and these ~
and even these ~
but where oh where was ? ~
"A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance."
~ William Wordsworth, 1770 -1850
Well I have to report that sadly we searched for them in vain. Yesterday we walked round Lake Derwentwater, where we came across this patch, which has started to show colour and will no doubt soon be a mass of glorious yellowness ~
but in the meantime I had to content myself with a few glimpses of daffodils, mainly dainty little 'Tête-à-Têtes' snuggled up in the shelter of cottage walls ~
and with the thought that the entry in Dorothy Wordsworth's journal, which apparently inspired her brother's poem was written on the 15th April 1802,when spring arrived later than it usually does now.
My daffodils are about in full bloom now, and most will be done when yours begin. So I look forward to seeing yours then, as i am sure i will be missing mine!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures, lovely post. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Anna, I do love your mini daffs, and that large expanse will be magnificent when they open. Our earliest, Rijnveld's Early Sensation have burst open into the yellow sea we know and love, finally. Most others are later by a couple of weeks.
ReplyDeleteFrances
Ah yes, daffodils and Wordsworth - now I feel like spring - except I feel I should have a term paper coming due on his poems! Yikes, glad those days are passed :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Anna~~ My husband's birthday is April 15th and I've always looked for the lilacs which on "normal" years are in bloom on his day. [Not that he cares.] The last two years prior they've been late. This year's weather however might mean things are back to "normal."
ReplyDeleteYou've got lovely photos nonetheless.
I haven't seen any daffodils this year yet. It's something to look forward to though. That bank will look glorious when they're all in bloom.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame the daffodils weren't out for your Lake District visit. Interesting that spring came so very much later back then - I guess we have been spoiled in recent years!
ReplyDeleteLovely, lovely photos Anna.
Just catching up with your previous posts after my blog break and I love the new look to your blog - where did you get your background photo from?
Jeanne x
Hi Anna
ReplyDeleteSpring is late here as well. I'd say two weeks or so behind last year.
Mind you, spring was certainly later in 1802. Didn't they have winter frost fairs on the Thames around then?
Hi Anna, the daffs are late for you this year, huh? They usually bloom earlier in March, right? I'm really bummed I never visited the Lake District even though we made it as far as Bolton to visit my ex's nan. Bolton wasn't, erm, so very scenic as what you show. :_)
ReplyDeleteMy daffs are flowering but they are all smallish varieties like Tete-a Tete.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the younger generation still associate daffodils with the Lake District and that poem!
Hi Anna,
ReplyDeleteLovely photos, sorry you didn't get to see the Daffodils... It's always the way, it's very difficult to get anything just at *that* perfect time!
I suppose it helped to realize that spring came even later for the Wordsworth's;-) I bet by now those daffy's are glowing...too bad you missed them:( Mine are all blooming now and I'm really enjoying this time of year...however, it was rather chilly today and barely reached 50 degrees. To some that may sound like the 'tropics' (!) but we were having 70+ degree temps over the weekend. March is so fickle!
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a wonderful weekend, Anna. A shame that the daffs weren't out, but nice to think that we're having a 'Wordsworth spring'.
ReplyDeleteHappy Spring Anna! I love those little 'tete a tete' daffs... I have some even showing their green shoots now. I love the poem too and the view on the hillside looks like it will fit well with Wordsworth's words very soon. Lovely photos! ;>)
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the date of Dorothy's journal entry - hadn't known that. My daffodils have just started to come out over the last few days. with luck some should be with me right into May.
ReplyDelete