AtDtDA(34): The Baby Was Born During the Rose Harvest

[Dave Monroe]

"The baby was born during the rose harvest ...." (AtD, Pt. IV, p. 949f.)


"the rose harvest"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose#Symbolism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_%28symbolism%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_of_flowers


"The afterbirth went into the ground beneath a young rosebush"

>From Harold Speert, Obstetrics and Gynecology: A History and
Iconography (3rd ed., rev., New York: Parthenon, 2004) ...

"Methods of disposing of the placenta have varied among different
cultures.  In Upper Austria and the province of Salzburg, for example,
it was customary to bury the placenta under a green tree, to ensure
the woman's continuing fertility.  In the Serbo-Croatian province of
Dalmatia on the Adriatic coast, the placenta was buried under a rose
bush, thus might the child always have rosy cheeks...." (p. 251)

http://books.google.com/books?id=5MXZeWalTCIC
http://www.crcpress.com/shopping_cart/products/product_detail.asp?sku=PA278X&af=W1129


Ljubica

LJUBICA
Gender: Feminine

Usage: Croatian, Serbian, Slovene

Other Scripts: Љубица (Serbian)

>From the Slavic element lub meaning "love" combined with a diminutive
suffix. It can also come from Serbo-Croatian ljubicica meaning
"violet".

http://www.behindthename.com/name/ljubica

Serbo-Croatian: violet (the flower). Commemorating Cyprian's toilette
at Carnesalve, I suggest; see pages 881 and 891. The name is
pronounced LYOO-beet-sah. In light of the musical theme, Ljubica
Marić, b. 1909, considered to be one of the most original composers to
emerge from Yugoslavia, should be noted.

Also: from the Slavic element "lub" meaning "love" combined with a
diminutive suffix, aka "little love"

http://against-the-day.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=ATD_946-975#Page_950


"'I knew her once--'"

Cf. ...

"At the grave, which by Quaker custom was unmark'd, Mason beseech'd
what dismally little he knew of God, to help Dixon through.  The grass
was long and beaded with earlier rain.  A Cat emerg'd from it and
star'd for a long time, appearing to know them....

[...]

   "'It's your Mate,' Doctor Isaac assur'd him, 'It's what happens
when your Mate dies.'" (M&D, Ch. 78, p. 768)

http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0208&msg=69635

And see as well, e.g., ...

http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0111&msg=62794
http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0111&msg=62797
http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=0112&msg=63750


"'and now here is the balance being restored'"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm

Thematic?  Pynchonian, even?  And/or ...


"'Oh, you're overthinking it all ..."

As usual ...