a battery-operated light to an electrical one. I’m going to have a small sign made for the door that says “Renaissance Man.” He’s a sailer, a private pilot, a ham-radio operator, and an engineer. He writes well, loves to travel, and he’s fluent in English and Spanish, with some mastery of Italian. He’s a keeper!

Cozy corner featuring a colorful armchair with floral patterns, a small round table, and a framed photo beside it. The wall is painted blue, and a doorway opens to a garden view with outdoor furniture and greenery. A canvas print of a dog running on grass is displayed on the wall.

I moved an upholstered chair and table from other rooms to our bedroom to fill the corner once occupied by the work desk. I hung my son’s photo of his sweet dog, Juneau, a Christmas gift one year. The owl watercolor is an original from local artist Lexi Grenzer. Our bedroom feels spacious and light.

I’m free to shower and change without first making sure Mike’s Zoom camera is off. I can put away freshly laundered clothes, change into gardening shoes, etc. without disturbing him or potentially mortifying myself.

Change is good.

August 14, 2026 by Born To Organize

ScrapHappy For Kate

Kate, our longtime host and co-creator of the bloggers’ ScrapHappy project, needs to step back because of painful and debilitating hand issues. She put out an ask to our community of scrappy friends, and Kjerstin graciously offered to host ScrapHappy going forward.

Meanwhile, Kate is finishing another community-based project, a gorgeous ovarian cancer quilt with blocks created from around the world. She’s using her left hand, working slowly, yet determined to finish on time for the auction. You can see the quilt at the link.

This post is dedicated to Kate with affection and appreciation.

My contributions this month include five cards: three made with purple scraps using Natalie Brown’s masterboard technique, and two created with an advertising mailer rescued from a trip to the tip, so to speak.

Mixed-media styled cards aren’t for everyone, but I enjoyed the process and would like to do more.

Purple Distress Oxide ink softens the white edges

Layers of purple scraps stamped with black ink script and embellished with rub-on ephemera

I tore scraps of purple paper with various prints and glued them onto a larger sheet. From there, you build layers for texture and interest. I stamped with black ink, applied purple Distress Oxide ink over the white edges of the torn paper, and added some leftover rub-on decals. I sealed everything by brushing on a layer of Matte Medium (I used Liquitex).

After the new medium is dry, you can cut it into shapes. I cut the purple panel into:

Three leaves for an autumn card,

A tag for a card sent to a friend from Santa Fe, and;

Mixed media card using scraps and a decal from Santa Fe

As a panel for a Halloween card.

The only thing that isn’t a scrap is the Santa Fe decal. Mary Ann hails from there, and she provided travel tips for our recent visit to New Mexico. I brought home the decal with plans to eventually make a card.

I made the last two cards using an envelope from a Tommy Bahama mailer and the last few pages from a sample book a friend passed on. I probably should have stopped at one card, but I challenged myself to use the majority of the paper, which meant a lot of piecing.

Both cards are matted with pages from the sample book. I love the iridescent one and wish I had more.

Two handmade greeting cards featuring floral designs, each with a different color palette and outline styles, placed on a backdrop of green foliage. — Two up-cycled cards

I used embossing ink and white embossing powder on this first card,

A floral card featuring a white outlined drawing of flowers over a colorful background of various vibrant flowers.

and cut strips and a frame from the remaining envelope.

I used the last of the iridescent paper to make enough strips for a finished card. This one is stamped and embossed in black.

A handmade greeting card featuring a floral design outlined in black, layered over colorful diagonal stripes on a textured background, set against a backdrop of succulent plants.

Fellow makers, please consider joining us for this monthly, no-commitment challenge to create from scraps.

Thank you, Kjerstin, for picking up ScrapHappy going forward.

August 9, 2026 by Born To Organize

Preserving Theatre History in Los Gatos

My friend Marcia Frederick, now retired, spent her career in theater, designing costumes, directing productions, teaching, and creating art. She has an impressive collection of material from the early days of California Actor’s Theatre, which she recently gifted to New Museum Los Gatos.

I met Marcia at San Jose Repertory Theater in the early eighties. I worked under Marcia’s supervision in the costume shop, my first professional job after graduating with a degree in Theater Arts from San Jose State.

Though my love of theater and costumes has never wavered, working in that profession as a single woman meant days and weeks without a paycheck between gigs, no medical benefits, and no paid time off. I didn’t consciously mean to step away, but I got a taste of a steady paycheck working a temp job, and moved on from there.

Marcia hopes to preserve the history and legacy of theater in this area. She recently donated many of her original costume renderings, news clippings, programs, and the like to New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU).

New Museum Los Gatos Exhibit: Donated by Marcia Frederick

Marcia Frederick costume renderings at NUMU

Marcia Frederick costume renderings, Our Town, 1969, Los Gatos, California

The California Actors Theatre 1974-75 Season, Los Gatos, California

Additionally, she donated costumes from the early days at California Actors Theater and California Shakespeare Festival in Los Gatos. These items are on display August 6 through September 27, 2026. They will become part of the museum’s permanent collection.

A black velvet gown and accompanying black lace mantilla. The black dress is largely plain, with black ruffles at the sleeve openings and along the neckline, with two bands of silver piping down the front. On the back of the dress' skirt, there is black striped detailing, with additional black lace trim. The dress opens in the back with a silver zipper. The black mantilla features a floral pattern, and has wavy edges.

From the museum:

“Marcia, we will feature your recent donation in our upcoming summer exhibition! Your generous gift is an important addition to our art and history collection, deepening our connection to our local arts community and to the history of theater in Los Gatos. We are so grateful for your continued support of New Museum Los Gatos. Choosing NUMU to steward your artwork is an honor for our community and us. We pride ourselves on preserving, caring for, and sharing these meaningful pieces into the future.”

I attended the reception of the New Additions exhibit this week, where Marcia was one of two featured speakers. She’s passionate about the craft and the importance of theater, and she wants others to share in that experience.

I met a few of Marcia’s colleagues from her early days in theater that evening, and we had fun playing the “do you remember…” game. It was a remarkable evening.

Marcia Frederick speaking at the opening of New Additions, NUMU, Los Gatos

If you’re local, and a friend of the theater, I know you’ll enjoy this exhibit. If you’ve also had the pleasure of working with Marcia throughout her career, this exhibit is a treat.

You can see Marcia’s full donation to NUMU here. It includes programs, news clippings, additional costume renderings, slides, and photographs.

July 29, 2026 by Born To Organize

A Quiet Afternoon

A Bluejay disturbed the unusual quiet this afternoon, loudly telling off our resident feline, Tessa, who was lounging on the cool stone walkway and, as far as I could tell, minding her own business. Nevertheless, I invited her indoors with a treat so the Jay could avail himself of a drink from the fountain.

Mike has been working from home 90% of the time since Covid, and a year ago our young son moved home with his 70-pound, boisterous dog Juneau, a Husky/German Shepherd mix, while he looked for a job. At the time, we still had two cats, three if you count my sister’s aging cat, Queen B. Sharon’s kitty lived with us while my sister convalesced at a skilled nursing facility. Queen B has passed, followed by my sweet kitty Mouse last October. My son found a job and now housing in San Francisco and moved last month, so our household has contracted to two adults and one mellow kitty.

A smiling dog sitting in front of a colorful hydrangea bush with pink and blue flowers. — Juneau in the garden

I love my husband, my sons, the pooch, and the cats. Still, I’m thoroughly enjoying this day of solitude. I’ve been puttering in the garden, watching the bees traverse the nepeta flowers, discovering tomatoes on the plants that the nightly visitors have missed, and marveling at how quickly things grow at this time of year.

To my delight and surprise, a lone pumpkin vine is trailing along the back walkway. It’s been flowering and dropping spent flowers as they are wont to do, and eventually a male and a female flower form, and if you’re lucky, magic happens, and a tiny pumpkin appears. The first pumpkin is now the size of a baseball, and a second one is forming down the vine. These garden surprises make me smile. We grew pumpkins for years, but gave up after back-to-back years of nasty squash bug infestations left me disheartened. Fingers crossed.

Several annuals have run amok, including Nepeta, four-o’clocks, and the pair of tomato plants that went into the ground in May. We enjoyed delicious tomatoes from the beefsteak plant and more from the cherry tomato, but then fruit production slowed, and the vines grew, towered, and partially fell over. Even restaking and tying back proved futile, so today I pulled up a steel garden bench, more decorative than seat-worthy, to offer additional support.

Four o'clocks (Mirabilis jalapa) — Four o’clocks (Mirabilis jalapa)

Mike spotted a gorgeous dragonfly perched on a stem, so I ran for my phone and snapped a few pics. It resembles a flower from a distance. Several butterflies passed through, but alas, not a single photo. The lizards are active, and for the first time I saw one jump to catch a bug.

A pair of mourning doves hang out on the street light, then move in for a drink at the bird bath on our deck. We had a pigeon visit our garden for a week, so tame that I felt sure it had a home. One of my neighbors joked that it had adopted me.

Our sunflowers are starting to go to seed, but they performed well. We had to run out and tie them to a trellis a few weeks back when heavy winds blew through, but they remained upright. The squirrels are surely waiting in the wings.

For a while now, I’ve wanted to create a water source for the bees.

A honey bee collecting nectar from a white and purple flower amidst green foliage. — Western Honey Bee

I see suggestions every year, but never quite got around to it. It was simple to create. I washed out a heavy planting pot and an equally weighted saucer and stacked them in the middle of the nepeta. The bees love the tiny white flowers and spend a lot of time there.

The trick is to create a shallow bowl of water and a smooth surface to land on. I used clay shapes from my stash of vase weights, and added a decorative glass cat for interest (mine, not theirs). I tucked a water bottle into the shrubs so that it’s easy to top off each day. Between the heat and the shallow water in the saucer, it dries out quickly.

A shallow green birdbath surrounded by greenery, featuring a water fountain shaped like a dinosaur and a collection of yellow, star-shaped toys at the bottom. — Bee water source

Further garden projects await, but we’re heading into a seven-day heatwave starting Friday, so I’ll be hiding from the sun.

Meanwhile, I’m manifesting love, light, and hope for peace in our world.

Bougainvillea extraordinaire

Bouganvillea reflected in the garden mirrors

June 25, 2026 by Born To Organize

An Abundance of Apricots

Anna's Hummingbird in Apricot Tree — Male Anna’s Hummingbird

Our grafted, fifteen-year-old apricot tree produced about fifty pounds of fruit this season. It’s a record. In fact, any previous record now seems laughable. Yes, that is a lot of fruit, and it happened all at once.

A healthy tree branch laden with ripe apricots, surrounded by lush green leaves.

The tree is a curiosity. We learned about four-in-one grafted trees from a neighbor when my youngest son was turning 10. He was enamored, back in the day when gardens were more interesting than they are to a now 26-year-old, and he asked for a tree for his birthday. We were happy to oblige.

Starting with a single fruit tree, the grower adds three additional grafts, all of them stone fruit. The tree once produced apricots, plums, peaches, and nectarines; only two have survived and thrived over the years.

Most years, the fruit is quickly claimed by neighborhood critters. We’re ever hopeful, as we were this time last year, as we watched the fruit disappear from the tree, dropped into half-eaten, sticky, fruit-fly inviting messes on the garden floor.

A garden pathway made of stone, scattered with fallen apricots and small pebbles, surrounded by lush green plants. — Dropped fruit

Imagine our delight and surprise when this year’s bumper crop arrived. While the plum half of the tree produced some fruit, the tree is too tall to make any harvesting practical. I let out a sigh as I stepped over a few of them, but it was short-lived. The apricots, however, were prolific.

In record time, dozens of branches drooped from the weight of the fruit, with some clusters nearly touching the ground. I temporarily repurposed a sturdy garden trellis to support all that extra weight, and I thinned what I could to help lighten the load. It worked.

My research said that I could start harvesting the apricots as soon as they had some color and would give way to a gentle thumb press. I kept checking the tree like a new mum with a sleeping newborn.

Meanwhile, neighboring critters began to take stock of the fruit on the tree, color be darned. In fact, pound for pound, I think we can call it a draw.

We enjoyed those first few apricots, sweet and delicious, each one delivering on summer’s promise. I filled a basket for our kitchen. Then I filled a bag and took it to my sister and her caregivers. We offered fruit to friends and neighbors, and at the same time, fruit continued to fall at an alarming rate, half-eaten or bruised, leaving a mess on the garden floor.

It became clear at that point that even the unripe fruit would soon be lying on the ground, making nature’s version of apricot jam. I removed another twenty pounds of fruit and, this time, placed it at the curb with a free-apricot sign and several paper bags, and monitored the basket as the fruit slowly found a home, removing the mushy fruit every few hours.

A basket and a container filled with an abundance of yellow and orange apricots placed on a wooden surface. — Abundant Apricots June 18

A woven basket filled with fresh apricots, some marked with brown spots, alongside a note that says 'Garden Apricots Please take some.' — Garden Apricots, Almost Gone

This passed Wednesday I pruned the lower branches and watched as the tree lost all that weight and bounced back to its original height. It’s been a fun and interesting few weeks.

A vibrant green tree with lush leaves, surrounded by various plants in a garden setting, with a wooden fence in the background.

Now I will give my full attention to the garden’s reddening strawberries and tomatoes.

June 22, 2026 by Born To Organize

Gladiolus in a Vase for Pride Month

I’m joining Cathy and others for a weekly garden meme called “In A Vase on Monday.” Cathy encourages her readers to cut flowers from our garden and then arrange them in a vase.

A top-view image of a bouquet of pink gladiolus flowers in a white vase, placed on a textured beige tablecloth.

Today’s vase features pink gladiolus loosely arranged into a pink triangle in honor of Pride Month. For the past 31 years, San Francisco, which is just an hour from here, has hung a large pink triangle from Twin Peaks during Pride Month.

A white vase filled with pink flowers, placed on a table outdoors, beside a small stand displaying a rainbow pride flag card.

I’ve used a small Pride flag magnet as a prop. This Wiki submission explains the symbolism.

“A pink triangle is a symbol for the LGBTQ+ community. Initially intended as a badge of shame, it was later reappropriated as a positive symbol of self-identity. It originated in Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s as one of the Nazi concentration camp badges, distinguishing those imprisoned because they had been identified by authorities as gay men. In the 1970s, it was revived as a symbol of protest against homophobia and has since been adopted by the larger LGBT community as a popular symbol of LGBTQ+ pride.”

Gladiolus symbolizes strength, integrity, resilience, moral character, and the ability to fight through difficulties.