It hasn’t rained today. At last. For days, weeks straight, it has rained – and sleeted, snowed, hailed, and we have seen floods up and down the country. Here too, in my own town, where people still are clearing up the ravages of several weeks ago.
I cannot resist bringing in flowers at this time of year. Daffodils, for just £1 those ragged banners of sunny anticipation. Renowned proclaimers of spring. I can trim off the stems, feed them a drop of bleach, a slurp of 7Up, give them cool and mist, but they won’t last long. One bunch of narcissi were still-born, shrivelled before they could bloom. But I will buy more right up until they are in full bloom outside again. A little guiltily. How ethical are cut flowers? I tell myself it’s not so bad if they are seasonal, local, not air-freighted… They are hard to resist.

Spring is not, in general, my favourite season. I am in agreement with the writer and literary critic Cyril Connolly, that ‘Fallen leaves lying on the grass in the November sun bring more happiness than the daffodils.’ Autumn is my favourite. And I like winter well enough. We banked up the log fire last night, after a bracing day, and lit a dozen candles and burrowed in as the wind raged outside. But we need a break now, a calm, and some hope.
And in any case, it is St. David’s Day today. St David (Dewi Sant), native and Patron Saint of Wales, 1st March marking his death in 589 AD. The spring date makes the daffodil (or, less romantically perhaps, the leek) the Welsh national symbol. ‘ Lent-lily’ it was sometimes called in the 19th century, after the time of year it blooms here. And internationally, the daffodil is a representation of life and of optimism.
My mother’s very favourite flower is a daffodil…….. personally I have soft spots for both bluebells and snow drops.
LikeLiked by 2 people
A galanthophile? It is hard not to transfer personalities onto flowers, and while the daffodil would be a aunt cheerleader in a ra-ra skirt, snow drops seem shy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀 Don’t go searching…. but somewhere on my WordPress the reader will see photos from a close by bluebell wood……. yep they do appear shy.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Intrigued!
LikeLiked by 1 person
https://ablogfromtheuk.wordpress.com/2019/04/26/easter-wild-bluebells-and-our-pet-dog/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aha! Those photos make me keener for spring to come.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“And then my heart with rapture fills,
And dances with the daffodils.” – Wordsworth. That was one of the poems I put to memory 50+ years ago in high school. I have some that need cutting.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Perfect, just the best line in ‘Daffodils ‘.
LikeLike
Yes. Wordsworth. I always think of him This time of year.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Eloquently written; words as languid pools of thought.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Too kind. Thank you for reading.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you… and, you’re quite welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jackie buys cut daffs because she doesn’t want to cut any from the garden
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am the same – with daffodils, it looks the most impressive to have a massed ‘host’ of them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bleach and 7-Up–never heard of those! Your daffodils are lovely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A tiny bit of bleach and sugar, apparently. I have tried it but not sure if there’s a difference!
LikeLike
I love spring and dislike fall. Maybe that’s why we have such a selection? So there’s something for everyone.
Is the bleach/7UP thing a real one? I couldn’t tell if you were serious or not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There seem to be many solutions (no pun intended) – a drop of bleach and sugar against microorganism, 7Up or Sprite, even vodka against wilting – but I am never sure if these work!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Daffodil. I always found that name weird. Don’t know why. We call them “jonquilles”. (Origin of the name unknown too)
Spring? Isn’t it like “foreplay” to summer?
😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Apparently it’s from Latin for the daffodil – or the narcissus, anyway, asphodelus (sort of works!) As for spring, many might say that period of “foreplay” is one of the best parts?
LikeLike
Latin. You don’t say? I always find the history of words so fascinating. And Jonquille comes from Spanish or Latin Jonc, or juncus, which is also another word in French…
LOL. I thought you might pick up “Foreplay”. 🙂
Take care my friend.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We use juncus too, but I think it’s a sort of reed 😏
LikeLiked by 1 person
Seven-up, hmmm. Never heard of that. I’m an autumn person too, but I’ll swap winter with spring. This one’s been already long enough. Can’t wait to take off some layers!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Everyone keeps reminding me that, apparently, it’s more likely to snow at Easter than Christmas here in UK – not this year, I hope!
LikeLiked by 1 person
loved this line – “fallen leaves lying on the grass in the November sun bring more happiness than the daffodils.” and it makes me think how those leaves may have s story. to tell -❤️❤️
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s a wonderful line, isn’t it. And yes, it speaks of so much more than the fallen leaves. Do those leaves symbolise something ending, or the shedding of an old skin to be able to start again?
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautiful thought again. 🌸🌸
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very early spring this year… but I’m not able to enjoy it with all those “deadly-virus” news around 🦠🌚🌚
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is true. Spent half today trying – failing – to cancel a spring trip to Poland with my daughu. Sad, and then feel bad for mourning a holiday when people are ill and afraid and bereaved. Take care!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Its sad…but I think we should prepare for worst.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Afraid so. Hard the bend the brain round it.
LikeLiked by 1 person