Still cold...but there are daffodils!

Oh, how happy this makes me! When it snowed a few weeks ago, I was doing an outdoor inspection...mostly of snowy things...but jumped up and down when I saw the first sproutings of these. My favorite flower. Welllll, I might say that about several flowers - I adore zinnias, peonies, sunflowers, oh and dahlias. Ah, dahlias! Sigh. But all those don't just volunteer to come up in my yard without a little prodding first. Daffodils do.

It was grey and overcast and blah outside yesterday. Not at all springlike. I wish I could tell you that I did not regret my decision to go jacket-less when I went on my daffodil hunt, but that was not the case. I shivered. More than once. But there were daffodils to track down! I must be strong!

I think I just started calling them by their correct name a few years ago. Maybe two. All growing up I called them what my mother and grandmother called them - buttercups. And in my heart, that's what they still are called. But I don't want anyone to think I don't know my botany terms, so...daffodil. That's a happy name, too, so I'm alright with it. Now, my husband pokes fun at how I pronounce hydrangea. It's kinda like "hide-range-uh." (Thanks, Mama.) Apparently, the correct pronunciation is more along the lines of "hide-ran-juh." Oh, please. Really?? Sounds so stuffy. And don't you see the actual word "range" within the word? If I spelled it correctly? Anyway, I digress...back to daffodils!

Don't you just love the variations of daffodils, too? God is quite the designer and I love to remember that. There are the classic ones - all tall and bright yellow.

Or bright yellow and white. Perfect.

The ones with shorter, extra ruffledy petals in the middle. All dressed up...and I'll give them a place to go. Inside a vase, to brighten up any room in my house. (That's right, ruffledy. Sound it out.)

The ones with bright orange petals in the middle. These have, alas, not bloomed in my yard yet. I miiight admit that they're my favorite of the daffodils...possibly because the orange is the EXACT color of the inside of a Cadbury Creme egg. Sorry no picture for this one. Maybe later...

Then there are the all-white ones. These are a tad boring for me. Sorry. Also not blooming yet in my yard.

And then, finally, there are the teensy ones. Petite. You must put them in a little vase. And though I did just that, there are no pictures of them on here because my camera said, "Card full. No more!" and slapped my hand. You should have seen the look of shock on my face. Oh, well. I took too many pictures of the first flowers, so here's some more of them for you to enjoy...

Here's to lots more of these lovelies in the next few weeks!