Coffee Mug - COLORADO

Blue symbolizes the sky; white symbolizes the snow; while yellow symbolizes Colorado's gold mining history. This makes the Rocky Mountain Columbine or Colorado Blue Columbine the perfect choice for the Colorado State Flower, as it was so designated in 1899 following a vote of Colorado's school children. In 1915, the tune "Where The Columbine's Grow" was adopted as the official Colorado State Song. In April, 1999, a heinous and horrific shooting forever linked "Columbine" with tragedy, in this country. I hope exploring the symbolism of this beautiful bloom, provides a little separation. The ancient Greeks and Romans attributed this plant to the goddess of love, Aphrodite. The flower, with it's unusual spurs, is also thought to resemble the hat of a court jester, lending it to an association with "the fool". In the Victorian language of flowers, gifts of Columbines meant, "resolved to win". Interestingly, Columbines have been mentioned or depicted in the Christian religion over many centuries. Some Christians believed the the Columbine flower had the meaning of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. These included: wisdom, intellect, reverence or piety, strength, advise, knowledge and fear -- as in the fear of God or the fear of doing wrong in the eyes of God. The colour of the petals is also significant. Blues and purples mean "penance". The spurs of the Columbine flowers (those elongated petals that hang below the flower) have evolved to different lengths and widths to accommodate the pollinators indigenous to the area in which they grow. Those elongated spurs remind me of honeysuckle flowers, which also have spurs beneath the petals. The flowers ARE edible and sweet, while the seeds and roots are HIGHLY toxic. As it is difficult to determine which blooms house seeds, best to get sweets from safer and more reliable sources. Of course, this design is not just a tribute to the lovely, somewhat exotic, Columbine flower; it also pays homage to our 38th state. Colorado is nicknamed "The Centennial State" because it became a state in 1876, the 100th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. Though Colorado has a diverse geography, the outline of the state is curiously square-like. That's because, like Wyoming and Utah, the borders of Colorado were originally defined along lines of latitude and longitude. This delightful design offers an outline of the state of Colorado, filled with their state flower, the truly astonishing and aptly named, "Colorado Blue Columbine". This gorgeous coffee mug is a terrific option for state memorabilia collectors or for anyone wanting to pay homage to our amazing 38th state. The original state outline is overlaid with the brilliant blue "COLORADO" and "The Centennial State" is in the upper corner and beautifully accentuates the handle and brim of this delightful cup.