springing here in sunny Manchester. Flowers are once again peeking their heads above the grass. In Crowcroft Park crocuses collect like tiny Carmen Mirandas with blossoming hats made of purple, orange, white and blue petals. Waiting on the sidelines and in abundance are the ever patient daffodils not yet ready to bloom but whose flower heads can be seen tightly bound as if beneath a robe pulled snug against the cold. They remind me of those tall elegant women from 30's films who wore full length wrap around coats. The other weekend in Wales I saw snowdrops crowd the riverbanks and peer between rocks coated with frost. Not long now before the light becomes softened by the northerly moving sun. Hurrah!
Spring, the season that leads us out from the darkness of winter.
Dontchajustlovit?
9 comments:
YES I DO!
And I love your descriptions of it too....
after 30 yrs in San Francisco the seasons still seem a bit "off" to me. I love the winter blooms, but - ITS DARK OUT, FLOWERS! Daffodils blowing through in Jan/Feb is very charming, but I'm still keeping my nose tucked under my muffler and its dark by 5:00, so I wonder "who do they think they are kidding?"
The Aussies and the S. African blooms fare better, I don't expect spring to accompany them; they are simply a gift and I accept gratefully.
It's the DAFFYDILS and hiacynths that always make me feel a bit murderous and cheated...
Yep - 's my fave. It just gets better and better.
Yup. Your post made me want to escape the concrete, get on a train and go somewhere to see the green things.
H,
The Victorian name for daffodil was daffodilly which I really like. I also like Hiacynths for their heady scent. Not sure what latitude you're on in California, or for that matter how far from top to bottom California stretches. I sort of assume it's a long way. Although born here I feel lucky to live on this particular latitude because there are four distinct seasons. Do daffs grow in California? Oh what an ignorant sod I am not to know that.
Z,
What can I add. I love the spring more than any other thing. Except possibly alcohol, sex and holidays. Of course holidays end after a few weeks and alcohol wears off, and sex? The Dr says my little problem will clear up soon. However the SPRING JUST KEEPS ON ACOMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fantastic season. Deserves a medal for the joy it brings to my heart.
Annie,
Ah, you old Londoner you. One of the advantages of Manchester is its location, bordered by Cheshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire. Near to North Wales and the Lakes. Top place. You should move here, get out of the Smoke, give up the Great Wen, travel north, breathe a little. Though I must say London has some great parks, and some sweet little ones, and that river, and galleries, and the 5th floor restaurant at the Tate Modern with that view of St Pauls that must rank as one of the finest views on the planet. I've friends who live in Crystal Palace and often stay with them, the view from Gypsy Hill over London is awesome. Still, the cusp of spring takes some beating in my book.
first, to your question: CA varies in height significantly, and therefore in weather. Lows in my area occasionally creep towards frost, but not often. So I am barred from enjoying most tulips, but there are a few daffs that don't require solid freezing to urge forth a bloom or two. No snowdrops at all, alas.
I crept back to your blog, after my first spontaneous, emotional reaction, to check the imbedded links.
as usual, what a sly dog you are. Layers and layers of questions and meaning in your chosen links. I shoulda' known. at some level, I guess I did, and that's why I returned to check them....
;-)
H,
I've discovered that Northern California is on Latitude 42 and I've not managed so far to track down what latitude the UK is on though given your continent is huge and this island is tiny I'm not sure the knowledge will help me compare flora. Re the links, I like the video of Connie Mark who explains though she is from Jamaica she was taught Wordsworth's Daffodils as a child at school because of her Imperial education and of course daffs don't grow in Jamaica s so as a child she never saw one. Re the snowdrops given I saw them in Wales I hunted for a Welsh link and found one. The crocuses were found on Kew's website. Did you link onto the panoramic camera that takes the viewer through 360 Degree panorama of their magnificent crocus lawn. Awesome!
Re the BBC's Video Nation, a couple of years ago they gave cameras to loads of different people (I think they're still doing it) from all walks of life, children, older people, young people, immigrants, asylum seekers, builders, factory workers, businessmen, car sales people, bar staff, school students etc etc etc. And asked them to record whatever took their fancy. These short films approx a couple of minutes in length were then shown unprompted between the main programmes similar to a lucky dip. Obviously Connie Mark made a film about daffodils because they were important to her, a link with her childhood maybe.
Video Nation is a brilliantly simple idea, brilliantly realised.
Your lyrical description makes me think about the seemingly innumerous daffodils that line the city walls of York in the spring.
Daffodils may also be seen in Central Park in the spring--but only in a few locations and not nearly as many. However, it will be quite a few weeks before any blooms chase away the cold darkness of winter. The yellow-flowered forsythia bush is generally regarded as the harbinger of spring here.
Oh Lawd Dan, you can write, you sho can write.
I love the way you give inanimate things personalities.
G,
That's quite a compliment from someone who sho can write herself.
Thanks.
Post a Comment