Between the showers, I took the opportunity to go into the garden, and take some photographs. I love raindrops on flowers, the daffodils looked particularly beautiful today.
Did you know it was Dorothy Wordsworth who first described those famous daffodils, not her brother William. He didn't 'wander lonely as a cloud' but was out for a walk with his sister when they discovered drifts of daffodils along the Ullswater shoreline.
'I never saw daffodils so beautiful' she records in her 1802 diary. 'They grew among the mossy stones.....some rested their heads....as on a pillow for weariness and the rest tossed and reeled and danced and seemed as if they verily laughed with the wind, that blew upon them over the lake; they looked so gay, ever glancing, ever changing.'
William borrowed shamelessly from her journal but his verse and her prose sum up perfectly, the qualities, that have endeared us gardeners to the daffodil..........
Whatever the weather, get out into your garden and enjoy your blooms.......
Have a lovely weekend.........
36 comments:
I love knowing that about Wordsworth...the stinker of a brother! Borrowing without crediting her! In todays world she would have sued him! The daffs are beautiful in your garden...and Cheryl, I know I don't need to say this because you will, but have a delightful time in your garden...gail
Hi Gail......isn't that just so brother like....(I have a younger brother).....
Thank you...I will enjoy my garden.....
Your daffs live up to Wordsworth's words. His Sister's and his own. They probably thought a lot alike.
It is cool and damp feeling here. I haven't been out much. I have an indoor project going. Enjoy your weekend Cheryl.
Hi Lisa....Thank you.....it would appear that they did......
It is cold here at the moment with heavy showers.....the weather is so changeable.....
Hope your indoor project goes well....
Lovely words. Also "raindrops on flowers" sounds like it should be a title to a poem or song. Daffodils are my favorite spring flower.
Well, it's not the first time a man took credit for something a woman did... ;-) but the daffs are indeed verily lovely.
Dear Cheryl,
These are gorgeous! Your photography is just exquisite. I also took daffodil photographs today. I am waiting for a huge snow storm to come in. Just in case the forecast for 13-23 cm is correct I wanted to at least have a few photographs. I cut a bouquet of all white for the kitchen table. That much snow will flatten my drifts of daffodils.
I so agree, we must get out and enjoy our blooms. We can always get dry and warm back up but our blooms will fade and we will wait until next Spring for their beauty.
Perhaps Wordsworth compensated his dear sister in some way! I find her diary charming. I shall look for it.
Have a relaxing weekend. Stay dry and warm and comfortable by the fire.
Sherry
Love the results of your wanderings Cheryl. There's something very pretty about raindrops on flowers - nature's way of dispensing with the dust!
Your daffodils do indeed seem to be dancing...Such beautiful colors you have. And the rain drops make then shimmer so delightfully, As Monica said, sounds like a man! Thanks for the tour and I have been out in my garden today-still cleaning and clearing!
Hi Cheryl,
I read Dorothy's journal some years ago and loved it. I was struck by how close she and her brother were and how after his marriage she continued to live with William and his wife. By this time she was 31 and considered herself too old to marry! How differently we think now.
I think we need the Daffodils at the moment to remind us it is Spring, it has been cold and windy with hail today! Hope you enjoy your weekend.
I have definitely been out enjoying my blooms. It's amazing to see things come back to life. I sat out there yesterday morning & discovered that my bleeding heart was not only growing but also blooming....
No daffodils here -- they are just beginning to poke up through the ground -- everything is still quite brown and drab! I will certainly be enjoying them when they do bloom -- maybe around Easter!
I did enjoy yours though.
I've always loved that poem. I didn't know the idea came from his sister. Good information and wonderful photographs.
I also love raindrops on roses (oops, I mean daffodils!). Your daffodils look delightfully clear and pretty. So colourful and the raindrops just add to the clarity.
I've never read Dorothy's journal, but I do like her writing style. Will look for it in the library.
Happy Spring. Hope you get some sunshine. Thanks for brightening up my day with your daffodils. I love visiting your garden.
You know I love Wordsworth, and this poem is one of my favorites. If I had ever learned that he took these images from Dorothy, I have forgotten it. They were so close that he thought of her as his muse, and perhaps she didn't mind it.
Either way, I agree there's nothing quite so beautiful as daffodils fluttering in the breeze! Yours look especially lovely in the rain, Cheryl. I've been enjoying mine, too.
I couldn't agree more! I've been loving all my bulb flowers but the daffs and narcissus are really delighting me this year.
Cindy
dear cheryl,
love all the facts about wordsworth. it is so interesting knowing they were so close and had some of the same ways of thinking. is ullswater shoreline near you>?
your daffy's look so beautiful.
they are dazzling in the raindrops. i love how they just pop up here and there. where ever they feel like pushing thru the ground. i need to plant some for next year and will.
i sat out in the chilly sprinkles of rain today with the birds to watch them enjoy themselves.
Dear Patsi.....I think everyone has a soft spot for daffodils.......
Hi Monica....your comment made me smile, thank you....
Dear Sherry.....that much snow would indeed flatten your daffodils.......to bring some into the house will allow you to enjoy the lovely blooms, if only for a short while.....I do hope that it turns out to be a light flurry....
I am trying this year to enjoy each moment in my garden. There is always so much to do.......but I have learnt over the years that sometimes I need to just 'be'. I can do that now......I shall cherish each moment in the garden and enjoy it for what it is, at that time.......
Perhaps William did compensate his siter.....I would like to think that he did......
Stay warm......and happy.....
Tricia....I love that thought 'nature dispensing with the dust'....I shall remember that......
Hi Beckie....thank you....
There is always so much to do this time of year.....but it will be worth it.....preparing for what is to come is always so excitig.....Have a good weekend...hope you and yours are all well.....
Hi Shysongbird.....I love the way that Dorothy writes......for me it is a bygone age that I can connect with......and of course you are so right, we would think very differently now about a lot of things.......
It is cold here, with a light frost this morning.....just going to go out and check the heater in the greenhouse!!
Have a lovely weekend....the sun should be back tomorrow.....
Gosh Cyndee....that is very early for bleeding hearts....is that normal in your area????
Thank you Jo-Ann.....you have something to look forward to....when mine fade your daffodils will still be giving you pleasure.....
Hi Wendy.....glad you liked the daffodils and hope that you can find the journal....I am sure you will enjoy it.....
Dear Rose....I to love Wordsworth......I read an article in the Royal Horticultural Socities magazine and they had a write up about Wordsworth.....and they mentioned the poem and how it came to be......I thought it may interest bloggers...
I agree with you totally....they were extremely close and I am sure in my heart that Dorothy would not mind....
My brother is a dear and would do they same thing, of that I am sure. I am very close to him and I have to say, I would not mind at all, whatever I have is his also......
Hi Marmee...thank you....Ullswater is not close to me.....unfortunately.....it is said to be very beautiful, although I have never been there.....
Daffodils are wonderful spring blooms, especially when the weather is so dull.
I do hope you and yours have a lovely weekend....
Best wishes.....
MMMmmm definately must plant more daffodils!!!
Dear Cheryl - just got back from 2 of the sunniest weeks in March that I can remember - I said I'd let you know what I thought of the Eden Project - like you was very pleasantly surprised and loved it - there really is something there for everyone! I also came away with some willow cuttings after sweet-talking one of the gardeners who kindly gave me a few of the prunings - we also visited Heligan too which is just wonderful - especially the Lost Valley - I'm guessing you'd love that bit too! Will try and get some photos posted very soon but the garden is definitely needing some attention this weekend - if it's grown as much as my clients' gardens I'm going to have my time cut out this next 2 weeks... Love all your daffodil pictures - so pretty - take care Mirandax
Dear Miranda.....so please the sun shone for your and that you enjoyed Eden and Heligon. I will look forward to your posts......
I realise that in your profession at this time of year it is full on......after being away for two weeks, I can imagine the work....
How lovely to have been given the willow prunings....a lovely reminder of your holiday......
How interesting! I haven't been out in the garden much this weekend. It's been uncharacteristically cold and windy!
Brenda
Oh How beautiful Cheryl.....
Sure sign spring is here!!!
Mind you we had ice!!!last night...but today is `glorious`..
Hope your enjoying your weekend:)♥
(Glad you liked your card)..♥
Oh what childhood memories were brought back to me, reading this post. One of the poems you taught me as a child. The last line always make me think of you -
"And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils."
Love you,
Mich
xxx
Hi Terrie.....I loved my card......tku so much.....
We had icy rain yesterday.....it was so cold......
Hello lovely.....fancy you remembering that......I am glad that it evoked a memory......sleep well.....
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