Wednesday, April 9, 2014

A Second Look, April 9, 2014

I'm so excited because I found a new flower in my yard.  I think it's been there all along, but hidden. However, after we cleaned some brushy areas last year, the Siberian squill has revealed itself. That's why I do Second Looks--to find the unexpected little things among the predictable. And after doing this for three years, I am still finding them. :)

Here's what I saw this week during a Second Look.

If I have done my research right, this is a Siberian squill that still has to open. The snowdrops behind it have finished blooming.


The first daffodil bloomed this week.


Another kind of daffodil also opened. This one is in our compost pile.



New crocus are still blooming.



I found a couple of more bones. I'm not sure what they're from, but one of them looks like a scapula.


In between rains, we've been cleaning leaves out of beds. Now these bleeding hearts have a chance to get some sun.



Usually, the male and female cardinals are not on the feeder at the same time. This was one of the unusual times that they were.

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Today's poem, by William Wordsworth, is in honor of the first daffodil bloom.

The Daffodils
I wandered lonely as a cloud
   That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
   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.

The waves beside them danced, but they
   Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A Poet could not but be gay,
   In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
   In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
   Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15925#sthash.EsqoOj7j.dpuf

I wandered lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and Hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
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.


The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A Poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the Daffodils.
I wandered lonely as a cloud
   That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
   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.

The waves beside them danced, but they
   Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A Poet could not but be gay,
   In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
   In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
   Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15925#sthash.EsqoOj7j.dpuf

I wandered lonely as a cloud
   That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
   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.

The waves beside them danced, but they
   Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A Poet could not but be gay,
   In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
   In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
   Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15925#sthash.EsqoOj7j.dpuf

14 comments:

  1. So that's what they are called in English! I was wondering. They are very popular back home but not as much in Syberia :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you said the same thing about Siberian iris. I wonder how all of these flowers got the Siberian name?

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  2. Spring has come! It's so exciting to find a new plant in the yard. It's like getting a freebie from nature!

    I loved the poem by Wordsworth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And if you want an in depth analysis of it, there are plenty of them online. I chose just to read and enjoy.

      Delete
    2. I just noticed the date on your post -- April 23, 2014! In future years, you'll look back and think, "wow, spring came late that year!".

      Do you know, is Siberian squill the same as Blue Scilla? We have Blue Scilla here.

      Delete
    3. I think they are the same thing based on reading and pictures from the internet. I'm surprised that I was not familiar with this plant. Apparently, it naturalizes easily and some even call an invasive plant. I hope it spreads in our yard because t's in the perfect place to do that.

      Also, thanks for the heads up on the date. I fixed it. I'm gonna have to stop these posts when I'm tired. :)

      Delete
  3. I've never heard of a Siberian squill but it's beautiful.

    So funny you used that poem! I was visiting my parents the past couple of days and mom & I were trying to quote the daffodil poem (but not getting very far!). It's a favorite of mine. I think we all have those feelings of hope and joy when we see the spring blooms after a long winter. Wordsworth captured the mood well (I don't know what the "in-depth analysis" would be--I just like it--I'm pretty simplistic!).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm looking forward to when the flower opens all the way. It looks like there are others coming up. I hope so.

      Delete
  4. I finally saw a few things poking through the ground at my place too this week. I's excited to finally see some signs of spring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Whenever it happens, signs of plants emerging in the spring are always exciting, aren't they?

      Delete
  5. Okay, you corrected the date, but it is still wrong. You have to get more rest, my friend!
    Worked outside today-what fun.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my. I am really distracted. Let's see if the third time is the charm.

      Delete
  6. I can't wait to see more color blooming here. The crocus are up and the daffodil leaves have started. Love your pictures of spring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We had a warm weekend and there's been explosion of growth and blooming during the last couple of days. I hope that it was the same for you.

      Delete

What do you think?