Tag Archives: daffodils

From Daffodils To Christmas Trees

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The daffodils and crocus are beginning to bloom in my yard. After I traipsed outside last night to pick a few daffodils, I came back in and took down the Christmas tree.

March 13.

The spring flowers are blooming and I finally let go of the last remnant of my holiday spirit. To be fair, the tree featured just a few Christmasey things, instead favoring pine cones, wooden mushrooms, snowmen and little winter decorated buildings.

I liked the warmth of the white lights on a dark night. It was comforting and pretty. Still, it needed to go away so I can decorate for Easter and Spring.

The Easter Bunny will be here before we know it and I need to be prepared!

Brush Pile Beauty

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The transition from winter into spring is both quiet and fierce. As flowers gently push through the earth, the wind forces its way through the pines. The brilliant blue sky is accented by leisurely wbarren trees and clouds while last year’s lifeless grass seems to grow tall and green overnight.

I tend to walk around the yard more than normal, looking for clues as to how the season progresses. Yesterday I found this daffodil growing from last summer’s brush pile. 

It was likely mixed in with debris and weeds cleared from a nearby flower bed last year, mistaken for a near invasive species that I worked hard to eradicate. 

Imagine being that poor flower, uprooted from home and thrown into the trash because of a serious case of mistaken identity. 

Yet it grows. 

In fact, it reached through a tangle of debris to create a new home for itself and grow into a beautiful flower. 

It gives new and literal meaning to the phrase “bloom where you are planted.”

It’s also a gentle reminder that someone else’s poor choice to mistreat you or to toss you aside should not determine your future. Define your own future. Thrive just to spite them. Make your surroundings better because you can. 

The world will be better for it too.

Daffodils In Fog

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Daffodils are the perfect harbingers of Spring. These brilliant yellow flowers pop against the fog like tiny balls of sunshine on the grayest of days.

They are a reminder to appreciate the smallest changes and, as they sway in the wind, reminders of how important it is to bend in difficult conditions rather than break with rigidity.

They offer so many life lessons and I am grateful for each and every one.

Oppe og ikke gråter

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Under the heading “Learn Something New Every Day,” there is the the Norwegian phrase oppe og ikke gråter.

The internet claims that this is a response to the common question “how are you?”

If you aren’t from Norway or familiar with the language, “oops og ikke gråter” translates to “up and not crying.”

And now my day is made. Never in my life have I felt a phrase more appropriate.

In America, when you ask someone how they are doing the standard answers are things like “fine” or “busy, busy!”

The asker rarely expects or wants to hear how you really are. So these boilerplate responses work pretty well. However, “up and not crying” may be my new go-to answer! It speaks volumes and is hilarious!

Note: the daffodils pictured above are the first of the season to bloom in my hard. There’s a story to go with the first daffodils that you can read here.

A Little Early

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This winter has been unseasonably warm here in southern Ohio. While we would normally expect daily highs in the twenties or thirties, we’ve mostly been in the fifties and sixties for a while. Thursday will be 76 degrees.

I tell you that to say this.

Our spring flowers and shrubs are confused.

I plucked this little daffodil from my yard last night and brought her to a vase inside. There are at least a dozen more ready to bloom today or tomorrow.

This cartoon comes to mind this week.

These gals typically bloom in late March or early April so this feels super early. This is what we call “fool’s spring” so I’m trying not to get too attached to the idea that the earth is stirring to life.

Meanwhile, when you’re in the presence of a daffodil, the appropriate response is to smile. So I’ll just keep smiling.

Daffodils In Snow

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We awoke to a light snowfall yesterday morning. It didn’t even last till lunch but it was a lovely sight all the same.

I’m not sure these pretty little daffodils were so pleased to be blanketed in snow but it made me smile to see how bravely they stood up to it.

Isn’t that how life goes? Everything seems sunny and happy and then something harsh comes along and kills the mood for a while. Luckily, those mood killers typically don’t last forever and the sun will eventually come back.